Streets of Laredo -

Beginners syncopation and intervals sung in two parts;
melody/descant.

Description

Grade: Fifth
Origin: USA – Cowboy Ballad
Key: D Major
Time: 3/4
Form: song: ABAC – descant: ABAC
Rhythm: beginners: | ta/ ti ta | syncopation,
| ta ta ta | ta/a ta | ta/a/a | ta/a (ta) |
Pitches: intermediate: song: So Ti Do Re Mi Fa So
descant: Mi Fa So La Ti Do
Intervals: intermediate: song: Ti\So (M3), So/Do (P4), Mi\Ti (P4), Ti/Re (m3); descant: So\Mi (m3), La/Do8 (m3)
Musical Elements: notes: dotted half, half, dotted quarter, quarter, eighth; rest: quarter; pickup beat, vocal slur, syncopation, descant: singing in 2 parts
Key Words: USA – history, cowboy life; USA geography: Laredo, Texas; ballad, spied, wrapped, linen, outfit, shot, chest, die, fife, drum, sod, slowly, spurs, saddle, dashing, card-house, bunk-house, dying, dead march, valley, jolly, coffin, maidens, pall, bunches, deaden, clods, rope, rattle, whoop, grave, wrong, parched lips, departed, round up, bitterly, wept, comrade, handsome, although: contraction: I’m (I am): abbreviation: o’er (over)
Recorder: intermediate: introducing high F, B flat, melody and descant (2 parts), syncopation

“Streets of Laredo”
also known as
“Cowboy’s Lament”

		Descant:
		Slow, slow, bang the drum slow, Bang the drum slow, bang the drum slow, Low, low play the fife low, Play the fife low, oh, so low.

	1.	As I walked out in the streets of Laredo, As I walked out in Laredo one day, I spied a young cowboy wrapped up in white linen, Wrapped up in white linen as cold as the day.

	2.	“I see by your outfit that you are a cowboy,” These words he said as I boldly walked by; “Come listen to me and I’ll tell my sad story I’m shot in the chest and I’m sure I will die.”

	3.	“‘Twas once in the saddle I used to go dashing, ‘Twas once in the saddle I used to go ‘way. First to the bunk-house, and then to the card-house, Got shot in the chest and I’m dying today.”

	4.	“Oh, beat the drum slowly and play the fife lowly, And play the dead march as you carry me along; Take me to the green valley, there lay the sod o’er me, For I’m a young cowboy and I know I’ve done wrong.”

	5.	“Get six jolly cowboys to carry my coffin, Get six pretty maidens to bear up my pall. Put bunches of roses all over my coffin, Roses to deaden the sods as they fall.”

	6.	“Then swing your rope slowly and rattle yours spurs lowly, And give a wild whoop as you carry me along; And in the grave throw me and roll the sod o’er me. For I’m a young cowboy and I know I’ve done wrong.”

	7.	“Go bring me a cup, a cup of cold water. To cool my parched lips,” the cowboy then said. Before I returned, his soul had departed, And gone to the round up – the cowboy was dead.

	8.	We beat the drum slowly and played the fife lowly, And bitterly wept as we bore him along. For we all loved our comrade, so brave, young, and handsome, We all loved our comrade, although he’d done wrong.

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Click to Enlarge: "Streets of Laredo," Pitch Number Format

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