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"Great Big House," Lyrics, Text Format


Changing rhythms to match verse syllables, moving to a steady beat, and movements for each line of the second verse.

 

Description

  • Grade: Fourth
  • Origin: USA – Louisiana Play Song
  • Key: F Major
  • Time: 2/4
  • Form: ABAC
  • Rhythm: beginners: | ti ti ti ti | ti ti ta | ta ta |
    | ti ti ti ti ri | ta (ta) |
  • Pitches: beginners: Do Mi So La – pentatonic scale
  • Intervals: beginners: Mi/So, La\Mi, So\Mi
  • Musical Elements: notes: quarter, eighth, sixteenth; rest: quarter
  • Key Words: USA geography, New Orleans, Louisiana, forty stories, chicken pie, mill stream, fetch, pail, wife, daughter, darling, golden slippers; abbreviation: ev’ry (every)

 


“Great Big House”
 
1. Great big house in New Orleans,
Forty stories high;
Ev’ry room that I been in,
Filled with chicken pie.
2.
Went down to the old mill stream,
To fetch a pail of water;
Put one arm around my wife,
The other ’round my daughter.
3. Fare thee well, my darling girl,
Fare thee well, my daughter;
Fare thee well, my darling girl,
With the golden slippers on her.

Movements:
1. First verse: students form a circle, holding hands, walk keeping a steady beat, then stop.
2. Went down to the old mill stream,
(every other student moves to the center, holding hands with arms below waist)
To fetch a pail of water;
(outside circle moves behind inner circle, placing arms over the shoulders of the inner circle and holds hands)
Put one arm around my wife,
(keeping hands held, outside circle raises arms to ceiling, bringing them down behind the back of the inner circle)
The other ’round my daughter.
(keeping hands held, inner circle rises arms to ceiling, bringing them down behind the backs of the outer circle)
3. Third verse: keeping arms around the outer circle, the whole circle walks to a steady beat.
Additional Formats (click to enlarge)
music
"Great Big House," Music Format
beats
Click to enlarge: "Great Big House," Beats Format
rhythm
Click to Enlarge: "Great Big House," Rhythm Format
pitch numbers
Click to Enlarge: "Great Big House," Pitch Number Format
solfeggio
Click to Enlarge: "Great Big House," Solfeggio Format
letter names
Click to Enlarge: "" Letter Names Format