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"Wabash Cannon Ball," Lyrics, Text Format
"Wabash Cannon Ball," Lyrics, Text Format

Syncopation and an ascending dominant arpeggio.

 

Description

  • Grade: Fifth
  • Origin: USA – J. A. Roff – 1882
    (The Great Rock Island Route)
  • Key: G Major
  • Time: 4/4
  • Form: AB – verse/refrain
  • Rhythm: beginners: | ta/ ti ta ta | syncopation,
    | ta ta/a ti ti | ta/a/a ti ti | ta ta ta ta | ta ta ti ta/ |
    syncopation, | ta/a/a ta | ta ta/a ta |
  • Pitches: intermediate: Fa So La Ti Do Re Mi So
  • Intervals: intermediate: So/Do (P4), Mi/So8 (m3), So8\Mi (m3), Do\Fa (P5), So/Ti/Re ascending dominant arpeggio (IV, D), Re\Ti (m3), So/Ti\So (M3), Do\So (P4)
  • Musical Elements: notes: dotted half, half, dotted quarter, quarter, eighth; pickup beat, repeat signs, first and second endings, verse/refrain, syncopation, dominant arpeggio, repeated melodic rhythm patterns, two double barlines
  • Key Words: USA history, USA geography: New York, NY; St. Louis, Missouri; Chicago, Illinois; Minnesota; world oceans: Pacific, Atlantic; world geography: Labrador; fictional railroad, jingle, roar, locomotive, train whistle, thunder, engine, streams along, shore, eastern states, Southlands, western people, rippling waters, Daddy Klaxton, remembered, earthly race, curtain, victory; contractions: we’ll (we will), here’s (here is), it’s (it is) there’s (there is); abbreviation: ’round (around)
  • Recorder: intermediate: introducing high E and high G, dominant arpeggio, syncopation, repeated melodic rhythm patterns

“Wabash Cannon Ball” 

1. From the coast of the Atlantic to the wide Pacific shore,
From he warm and sunny Southland to the isle of Labrador,
There’s a name of great importance that is known by one and all,
It’s the Western combination called the Wabash Cannon Ball.
Refrain:
Just listen to the jingle, the rumble and the roar,
Of the mighty locomotive as she streams along the shore,
Hear the thunder of the engine, hear the lonesome whistle call,
It’s the Western combination called the Wabash Cannon Ball.
2.
The eastern states are dandies so the western people say,
From New York to St. Louis and Chicago by the way.
Through the hills of Minnesota where the rippling waters fall,
No chances can be taken on the Wabash Cannonball.
Refrain
3. Here’s to Daddy Klaxton may his name forever stand.
Will he be remembered through parts of all our land?
His earthly race is over and the curtain ’round him falls.
We’ll carry him on to victory on the Wabash Cannonball.
Refrain
Additional Formats (click to enlarge)
music
"Wabash Cannon Ball," Music Format
beats
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rhythm
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pitch numbers
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solfeggio
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letter names
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