Syncopation pattern ti ta ti ta in 2/2 counted as 4/4.

Description

• Grade: Fourth
• Origin: USA – Traditional, cir. 1844
• Key: D Major
• Time: 2/2 – counted in 4/4
• Form: AB verse/refrain
• Rhythm: intermediate: | ta ta ta ta | ta ta ta/a |
  | ta/a/a a | ti ti ta ta ti ti | ti ta ti ta/a | syncopation, | ti ta ti ta ta | syncopation,
  | ta ti ti ta ti ti |
• Pitches: intermediate: Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do
• Intervals: intermediate: So\Do, So\Mi/So, Fa\Re, Re/La, Fa/La, So/Do8, Mi/So/Do ascending tonic arpeggio
• Musical Elements: notes: dotted half, half, quarter, eighth; pickup beat, syncopation, verse/refrain
• Key Words: USA history, minstrel performers, USA geography: Buffalo, NY, courting song, nonsense lyrics, gal (girl), chanced, pretty, fair to see, moon light, sidewalk, wife, marry; contractions: won’t (will not), she’d (she would), I’d (I would)

“Buffalo Gals” 

		1.	As I was walking down the street Down the street, down the street, A pretty gal I chanced to meet, Oh she was fair to see.
			Refrain
			Oh, Buffalo Gals won’t you come out tonight, Come out tonight, come out tonight? Oh, Buffalo Gals won’t you come out tonight, And dance by the light of the moon.
		2.	I asked her if she’d stop and talk, Stop and talk, stop and talk, Her feet took up the whole sidewalk, And left no room for me.
			Refrain
		3.	I asked her if she’d be my wife, Be my wife, be my wife, Then I’d be happy all my life, If she would marry me.
			Refrain
		A popular American minstrel song. Performers changed the location as they traveled.

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Syncopation occurring on the second half of the second and fourth beats (and of 2, and of 4), ascending tonic arpeggio within the pentatonic scale.

Description

• Grade: Fourth
• Origin: USA – Folk Song
• Key: C Major
• Time: 4/4
• Form: AB – verse/refrain
• Rhythm: intermediate: | ta ta ti ti ti ti |
  | ta ta ta/ ti | syncopation, | ta ta ti ti ta |
  | ta ta (ta) ta | ta ta ti ta/ | syncopation,
  | ta/a/a/a |
• Pitches: beginners: Do Re Mi So La Do – pentatonic scale
• Intervals: intermediate: Do\La, So\Mi/So, Mi/La\Mi, Do/Mi/So ascending tonic arpeggio, So\Do, La\Do
• Musical Elements: notes: whole, dotted quarter, quarter, eighth; rest: quarter, syncopation, tied notes, vocal slurs
• Key Words: USA history, slaves, impossible dreams, metaphors for impossible things, sacred, after-life, heaven, paradise, hollow log, Blue Jay, green bull frog, weave and spin, moon, spoon, grief, pain, bright, beyond, wings, dream, touch, tender, yonder (down in the valley); contractions: can’t (cannot), they’ll (they will), don’t (do not)

“Buckeye Jim” 

		1.	Way down yonder in a hollow log, A Blue Jay danced with a green bull frog.
			Chorus
			Buckeye Jim you can’t go; Go weave and spin, you can’t go Buckeye Jim.
		2.	Way up yonder above the moon, A red bird lived in a silver spoon,
			Chorus
		3.	Way up yonder above the sky, Blue Jay rest in a green bird’s eye.
			Chorus
		4.	They’ll be an end to grief and pain, A warm bright sky beyond the rain.
			Chorus
		5.	You don’t have wings so you can’t fly, But you can dream it if you try.
			Chorus
		6.	But in Paradise the white bird sings, Touch your face with tender wings.
			Chorus
		The chorus is often attributed to a slaves desire to run away; note the illogical references in the songs lyrics (things that cannot occur) with later verses supporting the promise of a better place to be.

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Melody is centered around the supertonic (Re).

Description

• Grade: Fourth
• Origin: Native American – Luiseño Indian Rain Chant
• Key: C Major
• Time: 4/4
• Form: AABA
• Rhythm: beginners: | ti ti ta ta ta | ti ti ti ti ta ta |
• Pitches: beginners: Re Fa So Do Re
• Intervals: intermediate: So\Re, Re/So, Re/Fa
• Musical Elements: notes: quarter, eighth
• Key Words: USA history, Native American history, USA geography, breezes, blowing, clouds, water. rain dance

“Breezes Are Blowing” 

Breezes are blowing, Blowing clouds of water; Breezes are blowing, Blowing clouds of water; On my face, raining, Raining from the ocean; Breezes are blowing, Blowing clouds of water;

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Syncopated rhythms on the last quarter of the second and fourth beats, experiencing the interval So\Re, ending two phrases on a leading tone (Re), and extended phrases promoting breath support.

Description

• Grade: Fourth
• Origin: USA – Cowboy Song
• Key: G Major
• Time: 4/4
• Form: staves: ABabCc – phrases: AaBb – song: AB, verse/refrain
• Rhythm: intermediate: | ta ti/ ri ta ti/ ri | syncopation, | ta ta ta ti/ ri | syncopation,
  | ta ti/ ri ta ta |syncopation, | ta/a/a ta |
  | ta ta ta ta | ta/a/a/a | ta ta/a ti/ ri | syncopation,
  | ta ti/ ri ti ti ta | syncopation
• Pitches: beginners: So La Do Re Mi So – pentatonic scale
• Intervals: intermediate: So/Do\So, Mi\Do, Do/So, So\Mi\Do descending tonic arpeggio, Mi/So, So\Re
• Musical Elements: notes: whole, dotted half, half, quarter, dotted eighth, sixteenth; pickup beat, quarter beat syncopation, two double bars, tonic arpeggio, verse/refrain
• Key Words: USA geography, cowboy song, campfire song, cowboy life, herding cows, cowboy words, husky, brute, cattle chute, coral, branded, snoot, chuck (food), beans, meat, wrangler, britches, grease your gills; contractions: ain’t (is not), there’s (there is), wrangler’s (wrangler is); abbreviation: scourin’ (scouring)

 

“The Big Coral” 

	1.	That big husky brute from the cattle chute, Press along to the big coral, He should be branded on the snoot, Press along to the big coral.
		Refrain:
		Press along cowboy, press along with a cowboy yell, Press along cowboy, press along to the big coral.
	2.	The chuck we get ain’t fit to eat, Press along to the big coral, There’s rocks in the beans and sand in the meat, Press along to the big coral.
		Refrain
	3.	The wrangler’s out a scourin’ the hills, Press along to the big coral, So hop in your britches and grease up your gills, Press along to the big coral,
		Refrain

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Excellent for beginning grade level expectations.

Description

• Grade: Fourth
• Origin: USA – Traditional
• Key: C Major
• Time: 4/4
• Form: staves: ABABaBaB – phrases: AAaa – song: Aa
• Rhythm: beginners: | ti ti ta ta ta | ti ti ti ti ta ti ti |
  | ta ta ta ta | ta/a ta ti ti | ta ta ta/a |
• Pitches: beginners: Do Re Mi Fa So La Do
• Intervals: intermediate: Re/So, Do/Mi, Fa\Re, So\Mi Mi/Do8
  
• Musical Elements: notes: half, quarter, eighth; verse/refrain, stepping down the staff Do-Re, each phrase begins on the third (Mi), or dominate (So), always ending with the repeated tonic (Do, Do, Do)
• Key Words: USA history, boating rules, boating signals, nautical words, boat captain, ship captain, wishing song, starboard (right), port, left, sail the ocean blue, treasures, river barge, pirates, brave, bold; abbreviation: flick’ring (flickering), what will you be when you grow up?
• Recorder: intermediate: Excellent for students who have completed the Beginning Recorder Songs

“Barges” 

		1.	Out of my window looking in the night, I can see the barges’ flick’ring light. Silently flows the river to the sea, And the barges, too, go silently.
			Refrain
			Barges, I would like to go with you; I would like to sail the ocean blue. Barges, have you treasures in you hold? Do you fight with pirates brave and bold?
		2.	Out of my window looking in the night, I can see the barges’ flick’ring light. Starboard shines green and port is glowing red, You can see them flick’ring far ahead.
			Refrain
			Barges, I would like to go with you; I would like to sail the ocean blue. Barges, have you treasures in you hold? Do you fight with pirates brave and bold?

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Introducing the lowered/natural seventh, Te, the raised/sharped
fifth, Si, and longer phrases to strengthen breath control.

Description

• Grade: Fourth
• Origin: USA – words: John F. Palmer – music: Charles B. Ward (composed 1895)
• Key: G Major
• Time: 3/4
• Form: ABCD
• Rhythm: beginners: | ta ta ta | ta/a/a | ta/a ti ti |
  | ta ta/ ti | syncopation
• Pitches: advanced: So Si La Te Ti Do Re Mi Fa – natural/lowered seventh (Te), sharped/ raised fifth, (Si)
• Intervals: advanced: Do/Mi\Do, Ti/Mi\Ti, La/Do\La, Ti/Fa, Fa\La, Ti/Re\Ti, So/Mi, Mi\So, So/Do, Ti\Te, La/Re, La\Si/La, Mi\La
• Musical Elements: notes: dotted half, half, dotted quarter, quarter, eighth; tied notes, syncopation, lowered seventh (natural) Te, sharped fifth (raised) Si, long phrases develop breath control
• Key Words: United States history, waltz, strawberry blond, glide, adored, loaded, exploded, alarm, strawberry curl, band played on; contraction: he’d (he would); abbreviations: ‘cross (across), ne’er (never)

 

 

“The Band Played On”

Casey would waltz with the strawberry blond, And the band played on; He’d glide ‘cross the floor with the girl he adored, And the band played on; But his brain was so loaded, it nearly exploded, The poor girl would shake with alarm; He’d ne’er leave the girl with the strawberry curl, And the band played on.

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Beginners syncopation, stepping down the staff from dominate to dominate, and an advanced interval minor 7th, So/Fa.

 

Description

• Grade: Fourth
• Origin: USA – music: William J. Kirkpatrick, words: unknown
• Key: G Major
• Time: 3/4
• Form: ABAC
• Rhythm: beginners: | ta/ ti ta | syncopation,
  | ta ta ta | ta/a ta |
• Pitches: intermediate: So La Ti Do Re Mi Fa So
• Intervals: advanced: So/Re, Re\Ti, So/Do/Mi/So ascending tonic arpeggio, So/Fa, Re\La
• Musical Elements: notes: half, dotted quarter, quarter, eighth; pickup beat, syncopation, tonic arpeggio, stepping down the staff from So to So
• Key Words: sacred, Christmas hymn, Christmas carol, birth of Jesus, holiday song, manger, Lord Jesus, cattle, lowing, awakes, Thee, cradle, nigh, pray, bless, children, Thy, tender care, heaven (note the capitalization of the pronouns: Thee, Thy, and He)

“Away in a Manger” 

		1.	Away in a manger, no crib for His bed, The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head. The stars in the sky looked up where He lay. The little Lord Jesus asleep in the hay.
		2.	The cattle are lowing, the Baby awakes, The little Lord Jesus no crying He makes. I love Thee, Lord Jesus! Look down from the sky. And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.
		3.	Be near me, Lord Jesus I ask Thee to stay, Close by me forever and love me I pray. Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care, And take us to heaven to live with Thee there.

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Each phrase begins and ends with a tonic pitch, the interval Re\La/Re at mid-phrase hints at a minor tonality.

 

Description

• Grade: Fourth
• Origin: USA – Folk Song – cir. 1861
• Key: F Major
• Time: 4/4
• Form: AABC
• Rhythm: beginners: | ta/ ti ta ta | syncopation,
  | ta ta ta/a | ta ta ta ta | ta/a/a (ta) |
  | ta ta ta/ ti | syncopation
• Pitches: beginners: So La Ti Do Re Mi Fa
• Intervals: intermediate: So/Do, Re\La/Re
• Musical Elements: notes: dotted half, half, dotted quarter, quarter, eighth; rest: quarter; syncopation, the last beat of each phrase is silent
• Key Words: United States Civil War Ballad, pining love song, USA history, “Love Me Tender,” neath (beneath), willow tree, thee, swallows, rose, spake (spoke), through, thine, azure (bright blue), morn (morning), sparkling, seemed, crimson wing, fitfully, stormy, thy, gloom, depart, sunshine, sweet heart

“Aura Lee”

		1.	When the blackbird in the spring, neath the willow tree. Sat and rocked, I heard him sing, singing Aura Lee. Aura Lee, Aura Lee, maid of golden hair. Sunshine came along with thee, and swallows in the air.
		2.	In thy blush the rose was born, music when you spake, Through thine azure eye, the morn, sparkling seemed to break. Aura Lee, Aura Lee, birds of crimson wing, Never song have sung to me in that night, sweet spring.
		3.	Aura Lee! The bird may flee the willow’s golden hair, Swing through winter fitfully on the stormy air. Yet if thy blue eyes I see gloom will soon depart; For to me, sweet Aura Lee is sunshine through the heart .
		The popular USA song “Love Me Tender” is based on this tune.

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Introducing the raised (natural) tonic Di, and the raised (sharp) dominate Si in a minor tonality.

• Grade: Fourth
• Origin: United Kingdom, Wales – Old Song
• Key: G minor – pitched in B flat Major
• Time: 2/4
• Form: AaBC
• Rhythm: intermediate: | ti ti ti ti | ta ti ti |
  | ta (ti) ti | syncopation, | ta ti ti ri | ti/ ri ti ti | syncopation, | ta ti/ ri | syncopation
• Pitches: advanced: Mi Si La Ti Do Di Re Mi Fa – natural/raised tonic (Di), raised/sharped dominate (Si)
• Intervals: advanced: Mi/La, Do\La, La\Si, Si\Mi, Mi8\Do/Mi8, Ti/Mi, Re\Di, Re/Fa
• Musical Elements: notes: dotted quarter, quarter, dotted eighth, sixteenth; rest: eighth; pickup beat, syncopation, vocal slurs, raised/natural tonic (Di), raised/sharped dominate (Si), repeating melodic rhythms, tempo: andante (73-77 BPM, walking pace)
• Key Words: world geography, United Kingdom, Wales, Welsh, stormy, sail, sea, shore, skipper, comrades, widows, wail, perish, angry, ship wreck song

“A Stormy Sail”

 

One stormy night a sail put to sea from the shore,
With skipper and his comrades three:
And now the widows wail, the men return no more,
For all have perished in the angry sea.

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