Theme Songs
"Reading Across Texas"
Words and music by Willy Welch
Recorded on I Won't Eat That! Snappy Tunes for Kids of All Ages
© 2001 (ASCAP), Playing Right Music, Dallas, TX
To order: www.willywelch.com
Reproduced with Permission. Permission is granted by Playing Right Music for Texas public libraries solely to download the song "Reading Across Texas" to play for non-profit purposes in their libraries. All Rights Reserved.
Reading across Texas from Dallas to the Rio Grande
From the Big Bend Mountains to the piney woods holding Texas in our hand
History, geography, troubles and trails we took,
Reading across Texas by opening up a book.
The story of the Alamo or riding around a rodeo
The burrow of an armadilleo
We don't have far to look
The rocket ships at NASA
The mountains in El Pasa
We can ride the rails
Or Comanche trails
By opening up a book.
The music of a mockingbird
Oil wells or a longhorn herd
Bluebonnets and a Lady Bird
We don't have far to look
A two-step dance
A country song
Tejano tunes to sing along
Gulf coast sands
Or half-time bands
By opening up a book.
"Read Across Texas!"
Words by Sally Meyers; Jane Hays Smith, Orchestra Teacher at Lee Junior High on piano; Rudolfo Jesus Jaques on vocals; Jane Hays Smith on keyboard; Ashley Michelle Tucker on violin; and Laurence Joseph Lee Doyle on flute.
Reproduced with Permission. Permission is granted by Sally Meyers for Texas public libraries solely to download the song "Reading Across Texas!" to play for non-profit purposes in their libraries.
(Sung to the tune of "Pick a Bale of Cotton")
Let's saddle up, move on out!
Read across Texas!
Grab a book, turn the page!
Yippee-ti-yi-yeah!
Chorus:
Hey pard'ner
Read across Texas!
Hey pard'ner,
Read a book a day!
My pard'ner and I can
Read across Texas!
My pard'ner and I can
Read a book a day!
Went to El Paso to
Read about vaqueros
Went to El Paso to
Read a book a day!
Went to Laredo to
Read about Mexico
Went to Laredo to
Read a book a day!
There're armadillos, javelinas,
Read across Texas!
Roadrunners, jackrabbits
Yippee ti yi yo!
There're cowboy boots,
Ten-gallon hats
Read across Texas!
Silver buckles, sombreros,
Yippeei ti yi yo!
There're tumbleweeds, rattlesnakes,
Read across Texas!
Saddles, spurs, and little doggies,
Yippee ti yi yo!
(Children make up verses using their friends' names and things they like to read about, such as cowboys. Examples are below.)
Travis and I can
Read about cowboys,
Travis and I can
Read a book a day!
Read about longhorns…
Read about sagebrush…
Read about cactus…
Read about coyotes…
Read about Dallas…
For more information, please contact Christine McNew, Youth Services Consultant, at christine.mcnew@tsl.texas.gov.