When you’re sitting in class, There’s a tickle in your nose
Then you let out a sneeze and it finally explodes
You look down at your hand, It’s all covered with that goo,
Don’t wipe it anywhere, You know what to do!
You gotta wash your hands (lávate las manos)
Wash your hands (lávate las manos)
Wash your hands (lávate las manos)
Wash your hands (lávate las manos).
I wrote this song several years ago for the Paul Cuffee School, and have just recorded it for the upcoming flu season. NPR’s All Things Considered played it on Monday with an accompanying story on the swine flu.
You can have it for free! Go here to listen and download.
We decided to not worry about money ( What, me worry?) and do what we could do to get the song out there before the H1N1 virus comes back with a vengeance. The Massachusetts Department of Health is distributing it to schools, and we’re happy to give permission to other schools, organizations and agencies if they wish to do so. Contact our office (michele@billharley.com) or call 508-336-9703.
And please spread the word to friends and families that we’re making this offer. If you need a physical CD for your local radio station let us know – our WONDERFUL CD duplicators, Oasis, have generously donated the manufacture of a number of CD’s for us to distribute.
It seems ridiculous to repeat this, but one of the greatest deterrents to the spread of communicable diseases is handwashing.
In order of importance (I know this now, since I seem to be involved with various Departments of Health!)
1) Get vaccinated
2) Cover your cough
3) Wash your hands
4) Stay home when you’re sick
If you need me to write you an excuse from work, let me know.
Bill
Dear Mr.Harley,
Leslie Hornig, who teaches at our school, has just introduced us to your song about the importance of hand washing. This is always a good message to give to children and especially timely right now. We would like your permission to teach and use your song as one of the ways we reinforce the importance of hand washing as a means of preventing the spread of flu and other germs.
Thanks so much for the public service you are providing.
Sincerely,
Beverly Biggs, Lower School Principal
University of Chicago Laboratory Schools
We put the song out there for people to use – it’s free (as long as no one’s selling it) Just let us know how it’s being used.
I teach piano at several pre-schools and I would like to share Wash Your Hands with them. I do not find a melody on the website. Is this set to a familiar tune or your own original melody.
Barbara Reuter
Lazy songwriter that I am, I don’t have sheet music for this song, but will try to get it done this week.
Hello Bill, it’s great to see I’m not the only person on the planet who sees the message as more important than the money. I specialise in songs about Autism awareness and have also made my songs free to anyone who can benefit from them. Thanks for your generosity and if you are like me you will get paid some other way I’m sure. Karma. Peter M Adamson (UK)
I learned about your song through a link on kiddles. I teach 3 and 4 year old special needs children. We are sining your song every day. I teach in a very high poverty school and appreciate the free download.
Hi Bill,
I’m a music teacher in primary schools who would like to teacher your song so that children become more aware not only of the swine flu but of the importance to wash their hands frequently always in their life. I would like to have the sheet music cause young children need more time to learn it bit by bit.
Thank you,
Claire
nice post ever
Free download with library of thousands software, free-shareware with us – SoftwZone.com
Just started teaching your song to my students at my elementary school. I teach music K-6. They love it! Very educational and also fun!
Great! I’m going to do a lead sheet of the music this week (one of you asked, and I’m trying to get to it). Please let me know what I can do to help music teachers sing the song.