Chants and Songs


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Overview:

In the traditional marching there are Color Guards that carry banners and a marching bands that carry the tune. Over time we can develop a banners that we march behind. In addition we can include flag or ribbon poles with streamers, balloons and print. The idea of a Color Guard is precision movements that attracts attention. We can simulate this during parts of our march. The idea of the Marching Band is simulated by people who carry Drums, Claves (sticks), Tambourines, Maracas and other portable instruments.

 

Also see: Posters

 

Orchestration:

This is like writing a song real-time with new people and without much rehearsal with the new people - so it should be easy and fun. When working with a mufti-lingual group meet with other leaders to share lead sheets and rehearse hand signals and overall flow. For the best results the Cheer/Chant leader can pre think how the messages are communicated. Choose and order and flow that delivers the intended message and has an underlying order of flow. A simple idea is to think about a beginning, middle and end, then select chants based on this flow.

 

Attention:

Call
Response

English: Mic Check (4 - 8 times)

 

Spanish:

English: Mic Check

 

Spanish:

English: Attention (while clapping) (4 - 8 times)

 

Spanish:

English: Attention (while clapping)

 

Spanish:

 

Message:

 

Call
Response

Democracy Chant

English: Tell me what democracy looks like (4 - 8 times)

 

Spanish:

 

English: This is what democracy looks like

 

Spanish:

What Chant Intro

English: Who are we? (4 - 8 times)

English: What do we want? (4 - 8 times)

English: People, What Do You Want?!

 

Spanish:

 

English: Who are we? (hand in the air like asking a question)

English: What we want? (hand in the air like asking a question)

English: Say any word (Human Rights | Jobs | Justice | Peace etc.)

 

Spanish:

What Chant Response

(pick a word from the intro and say it, ex: Human Rights)

English: Human Rights! (or another word)

English:What Do We Want? (4 - 8 times)

English: When Do We Want It? (4 - 8 times)

 

Spanish:

 

 

English: Human Rights

English: Human Rights

English: Now!

 

Spanish:

We Want Chant Response

English: We Want Human Rights! (or another word)

 

Spanish:

 

English: We Want Human Rights! (repeat 8 times fast then applause)

 

Spanish:

Action Chant

English: What will you do?

English: People, What can you do?

 

Spanish:

 

English: What will you do? (repeat 8 times fast then applause)

English: Say any word (March | Vote | Work | Occupy | Everything etc.)

 

Spanish:

We Will Chant Response

 

English: We Will Occupy (or another word)

 

Spanish:

 

 

English: We Will Occupy! (repeat 8 times fast then applause)

 

Spanish:

 

 

Timing and Instructions (to get people to follow us):

Call
Response

English: What Time Is It (4 - 8 times)

English: 5 (5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Right Now) minutes 

 

Spanish:

English: What Time Is It

English: 5 minutes! - Time to Work -  5 minutes!

 

Spanish:

English: Where are we going?

English: Follow Me

 

 

Spanish:

English: Where are we going? (repeat 8 times fast then applause)

English: This Way - Follow Me - This Way

(hand arch wave, point the way, point at someone)

 

Spanish:

 

 

Unity:

Unison

 

English:

We Shall Overcome
(English Lyrics: Zilphia Horton, Frank Hamilton, Guy Carawan, Pete Seeger –1960)


We shall overcome, we shall overcome
We shall overcome some day
Oh, deep in my heart
I do believe
We shall overcome some day

 

Spanish:

Nosotros Venceremos
(Spanish Lyrics: Members of El Teatro Campesino for Farmworker Movement 1960s)

Nosotros venceremos, nosotros venceremos
Nosotros venceremos ahora
O en mi corazón
Yo creo
Nosotros venceremos

 

English:

Spanish:

 

 

Discussion/Notes: