200. Don't Give Up with guest Becky Reardon

A Breath of Song

Song: Don't Give Up

Music by: Becky Reardon

Notes: Thinking about tough times, Becky Reardon says, "The worst thing we can do is go silent." Here's a song to help with that -- a song about both grit and kindness; how a little flex can be the strongest response. She says, “Of all times when we need to get together and sing… this is the time to keep it going.” We talk about her love of the high desert, trees, community... how church and family singing embedded love of harmonies. How Naomi Shihab Nye reminded her, "When times are hard, do something satisfying." Plus a sticky cocklebur song! It's a good conversation to help return you to yourself, your power to bring more decency and compassion into the world.

Songwriter Info: Becky Reardon's voice is familiar to the millions of people who hear her sing on the Charlie Brown/Peanuts TV specials. She is a composer whose songs and rounds are widely sung by community and university choirs, song circles, and singing classes. Sometimes jazzy and fun-loving, sometimes trance-inducing and deeply spiritual, her music always conveys her passion for the natural world and the cycles of life.

Sharing Info: The song is free to share in oral tradition groups, but please contact Becky for recording and/or performing permission.

Song Learning Time Stamps:

Start time of teaching: 00:05:42

The Moon instructional song: 00:42:11

The Sticky Cocklebur: 00:43:19

Start time of reprise: 00:56:19

Links:

Becky's website: www.beckyreardonmusic.com

Alone from “Someday You’ll Find Her, Charlie Brown”: https://youtu.be/5VpmohI_ZZQ?feature=shared

Farther Along from “Why, Charlie Brown, Why”: https://youtu.be/6SY1MNEXHvY?feature=shared

Video of workshop improv singing: https://youtube.com/shorts/i2Z2Ltqy6dA

Rhiannon: https://rhiannonmusic.com/

The Lama Foundation: https://www.lamafoundation.org/

Winter Solstice Song (Deep down in the belly of the night): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbV-DaVxzE8

Becky Graber: https://beckygraber.com/ – and her conversation episode on ABS: https://www.abreathofsong.com/episodes--show-notes/165-heaven-above-earth-below-with-guest-becky-graber#/

Sue Coffee: https://www.resonancechorus.org/artistic-director.html

Elise Witt https://elisewitt.com/web/about-elise-witt/

Retreat with Elise and Becky on Ossabaw Island:: https://elisewitt.com/web/calendar/ossabaw-island-retreat-2026/

The Moon instructional song: https://beckyreardonmusic.com/product/where-is-the-moon/

The Sticky Cocklebur: https://beckyreardonmusic.com/product/the-sticky-cocklebur/

Becky’s Bandcamp page - to come!

Ella Fitzgerald: https://www.ellafitzgerald.com/

René Marie: https://renemarie.com/

Nuts & Bolts: 4:4, mixolydian, round

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