Album Notes

From the School Library Journal:... October 2006

Nancy Raven's voice just gets better and better. Surrounding herself with other talented, mature musicians, Raven combines vocals and traditional instruments to produce this album dedicated entirely to water songs. There's a great deal of variety, not only in the music styles but also in the origination and subject matter of the 20 songs. Folk music, lilting lullabies, and music influenced by the South Seas are all here. The traditional African-American song "Sardines, Hey!"is richly accompanied with harmonica and vocals. "Talking Nautical" is a cumulative song that clarifies unfamiliar terms like topside, galley, bunk, and deck. A surprise ending will have listeners chiming in with their own responses. There are a couple of Hawaiian/Polynesian songs, as well as sailing tunes from England, Ireland, Australia, and Italy. Creative lesson planners could easily use this title for an imaginary musical geographic sailing trip. Useful for social studies and music classes as well as leisure listening.

-- Kirsten Martindale.