tuvalu

This song is all about Tuvalu, a little island in the South Pacific, and thefirst that will be overcome by rising sea levels due to Climate Change. It would have been easy to focus pn the doom and gloom that is about to befall the islanders, many of whose young people are already migrating to safer lands. Niamh wanted this spng to refelect how things used to be on the island and to cleebrate how the islanders love drums, and rhythm and harmony singing. It is a happy song with a message: "if we do it for Tuvalu, we can save the world!!!"

Thank you to Alice Haffenden for singing lead vocal on this song. Alice is one of the choir's star singers.

The art work depicts how the writing is on the wall for Tuvalu's children. The blue, yellow and red are the colours of the Tuvalu flag abd the nine yellow stars depict the nine Tuvaluan islands.

lyrics

Intro: Owe eh lay, Tuvalu

Verse 1

Faraway ocean along waterside

Mother remembering surfing the tide

Shimmering ocean and bluest of skies

Joy in the islanders’ sparkling eyes

Chorus

Paradi-ee-ise, remembered it seems

Paradi-ee-ise in islander’s dreams

Verse2

Around Funafuti ( Foo-nah-foo-tee) in crystal lagoon

She swam with the dolphins

Beneath southern moon

Remembering coral with colours so bright

And the sound of the waves that were soothing the night

Chorus

Paradi-ee-ise, remembered it seems

Paradi-ee-ise in islander’s dreams

Verse 3

Pulaka,’n’ taro and coconut too

Abundance of everything in Tuvalu

She danced to the rhythms of life by the tides

Remembered the children that laughed by her side.

ChorusParadi-ee-ise, remembered it seems

Paradi-ee-ise in islander’s dreams

Do it for TuvaluHave you heard?

If we do it for TuvaluWe can save the world

Words and Music: Niamh Clune

Music: Aleisha Shimizu, Sam Burgess

Produced by Sam Burgess, Aleisha Shimizu, Niamh Clune

Choir Mistress: Aleisha Shimizu

Please ask permission and credit author