Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay. My, oh my, what a wonderful day…
I can’t hear Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah and not think of my dad. When I was trying to think of an idea for Z this song popped in my head and I knew it was time to make a post.
I can perfectly picture my dad belting this song out. I see myself on the street I grew up, warm sunshine, lush green grass, shade from the maple and oak trees. When I was little my dad would carry me on his shoulders and sing. My dad sings a lot. His singing to me as a child is the reason I love sharing songs with my students today. This is how we pass on our folk songs and traditions. This is how we connect generation to generation.
I have a book called “The Fox Went Out On A Chilly Night” and it’s held together by duct tape from decades of use. I take it out to sing with my students and I tell them how my dad used to sing it to me when I was a child like they are now. Their eyes get big and they scoot in closer to listen and join me with the town-o, town-o, town-o parts. Now when I take out this book they exclaim, “This is the song your dad sings you!” It makes me smile every time.
When I sing to my students “One finger, One Thumb” I can hear my dad leading the youth group in our church. Making us all jump up and down, frantically waving our limbs trying to keep up with the words and his enthusiasm. My students always appreciate the songs I love, and I love so many songs because of my dad.
I sing when I’m happy. It’s something I’ve noticed about myself because it’s just a general reaction to happiness, not a planned event. What better song to sing to express happiness than Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah? A song that brings me back to my childhood and makes me appreciate the love of music my dad gave to me.
…Plenty of sunshine headin’ my way. Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay!
Serena Joy Sinclair 
Congratulations on completing the A to Z challenge. I like those words, I often say them, they give you a lift and make you feel as if you are dancing even though it’s only in the mind, my father always said them too, happy memories.
Have a nice week.
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Thank you for sharing your connection! It’s a great song 😊
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🙂 I miss your singing and putting my name in all the songs!
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I miss you!
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Now that’s what we call a sweet memory.
And yes, indeed, congratulations from A and all the alphabet right through to Z.
Well done Serena.
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Thank you!
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My family sang a lot when I was a kid, but my dad most of all. My favorite was when he’d sing to wake me up in the morning. He most often sang, Oh What a Beautiful Morning, but if I slept in late, he’d sing, ‘Hey Sheri, there’s a goat on your roof…’ He’d wait a few bars. Maybe open the shade. Then he’d sing that same line again to the same tune. The ‘song’ never went any further, and I don’t know if it was really a song at all. I’ve never heard anyone else sing that or figured out where he got it from. But some mornings when I’ve slept in late, I still hear him sing it in my mind when I am about to get up. It makes me smile every time, and just now it made me teary with nostalgia. Thanks for bringing up the memory! I’m so glad you carry your memories through to make memories with your students. 🙂
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I love this! Thank you so much for sharing you story. Parents should always sing to the their children! What a positive impact it makes!
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It is really amazing how it stays with you.
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