Practice Ideas for Suzuki Students/Lyrics

Sing the lyrics

This is a good activity to make younger children familiar with pieces that they are about to study. It also can help older students to memorize tricky musical passages.

For most of the pieces in Book 1, there can be lyrics found. Get hold of those, wherever you find them. They are not official, and so they tend to disappear. There are often several versions for one piece, so pick the one that you like most. Some lyrics can be found on the Internet:

• www.sandiegosuzukischool.com

If you make up your own lyrics, you can also share them right here, like the following:

The Happy Farmer (Book 1)

(Lyrics by User:Stilfehler)

The happy farmer sings a happy song.
He sings a line, he sings a rhyme
With falling notes.

The happy farmer sings a happy song.
He sings a line, he sings a rhyme
With falling notes.

He picks them up
To start another line.
The happy farmer takes his instrument.
He plays a tune on the bassoon
With checkmark notes.

He picks them up
To start another line.
The happy farmer takes his instrument.
He plays a tune on the bassoon
With checkmark notes.

Comment: While you sing these lyrics, you may illustrate the words "falling notes" and "checkmark notes" with hand gestures.

Brahms, Waltz (Book 2)

Rain (Lyrics by User:Stilfehler)

Rain, it’s gonna rain, my plans go all down the drain.
It’s gonna pour, it’s gonna hail, despairing boredom will prevail.

It’s gonna rain, it’s gonna rain, my plans go all down the drain.
It’s gonna pour, it’s gonna hail, despairing boredom will prevail.

I'd hoped to meet you in the park,
To talk and play until it's dark,
I'd dreamed of fun.
Now I’m forever stuck here.

Rain, it’s gonna rain, my plans go all down the drain.
It’s gonna hail, it’s gonna pour, so I can’t see you anymore.

I'd hoped to meet you in the park, etc.

Paganini, Witches’ Dance (Book 2)

Pirate Song (Lyrics by User:Stilfehler)

Hoo-ked hoo-ked bowing,
Hoo-ked hoo-ked bowing,
Hoo-ked hoo-ked bowing,
Ar-pe-ggio, Ar-pe-ggio, Arrr.

Hoo-ked hoo-ked bowing,
Hoo-ked hoo-ked bowing,
Hoo-ked hoo-ked bowing,
Ar-pe-ggio, Ar-pe-ggio, Arrr.

Ar-pe-ggio, Ar-pe-ggio, Arrr.
Ar-pe-ggio, Ar-pe-ggio, Arrr.
Ar-pe-ggio, Ar-pe-ggio, Arrr,
and Ar-pe-ggio, Ar-pe-ggio, Arrr.

Hoo-ked hoo-ked bowing,
Hoo-ked hoo-ked bowing,
Hoo-ked hoo-ked bowing, Arrr.

Hoo-ked hoo-ked bowing,
Hoo-ked hoo-ked bowing,
Hoo-ked hoo-ked hoo-ked triple stair.
And when the pirates
play violin nobody cares
if they curse or they swear.

Ambroise Thomas, Gavotte from “Mignon” (Book 2)

Grandma has a little clock (Lyrics by User:Stilfehler)

Grandma has a little clock.
It can chime and it can ring
And it can go tick-tock.
It goes tick-e-tick-e-tock-e.
It goes tick-e-tick-e-tock-e.
It’s a wo-on-drous, wo-on-drous thing.

Grandma has a little clock.
It can chime and it can ring
And it can go tick-tock.
It goes tick-e-tick-e-tock-e.
It goes tick-e-tick-e-tock-e.
It’s a pre-ci-ous, pre-ci-ous thing.

Ev'ry day at three o’clock
Whe-en the big ha-and moves up close to twe-elve,
We will ga-the-e-er by the clock,
Waiting for the chime,
Waiting for the chime,
A-and listen closely,
Listen closely,
Listen closely:
1 and then comes
2 and then comes
3 and then comes

Grandma has a little clock.
It can chime and it can ring
And it can go tick-tock.
It goes tick-e-tick-e-tock-e.
It goes tick-e-tick-e-tock-e.
It’s a pre-ci-ous, pre-ci-ous thing.

Grandma’s clock chi-mes so endea-earingly,
Sweet a-and sweet a-and sweet a-and
Dea-ear to my heart. The
Clock chi-mes so endea-earingly,
Sweet a-and sweet a-and sweet a-and
Listen closely,
Listen closely,
Listen closely:
1 and then comes
2 and then comes
3 and then comes

Grandma has a little clock.
It can chime and it can ring
And it can go tick-tock.
It goes tick-e-tick-e-tock-e.
It goes tick-e-tick-e-tock-e.
It’s a wo-on-drous, wo-on-drous thing.

Grandma has a little clock.
It can chime and it can ring
And it can go tick-tock.
It goes tick-e-tick-e-tock-e.
It goes tick-e-tick-e-tock-e.
It’s a pre-ci-ous, pre-ci-ous thing.

Grandpa has a hearing aid.
Grandpa has a hearing aid.
And when the clockwork is about
To chime he takes it out.

(Alternative ending:
And when the clockwork is up-up
pluck pluck pluck pluck pluck pluck.)

Minuet in C by Bach Book 1 as "SANTA's FLIGHT AROUND THE WORLD"

“Have you been good this year?

Is Santa coming to you?
It is December now!
Nearly Christmas time.

I have been good this year
Homework and chores all done.

I want a red bicycle
And coat and hat.

Up at the North Pole its cold,
Santa has loaded his sleigh,
Sacks full of toys and games
For you and me.

Soon he will fly down South,
Then I may see him again,
Dressed all in red from his hat to his socks.

Do you think he might get stuck On the high Eiffel Tower?

Or on the sails of the Opera House?

Or on the Torch of the Statue of Liberty?

Or even worse, he may
 fall off the roof!” [Owwwwww].