Unison songs (and rounds, canons etc.)

These songs are suitable for all groups – they can all be learnt by ear, with no music reading or harmony required. Easiest songs are listed first. Also see our page of worship and sacred music for unison hymns – the songs below are mostly secular.

Available for free

Choirs For Ecocide Law – this project is a complete 60-minute concert which is free to download and perform. To learn more about the project, watch our webinar here (recorded 20th Sept 2023). All 15 songs in the concert are available for unison voice(s), 2-part upper voices (would also work for 2-part lower voices or mixed groups) or SATB choirs, and you can perform a mixture of formats in a single concert (e.g. a children’s choir singing two pieces, an SATB choir singing the majority, a solo singer for two pieces, and some for a chamber group).

New! WARNING, a canon in up to 11 parts that can be sung during protests (any voices).

S.O.S. From The Kids and Stand As One – two free songs written by members of S.O.S. From The Kids, a UK-based children’s choir.

Cool Heads and Cycle And Recycle – two songs with texts by Derek Roberts set to music by Tom Cunningham. With a vocal range of an octave or less and available in three different keys, these should be suitable for any choirs including beginners, and have been used in primary schools by the National Youth Choir of Scotland. Click here to download scores and hear audio demos – Tom Cunningham is happy to make these songs available free of charge.

Feeling the Heat – words and music by Sheena Phillips. Catchy tune, range E4-C5, with a few challenging rhythms, and also used by NYCoS, this should suit most school choirs.

Extinction Rebellion Songs – Crowd songs, chants and XR choir resources

Animals, a song about biodiversity and how humans are destroying it, but with a hopeful ending, that’s particularly suitable for primary school choirs, with words by Brian Bilston and music by Chris Hutchings. For choir and piano – click here to see the score and hear a demo. The choir part divides into 2 for the final verse, but is call-and-response and would work with the same group doing both parts.

The Political Songster, a project by Trad Arts Team, has over a hundred songs available (some are rewritten lyrics for familiar melodies, some are completely original), mostly as lead sheets with chords – many deal with climate or mention the environment. Click here for songs pre-2021 and here for songs from 2021 onwards. Highlights include Cosher Bailey’s Climate Song, We Want Our Planet Back (both in issue 7) and Sing For The Climate (in issue 8).

Amazing Grace (rewritten by Christian Climate Action – scroll down to find the lyrics)

Carols For The Earth – well-known carol tunes, rewritten with climate lyrics by Sophia Green

Only One (Planet) by Dave Camlin

Jane Coker’s songs and chants for climate protests

Carbon Canaries – a song resource enabling people everywhere to sing out for climate action (35 songs)

Crisis Carols – a Facebook group which shares witty Christmas Carol re-writes, many eco-themed

Extinction Rebellion Song Folder – more free pieces

Climate Change Songs by Sheena Phillips – four protest songs all set to well known tunes. Includes Down By The RoadsideGoing GreenThere Is A Place Called Planet Earth (version for orchestra and choir available to buy here, vocal-only versions are free) and The Truth Is Marching On. Suitable for any type of choir.

Justice Choir – many pieces from the Justice Choir Songbook (available free but donations are encouraged) are suitable for climate action. Recommended: Another World Is PossibleBe The ChangeThe Water Song (coming soon – hear on YouTube). Also includes Sheena Phillips’ There Is A Place Called Planet Earth. Justice Choir have also produced a playlist of 15 SONGS YOU CAN SING ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE on YouTube (all can be learned by ear from the videos).

Klimachor – Sing Against The Climate Crisis. Most of Klimachor’s songs are re-worded versions of well-known pop songs, which can be sung using karaoke backing tracks or by choirs who already know the songs they are based on.

Enough is Enough by Oi Musica, Karine Polwart and Heather MacLeod, a song for COP26 available in many flexible arrangements. Watch a video and download scores (Creative Commons licensed).

It’s A Beautiful, Wonderful World (unison choir and piano). Words and music by Gordon Thornett. Listen to a demo recording on YouTube and click here to download the score.

Karen MacAulay – Extinction Calypso – single voice version. Download the voice and piano score

Available to purchase

Green Songs – 4 environmentally themed songs by Bob Chilcott, for one or two part upper voices with piano. £3.75 per copy from Oxford University Press.

Green Love – 6 new songs for children’s choir from Jo and Alexander L’Estrange – with body percussion and backing band (or piano only). Watch the video here. Recording, backing tracks and scores available from the L’Estranges.