Two Wings

Syncopation for beginners, extended range, an octave skip
and an interval of a minor sixth, Mi\So.

Description

Grade: Fourth
Origin: USA – African American Spiritual
Key: E flat Major
Time: 2/4
Form: AaAB
Rhythm: beginners: | ta ta | ta/ ti | syncopation,
| ti ta ti | syncopation, | ta ti ti | ti ti ti ti | ta/a |
Pitches: intermediate: So La Ti Do Re Mi Fa So La Do – extended range
Intervals: intermediate: Do/Do ascending tonic (I) octave skip, Do\La (m3), So\Mi (m3), Mi\So(m6), Re\So (P5)
Musical Elements: notes: half, dotted quarter, quarter, eighth; pickup beats, tied notes, vocal slur
Key Words: USA history, African American History, sacred, Lord, angel wings, world, cover, face, harm, golden shoes, feet, golden harp, harp, myself; contraction: can’t (cannot)

**“Two Wings”**

	1.	Oh, Lord I want two wings to cover my face, Oh, Lord I want two wings to fly away, Oh, Lord I want two wings to cover my face, So the world can’t do me no harm.
	2.	I want two golden shoes to put on my feet, I want two golden shoes to put on my feet, I want two golden shoes to put on my feet, So the world can’t do me no harm.
	3.	I want a golden harp to play by myself, I want a golden harp to play by myself, I want a golden harp to play by myself, So the world can’t do me no harm.

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Trail to Mexico

Advanced syncopation, tonic arpeggio, and an extended range
using the pentatonic scale.

Description

Grade: Fourth
Origin: USA – Cowboy Song
Key: G Major
Time: 4/4
Form: ABCD
Rhythm: advanced: | ta/a/ ti ri ti ti | syncopation,
| ta/a/ ti ti ti | syncopation, | ta/a/ ti ti ri ti | syncopation, | ta/a/ ti ti ti ri | syncopation,
| ta/a/ ti ti ri ti ri ti | syncopation
Pitches: intermediate: So La Do Re Mi So La – pentatonic scale
Intervals: intermediate: So/Do (P4), Do\La/Do (m3), Do/Mi (M3), Do/So8 (P5), So\Mi\Do descending tonic (I) arpeggio (G)
Musical Elements: notes: half, quarter, eighth; pickup beats, tied notes, tonic arpeggio, syncopation, vocal slur
Key Words: Cowboy song, world geography: USA, Mexico; driving cattle to Mexico, travel, west, many a mile, year of 1883, native home, A.J. Stinson, hired hand, herd

**“Trail to Mexico”**

		1.	I made up my mind in the early morn To leave the home where I was born, To leave my native home for a while, And travel west to many a mile.
		2.	‘Twas in the year of eighty-three That A.J. Stinson hired me. He said, “Young man, I want you to go, And follow my herd to Mexico.”

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The Titanic

Advanced syncopation, two tonic arpeggios and a tonic octave skip.

Description

Grade: Fourth
Origin: USA – Alabama, Folk Song – 1915
Key: D Major
Time: 4/4
Form: AB – verse/chorus
Rhythm: advanced: | ti ti ti ti ti ta ti | syncopation, | ti/ ri ti ti ta ti ti | syncopation,
| ti ti ti ti ta ti ti | ti ri ti ti ri ti ta ti ti | syncopation, | ta/a (ta) ti ti | ta/a/a ti ti |
| ta ti/ ri ti ti ti ti | syncopation, | ta/a/a/a |
| ti ta ti ta ti ti | syncopation
Pitches: intermediate: La Do Re Mi Fa So La Do
Intervals: intermediate: So\Mi (m3), Do\La/Do (m3), Mi/So (m3), La8\Re (P5), Re/So (P4), So\Mi\Do descending tonic (I) arpeggio (D), Re/Fa (m3), Do/Do8 ascending tonic octave skip, Do8\La/Do8 (m3), Do8\So\Mi descending tonic (I) arpeggio (D)
Musical Elements: notes: whole, dotted half, half, quarter, dotted eighth, eighth, sixteenth; rest: quarter; pickup beat, two double bars, two tonic arpeggios, tonic octave skip, syncopation
Key Words: USA history, USA geography: Alabama, world geography: England, camp song, scout song, story of the Titanic, ship, sail, ocean, thought, through, water, Lord, almighty hand, great ship, husbands, women, wives, children, England, thousand, miles, rich, poor, sin, burst, shouted, tried, wire, raging, sea, band, struck refused, associate, down below, captain, sad, fire, swung, lifeboats, “Nearer, My God to Thee,” wept, cried, waves, swept; abbreviations: ’bout (about), o’er (over), contractions: they’d (they would)

**“The Titanic”**

	1.	Oh, they built the ship, Titanic To sail the ocean blue, And they thought they had a ship That the water never go through, But the Lord’s almighty hand said the ship would never land, It was sad when the great ship went down.
		Chorus:
		It was sad, it was sad, It was sad when the great ship went down. Husbands and wives, little children lost their lives. It was sad when the great ship went down.
	2.	Oh, they sailed from England’s shore ‘Bout a thousand miles or more, When the rich refused to associate with the poor So, they sent them down below, Where they’d be the first to go, It was sad when the great ship went down.
		Chorus
	3.	Oh, the boat was full of sin, And the side about to burst, When the captain shouted, “Women and children first!” Oh, the captain tried to wire, But the lines were all on fire, It was sad when the great ship went down.
		Refrain
	4.	Oh, they swung the lifeboats out O’er the deep and raging sea, And the band struck up with “Nearer, My God to Thee.” Little children wept and cried, As the waves swept o’er the side, It was sad when the great ship went down.
		Refrain

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Taps – NEW

Mastering the pitches of the tonic triad and arpeggio.

Description

• Grade: Fourth (4)

• Origin: Words: Horace Lorenzo Trip – Music: Traditional

• Key: G Major

• Time: 4/4

• Form: Rhythm: AaB – Pitches: ABC

• Pitches: intermediate: So Do Mi So – tonic arpeggio

• Intervals: intermediate: So/Do (P4), So/Mi/Do inverted tonic triad, Do/Mi/So tonic triad, Mi\So (M6), Mi\Do (M3), So\Mi\Do\So descending inverted tonic arpeggio

• Musical Elements: notes: dotted half, dotted eighth, quarter, sixteenth; rests: quarter; excellent practice of the tonic triad and arpeggio (root and inverted)

• Key Words: American history, military funerals, flag ceremonies, Flag Day, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, also known as: “Day is Done”, “Butterfly’s Lullaby”, and “Scott Tattoo” (from 1835-1860), official recognition by US Army in 1874, sacred

**“Taps”**

	1.	Day is done, gone the sun, From the lake, from the hills, from the sky; All is well, safely rest, God is nigh.

	2.	Fading light, dims the sight, And a star gems the sky, gleaming bright. From afar, drawing nigh, falls the night.

	3.	Thanks and praise, for our days, ‘Neath the sun, ‘neath the stars, neath the sky; As we go, this we know, God is nigh.

	4.	Sun has set, shadows come, Time has fled, Scouts must go to their beds Always true to the promise that they made.

	5.	While the light fades from sight, And the stars gleaming rays softly send, To thy hands we our souls, Lord, commend.

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Take Me Out to the Ball Game

Introducing the sharped fourth (Fi, F#) and fifth (Si, G#)
in voice and recorder.

Description

Grade: Fourth
Origin: USA – words: Jack Norworth – music: Albert Von Tilzer, 1908
Key: C Major
Time: 3/4
Form: through composed
Rhythm: beginners: | ta/a ta | ta ta ta | ta/a/a |
Pitches: advanced: Do Re Mi Fa Fi So Si La Ti Do Re
Intervals: advanced: Do/Do8 ascending tonic octave skip (x3), Do8\La (m3), So\Mi/So (m3), So\Re (P4), La\Si/La (m2), La\Mi (P4), La\Fa\Reascending (ii, Dm) arpeggio, Re/La (P5), Re\Ti (m3), Mi/So (m3), So\Fi/So (m2)
Musical Elements: notes: dotted half, half, quarter; tied notes, raised/sharp fourth (Fi), raised/sharp fifth (Si), ii arpeggio (Dm), octave skip
Key Words: USA sports: baseball, ball game, crowd, seeing a baseball game, rooting for the team, national pastime, peanuts, Cracker Jack®, care, never, back, home team, visiting team win. shame, three strikes you’re out, old ball game
Recorder: advanced: introducing F# and G#

**“Take Me Out to the Ball Game”**
Take me out to the ball game, Take me out to the crowd. Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack, I don’t care if I never get back, Let me root, root, root for the home team, If they don’t win it’s a shame, For it’s one, two, three strikes, your out At the old ball game. Chorus of the original Tin Pan Alley song.

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Somebody’s Knocking at Your Door

Syncopation on the second half of the first and second beat
(& of 1, & of 2), extended pentatonic range, and a tonic arpeggio.

Description

Grade: Fourth
Origin: USA – African American Spiritual
Key: E flat Major
Time: 2/4
Form: ABCA
Rhythm: intermediate: | ti ta ti | syncopation (x6),
| ti ti ti ti | ta/a | ta/ ti | syncopation, | ti ta/ | syncopation,
Pitches: intermediate: La Do Re Mi So La Do – pentatonic scale, extended range
Intervals: intermediate: Do/Mi (M3), Do\La/Do (m3), Do/So (P5), So/Do8 (P4), Do8\La8 (m3), So\Mi\Do descending tonic (I) arpeggio (Eb), So\Mi/So (m3)
Musical Elements: notes: half, dotted quarter, quarter, eighth, repeat signs, vocal solo, D.C. al Fine, Fine
Key Words: USA history, African American history, spiritual, sacred, Jesus, sinner, knocking, answer; contractions: somebody’s (somebody is), can’t (cannot)

**“Somebody’s Knocking at Your Door”**

			Refrain
			Somebody’s knocking on at your door. Somebody’s knocking on at your door. O sinner, why don’t you answer? Somebody’s knocking on at your door.
		1.	Knocks like Jesus! Somebody’s knocking on at your door. Knocks like Jesus! Somebody’s knocking on at your door. O sinner, why don’t you answer? Somebody’s knocking on at your door.
		2.	Can’t you hear him? Somebody’s knocking on at your door. Can’t you hear him? Somebody’s knocking on at your door. O sinner, why don’t you answer? Somebody’s knocking on at your door.
		3.	Answer Jesus! Somebody’s knocking on at your door. Answer Jesus! Somebody’s knocking on at your door. O sinner, why don’t you answer? Somebody’s knocking on at your door.
		4.	Someone’s knocking. Somebody’s knocking on at your door. Someone’s knocking. Somebody’s knocking on at your door. O sinner, why don’t you answer? Somebody’s knocking on at your door.
			Refrain

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Springfield Mountain

Syncopation for beginners, less than an octave in range,
with an advanced minor seventh interval So/Fa.

Description

Grade: Fourth
Origin: USA – Folk Ballad, circa. early 1800’s
Key: G Major
Time: 3/4
Form: staves: ABAb – song: AB, verse/refrain
Rhythm: beginners: | ta ta ti ti | ta/ ti ti ti | syncopation, | ti ti ti ti ti ti |
Pitches: beginners: So La Ti Do Re Mi Fa
Intervals: advanced: So/Do/Mi ascending tonic (I) arpeggio (G), Mi\So (M6), Ti/Re (m3), So/Fa (m7), Do\So/Do (P4), Re\So (P5)
Musical Elements: notes: dotted quarter, quarter, eighth; pickup beats, syncopation, tonic arpeggio, vocal slurs
Key Words: USA history, USA geography: Wilbraham, Massachusetts (songs origins), Timothy Merrick 1761 (subject of song), dwell (live), handsome, youth, Monday morning, meadow, mow grass, cutting grass, mowed, half, field, pesky, sarpent (serpent), heel, took, scythe*, bit, blow, rattlesnake, laid

*scythe: a tool used for cutting crops such as grass or wheat, with a long curved blade at the end of a long pole attached to which are one or two short handles.

**“Springfield Mountain”**

		1.	On Springfield Mountain there did dwell A handsome youth: I knew him well.
			Refrain:
			Too loo-re-lay, too loo-re-lay, Too loo-re-lay, too loo-re-loo.
		2.	One Monday morning he did go Down in the meadow for to mow.
			Refrain
		3.	When he had mowed but half the field, A pesky sarpent bit his heel.
			Refrain
		4.	He took the scythe and with a blow, He laid the pesky sarpent low.
			Refrain

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Sing-a-ling-a-ling

Syncopation for beginners, a sharped fourth (Fi), tonic arpeggios, dominate octave skips, and quick sixteenth divisions for FUN!

Description

Grade: Fourth
Origin: USA – Folk Song
Key: G Major
Time: 2/4
Form: AaAB
Rhythm: beginners: | ti ti ti ti | ti ri ti ri ti ti |
| ta/ ti | syncopation
Pitches: intermediate: So La Do Re Mi Fi So – raised/sharped subdominant (Fi, C#)
Intervals: intermediate: So/Do (P4), Do/Mi/So ascending tonic (I) arpeggio, So\Mi (m3), Do\La (m3), Mi/Fi (M2), Re/So (P4), So\So descending dominate octave skip, So/So ascending dominate octave skip, So\Mi\Do descending tonic (I) arpeggio
Musical Elements: notes: dotted quarter, eighth, sixteenth; pickup beat, tonic arpeggios, dominate octave skips, raised/sharped fourth (Fi), first and second endings, repeat sign
Key Words: USA holidays: Mother’s Day, Father’s Day; doing good things for others, character education, doing good things all year, hearts, autumn, spring, winter, whole year, through; sacred: blessed, angels, eternity, death, grave, victory, contraction: there’ll (there will)

**“Sing-a-ling-a-ling”**

		1.	On Father’s Day we sing-a-ling-a-ling, With all our hearts for you; We hope there’ll be some thing-a-ling-a-ling That we can do for you.
		2.	In autumn, winter, spring-a-ling-a-ling, All the whole year through; We ring-a-ling-a-ling, And sing-a-ling-a-ling, And ching-a-ling-a-ling for you.

			Sacred Lyrics:
			The bells below go ting-a-ling-a-ling For you, but not for me. The blessed angels sing-a-ling-a-ling Through all eternity. O death, there is no sting-a-ling-a-ling O grave, thy victory? No ting-a-ling-a-ling, No sting-a-ling-a-ling, But sing-a-ling-a-ling for me.

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School Days

Introducing a sharp dominant (Si), a diminished fifth (d5),
and a diminished fourth (d4).

Description

Grade: Fourth
Origin: USA – words: Will D. Cobb
music: Gus Edwards, 1907
Key: G Major
Time: 3/4
Form: through composed
Rhythm: beginners: | ta/a/a | ta/a ta | ta ta ta |
| ta (ta) ta | ta/a ti ti |
Pitches: intermediate: So Si La Ti Do Re Mi Fa So – raised/sharp dominant (Si)
Intervals: advanced: Mi\So (M6), So/Re\So (P5), So/Do (P4), Ti/La (d5-diminished fifth), Fa\La (m6), La/Mi (P5), Re\La (P4), Do\So (P4), So/Si/La (chromatic m2’s), La\Si/La (m2) Do/So8 (P5), Mi\Ti(d4-diminished fourth=M3) Mi\La (P5), La/Re (P4)
Musical Elements: notes: dotted half, half, quarter, eighth; rest: quarter; sharp dominate (D#, Si), ritardando, a tempo, tied notes, diminished fourth, diminished fifth
Key Words: USA history, popular song, primary school. elementary school, Golden Rule, queen, calico, bashful, barefoot, beau, slate, taught, tune; abbreviations: readin’ (reading), writin’ (writing), ‘rithmatic (arithmetic), hick’ry (hickory)
Recorder: advanced: playing in G major, introducing F# and D#, diminished 4th and diminished 5th

**“School Days”**
School days, school days, Dear old golden rule days. Read in’ and writin’ and ‘rithmatic, Taught to the tune of a hick’ry stick. You were my queen in calico, I was your bashful, barefoot beau, And you wrote on my slate, “I love you Joe,” When we were a couple of kids.

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Revolutionary Tea

Beginners syncopation and range with four intervals:
minor third, major third, perfect 4th and perfect fifth.

Description

Grade: Fourth
Origin: USA – Revolutionary Tavern Song
Key: G Major
Time: 6/8
Form: ABACC
Rhythm: beginners: | ti ti ti ti ti ti | ti ti ti ta ti | syncopation, | ta/a ti | syncopation, | ti ti ti ta ti ri |
syncopation
Pitches: beginners: So La Ti Do Re Mi Fa
Intervals: intermediate: So/Do (P4), Re/Fa (m3), Mi\Do (M3), Do\La/Do (m3), Re\So (P5), Do/Fa (P4)
Musical Elements: notes: dotted quarter, quarter, eighth, sixteenth; pickup beat, tied notes, vocal slur, syncopation
Key Words: USA history, American Revolution, colonial history, Boston Tea Party, USA geography: Boston, Massachusetts; Queen of England, England, rich, sea, daughter, new country, ocean, between, replied, shall, quoth (quote), willing, fair price, tea, three-penny tax, reddened, rage, quite, proper, old lady, servant, packed, budget, three pence a pound, large, familie (family), conveyed, ocean’s side, bouncing girl, poured, dark, boiling, tide, island Queen, steeped, enough, never, contractions: shan’t (shall not) , ax (ask), you’re (you are), ’tis (it is)

**“Revolutionary Tea”**

	1.	There was a rich lady lived over the sea, And she was an island queen. Her daughter lived off on the new country, With an ocean if water between, With an ocean if water between.
	2.	Now mother dear mother,” the daughter replied, “I shan’t do the thing you ax. I’m willing to pay a fair price for the tea, But never the three-penny tax. But never the three-penny tax.”
	3.	“You shall,” quoth the mother, and reddened with rage, “For you’re my own daughter, you see, And sure ’tis quite proper the daughter should pay Her mother a tax on her tea, Her mother a tax on her tea.”
	4.	And so the old lady her servant called up And packed off a budget of tea; And eager for three pence a pound, she put in Enough for a large familie, Enough for a large familie.
	5.	She ordered her servants to bring home the tax, Declaring her child should obey, Or old as she was, and almost woman grown, She’d half whip her life away, She’d half whip her life away.
	6.	The tea was conveyed to the daughter’s door, All down by the ocean’s side; And the bouncing girl pour’d out every pound In the dark and boiling tide; In the dark and boiling tide.
	7.	And then she called out to the Island Queen, “Oh, mother, dear mother,” quoth she, “Your tea you may have when ’tis steep’d quite enough But never a tax from me, But never a tax from me.”

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4th Grade