Steve Seskin

School Songs

One of Steve's favorite jobs is writing songs with children. When he goes to schools as an Artist in Residence, Steve teaches children of all ages how to write songs — and in the process writes one with them. Here are some of the songs Steve and the kids have written in the past few years. You can listen to or download the songs for free!

Click here to watch the video and listen to "We Don't Do That Here."

1 2 3

Title	Writer	Links
If I had a Million Dollars	Bayside Middle School, WI	If I had a Million Dollars I've got a fat cat named Abby And a turtle named Bird A dog we call Scooter and a brother who's a nerd I've got a mom and a dad and a house full of love When it comes down to it, I've got more than enough If I had a million dollars, here's what I would do I'd spend some on my family, a little on myself, I'd give some away to strangers who need a little help And all of my friends could have some, too If I had a million dollars I'd buy my dad a Lamborghini I'd get my mom a Dairy Queen And after school I'd go there every day and eat pistachio ice cream I'd adopt a hundred animals from the Humane Society Buy a thousand acres for their sanctuary If I had a million dollars, here's what I would do I'd spend some on my family, a little on myself, I'd give some away to strangers who need a little help And all of my friends could have some, too If I had a million dollars I'd invest some, I'd save some for college, 'Cause you can't ever have too much knowledge . . . if I had a million dollars Lyrics	Play	Download
If It Were You - NOV 2009	Montpelier School 5th- 8th graders, IN		Play	Download
If One Goes Down - JUNE 2010	Kenney Middle School: Hannibal, NY	If One Goes Down - JUNE 2010 In our small town there's a battle brewing about what we should learn in school and who will choose what to keep, what to cut there just isn't enough money to go around Music feeds our soul Art our imagination Sports help to make our bodies strong, they all belong our future's at stake we're not going to take this without making a sound together we'll stand our ground If one goes down we all go down we're willin' to fight for what is right show the world how much we care when things get tough, we'll hold on tight we are a team, our hearts unite If one goes down, we all go down When we grow up don't you want us to be successful people who know a lot about everything it's for you, it's for me it's our community let's show some purple pride together we can shine If one goes down we all go down we're willin' to fight for what is right show the world how much we care when things get tough, we'll hold on tight we are a team, our hearts unite If one goes down, we all go down There's nothing broken that can't be repaired If we do nothing, it's a burden we'll all bear If one goes down we all go down we're willin' to fight for what is right show the world how much we care when things get tough, we'll hold on tight we are a team, our hearts unite If one goes down, we all go down Lyrics	Play	Download
If You Believe - NOV 2009	Montpelier School 3rd graders, IN		Play	Download
If You Have Dreams	Bayside Middle School, WI	If You Have Dreams If you have dreams, you don't need a million dollars If you have friends, you'll never be lonely If you walk through this life with vision and determination You will always find a way to reach your destination If you have dreams, you can make dreams come true Some people walk around without a lot of passion Their heads glued to the ground But that I can't imagine Me I am a dreamer I see diamonds in the clouds, sunlight in the darkness, hope in all the doubt Yea, if you have dreams, you don't need a million dollars If you have friends, you'll never be lonely If you walk through this life with vision and determination You will always find a way to reach your destination If you have dreams, you can make dreams come true If you have dreams, you can make dreams come true Lyrics	Play	Download
Invisible			Play	Download
It's My Time to Shine - MAY 2010	classes of Ms. Strohmaier, Mrs. Mattos, Mrs. Walton and Ms. Ward	It's My Time to Shine - MAY 2010 There’s 10,000 butterflies in my stomach I’m about to take the stage To play my piece that I’ve been practicing For two months now every day My family’s in the front row, they’re filming me I hope I make them proud I’m ready, so ready I’m going to sparkle like a star right now It’s my time to shine To show the world that I can do Anything I put my heart into There are no mountains I can’t climb No more waiting in the wings From small beginnings come great things It’s my time to shine I remember my last basketball game There were six seconds on the clock My team was down by a point, the ball came to me I’d missed my last three shots Somehow I found the courage To let that ball fly We won that game by a point I’m sure glad I tried It’s my time to shine To show the world that I can do Anything I put my heart into There are no mountains I can’t climb No more waiting in the wings From small beginnings come great things It’s my time to shine And when things don’t go my way I look on the bright side Because I know that any given day Might be my time to shine It’s my time to shine To show the world that I can do Anything I put my heart into There are no mountains I can’t climb No more waiting in the wings From small beginnings come great things It’s my time to shine Lyrics	Play	Download
It's Not Cool to Be Cruel			Play	Download
It's Up to Me		It's Up to Me It’s up to me to make good choices To decide what I wanna do What kind of day is today gonna be It’s up to me What should I wear? Why do I care? Look at my hair it’s a mess Now here I am at school, I’m not gonna be a fool Yeah I follow the rules and do my best ‘Cause it’s up to me to make good choices To decide what I wanna do What kind of day is today gonna be It’s up to me Helpin’ other people out, that’s what life’s about Yeah I’m not gonna pout when I’m sad Yeah I’m gonna be nice instead of mean Cause I know it’s good for me to not be bad It’s up to me to make good choices To decide what I wanna do What kind of day is today gonna be It’s up to me What kind of day is today gonna be? It’s up to me. Lyrics	Play	Download
Let's Respect Everyone			Play	Download
Listen to My Thoughts			Play	Download
Listening and Learning - APRIL 2010	East Lake School Kinders	Listening and Learning - APRIL 2010 Listening is a good thing It's hard to hear anything when you're talking Learning is without a doubt how you get to know about everything At my school we learn a lot of things like adding and subtracting numbers and our ABCs reading writing letters spelling and a little bit of history and when my teacher talks I am quiet because I don't want to miss what she's trying to say Listening is a good thing It's hard to hear anything when you're talking Learning is without a doubt how you get to know about everything We do our best to try to get along we never fight, we do what's right, we show respect for each other and when there are problems we work them out we talk it over quietly, we wait our turn, we never shout Listening is a good thing It's hard to hear anything when you're talking Learning is without a doubt how you get to know about everything Listening is a good thing It's hard to hear anything when you're talking Learning is without a doubt how you get to know about everything Lyrics	Play	Download
Marshall Way - MAR 2010	Marshall Elementary School: Vancouver, WA		Play	Download
More to Me - APRIL 2010	East Lake School, 4th and 5th grade	More to Me - APRIL 2010 first day new school they're lookin at me like I'm a fool They're being cruel and that's not cool If I could just talk to them I know they'd want to be my friend and maybe then they'd understand There's more to me than anyone can see I've got a heart full of dreams waiting to be set free They think they know what I'm about If they dig a little deeper they'll find out just like a mystery there's more to me than anyone can see I was sitting down to eat my lunch one of them said come sit with us his name was Gus He asked do you ride the bus? He said what are you doing on Saturday maybe you can come over and we can play you seem real nice I said I try There's more to me than anyone can see I've got a heart full of dreams waiting to be set free They think they know what I'm about If they dig a little deeper they'll find out just like a mystery there's more to me than anyone can see Lyrics	Play	Download
My Bald Head - MAR 2010	Park Academy: Lake Oswego, OR		Play	Download
My Dream	PS 90		Play	Download
My Family			Play	Download
My Pets			Play	Download
My School Rocks	PS 90		Play	Download
No Matter What - OCT 2009	Adat Ari El School 4th grade	No Matter What - OCT 2009 Recess fourth grade soccer game they were choosing sides I didn't hear my name I walked up said can I play one said no you can't go away you're not good enough to play with us I didn't say a thing right then but when I got to school next morning I said No matter what you say no matter what you do I'm not gonna be mean to you I'm gonna speak my mind but I'll be kind try to find out what you're going through let's start over let's rewind I'll be your friend if you'll be mine He looked at me said I apologize for making you feel small inside I said I accept your apology he said do you want to play with me? I said sure and let me give you some advice It always pays to be nice No matter what you say no matter what you do I'm not gonna be mean to you I'm gonna speak my mind but I'll be kind try to find out what you're going through let's start over let's rewind I'll be your friend if you'll be mine Lyrics	Play	Download
Nobody's Perfect - JAN 2010	Carolyn Clark School: San Jose, CA	Nobody's Perfect - JAN 2010 Nobody's perfect Nobody's always right We all fall short of the mark sometimes Everybody makes mistakes But we all have what it takes To come close enough to perfect If we try I studied hard For my 6th grade science test I was prepared I was ready to do my very best When I got my grade I was hoping for an A But I got a B plus ...And that's good enough Because... Nobody's perfect Nobody's always right We all fall short of the mark sometimes Everybody makes mistakes But we all have what it takes To come close enough to perfect If we try I try to be kind And show respect for everyone But there was a time When I made a Slip of the tongue Just as they started to cry I apologized And they said, "That's okay" Nobody's perfect Nobody's always right We all fall short of the mark sometimes Everybody makes mistakes But we all have what it takes To come close enough to perfect If we try To come close enough to perfect...if we try Lyrics	Play	Download
Once I Had A Dream	Fruit Valley Elementary		Play	Download
Painted Smile			Play	Download
Peace Place - MAY 2010	Mrs. Naishtut's class	Peace Place - MAY 2010 I wish the world could be a peace place A place of peace where everyone lived in harmony There’s be no more war There’s be no more hate I wish the world could be a peace place Here at my school we include everyone in everything We work together, we do our best To be kind and caring, to show respect We get along We never fight I had a dream last night I wish the world could be a peace place A place of peace where everyone lived in harmony There’s be no more war There’s be no more hate I wish the world could be a peace place What if one day every nation laid down all their weapons Signed a treaty, declared a truce Talked it over and promised to Get along, never fight I had a dream last night I wish the world could be a peace place A place of peace where everyone lived in harmony There’s be no more war There’s be no more hate I wish the world could be a peace place I wish the world could be a peace place A place of peace where everyone lived in harmony There’s be no more war There’s be no more hate I wish the world could be a peace place Lyrics	Play	Download
Peacemakers - FEB 2010	PS 14 - Staten Island, NY		Play	Download
Pets			Play	Download
Rainbow of Love	Bayside Middle School, WI	Rainbow of Love I read in the paper there were sixteen shootings on the streets of Milwaukee this weekend It made me mad, it made me sad, it tore my heart in two Tell me how many people have to lose their lives 'fore we finally comprehend That we have to make some changes and it all starts with me and you There's too much darkness in this world Far too many hurtful words. We need more happiness and sunlight If we're going to rise above If we all work together towards peace and understanding, we can Turn a storm of hate into a rainbow of love, a rainbow of love From 911 to the war in Iraq to bombings in Egypt and London All this trouble and pain, like a run away train, gotta put it to a stop There's gotta be a way we can get along 'cause I'm telling you something I'm tired of all this turmoil, all these teardrops Too much darkness in this world Far too many hurtful words. We need more happiness and sunlight If we're going to rise above If we all work together towards peace and understanding, we can Turn a storm of hate into a rainbow of love A rainbow of love A rainbow of love Lyrics	Play	Download
School Is Cool			Play	Download
School Rocks - MAR 2010	Walnut Grove Elementary: Vancouver, WA		Play	Download
Science Rocks			Play	Download