“May There Always Be Sunshine” is the Royal Song of the Day for Tuesday, September 9th. You can find the lyrics in the Rise Up Singing songbook on page 161. The song is based on the words of a Russian child. Original words by Lev Oshanin, English by Thomas Botting, music by Arkadi Ostrovsky.

All around me, here on Long Island, I see children returning to school. This song is dedicated to all the moms, dads, teachers, and school staff, swirling around with preparations for another year of learning and fun. The song “May There Always Be Sunshine” is a simple request from a child, that there may always be sunshine, mama, and “me”. Many people have interpreted the song as a humble and profound wish for peace.

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The Royal Song of the Day is a project of Duke Augustus and Duchess Susanna, The Duke and Duchess of Peace. The Duke and Duchess recognize that one of the paths to peace is to nurture a culture of peaceful, nonviolent entertainment. Learning some songs to sing by yourself, or with a group of friends, is a wonderful, vibrant, peaceful, authentic way to pass the time!