​The Sunday after this episode is released, January 4th, 2026, at 4 p.m. Eastern time, there will be an online gathering of folk who use song to help navigate life -- and we'll sing through this Ribbon of Songs with live-looping! To learn more, click here, or sign up right now to join us!

Lyrics ​& Links to the original episodes for the songs in this ribbon.

Join this community of people who love to use song to help navigate life? Absolutely:
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Song: I Believe
Music by: Una McCann

Guest singers:​ Rebecca Csuy, Seth Norton, Tom Norton, Marika Tabilio

Notes: You'll hear a wonderful group of singers helping me cover all the ranges of this song: Tom and Seth bring the bass, Marika nails the tenor, Rebecca lines up the alto, and I take on soprano. There's a bit of octave confusion -- where do we find these pitches in our different voices?! And then this fabulous song and groove reminds us to see the goodness -- in you, in me, in everybody. So grateful to Una McCann for living into the teachings of Tara Brach and catching this song that feels so good to have singing in my body! Wishing everyone a week of discovery and festive comradery, whether you are celebrating holy days or simply the close of 2025...

Songwriter Info:
Una McCann is based in Belfast, Northern Ireland where she works as a choir leader and songwriter.  She has been leading groups in harmony since her school days and has been working professionally with choirs for 15 years.  
Currently the chair of the Natural Voice Network, Una runs 6 Natural Voice style weekly choirs.  She also enjoys running singing holidays and retreats.   
Una is passionate about the power of creativity to transform lives and encourages her singers to improvise, play and explore their own creativity.
Song writing is a part of life that sustains and supports Una.  She writes melodies and words that she needs to hear in that moment and is always delighted when they resonate with other people too.  
I Believe was born out of the wish to always see the best in people even when it’s hard and we don’t want to, and to remember that underneath all of us is someone who just wants to be happy. We all come from love but sometimes we lose our way a bit. 
It was inspired by listening to Tara Brach who creates beautiful talks on topics such as this.

Sharing Info: Please buy sheet music on Una's website (see below) if you plan to share this song as a songleader.

Song Learning Time Stamps:
Start time of teaching: 00:05:24
Start time of reprise: 00:19:52

Links:
Una's website: www.unamccann.org
Sheet music for this song: https://unamccann.org/product/i-believe/ 
Una's Instagram: www.instagram.com/unamccann47
Una's Facebook (Una McCann Music): https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558408430060 
Tara Brach's website: www.tarabrach.com
Natural Voice Network: www.naturalvoice.net 

Nuts & Bolts: 4:4, minor, 2 layers, one layer with melody & two harmonies

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Song: What A Gift
Music by: Angela Gabriel

Notes: What a gift it was to be in conversation with Angela Gabriel -- we talked about how to deal with having been "poked in the voice" -- and the sensation of healthy singing. -- What was "one of the most idea shattering things" Angela has ever done in her life, and how "that butterfly excitement" led her there. How she's gotten to a place where, "I don't shame myself anymore," and a slew of adulting tactics she practices. ("I have a lot of arrows in my quiver.") How community singing can show up in activist spaces, where "it is difficult, but it doesn't have to be somber." How she sets up her own space -- "I actively choose to make it colorful..." and how that helps with healing. "The tremble" when singing for someone who is dying. Percussion and how it that has made Angela's voice distinctive in community singing songs... SO many things I loved in our conversation, not to mention this song!

Songwriter Info: Angela is a performer, a teacher, a facilitator, and a lifelong learner. Her mission in life is to facilitate expressive creative, musical, and vocal experiences and to encourage folks of any age and background to replace judgement with curiosity and open themselves to their unique, creative flow.

Sharing Info: The song is free to share but Angela always welcomes financial and/or networking support if/when folks are so moved.

Song Learning Time Stamps:
Start time of teaching: 00:04:55
Start time of reprise: 01:22:01

Links:
Moira Smiley: Leather Britches: https://moirasmiley.com/downloads/leather-britches-2/ 
“The Truth” – Velma Frye: https://www.abreathofsong.com/episodes--show-notes/18-the-truth#/ 
Josh Habermann – Santa Fe Desert Chorale: https://desertchorale.org/about/our-people/#artistic_director 
Susan Swaney – choir director in Bloomington UU church: https://www.uubloomington.org/about/our-ministers-and-staff/ 
Kate Munger – Women Singing In Circle retreat: https://www.lamafoundation.org/engage/events/women-singing/ 
Threshold Choirs: https://thresholdchoir.org/ 
Melanie DeMore: https://melaniedemore.com/
Becky Reardon: https://beckyreardonmusic.com/ 
Terri Garthwaite: https://terrygarthwaite.com/ 
Poor People’s Campaign: https://www.poorpeoplescampaign.org/ 
Pam Blevins Hinkle – No Kings Song doesn't seem to be online yet, but her website is https://pamblevinshinkle.com/ 
Online group called “Lumos Transforms”: https://lumos-transforms.mn.co/ 
PetCanvas: https://mypetcanvas.com/ 
Mbira: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mbira 
Unitarian Universalist Church in Bloomington, IN: https://www.uubloomington.org/ 
Rhiannon’s All the Way In improvisation class: https://rhiannonmusic.com/2026-all-the-way-in 
“I live my life in a river of grace…” Kate Munger: https://thresholdchoir.bandcamp.com/track/life-grace-trust 
Yes – Fragile: https://www.yesworld.com/discography/fragile/ 
Willow Smith – Empathogen: https://willowsmith.com/products/empathogen-digital-download 
Angela's website: www.angelagabriel.me 

Nuts & Bolts: 4:4, blues minor, 2 layers and body percussion

Join this community of people who love to use song to help navigate life? Absolutely:  https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/335811/81227018071442567/share

Help us keep going: reviews, comments, encouragement, plus contributions... we float on your support.  https://www.abreathofsong.com/gratitude-jar.html

Song: Make Good Trouble
Music by: Angela Gabriel

Notes: I had the privilege of recording this song together with many members of my familiy -- and something happens on this recording that is very common in community singing -- I started in the key of A minor, and group wisdom decided that the key of A-flat minor, slightly lower, felt better in our collective voice! So you'll hear us readjusting together to reach an agreed sound, and what's cool is we all get there. Rather than rerecord to get an ordinary "perfectly pitched" recording, I decided to stay with the energy of the moment -- that really beautiful feel of connection that we had in that room -- because that's what this song is encourages. We support each other to speak up, to disrupt when needed, to make good, necessary trouble! You'll hear the six-year-old in the room leading some warm ups, and even a blooper at the end (never telling whose phone it was....)

Songwriter Info: Angela is a performer, a teacher, a facilitator, and a lifelong learner. Her mission in life is to facilitate expressive creative, musical, and vocal experiences and to encourage folks of any age and background to replace judgement with curiosity and open themselves to their unique, creative flow.

Sharing Info: The song is free to share but Angela always welcomes financial and/or networking support if/when folks are so moved.

Song Learning Time Stamps:
Start time of teaching: 00:03:56
Start time of whole song: 00:09:21

Links:
Angela's website: www.angelagabriel.me 

Nuts & Bolts: 4:4, minor, 3 layers, each harmonized

Join this community of people who love to use song to help navigate life? Absolutely:  https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/335811/81227018071442567/share

Help us keep going: reviews, comments, encouragement, plus contributions... we float on your support. 
https://www.abreathofsong.com/gratitude-jar.html