Champaign-Urbana Singalong to Raise Voices and Lift Spirits Organized by Local Schools, Krannert Center and Chambanamoms.com

A collaborative effort to list spirits and celebrate resiliency will lift off on Saturday, April 25, when Champaign-Urbana families and community members will join together for the first CU Singalong.

“The CU Singalong’s goal is to raise our voices in order to raise spirits,” said Abby Crull, a music teacher at Westview Elementary in Champaign and one of the event’s organizers.

Organizers chose the classic Sesame Street tune Sing!, often referred to as Sing a Song for the event. The goal is for as many people as possible to join in singing together at Saturday, April 25 at 4pm. 

Beloved local musician Brandon T. Washington, a music teacher at Dr. Howard Elementary in Champaign, has recorded his own version of the song that will be played in the Facebook event and can be found at ChambanaMoms.com (see below) in advance for those needing to learn the lyrics.

The inclusive and much-loved song was written in 1971 by Sesame Street staff writer Joe Raposo and was originally sung in different episodes in English, Spanish, and American Sign Language and videos to learn the songs in those languages can be found online:

Spanish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxOft5QZjDI

American Sign Language: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=262zTsGTEiE&feature=youtu.be

The event was inspired by an effort in Chicago, where more than 1,000 people belted out Jon Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer” outside their windows on a Saturday night in March.

Starting exactly at 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 25, families are encouraged to tune into the event and sing along as loud as they can from their sidewalks, driveways, windows or balconies.

Music educators in both Champaign Unit 4 and Urbana School District 116 have pulled together music and lyrics and will distribute them via remote learning efforts, to make sure families in those districts have access to the song in advance.

Families are also encouraged to submit their own videos from the sing-along at the ChambanaMoms’ Facebook event discussion board.

Organizing partners including Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, the Museum of the Grand Prairie, the Urbana Arts and Culture Program, KOOP Adventure Play and chambanamoms.com, in addition to Champaign Unit 4 Schools and Urbana School District 116.