Welcome! Come Along Songs is a collection of songs composed by Minnie O’Leary to encourage confidence, inclusion, and joy in all children. This site intends to keep these joyful songs alive for parents and teachers to share with current and future generations. Come Along Songs were originally published in 1981 as Songs of Self Esteem—a collaboration with Earl White, MFT. Earl asked Minnie to compose songs for the concepts in his books after attending one of Minnie’s school musicals and witnessing the ‘beautiful combination of enthusiastic student participation and positive self-esteem experiences’.
Come Along Songs were written to be sung and remembered by young children, so the melodies are simple and the choruses short and repetitive. Almost all the tunes are based on the pentatonic scale, which is characteristic of both ancient folk songs and the natural chant of children. (The five tones of the scale correspond to the black keys on the piano.)
These songs were also written to be clapped to, danced to, and moved to in a variety of ways. They can be shared by groups of children in a school or day care center and, like folk songs of old, they can be sung as part of family activities each day. The songs are yours to improvise and adapt: play them on the guitar or autoharp, change the words, change the keys, add verses, or make up motions. Mostly, just join hands with a child and SING!
— Minnie O’Leary