Popular English Children’s Songbook in English for Ukulele

Special thanks to Joan Pinós for his advice in putting this songbook together.

Here’s the story behind this traditional English children’s songbook for soprano ukulele. At first it had 50 songs – yes, 50 traditional folk songs, most of them from the USA. But one day we got in touch with a group of teachers in the USA (not the ones you see in films, but real, everyday teachers) and they warned us that some of the songs had racist roots and content. Yes, racist. So we spent quite some time researching which racist songs we needed to remove. Don’t be surprised: get in touch with teachers from the USA yourselves, just as we did.

Songs removed for racism or content unsuitable for children

A tisket, a tasket – Amazing grace – Aura Lee – Barbara Allen – Buffalo Gals – Camptown races – Five little monkeys – Good night ladies – Little brown jug – Oh my darling Clementine – Oh Susanna – Streets of Laredo – Ten in the bed – The yellow rose of Texas – This land is your land – Tom Dooley – USA Anthem – Yankee Doodle

Here are links to an association of primary teachers in the USA so you can see for yourselves:

https://www.knowbetterdobetterproject.com/do-better

The story of the man who wrote Amazing Grace

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/how-sweet-the-sound-amazing-grace-writer-overcame-a-racist-past

This land is your land and how the Abenaki spoke out

https://folklife.si.edu/magazine/this-land-is-whose-land-indian-country-settler-protest