Let's Sing!
Sing the song you are learning many times every day, along with your recording or a capella, for faster learning -- and for FUN! Ever since we started singing our new songs in the studio (before playing them), I've noticed that children are learning pieces twice as fast!
I always say: If you can SING it, you can PLAY it!
yours truly,
Toby
Words to almost all the Suzuki Songs in Book 1
Collected by Toby, authored by many brilliant Suzuki teachers and parents!
"Twinkle"
Twinkle twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are
Up above the world so high
Like a diamond in the sky
Twinkle twinkle little star
How I wonder what you are.
"Lightly Row"
Lightly row, lightly row
Down the river we will go
Always rowing, never slowing
In my bright new red canoe
See the fishes swimming by
See the birds up in the sky
Always rowing, never slowing
In my bright new red canoe.
"Song of the Wind"
Listen to the sound of wind, I hear it in the trees
Hear it in the trees
See it in the branches bending, leaves and blossoms swirling down
See it in the leaves and blossoms swirling to the ground
Listen to the sound of wind, I hear it in the trees
Hear it in the trees
See it in the branches bending, leaves and blossoms swirling down
See it in the leaves and blossoms swirling to the ground
"Go Tell Aunt Rhody"
Go tell aunt Rhody, John is sick in bed
Go tell the doctor, John is sick in bed
He ate some popcorn, and some chocolate bars
And peanut-butter, on his bread
Go tell aunt Rhody, John is sick in bed
Go tell the doctor, John is sick in bed.
"O Come Little Children"
Oh come little children
Oh, come one and all
Let’s join hands together
Both big ones and small
For peace in our lifetime, we offer this plea
For people together, for you and for me.
Oh come little children
Oh, come one and all
Let’s join hands together
Both big ones and small
For peace in our lifetime, we offer this plea
For people together, for you and for me.
"May Song"
Spring is here, the birds are here
Listen to them singing
Red and yellow purple and white
Oh my what a beautiful sight
Spring is here, the birds are here
Listen to them singing.
"Long Long Ago"
Long Long Ago, dinosaurs ruled the world,
Tyrranosaur, Ichthyosaur.
They could not think, could not speak, only roar!
Oh what a bore, dinosaur!
Birds of the air pecked the dinosaur's nose.
Mice underfoot nibbled scales off their toes.
Pestered, they left planet Earth to their foes.
Where have they gone? No one knows!
"Allegro"
Toot toot toot, the train is in the station
Ding ding ding, put down the crossing gate
Wave wave wave, the engineer is waving
Down the track the train is moving straight
Round and round the wheels are turning
Slower, slower, till they stop…
Toot toot toot, the train is in the station
Ding ding ding, put up the crossing gate.
"Perpetual Motion"
Have you seen an alligator riding on an escalator?
I have seen an alligator riding on an elevator.
Have you seen a ballerina playing on her concertina?
I have seen a ballerina on her way to Pasadena.
Have you seen an armadillo sleeping on a big fat pillow?
Have you seen an armadillo sleeping on a big fat pillow?
Have you seen an alligator riding on an escalator?
I have seen an alligator riding on an elevator.
"Allegretto"
In the woods, far away, on a hot summer’s day
The three bears’ cabin stood, at the edge of the wood.
In the woods, far away, on a hot summer’s day
The three bears went away for a walk
First the big Papa* bear
Then the kind Mama* bear
Then behind, with his chair, came the small Baby bear
In the woods, far away, on a hot summer’s day
The three bears went away for a walk.
*Change the names to fit your family, i.e. Mama and Mommy, Papa and Daddy, Mama and Grandma, etc!
"Andantino"
Suzuki is the right method to take
On our small instruments, music we make
Suzuki is the right method to take
After we finish this, take a small break
Make sure that you listen each day
This will really help you to play
Suzuki is the right method to take
After we finish this, take a small break
"Etude"
Henrietta Poppeletta had a special friend to play
Named Willamina Window-Cleaner, and she brought along her football
Henrietta Poppeletta picked it up and threw it back
To Willamina Window-Cleaner, and it smashed right through a window
Father came right down the stairs and called to mother
Mother came right down the stairs and looked at Henrietta Poppeletta
And then picked her up and scolded her and sent her off to bed.
ALTERNATE:
Harry Potter words to "Etude"
Harry Potter Harry Potter had a special friend to play
named Ronald Weasly Ronald Weasly, and he brought along his quaffle
Harry Potter Harry Potter picked it up and threw it back to
Ronald Weasly Ronald Weasly but it crashed right through the window
Dumbledore came down the stairs and called to Hagrid
Hagrid came right down the stairs and quickly picked up
Harry Potter Harry Potter, picked him up and said, “Bad boy!” and sent him back to class.
More alternate lyrics for "Etude":
How do you know, how do you know, how do you know Spring is coming? Flowers blooming, flowers blooming, that's how I know Spring is coming.
How do you know, how do you know, how do you know Spring is coming? Buds are forming, buds are forming, that's how I know Spring is coming.
Baby ducklings waddle behind mother ducklings,
Raindrops fall down on umbrellas,
That's how I know, that's how I know, that's how I know, that's how I know Spring is coming each and every year!
"Minuet 2"*
I like peanut butter sandwiches, I like peanut butter sandwiches
My mom makes them, my dad* makes them, and I can make them too.
I like peanut butter sandwiches, I like peanut butter sandwiches.
My sister makes them, my brother makes them, and I can make them too.
(repeat)
Peanut butter goes with jelly and peanut butter goes with honey too.
Peanut butter goes with everything, chocolate-chip ice-cream bars, How I love
those peanut butter sandwiches that my mom and my dad* and I can make too.
I like them, I like them, they taste so good inside!
I like peanut butter sandwiches, I like peanut butter sandwiches.
My mom can make them, my dad can make them, and I can make them too.
*Change these words to fit your family if you are a single parent, two-mom family, two-dad family, no-sibling family, or any other structure of family!
"Happy Farmer"
Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to work we go,
we feed the chickens, cows and pigs the whole day long.
Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to work we go,
we feed the chickens, cows and pigs the whole day long.
When we are finished, then we get to play.
Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to work we go,
we feed the chickens, cows and pigs, this ends our song.
When we are finished, then we get to play.
Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to work we go,
We feed the chickens, cows and pigs, this ends our song.
"Gossec's Gavotte"
I can play this long gavotte the whole way through.
I can play this long gavotte as well as you.
I can play this long gavotte just like you too.
Doctor Suzuki would like that too.
Can you play the second section just as well?
I can play the second section, can't you tell?
I can play the second section quite as well.
Let's all play the second section, ding dong bell.
Let us take it all in turns to play.
I'll play first, then fingers very quickly down the scale come jumping.
I'll play it next and now altogether,
teeter, totter, then running up and down.
I'm playing very fast and jump about.
I'm playing very fast and I'm not out.
I'm playing very fast, and I'm playing at the last,
so let's play it altogether, roundabout.