DocAndersen
I decided to be early for Song Saturday!
My father was an educator for more than 50 years. He loved being a teacher. He went to a convention and several people were talking about this song. He asked me if I had the song.
It is from Chapin’s Living Room Suite.
It is a melancholy song about the reality of education. It talks about conforming and being forced to do things one way and one way only.
There, so many colors in the rainbow and I see everyone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cVpkzZpDBA
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Question of
Memories are good, but sometimes make us wistful right?
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Yes
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No
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Question of
there are so many colors in a rainbow, right?
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Yes
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No
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I didn’t know anything about this song. Thanks.
this one always touches me.
Every child needs a teacher like the one in the song. I had a few in my lifetime. Great song choice, and I had never heard it before.
well we all need the second teacher, not the first! The first one, we have a lot of!
Q: MEMORIES ARE GOOD, BUT SOMETIMES MAKE US WISTFUL RIGHT?
Yes (11 votes) – 100%
Q: THERE ARE SO MANY COLORS IN A RAINBOW, RIGHT?
Yes (10 votes) – 100%
i met flowers are red teacher in my second year as an educator. I remember seeing the person in the mimeograph room running off 30 copies of worksheets.
I asked “you are really prepared, doing next week’s lesson ahead of time?” it was a Friday.
No, she said this is next’s year’s lessons.
I haven’t heard this one before.
it is one of my all-time favorites. I love that the child sees more. Sad then that it is taken away. But there are teachers that still teach the rainbow!
Good to see that dad has a positive influence over you albeit the song’s pensivity.
Raising awareness is a form of teaching. You do it so well I could mistake for an Educator.
But then again who needs a degree to be an effective teacher or influencer?
my father was a professor of education at Indiana University and I was an elementary school teacher in my first go-round (career 1)
Aha. I can therefore conclude that with or without any degrees you are a teacher by nature.
It’s just the way you are and we appreciate you for that sir.
thanks – my dad’s family had four kids. 3 went directly into education!
Thank you for sharing this is one song I had not heard from him before
i am a huge Chapin fan! he had a gift!
Very meaningful lyrics. Thanks for sharing this song!
sometimes we have to let kids be creative!
I agree 100%! The rigidity of the educational systems in some places, including where I live, is really concerning. Luckily, younger teachers seem to be bringing a positive change.
i was one of those young teachers but many years ago. It is hard to change a system that was built more than 200 years ago.
That song got to me but I still enjoyed it. I can see the lesson it would teach you, especially as a teacher.
Chapin had so many songs that have impacted me. I remember traveling all the time, I used to think he was singing about me in the song Cats in the Cradle.
That is another one that gets me. Music can help in so many ways. Tears are sometimes a good thing.
truly apt words! It is ok to cry. it is ok to feel sad!
We have fond and fun memories. Of course, what also uncomfortable.
it is a song that makes me wish more teachers saw the big picture.
A beautiful song and a lesson well learned from the teacher: flowers are red, and flowers are green. Seeing the flowers in each of their own colour.
Your dad really taught for many years. I’m amazed, he sure lives his occupation.
he was a professor the last 30. he loved teaching, it meant everything to him.
The song is very pretty even though I don’t know it … I like it, dear friend
i doubt it was played much outside the US and it wasn’t played much in the US either.
I think they never penetrated Europe
you never know, Harry Chapin was huge in the US for a few years.
The song is beautiful and I like it, my friend
he has many others. My favorite is the story of a father and son. It is the song called “The cat’s in the cradle”
I’ve not heard this song before, but I really like it.
thanks – it was never a big hit for him and sadly he passed away a year or so after releasing this album.