For this year’s St. Patrick’s Day celebration, we chose a range of folk songs that express the history, accomplishments and passionate love of country of the Irish. On this day, the Green Book is all Irish!

1. Fields Of Athenry Paddy Reilly; The Sound Of Irish Folk (Digitalpressure/Dolphin Group)
2. Hills Of Donegal Peter Tomelty; Essential Irish Pub Songs Collection-C (Arran)
3. It’s A Great Day For The Irish Frank Parker; St Patrick’s Day Party (Sony)
4. Pat Works On The Railway Cottars; Forerunner (Rounder)
5. Song For Ireland Mary Black; Raised On Songs & Stories-Collected Irish Ballads-C (Digitalpressure/Dolphin Group)

For more songs on this subject, see GreenBookofSongs.com® category Countries: Ireland.

If you’re teaching about Presidents Day, here are five songs that may help bring history alive. What student will forget James K. Polk after listening to They Might Be Giants?

1. All Across The Land [Abraham Lincoln] Jonathan Sprout; American Heroes (Sprout)
2. James K. Polk They Might Be Giants; Factory Showroom (Elektra)
3. Obama Song Michael Franti & Spearhead featuring SoliLLaquists Of Sound, Cherine Anderson & Anthony B; Single-Obama Song (Anti/Epitaph)
4. Roosevelt The Cry [Theodore Roosevelt] Oscar Brand; Presidential Campaign Songs-1789-1996 (Smithsonian Collection)
5. We Remember You, George Washington Children From N.Y.P.S. 24; Twelve Songs for All Year Long (Folkways)

Find more songs on this topic in the GreenBookofSongs.com® category Presidents.

Here are songs about love you can believe in! Happy Valentine’s Day.

1. As Stevie Wonder; Songs In The Key Of Life (Motown)
2. Breathe In Breathe Out Mat Kearney; Nothing Left To Lose (Aware/Columbia)
3. I Keep On Loving You Reba McEntire; Keep On Loving You (Starstruck/Valory)
4. I’m In Keith Urban; Defying Gravity (Capitol Nashville) Little Green Apples O.C. Smith; Pop Classics Of The ’60s (Columbia)
5. Share My Life Kem; Intimacy (Universal Motown/UMRG)
6. Trust Keyshia Cole duet with Monica; A Different Me (Amaru/Imani/Geffen/Interscope)

For more songs on this topic, see GreenBookOfSongs.com® category Love: Devotion.

We honor Martin Luther King Day 2011 with these songs about the civil rights movement, and those who sacrificed so much for freedom.

1. Anne Braden Flobots; Fight With Tools (Universal Republic)
2. Change Is Gonna Come, A Sam Cooke; Portrait Of A Legend-1951-1964 (Abkco)
3. Everyday Angel Radney Foster; Another Way To Go (Dualtone)
4. He Was My Brother Simon & Garfunkel; Wednesday Morning 3 A.M. (Columbia)
5. Here Comes The Freedom Train Merle Haggard; Capitol Collectors Series-Merle Haggard (Capitol)
6. No Easy Walk To Freedom Peter, Paul & Mary; No Easy Walk To Freedom (Warner Bros.)

For more songs on this subject, see the GreenBookofSongs.com® category, Politics: Civil Rights.

Okay, you’ve made your resolutions for 2011! Here are some songs to give you the energy and focus you’ll need to keep them. Happy New Year from GreenBookofSongs.com®.

1. Dawning Is The Day Moody Blues; A Question Of Balance (Polydor)
2. Future Has Arrived, The All-American Rejects; ST/Meet The Robinsons (Disney)
3. I’m Alive Kenny Chesney with Dave Matthews; Lucky Old Sun (Blue Chair/BNA)
4. Life Won’t Wait  Ozzy Osbourne; Scream (Epic)
5. Sounds Like Life To Me Darryl Worley; Sounds Like Life To Me (Stroudavarious)
6. World Wide Open Love And Theft; World Wide Open (Carolwood)

For more songs on this subject, see the GreenBookofSongs.com® category Motivation.

Ring out the old, ring in the new with these songs especially for New Year’s Eve. Happy 2011!

1. Bright New Year Bert Jansch; ST/The Squid And The Whale (Ultra)
2. Happy New Year Spike Jones & His City Slickers; Dr. Demento’s Greatest Christmas CD-C (Rhino)
3. Let’s Start The New Year Right Bing Crosby; ST/Holiday Inn (MCA)
4. My Dear Acquaintance (A Happy New Year) Regina Spektor; Single-My Dear Acquaintance (A Happy New Year) (Sire/Warner Bros.)
5. My New Year’s Resolution Jocko Of Sha Na Na; It’s Christmas Time (K-Tel)
6. What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve Better Midler; Cool Yule (Columbia)

C = Compilation

Thanksgiving is over — let the parties begin! You’ll find something for every party on this playlist, drawn from the GreenBookofSongs.com® category Christmas: Parties & Fun.

1. At The Christmas Ball Bessie Smith; Jingle Blues-C (House Of Blues)
2. Christmas Conga Cyndi Lauper; Merry Christmas…Have A Nice Life (BMG Special Prod.)
3. Christmas Dance Ringo Starr; I Wanna Be Santa Claus (Island)
4. Rock And Roll Christmas George Thorogood & The Destroyers; Billboard Rock ’N Roll Christmas-C (Rhino)
5. What Will Santa Say When He Finds Everybody Swinging? Louis Prima; Jingle Bell Swing-C (Legacy)

C = Compilation

As we prepare for this season of giving gifts and giving thanks, we should also take time to give to those who need our help. Here are some songs about sharing and giving to rouse that holiday spirit.

1. Christmas Prayer Aaron Neville; Christmas Gumbo (Flambeau)
2. Did I Make A Difference Oak Ridge Boys; Front Row Seats (Spring Hill)
3. Help Somebody Maxwell; Blacksummers’night (Columbia)
4. Man In The Mirror Michael Jackson; Bad (Epic)
5. Point Of Light Randy Travis; Heroes And Friends (Warner Bros.)
6. Pretty Paper Willie Nelson; Pretty Paper (Columbia)
7. Santa I’m Right Here Toby Keith; Christmas To Christmas (Polydor Country)
8. What You Give Away Vince Gill featuring Sheryl Crow; These Days (MCA)

For more songs on this topic, see GreenBookofSongs.com® categories Christmas: Poverty, Christmas: Social & Political, Christmas: Spirit Of Christmas and Give.

Looking for a playlist to celebrate America’s birthday? Here are positive songs from various eras in our history. To find more, see the GreenBookofSongs.com® category Holidays: Fourth Of July.

1. American Child Phil Vassar; American Child (Arista)
2. Back In The U.S.A. Chuck Berry; Chuck Berry’s Greatest Hits (Everest)
3. Better In The USA Glenn Frey; The Allnighter (MCA)
4. Chicken Fried Zac Brown Band; The Foundation (Atlantic/Home Grown/Big Picture)
5. R.O.C.K. In The U.S.A. John Cougar Mellencamp; Scarecrow (Riva)
6. This Is Worth Fighting For Jimmy Dorsey & His Orchestra; 4^th Of July-Living In America-C (Goldenlane)
7. You’re A Grand Old Flag Jon Peterson; George M. Cohan Tonight! (Sh-k-boom)

 C = Compilation

Here are a few musical ways to let Dad know you love him!

1. Always Be Your Baby Natalie Grant; Deeper Love (Curb)
2. Daddy Beyonce; ST/Daddy’s Little Girls (Atlantic)
3. Father’s Love, A (The Only Way He Knew How) Bucky Covington; I’m Alright (Lyric Street)
4. Father’s Way, A Seal; A Father’s Way (Warner Bros.)
5. Forty Again John Berry; Faces (Capitol)
6. Song For Dad Keith Urban; Golden Road (Capitol)

Hear audio clips of these songs at GreenBookofSongs.com®. And for more songs on this topic, see our category Holidays: Father’s Day.