First a Trickle...

"Life Cycles" is going through the normal process of writer's block followed by bursts of material.

Lyricist John Heath kept looking at his list of topics for songs and saying, "There's no way to make this interesting for little kids." After a whole bunch of days, I jumped in and threatened to write the words myself. And I started proposing solutions on how the show could work.

The problem is that for young kids it's very hard to tell a story and also cover a curriculum. In this case I think the curriculum is more important. The kids will like it as long as the songs are fun.

So John has come up with five lyrics in three days. I've written music to three and a half of them. We're moving along nicely.

Here's a first draft of one of the songs:

Creatures have features
That help them survive
If it is snowing
Fur keeps them alive.

Running from lions
It helps to have speed
Creatures have features
That do what they need.

The teeth of a tiger
The smell of a skunk
An elephant's packing
One heck of a trunk.
The polar bear's white and the leopard is spotted
Whatever the habitat calls for they've got it!

Creatures have features
They don't learn in school
If you like swimming
Then fins are quite cool

.Some try migration
And some hibernate
Creatures have features
So they acclimate! [cool word for 6 year olds, eh?]
copyright 2006 John Heath and Ron Fink