The Three Ravens is a ballad that was first printed in 1611.  I found this reading by Alan Davis-Drake so well done, that I had to post the lyrics here with his recording! I’ve annotated the song within the lyrics and updated the spelling.  The refrain consists of nonsense words used for the sound. MP3 Recording of...

We just added a song from Guinea, Africa.  It’s called Tue Tue Mareema and includes a lovely recording by Abi.  Check it out!

I’ve posted the song My Pigeon House twice already (click the link for one popular version) and see more versions of Pigeon House on my blog.  I know many people are interested in this song, so when I found a version from 1917 in "Primary Education" (Vol. 25), I became very curious.  But before getting...

Artwork by Gracie Gralike

10,000+ historical sound recordings are available online for free at the National Jukebox at The Library of Congress. The Jukebox includes work issued on record labels now owned by Sony Music. Sony granted the Library of Congress a gratis license to stream these acoustical recordings. Most of the recordings were made by the Victor Talking...

American children’s folk singer Ella Jenkins released a new cd earlier this year.  It’s called A Life of Song. Ella’s music is a lovely way to introduce kids to American folk songs and spirituals.  She actually sings some of the songs with children on this cd. The cd starts out with Pick a Bale of Cotton. ...

Karen Mackenzie wrote to me looking for help with a song called Kouralengay.  It’s most likely from Tanzania or West Africa.  Here are the lyrics, midi tune and score… Kouralengay kalenkana Chum chum pa Koura lengay kalenkana Chum chum pa ...

You know how different places have different sounds associated with them?  One sound you used to hear all around Japan was glass wind-chimes. They’re called furin 風鈴. Here’s what wikipedia wrote about furin, "Japanese glass wind bells known as Fūrin (風鈴) have been produced since the Edo period… Wind chimes are thought to be good...

Project Gutenberg just released "Songs from Alice in Wonderland" for free on the internet.  Scores and midis are provided in the online book. Here are two songs in the book for your enjoyment… How doth the little Crocodile Listen to Midi Tune   How doth the little crocodile Improve his shining tail, And pour the...

My husband and I went to see Jazz artist Sonny Rollins in concert last night.  This guy is 80 years old.  He was cranking out great jazz for the entire concert… a full hour and a half.  I wondered if his attitude has kept him so young of heart.  He said to the audience (I...

Most Americans in their thirties and forties are familiar with "Schoolhouse Rock", the short cartoons on educational subjects that appeared in between commercials during weekend kids programming in the seventies.  Who among us, of that age, doesn’t know the words that come after "Conjunction junction…" or "Lolly, Lolly, Lolly…"? What I never knew until recently is...

The Ghosts’ High Noon is a ballad written by W.S. Gilbert, with the tune created by Arthur Sullivan. It’s from Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic opera called Ruddigore or The Witch’s Curse. Below you’ll find different renditions of the song. Sometimes it’s sung as a ballad, other times it’s read as a poem. Listen...

Tonight is the full moon festival of Jugoya in Japan.  People view the moon and celebrate the harvest.  Celebrating includes the Green Tea ceremony and listening to people playing the koto. Below you can hear the koto. Jugo-ya displays are created for the festival.  Here is one from Ayako Egawa in Japan… Ayako wrote the following...

Helen Korablev sent me links to some bilingual Russian English tales online. They were originally written in Russian, but they have English translations next to them. Two were written by the famous Russian author, Pushkin. Helen wrote: Lisa, hi! I’m sending you links to some lovely Russian tales. I hope it will be useful...