{"product_id":"marian-anderson","title":"Marian Anderson","description":"\u003caudio controls src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0668\/2784\/5722\/files\/Marian-Anderson.mp3?v=1754115026\"\u003e\u003c\/audio\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePoet, musician, critic, educator, anthologist and author, Myra Cohn Livingston (1926 - 1996) wrote this poem \"Keep on Singing\" for the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Keep-Singing-Myra-Cohn-Livingston\/dp\/0823410986\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003epicture book by the same name\u003c\/a\u003e, illustrated by Samuel Byrd and published by Holiday House, 1994, now out of print. Mary Alice found the picture book in a local bookstore, and \"sings\" the book to children using this tune she made up for the poem. This would be great for a \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=jLSW9iZiyKs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003ecrankie theater performance\u003c\/a\u003e . Here is Marian Anderson \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=mAONYTMf2pk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003esinging at the Lincoln Memorial\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Amidons are searching for whomever owns the copyright to this poem; they can be reached at \u003ca href=\"mailto:amidonpeter@gmail.com\"\u003eamidonpeter@gmail.com\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLYRICS\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKeep on Singing - a Ballad of Marian Anderson\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eMyra Cohn Livingston\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBorn in Philadelphia, her mother told her true\u003cbr\u003eWhatever you are doing someone's watching you.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMarian earned pennies, scrubbing peoples stairs,\u003cbr\u003eShe worked to free her mother from poverty and care.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eStarted in with singing when she was only three;\u003cbr\u003eLearned the notes and all the parts and how the words should be.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJoined the Baptist Choir sang most every place;\u003cbr\u003eLearned soprano, alto, tenor even learned the bass.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHeard about a music school, thought she would apply.\u003cbr\u003eThe girl kept helping others, (but) always passed her by.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMarian stood and waited till everyone had gone.\u003cbr\u003e\"We don't take colored,\" said the girl, and Marian went on.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Church helped raise some money to carry on her dreams.\u003cbr\u003eTook some formal lessons once she turned fifteen.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAnd when she sang Deep River, one teacher wondered why\u003cbr\u003eA tall calm girl at twilight should make him want to cry.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWon a singing contest, sang in New York City:\u003cbr\u003e\"Wonderful,\" some people said, \"but isn't it a pity:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"We can't book her everywhere, such a lovely voice,\u003cbr\u003e\"Too bad she's a Negro, she can't be our choice.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMarian sang in Europe, she sang against her fears.\u003cbr\u003e\"A voice,\" a great conductor said, \"heard once in a hundred years.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCame back to America, her music studies done.\u003cbr\u003eShe had sung for kings and queens, she had overcome.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNow when she sang in concert halls the crowds were turned away,\u003cbr\u003eStill hotels and restaurants wouldn't let her stay.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eToured in sixty cities, often met Jim Crow.\u003cbr\u003eAlways prayed all seeing God would show her where to go.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLoved to sing the spirituals, music Marian wrote.\u003cbr\u003eThat shows simplicity and faith, humility and hope.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSome of us remember Constitution Hall;\u003cbr\u003eWhere she was told she couldn't sing some of us recall.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAn Easter Sunday long ago when she stood up to fears\u003cbr\u003eIn front of Lincoln's monument and eyes were filled with tears.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMarian remembered: \"Far as the eye could see,\u003cbr\u003e\"A great wave of good will poured out almost engulfing me.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSome of us remember and we can hear her yet.\u003cbr\u003eThe first black woman singer invited to the Met.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I may have dreamed of such things but I never thought I’d be\u003cbr\u003eA symbol for young singers who’d follow after me.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBorn in Philadelphia, her mother told her true,\u003cbr\u003e\"Whatever you are doing someone's watching you.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ","brand":"Amidon Community Music","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42134585802842,"sku":null,"price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/amidoncommunitymusic.com\/products\/marian-anderson","provider":"Amidon Community Music","version":"1.0","type":"link"}