An Analysis of Traditional and Contemporary Children’s Songs With Considerations for Music Therapy Practice

Abstract

Abstract Children’s songs include a diverse collection of traditional and contemporary songs. (Yinger and Springer [2016]. Analyzing recommended songs for older adult populations through linguistic and musical inquiry. Music Therapy Perspectives 34, 116–125. https://doi.org/10.1093/mtp/miu048) analyzed musical and textual features of songs used by music therapists with older adults; however, studies on children’s songs in music therapy have not included musical and textual features analysis. Our purpose with this study was to analyze the musical and textual features of a sample of 20 traditional and 20 contemporary predominantly U.S. children’s songs and consider applications for music therapy. Text information was collected, including total and unique words, the song topic, and potential applications. Musical information was collected, including form, melodic range, and harmonic/chordal structure. Findings included that the traditional songs were strophic, had fewer overall words, were harmonized with three chords or fewer, and had melodic ranges of five to seven notes. By contrast, contemporary children’s songs used complex song forms, had more words, were harmonized with more than three chords, and had melodic ranges of eight or more notes. Song topics and applications had similar codes across the song types. A music therapist may apply traditional songs in clinical work, where a simpler musical structure and fewer words support the client’s needs. Likewise, a music therapist may apply contemporary songs for greater musical complexity and more vocabulary. Future studies of children’s songs in music therapy could include an analysis of music therapists’ composed songs and songs used by music therapists who work with young children.