The Railroad Corral

Syncopation on 3/4: mastering ta ta/ ti (8 times), ascending and descending vi7 arpeggio (Em7) and the tonic arpeggio I (G).

Description

Grade: Fourth
Origin: USA – Cowboy Song
Key: G Major
Time: 3/4
Form: AaBa
Rhythm: intermediate: | ta ta/ ti | syncopation (x8)
| ta ta ta | ta/a ta | ta/ ti ti |
Pitches: intermediate: Mi So La Do Re Mi So La – pentatonic scale, extended range
Intervals: intermediate: So/Mi (M6), Mi8\Do\La\So\Mi (x3) descending (vi7) arpeggio (Em7), Mi/So/La/Do (x3) ascending (vi7) arpeggio (Em7), Mi\Do (M3), Do/Mi/So8 ascending tonic (I) arpeggio (G), So8\Mi/So8 (m3), So\Do (P5)
Musical Elements: notes: half, dotted quarter, eighth; pickup beat, repetition of the vi7 arpeggio (Em7) gives the feeling of a minor tonality and a tonal center of Mi the third of I and the fifth of vi, moving in and out of major and minor tonalities
Key Words: USA history, cowboy vocabulary: ere (before), chuck wagon, flapjack (pancake), herd,cinches, reins, bronco, steers, chaparral, outfit, railroad coral, punchers, night riders, cook; breaking of day, hillside, vale, crowding, trail, shake, plains, roust (start moving), afternoon, shadows, lean, sticks, marshy, ravine, scatter, farther, vision, true, longest, evening, mountains, climbed, creeks, drooping, night, droop, sight

**“The Railroad Corral”**

	1.	We’re up in the morning ere breaking of day, The chuck wagon’s busy, the flapjack’s in play. The herd is a stir over hillside and vale, With the night riders crowding them in the trail.
	2.	Come take up your cinches, come shake out your reins, Come wake your old bronco and break for the plains; Come roust out your steers from the long chaparral, For the outfit is off to the railroad coral.
	3.	The afternoon shadows are startin’ to lean When the chuck wagon sticks in the marshy ravine; The herds scatter farther than vision can look, You can bet all true punchers will help out the cook.
	4.	The longest of days must reach evening at last, The mountains all climbed and the creeks all are past; The herd is a-drooping and fast falls the night. Let them droop if they will, for the railroads in sight!

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Push the Business On

Syncopation in 6/8 time: mastering ta ti ta ti, feeling
duple meter in triple meter time, and experiencing
what is also a triplet in dotted quarter time.

Description

Grade: Fourth
Origin: England – Game Song
Key: G Major
Time: 6/8
Form: ABCB
Rhythm: intermediate: | ta ti ta ti | syncopation
(x10) feeling of double meter (dotted quarter) in 6/8 time, | ti ti ti ta ti | syncopation (feeling of triplets in 6/8), | ta/a (ti) ti | syncopation
Pitches: beginners: So La Ti Do Re Mi Fa
Intervals: beginners: So/Do\So (P4), Mi\Do/Mi (M3), Fa\Re (m3)
Musical Elements: notes: dotted quarter, quarter, eighth; rest: eighth; pickup beat, tied notes, feeling duple meter in triple meter time (2 groups of 3 eighths),rhythmic phrases stepping up the staff/scale
Key Words: world geography: England; game song, circle song, running a business, horse, grab, rig, world, dance a jig, whatever

**“Push the Business On”**
We’ll hire a horse and grab a rig; And all the world will dance a jig; And we will do whatever we can, To push the business on. To push the business on. To push the business on. And we will do whatever we can, To push the business on.

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Poor Little Jesus

Advanced beat divisions and syncopated rhythms, ascending and descending minor arpeggios, in a minor tonality.

Description

Grade: Fourth
Origin: USA – African American Spiritual
Key: F Minor (pitched in A flat Major)
Time: 2/4
Form: AB – Verse/Refrain
Rhythm: advanced: | ri ti/ ti ti | syncopation,
| ri ti/ ta | syncopation, | ta/ ti | syncopation,
| ta/ ta_|_a/a ti ti | syncopation (_|_=tie),
| ti ri ta ti | syncopation, | ri ti/ ti ti | syncopation,
| ta/ ta_|_/ ri ti/ | syncopation
Pitches: intermediate: Mi La Do Re Mi
Intervals: intermediate: La/Do/Mi ascending minor arpeggio, Mi\Do, Mi\Do\La descending minor arpeggio, Mi\Do\La\Mi descending minor arpeggio, Mi/La, La/Mi8, Re\La
Musical Elements: notes: half, dotted quarter, quarter, dotted eighth, eighth, sixteenth; rest: quarter; syncopation, ascending and descending minor arpeggios, melodic rhythm patterns
Key Words: USA history: African American Spirituals, sacred, Jesus, Christmas, birth of Christ, manger, pity, shame, Lord, Mary, cradle, nailed, laid, cross, robber, risen, glory; contractions: he’s (he is), didn’t (did not), wasn’t (was not); abbreviations: ‘scended (ascended)
Recorder: intermediate: minor tonality, ascending and descending minor arpeggios, mastering: F, A, C

**“Poor Little Jesus”**

	1.	It was poor little Jesus, yes, yes. He was born on Christmas, yes, yes. And laid in a manger, yes, yes.
		Refrain:
		Wasn’t that a pity and a shame? Lord? Wasn’t that a pity and a shame?
	2.	It was poor little Jesus, yes, yes. Child of Mary, yes, yes. Didn’t have a cradle, yes, yes.
		Refrain
	3.	It was poor little Jesus, yes, yes. They nailed him to the cross, Lord, yes, yes. They hung him with a robber, yes, yes.
		Refrain
	4.	It was poor little Jesus, yes, yes. He’s risen from the darkness, yes, yes. He’s ‘scended into glory, yes, yes. No more a pity and a shame, Lord, Lord. No more pity and a shame.

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Polly Wolly Doodle

Limited range and intervals but a whole lot of fun to sing!

Description

Grade: Fourth
Origin: USA – Folk Song – circa. 1880
Key: F Major
Time: 4/4
Form: staves: ABaCDEC – song AB – verse/refrain
Rhythm: beginners: | ta ta ta ti ti | ta/a/a ti ti |
| ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti |
Pitches: beginners: Ti Do Re Mi Fa So
Intervals: beginners: Mi\Do (M3), Re\Ti (M3), Ti/Re (M3), Re/So (P5), Fa\Re (m3)
Musical Elements: notes: dotted half, quarter, eighth; pickup beat, two double barlines, verse/refrain, running eighths, vocal slurs, ending a phrase on the leading tones Re and Ti
Key Words: USA- history, USA geography: Louisiana; Harvard Songbook 1880, nonsense lyrics: curly eyes, laughing hair, maiden, fair, spunky gal, knees, chicken sneeze, heard, sneezed, whooping cough, head, tail, grasshopper, railroad track, teeth, carpet tack, feet, stuck, chicken roost; abbreviations: sittin’ (sitting), pickin’ (picking)

**“Polly Wolly Doodle”**

	1.	Oh, I went down South for to see my Sal, Singing Polly Wolly Doodle all the day; My Sal, she is a spunky gal, Singing Polly Wolly Doodle all the day.
		Refrain:
		Fare thee well, Fare thee well, Fare the well my fairy fay, For I’m goin’ to Louisiana, For to see my Susyana, Singing Polly Wolly Doodle all the day.
	2.	Oh, my Sal, she is a maiden fair, Singing Polly Wolly Doodle all the day; With curly eyes and laughing hair, Singing Polly Wolly Doodle all the day.
		Refrain
	3.	Behind the barn, down on my knees, Sing Polly wolly doodle all the day; I thought I heard a chicken sneeze. Sing Polly wolly doodle all the day.
		Refrain
	4.	He sneezed so hard with the whooping cough, Sing Polly wolly doodle all the day; He sneezed his head and the tail right off . Sing Polly wolly doodle all the day.
		Refrain
	5.	Oh, a grasshopper sittin’ on a railroad track, Sing Polly wolly doodle all the day; A-pickin’ his teeth with a carpet tack. Sing Polly wolly doodle all the day.
		Refrain
	6.	Oh, I went to bed but it wasn’t any use, Sing Polly wolly doodle all the day; My feet stuck out like a chicken roost. Sing Polly wolly doodle all the day.
		Refrain

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Pay Me My Money Down

Advanced syncopation, limited range, two intervals, and exploring variations in phrases between the verse and refrain.

Description

Grade: Fourth
Origin: USA – African American Work Song
Key: C Major
Time: 4/4
Form: AB – verse/refrain
Rhythm: advanced: | ta ta ta ta | ta ta ta/a |
| (ta) ta ta ta | ti ta ta/ (ti) ti | syncopation,
| ti ta ta/a/ | syncopation, | ta/ ta/ ta | syncopation
| ta/ ta/a/ | syncopation, | (ta) ta ta ta | syncopation
Pitches: beginners: Do Re Mi Fa So La
Intervals: intermediate: So\Mi (m3), Mi/La (P4)
Musical Elements: notes: half, quarter, eighth; rest: quarter, eighth; pickup beat, tied notes, two double barlines, call/response, verse/refrain, syncopation on the second half of the first, second, and fourth beats (& of 1, & of 2, & of 4), repeated syncopated entrances on the second beat, and syncopated rhythmic divisions of half beats into groups of 3-3-2

NOTE: refrain is composed of the calls and responses:
measures 10-11 are syncopated variations of measures 2-3,
measures 12-13 changes one pitch from measures 4-5,
measures 14-17 mirror measures 6-9 omitting one beat/pitch
Key Words: USA history, African American history, Georgia Sea Islands, slave ships, slave trade, thought, captain, sailing day, boat, dock bar, boat dock, knocked, end of a spar (thick, strong pole), pay, money down

**“Pay Me My Money Down”**

1.	Call
		I thought I heard the captain say,
	Responce
		“Pay me my money down,”
	Call
		Tomorrow is our sailing day,
	Responce
		“Pay me my money down,”
	Refrain:
		“Pay me, oh, pay me, Pay me my money down, Pay me or go to jail, Pay me my money down,”
2.	Call
		As soon as the boat was clear of the bar,
	Responce
		“Pay me my money down,”
	Call
		He knocked me down with the end of a spar.
		Responce
		“Pay me my money down,”
	Refrain:
		“Pay me, oh, pay me, Pay me my money down, Pay me or go to jail, Pay me my money down,”

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Pat-A-Pan – NEW

Minor tonality and a raised dominate (Si) add a different color to this onomatopoetic title.

.

Description

Grade: Fourth (4)
Origin: Traditional French Carol
Bernard de La Monnoye (1641-1728)
Key: D minor
Time: 2/2
Form: ABC
Rhythm: beginners: | ta ta ta ta | ta ti ti ta ta | ta\a ta\a | ta\a ti ti ti ti | ta/a ta ta |
Pitches: intermediate: Si La Ti Do Re Mi – raised dominate Si
Intervals: intermediate: La/Mi (P5), MI\Do (M3), Re\Ti (m3), Ti/Mi (P4), Ti\Si (m3), Do\La (m3)
Musical Elements: notes: half, quarter, eighth; rests: none; minor tonality, the 6th/La of the relative major D-Major is the tonal center, repeated melodic and rhythm patterns, raised dominate (5th-Si)
Key Words: World Geography: France; French Carol, Bernard de La Monnoye, Christmas Carol, Bible Story, sacred, flute, drum, tune, King of Kings, God, Christmas day, praise, onomatopoeia: the sound of a drum; pat-a-pan

**“Pat-A-Pan”**

	1.	Willie take your little drum; Robin bring your flute and come. When you hear the tune you play. Tu-re-lu-re-lu, pat-a-pat-a-pan, When you hear the tune you play On the joyful holiday.

	2.	When the man of olden days, Gave the King of Kings their praise, They had pipes on which to play, Tu-re-lu-re-lu, pat-a-pat-a-pan, They had pipes on which to play Full of joy on Christmas day.

	3.	God and man this day become Joined as one with flute and drum, Let the happy tune play on, Tu-re-lu-re-lu, pat-a-pat-a-pan, Flute and drum together play As we sing on Christmas day.

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On Top of Old Smoky

Developing breath control for six measure phrases while singing a full ascending tonic arpeggio, and a subdominant arpeggio;
arpeggios suggest chord progressions.

Description

Grade: Fourth
Origin: USA – Folk Ballad
Key: D Major
Time: 3/4
Form: rhythm: ABAb – pitches: ABaC – song AB
Rhythm: beginners: | ta ta ta | ta ta/a_|_a/a ta |
| ta/a/a_|_a/a ta | ta/a ti ti | (_=tie)
Pitches: intermediate: Do Re Mi Fa So La Do
Intervals: intermediate: Do/Mi/So/Do8 ascending tonic (I) arpeggio D, Do\La\Fa descending subdominant (IV) arpeggio G, So\Do (P5), So\Re (P4)
Musical Elements: notes: dotted half, half, quarter, eighth; pickup beat, tied notes, first and third staves end on the leading tone for the phrase ending pitch, distinguishing between a M3 Do\La and a m3 So\Re, tonic and subdominant arpeggios, song chord progression: I-IV-I-V7-I, six measure phrases
Key Words: USA history, mountain song, mountain ballad, snow covered, true love, courtin’ (courting), pleasure, partin’ (parting), false-hearted, worse, thief, rob, crave, lead, grave, decay, dust, boy, hundred, poor girl, trust, hug, kiss, lies, cross-ties, railroad, stars, sky

**“On Top of Old Smoky”**

		1.	On top of Old Smoky All covered with snow, I lost my true lover, For a courtin’ too slow.
		2.	For courtin’s a pleasure, But partin’ is grief, And a false-hearted lover, Is worse than a thief.
		3.	A thief will just rob you, And take what you crave But a false-hearted lover, Will lead you to your grave.
		4.	The grave will decay you, And turn you to dust, Not one boy in a hundred A poor girl can trust.
		5.	They’ll hug you and kiss you, And tell you more lies, Than crossties on a railroad, Or stars in the sky.

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O No, John

Centered around the fifth (So) of the major scale
before ending in G Major.

Description

Grade: Fourth
Origin: USA – Traditional Folk Song
Key: G Major
Time: 4/4
Form: through composed
Rhythm: beginners: | ta ta ta ta | ta ti ti ta ta |
| ta ta ta/a | ta/a ta ta | ta/a (ta) |
Pitches: intermediate: So La Ti Do Re Mi Fa So
Intervals: intermediate: So/Do (P4), Re/So (P4), Re\So (P5), Fa\Re (m3), Mi\Do (M3), Ti\So (m3), Mi\La (P5), La/Do (m3), So/So8 ascending octaveskip
Musical Elements: notes: half, quarter, eighth; rest: quarter; pickup beat, tempo: giocoso/joyful/merry,
animato/animated
Key Words: courting song, yonder (over the hill), creature, ask for her hand, marriage, father, Spanish, captain, month, ago, kissed, bid, always, answer, madam, beauty, lips, red roses, grow, husband, marry me, jewels, cruel, since, stay, hear, hark, church bells, ringing, scorn, unkind, wife, silken dresses, vowed, settled, change, mind, single, know, free, face

“O No, John”

Boys

Girls

1.

On yonder hill there stands a creature
Who she is I do not know;
I’ll go ask her hand in marriage,
She must answer yes or no.

O no, John! No, John! No, John! No!

2.

My father was a Spanish captain,
Went to sea a month ago;
First he kissed me then he left me,
Bid me always answer no.

O no, John! No, John! No, John! No!

3.

O Madam in your face is beauty,
On your lips red roses grow;
Will you take me for your husband?
Madam answer yes or no.

O no, John! No, John! No, John! No!

4.

O Madam I will give you jewels,
I will make you rich and free,
I will give you silken dresses;
Madam will you marry me?

O no, John! No, John! No, John! No!

5.

O Madam since you are so cruel,
And that you do scorn me so,
If I may not be your husband?
Madam will you let me go?

O no, John! No, John! No, John! No!

6.

Then I will stay with you forever,
If you will not be unkind;
Madam, I have vowed to love you;
Would you have me change my mind?

O no, John! No, John! No, John! No!

7.

O hark! I hear the church bells ringing,
Will you come and be my wife?
Or, dear Madam, have you settled
To live single all your life?

O no, John! No, John! No, John! No!

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One Bottle of Pop

Three part round which practices the perfect fourth (P4)
Do\So/Do with triplets.

Description

Grade: Fourth
Origin: England – Traditional Round
Key: F Major
Time: 3/4
Form: ABC
Rhythm: intermediate: | ta ti-ti-ti ta | ti ti ti-ti-ti ta |
| ta (ta) (ta) | ta ti ti ti ti | ta ta ta | ta/ ti ti ti | syncopation, | ti ti ta (ta) | ti ti ta ta |
Pitches: intermediate: So Do Re Mi Fa So La
Intervals: beginners: Do\So/Do, So\Mi, Fa\Re, Re/So
Musical Elements: notes: dotted quarter, quarter, eighth; rest: quarter; eighth triplets, three part round, singing in three parts, syncopation, dividing a beat into three equal parts
Key Words: world geography: England; fish and chips, pop (soda), backyard, chuck, muck, vinegar; abbreviation: o’ (of)
Recorder: intermediate: playing in G major, playing as an ensemble with three parts, playing triplets

**“One Bottle of Pop”**
One bottle o’ pop, Two bottles o’ pop, Three bottles o’ pop, Four bottles o’ pop, Five bottles o’ pop, Six bottles o’ pop, Seven bottles o’ pop, pop! Don’t chuck your muck in my backyard, My backyard, my backyard. Don’t chuck your muck in my backyard, My backyard’s full. Fish and chips and vinegar, Vinegar, vinegar. Fish and chips and vinegar, Vinegar and pop!

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Old Joe Clark

Syncopation on the fourth quarter of the first and second beats
(uh of 1, uh of 2), dominant (So) is the tonal center,
experiencing the intervals So\Re (P4) and So/Re8 (P5).

Description

Grade: Fourth
Origin: USA – Folk Song
Key: B flat Major – centered around the fifth (So) of the major scale
Time: 2/4
Form: ABA – refrain/verse/refrain
Rhythm: intermediate: | ti/ ri ta | syncopation,
| ti ti ta | ti/ ri ti ti | syncopation, | ti ti ti/ ri | syncopation, | ti ti ti ti | ta (ta) |
Pitches: intermediate: Re So La Ti Do Re Mi Fa
Intervals: intermediate: So/Re8 (P5), Ti\So (M3), So\Re/So (P4), So/Ti (M3)
Musical Elements: notes: quarter, dotted eighth, eighth; rest: quarter, D.C. al Fine, Fine, two double barlines
Key Words: USA history, sixteen stories high, chicken pie, slept, feather bed, violin, fiddled, dance, play, southern mountain ballad

**“Old Joe Clark”**

			Refrain
			‘Round and ’round, Old Joe Clark, ‘Round and ’round I say; ‘Round and ’round, Old Joe Clark, I haven’t long to stay.
		1.	Old Joe Clark, he had a house, Sixteen stories high. Ev’ry story in that house Was full of chicken pie.
			Refrain
		2.	I went down to Joe Clark’s house, Never been before. He slept on the feather bed And I slept on the floor.
			Refrain
		3.	Joe Clark had a violin, He fiddled all the day. Anybody start to dance And Joe would start to play.
			Refrain

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4th Grade