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3rd Grade

Michael Row the Boat Ashore

"Michael Row the Boat Ashore" Lyrics, Text Format


Introducing syncopation with beginner level pitches and
intervals. What rhythm changes are needed to
match the syllables of the third verse?

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Description

  • Grade: Third
  • Origin: USA – African American Spiritual cir. 1862
  • Key: C Major
  • Time: 4/4
  • Form: rhythm: ABAC – pitches: ABCD – song: AB
  • Rhythm: intermediate: | ta/ ti ti ta/ | syncopation,
    | ta/a ta ta | ta/a/a/a | ta/a/a ta |
  • Pitches: beginners: Do Re Mi Fa So La
  • Intervals: beginners: Do/Mi/So ascending tonic arpeggio, So\Mi
  • Musical Elements: notes: dotted half, half, dotted quarter, quarter, eighth; pickup beats, syncopation, arpeggio, ending a phrase on the dominate (So), changing rhythm to match verse syllables
  • Key Words: sacred, USA geography, St. Helena Island, Sea Islands of South Carolina, slave songs, African American history, Archangel Michael, sacred, work song, sea chanty, spiritual, ashore, trim the sails, River Jordan, chilly, body, soul

“Michael Row the Boat Ashore” 
1. Michael row the boat ashore,
Hallelujah!
Michael row the boat ashore,
Hallelujah!
2.
 Sister help to trim the sails,
Hallelujah!
Sister help to trim the sails,
Hallelujah!
3. The river Jordan is chilly and cold,
Hallelujah!
Chills the body but not the soul,
Hallelujah!
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Mary Had a Baby

"Mary Had a Baby" Lyrics, Text Format


Ascending and descending melodically to the dominate, So, phrases ending with a rest on the fourth beat, and descending
arpeggios: Mi\Do\So, Mi\Do\La, La\Mi\Do.

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Description

  • Grade: Third
  • Origin: USA – African American Spiritual
  • Key: F Major
  • Time: 4/4
  • Form: AaBC
  • Rhythm: beginners: | ti ti ti ti ta ta | ta/a ta (ta) |
    | ta ta ta (ta) | ta/a ta (ti) ti | syncopation,
    | ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti | ta ta ta/a |
  • Pitches: intermediate: So Do Re Mi So La – pentatonic scale
  • Intervals: intermediate: Mi\Do\So descending tonic arpeggio, Mi\Do\La descending arpeggio, Mi/La, So\Mi, Mi\So, La\Mi\Do descending arpeggio, Do/Mi
  • Musical Elements: notes: half, quarter, eighth; rests: quarter, eighth, syncopation, arpeggios; contrasting the second staff with third staff, each passing La to reach So (ascending and descending)
  • Key Words: sacred, Christmas, spiritual, Mary, Jesus, manger, born, stable, shepherds, singing, birth of Jesus, holiday, Lord, African American history

 

“Mary Had a Baby”

1.Mary had a baby, Yes, Lord,
Mary had a baby, Yes, my Lord,
Mary had a baby, Yes, Lord,
The people keep a-coming and the train has gone.

2.What did she name him? Oh, Lord,
What did she name him? Oh, my Lord.
What did she name him? Oh, Lord,
The people keep a-coming and the train has gone.

3.She named him Jesus, Yes, Lord,
She named him Jesus, Yes, my Lord,
She named him Jesus, Yes, Lord,
The people keep a-coming and the train has gone.

4.Oh, where was he born? Oh, Lord,
Oh, where was he born? Oh, my Lord,
Oh, where was he born? Oh, Lord,
The people keep a-coming and the train has gone.

5.Born in a stable, Yes, Lord,
Born in a stable, Yes, my Lord,
Born in a stable, Yes, Lord,
The people keep a-coming and the train has gone.

6.And where did she lay him? Oh, Lord,
And where did she lay him? Oh, my Lord,
And where did she lay him? Oh, Lord,
The people keep a-coming and the train has gone.

7.She laid him in a manger, Yes, Lord,
She laid him in a manger, Yes, my Lord,
She laid him in a manger, Yes, Lord,
The people keep a-coming and the train has gone.

8.Who heard him singing? Oh, Lord,
Who heard him singing? Oh, my Lord,
Who heard him singing? Oh, Lord,
The people keep a-coming and the train has gone.

9.Shepherds heard him singing, Yes, Lord,
Shepherds heard him singing, Yes, my Lord,
Shepherds heard him singing, Yes, Lord,
The people keep a-coming and the train has gone.

 

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The Man on the Flying Trapeze

"The Man on the Flying Trapeze" Lyrics, Text Format

Beginning syncopation with an interval of a minor sixth.

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Description

  • Grade: Third
  • Origin: USA, words: Joe Saunders (stage name: George Leybourne – music: Gaston Lyle
  • Key: G Major
  • Time: 3/4
  • Form: ABAC*
  • Rhythm: beginners: | ta ta ta | ta/a ti ti | syncopation, | ta ti/ ti | syncopation, | ta/a/a |
  • Pitches: beginners: So La Ti Do Re Mi Fa
  • Intervals: intermediate: So/Do, Fa\La (m6), La/Re,
    Re\So, Do\La
  • Musical Elements: notes: dotted half, half, dotted quarter, quarter, eighth; pickup beat, tied notes
  • Key Words: ballad, circus acts, through, greatest, ease, daring, trapeze, actions, graceful, stolen away; contraction: he’d (he would)

* Chorus of 19th century popular song.


“The Man on the Flying Trapeze” 
He’d fly through the air with the greatest of ease.
The daring young man on the flying trapeze,
His actions are graceful, all girls he does please,
And my love he has stolen away.
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Mango Walk

"Mango Walk" Lyrics, Text Format

Advanced descending interval: Fa\So, ascending arpeggio So/Ti/Re, and syncopated African rhythms make this Calypso
challenging and lots of fun!

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Description

  • Grade: Third
  • Origin: Jamaica – Calypso Song
  • Key: F Major
  • Time: 4/4 – common time
  • Form: ABAb
  • Rhythm: intermediate: | ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti |
    | ti ta ti ta ta | syncopation, | ti ta/ (ta) ta | syncopation
  • Pitches: intermediate: So Ti Do Re Mi Fa So La
  • Intervals: advanced: Do/Mi, Mi\So, So/Do, Do/So, Re/Fa, Fa\So, So/Ti/Re ascending arpeggio
  • Musical Elements: notes: dotted quarter, quarter, eighth; rest: quarter; pickup beat, syncopation, ascending arpeggio
  • Key Words: world geography, Jamaica, Trinidad, calypso, African rhythms, harvesting mangos, deed (did); family relations: father, mother, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, cousin; abbreviation: ‘leven (eleven), multi-cultural music

“Mango Walk” 
1. My mother deed-a tell me that you go mango walk,
go mango walk, go mango walk.
My mother deed-a tell me that you go mango walk,
and eat all the number ‘leven.
2.
 My father deed-a tell me that you go mango walk,
go mango walk, go mango walk.
My father deed-a tell me that you go mango walk,
and eat all the number ‘leven.
3. My brother deed-a tell me that you go mango walk,
go mango walk, go mango walk.
My brother deed-a tell me that you go mango walk,
and eat all the number ‘leven.
4. My sister deed-a tell me that you go mango walk,
go mango walk, go mango walk.
My sister deed-a tell me that you go mango walk,
and eat all the number ‘leven.
5. My uncle deed-a tell me that you go mango walk,
go mango walk, go mango walk.
My uncle deed-a tell me that you go mango walk,
and eat all the number ‘leven.
6. My aunt she deed-a tell me that you go mango walk,
go mango walk, go mango walk.
My aunt she deed-a tell me that you go mango walk,
and eat all the number ‘leven.
7. My cousin deed-a tell me that you go mango walk,
go mango walk, go mango walk.
My cousin deed-a tell me that you go mango walk,
and eat all the number ‘leven.
Calypso: West Indian (originally Trinidadian) music in syncopated African rhythms.
Mango Walk: refers to harvesting mangos from the mango orchard.
Number Eleven: a variety or grade of fruit.
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Lovely Evening

"Lovely Evening" Lyrics, Text Format

Three part German round introducing harmony and singing in parts.

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Description

  • Grade: Third
  • Origin: Germany – Traditional Round, cir. 1917
  • Key: C Major
  • Time: 3/4
  • Form: rhythm: AAB – pitches: ABC
  • Rhythm: beginners: | ta/a ta | ta ta ta | ta/a/a |
  • Pitches: beginners: Do Re Mi Fa So La
  • Intervals: intermediate: Mi\Do, Do/Fa, Do/Mi, So\Mi, Mi/La
  • Musical Elements: notes: dotted half, half, quarter; vocal slurs, three part round, harmony
  • Key Words: world geography, Germany, lovely, evening, bells, ringing; imitation of bells ringing


“Lovely Evening”

 

Oh, how lovely is the evening,
is the evening,
When the bells are sweetly ringing,
sweetly ringing!
Ding, dong, ding, dong, ding, dong.
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Love Somebody – NEW

Love Somebody Text Format

Three perfect fourths, syncopated rhythms with sixteenths, and an inverted tonic triad.

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Description

  • Grade: Third (3)
  • Origin: American Folk Song
  • Key: C Major
  • Time: 2/4
  • Form: ABCD
  • Rhythm: intermediate: | ti ti ri ti/ | ti ti ta | ti ti ti ri ti ri | ti ti ti ti ri | ti ti ti ti |
  • Pitches: advanced: Do Re Mi Fa So Do Re Mi – extended range
  • Intervals: intermediate: Do/Mi/So ascending tonic triad, So\Re (P4), Fa\Do (P4), Do/Mi\Do (M3), So\Mi/So (m3), Mi/So/Do inverted tonic triad, Do8\So (P4)
  • Musical Elements: notes: quarter, dotted eighth, eighth; rests: none; tonic triad, inverted tonic triad, three perfect fourths, syncopation
  • Key Words: United States history, courting song, Valentine’s Day, love; contraction: can’t (cannot)

 


“Love Somebody” 
Love somebody, yes I do.
Love somebody, yes I do.
Love somebody, yes I do.
Love somebody but I won’t tell who.
Love somebody, yes I do.
Love somebody, yes I do.
Love somebody, yes I do.
And I hope somebody loves me too.
Love somebody, can’t tell who.
Love somebody, can’t tell who
Love somebody, can’t tell who
Love somebody but I won’t tell who.
Love somebody, yes I do.
Love somebody, yes I do.
Love somebody, yes I do.
And I hope somebody loves me too.
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Little Things

"Little Things" Lyrics, Text Format

Syncopated rhythms, an eighth rest on the last beat,
and tied notes make a challenging melodic rhythm.

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Description

  • Grade: Third
  • Origin: USA – Traditional
  • Key: A flat Major
  • Time: 6/8
  • Form: rhythm: ABABC – pitches: ABCDD
  • Rhythm: intermediate: syncopation: | ta ti ta ti |
    | ta/ ta (ti) | ta ti ti ti ti | ta/a (ti) | ta/ ta ti |
    | ta/a ti ti |
  • Pitches: intermediate: Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do Re Mi
  • Intervals: intermediate: So/Do, Do\Mi, Mi/So, Re/So, So/Mi, Mi\Do, Re\So, Do\So
  • Musical Elements: notes: dotted quarter, quarter, eighth; rest: eighth; syncopation, tied notes, vocal slurs
  • Key Words: character education, sacred, earth science, drops, water, grains, mighty, ocean, beauteous, land, moments, humble, ages, eternity, errors, lead, soul, paths, virtue, sin, stray, deeds, kindness, love, earth, Eden, Heaven, above, seeds, mercy, sown, youthful, hands, bless, nations, heathen, far; abbreviations: tho’ (though), oft (often)

“Little Things” 
1. Little drops of water,
Little grains of sand,
Make the mighty ocean
And the beauteous land,
And the beauteous land.
2.
 And the little moments,
Humble tho’ they be,
Make the mighty ages
Of eternity,
Of eternity.
3. So our little errors,
Lead the soul away,
From the paths of virtue,
Oft in sin to stray,
Oft in sin to stray.
4. Little deeds of kindness,
Little words of love,
Make our earth an Eden
Like the Heaven above,
Like the Heaven above.
5. Little seeds of mercy,
Sown by youthful hands,
Grow to bless the nations
Far in heathen lands,
Far in heathen lands.
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Little Sally Walker – NEW

"Little Sally Walker" Lyrics, Text Format

Advanced syncopated rhythms across the barline with an ascending tonic arpeggio in a pentatonic scale.

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Description

  • Grade: Third (3)
  • Origin: African American Singing Game
  • Key: F Major
  • Time: 4/4
  • Form: ABA
  • Rhythm: advanced: | ti ti ti ti ta ta | ti ta ta/a/ | ti ti ti ti ti ti ti ti | ta ti ti ta ti ti_|_ti (ta) ti ti ti ta ti ti | ti ta ti ti ti ti ti | ti ta ta/ (ta) | ti ti ti ti ta (ta) |
  • Pitches: beginners: So La Do Re Mi So – Pentatonic Scale
  • Intervals: intermediate: Do/Mi/So8 ascending tonic arpeggio, So8\Do (P5), So/Do (P5), Mi\La (P5)
  • Musical Elements: notes: half, quarter, eighth; rests: quarter; tied notes with syncopation (measures 5-6), ascending tonic arpeggio, pentatonic scale
  • Key Words: • nursery rhyme, moving to music, circle game song, circle song, walking to a steady beat.

“Little Sally Walker”

 

Little Sally Walker
Sitting on a saucer,
Weeping and a-moaning
Over all she’s done.
Rise, Sally, rise,
Wipe your weeping eyes.
Put your hands on your hips,
And let your backbone slip.
Swing it to the east,
Swing it to the west,
Swing it to the very one
That you love the best.

Game:

Make a circle holding hands, except for “Sally”
who stands in the middle covering her eyes.
The circle spins around Sally singing.
Sally rubs her eyes pretending to cry.
Extending an arm Sally turns to the right/left.
At the end of the song the circle stops.
The player Sally points to takes Sally’s place.

 

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Little Red Caboose

"Little Red Caboose" Lyrics, Text Format

Syncopated rhythms, tonic octave skip, and two tied
eighth notes are equal to one quarter note.

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Description

  • Grade: Third
  • Origin: USA – Traditional Children’s Song
  • Key: D Major
  • Time: 4/4
  • Form: ABCD
  • Rhythm: intermediate: | ti ri ta ti ta/a | syncopation, | ti ri ta ti ti ti ti ti | syncopation,
    | ti ta ti ti ta/ | syncopation, | ti ti ti ti ta/a |
  • Pitches: intermediate: Do Re Mi Fa So La Do
  • Intervals: intermediate: So\Mi/So, Fa\Re, Re/Fa, Do/Do ascending tonic octave skip
  • Musical Elements: notes: half, quarter, eighth, sixteenth, percussion quarter; syncopation, octave skip, tied notes
  • Key Words: train, train cars, train parts, caboose, smokestack, back, track, bend, hanging, behind, train whistle sound; woo-woo-woo

“Little Red Caboose” 
1. Little red caboose, little red caboose,
Little red caboose behind the train, the train.
Smokestack on it’s back, going down the track.
Little red caboose behind the train.
Woo-woo-woo!
2.
 Little red caboose, little red caboose,
Little red caboose behind the train, the train.
Coming round the bend, hanging on the end.
Little red caboose behind the train.
Woo-woo-woo!
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Lift Up Your Voices

"Lift Up Your Voices" Lyrics, Text Format


Singing a three part round with dynamics; forte, piano. The lyrics explain the round and dynamics.

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Description

  • Grade: Third
  • Origin: France – Alsatian Round
  • Key: F Major
  • Time: 3/4
  • Form: rhythm: AAB – pitches: ABC
  • Rhythm: beginners: | ta ta ta | ta/ ti ta | syncopation, | ta/a/a | ta/a ta | ta/a (ta) |
  • Pitches: intermediate: So Ti Do Re Mi Fa So
  • Intervals: beginners: Do/Mi, Do/So, So/Do
  • Musical Elements: notes: dotted half, half, dotted quarter, eighth; rest: quarter; dynamics: forte/loud, piano/soft, repeat, three part round, singing in three parts
  • Key Words: world geography, Alsace, France, voices, dynamics, loud, soft, smoothly, softly, sing along
  • Recorder: advanced: excellent ensemble recorder/Orff round for upper grades!


“Lift Up Your Voices” 

Lift up you voices and sing a loud song.
Softly and smoothly as we sing along.
Join your voices, sing a loud song.

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