Page 153 - Voice for Life Songbook 1

30. You’re my friend
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Track 30
Information
This song is about friendship and the value of having people we can trust to be there for us, in good times and in bad.There is a challenge here: if we appreciate those around us who offer us that kind of friendship, we, in turn, should be prepared to love and support others in the same way.
Teaching the song
Start with the chorus in bar 12 ‘When I talk to you, you listen’ up to bar 20, teaching in two bar phrases (if teaching by rote). Once the chorus is familiar, go back to the beginning to learn the melody of the verse.
The lower part is optional, so you can perform this song in unison if you wish. If you are including the lower harmony, begin by teaching the section from bar 23 to 39. When the lower part breaks off into harmony from bar 26, it is largely in thirds below the melody and should be a familiar ‘shape’ for your singers to hear and sing confidently. Make sure your singers are aware when they should be singing in unison though (e.g. the last note of the chorus in bar 39), so that they tune their notes together carefully with the melody.
Next teach the final section from bar 50 to the end. In this section the singers on the lower part can imagine they are ‘backing singers’ adding in little repetitive harmonies here.
Finally, go back and add in the lower part from bars 43–50.
Using the voice well
Even though there are a number of rests in the chorus section (‘When I talk to you, you listen....’) ask your singers to think in two-bar phrases and not to breathe at every rest.This will provide a sense of line through the phrases and prevent any of the notes sounding clipped.
Musical skills and understanding
What does mf (bar 12) mean?
How many beats should the last note in the vocal parts last? What does poco rit. al fine (bar 60) mean?
What is the difference between the key of the verses and the chorus? How does this change reflect the words of the song?
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