PS 22 Sings

In the documentary Young @ Heart, we saw how elderly people singing rock songs gave the music a resonance and power that even its platinum-record-selling originators could not have imagined. And now we see the way that children led their sweet, sincere voices to rock and pop songs thanks to a talented music teacher at New York’s PS 22. Their touching renditions of songs like “Landslide,” “Don’t Stop Believing” (coincidentally also featured in the new television series “Glee”), and “Viva La Vida” have become a YouTube sensation that has led to appearances on Good Morning America and the Bonnie Hunt Show.

Many thanks to Kyle Osborne for bringing this beautiful choir to my attention. It reminds me of the wonderful Innocence and Despair, recordings made in 1976 by an elementary school music teacher who had his students sing classic rock/baby boomer music.