Rounds and Part Songs

A round is a musical composition in which two or more voices sing exactly the same melody (and may continue repeating it indefinitely), but with each voice beginning at different times so that different parts of the melody coincide in the different voices, but nevertheless fit harmoniously together. It is one of the easiest forms of part singing, as only one line of melody need be learned by all parts, and is part of a popular musical tradition.

Some songs you may know:

Kookaburra

ü Are You Sleeping? (Frere Jacques)

ü Row, Row, Row Your Boat

ü Three Blind Mice

List 5 other songs you could use for your Round Song.

	Song Title	Composer	Source
1
2
3
4
5

Some of my favourites:

1. Black Socks (2-Part Round)

Black socks, they never get dirty,
The longer you wear them the stronger they get.
Sometimes I think I should wash them,
But something inside me says

No, no, not yet.
Not yet, not yet, not yet...

2. Can You Dig That Crazy Gibberish (4-Part Speaking Round)

Can you dig that crazy gibberish?

Can you dig it? Can you dig it?

Can you dig that crazy gibberish?

Can you dig it? Can you dig it?

Oh look, there’s a chicken on the barnyard fence;

Oh look, there’s another one comin’ down the road;

Ma! Ma!

Get that son-of-a-gun off my tractor.

3. Chairs to Mend (3-Part Round) - England

Chairs to mend, old chairs to mend,

Mackerel, fresh mackerel,

Any old rags, any old rags?

4. Chickens Get Into the Tomatoes (2-Part Speaking Round)

The chickens get into the tomatoes.

Even the rabbits inhibit their habits when carrots are green,

Even the rabbits inhibit their habits when carrots are green.

Squash, Squash, Squash, Squash, Squash, Squash, Squash

5. Cuckoo (3-Part Round)

'Twas on a summer's evening,

I walked the forest through

When suddenly I heard it,

A sweet and low cuckoo

Cuckoo, cuckoo,

Cuckoo, cuckoo cuckoo

Cuckoo, cuckoo,

Cuckoo, cuckoo cuckoo

Mister Moon, Mister Moon you're out too soon,

The sun is still in the sky.

Go back to bed and cover up your head

And wait 'till the night draws nigh.

6. Heidi (2-Part Round) - Africa

Hei-di, hei-di, hei-di-di-di-di, hei-di, hei-di, hei-do.

Hei-di, hei-di-di-di-di, hei-di, hei-di, hei-do.

7. I Like the Flowers (4-Part Round)

I like the flowers, I love the daffodils,

I like the mountains, I love the rolling hills

I like the fireside, when all the lights are low,

Boom-ti-ar-a, Boom-ti-ar-a, Boom-ti-ar-a, Boom

8. Jubilate Deo (6-Part Round)

Jubilate Deo, Jubilate Deo, Alleluia.

9. Kookaburra (4-Part Round) - Australia

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree
Merry, merry king of the bush is he
Laugh, Kookaburra!
Laugh, Kookaburra!
How gay your life must be

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree
Eating all the gum drops he can see
Stop, Kookaburra!
Stop, Kookaburra!
Leave some there for me!

10. Les Cathedrals Francaises (3-Part Round) - France

Orleans, Beaugency, Notre Dame

De Clery, Vendome, Vendome.

11. Listen to the Earth (4-Part Round) – Dorothy Lind

Listen to the Earth; it's singing to me.

Hear all nature's harmony.

Waterfalls and raindrops, wind and sea.

Sing the song of the Earth to me.

12. Little Tommy Tinker (4-Part Round) - England

Little Tommy Tinker

Sat upon a clinker

He began to cry:

"Mom! Mom!"

Poor little innocent guy.

Note: A clinker is a hot ash or cinder. The fourth line is shouted loudly while you jump up and down for each "Mom!"

13. Lullaby Round (9-Part-Round)

Lull la lul la by, lul la by, lul la by,

Sweetly sing to lul la by,

Lul la by, Lu la by,

Sweetly sing to lu la by.

14. Make New Friends (2-Part Round)

Make new friends but keep the old,

One is silver and the other gold.

A circle's round, it has no end,

That's how long I want to be your friend.

15. Oh, How Lovely is the Evening (3-Part Round)

Oh, how lovely is the evening, is the evening.

When the bells are sweetly ringing, sweetly ringing.

Ding, dong, ding, dong.

16. One Bottle of Pop (3-Part Round)

One bottle of pop, two bottles of pop,

Three bottles of pop, four bottles of pop,

Five bottles of pop, six bottles of pop,

Seven bottles of pop, POP!

Fish and chips and vinegar,

Vinegar, vinegar,

Fish and chips and vinegar,

Pepper, pepper, pepper salt!

Don't throw your junk in my backyard,

My backyard, my backyard,

Don't throw your junk in my backyard,

My backyard's full!

17. Rose (4-Part Round) - England

Rose, Rose, Rose, Rose
Will I ever see thee wed?

I will marry at thy will, sire,
At thy will.

Hey, ho, nobody's home
Meat nor drink nor money have I none
Still I will be very, very merry
Hey, ho, nobody's home.

Ding dong, ding dong
Wedding bells on an April morn
Carve my name on a moss covered stone,
On a moss covered stone.

Ding dong, ding dong
Funeral bells on a September morn,
Rose, oh Rose, is dead and gone, sire,
Dead and gone.

18. The First Tulip (2-Part Round)

Here look in the garden bed,

something beautiful is growing.

Bright, shaped like a cup,

all red, tulip opens to the sun.

Last night it was small and green,

flame like now it is a glowing.

This one is the first I’ve seen,

now sweet weather has begun.

19. The Frogs (4-Part Round)

Hear the lively song of the frogs in yonder pond,

Crick, crick, crickety crick, BARRRUMMP!

20. The Little Bells of Westminster (4-Part Round) - England

The little bells of Westminster go,

Ding, dong, ding, dong, dong.

21. This Pretty Planet (3-Part Round) – John Forster & Tom Chapin

This pretty planet spinning through space
You’re a garden, you’re a harbour
You’re a holy place
Golden Sun going down
Gentle blue giant, spin us around
All through the night
Safe till the morning light.

22. Whene’er You Make a Promise (4-Part Round) – W. W. Sheild

Whene’er you make a promise

Consider well its importance

And when made,

Engrave it upon your heart.

23. Where is John? (3-Part Round)

Where is John? The old red hen has left her pen;

Where is John? The cows are in the corn again,

Oh John!

24. White Coral Bells (4-Part Round)

White coral bells upon a slender stalk

Lily of the valley deck my garden walk

Oh, don't you wish that you could hear them ring

That will only happen when the fairies sing