Sail Away Ladies: Call and Response
Sail Away Ladies
An excerpt from One Accord by Georgia A. Newlin
One Accord: Developing Part-Singing Skills in School-Age Musicians is a book designed for K-12 music educators who wish to experience a higher level of success in leading school-age musicians to sing in multiple parts. By consciously pointing out every discrete skill of the part-singing process to young musicians – by name and definition – singing in parts becomes a mindful act of musicianship for K-12 students. From Readiness & Singing Skills, through Rhythmic and Melodic Part-work Skills to Part-Singing Skills in Polyphony and Homophony, each part-work skill includes a concise lesson plan of Foundation (preparation through performance), Core Knowledge (make conscious of musical understanding), and Rehearse & Enrich (developing musicianship skills through practice). With each of the 40+ part-work skills presented in this book, there are suggested songs for the elementary, middle school, and high school levels.
One Accord can be used flexibly: 1) many songs are interchangeable between grade levels when the teacher takes into account the skills of the singers and the appropriateness of the text and meaning of each piece, 2), the songs are laid out in suggested keys but may be transposed as appropriate to the ensemble’s vocal range, 3) the songs can be programed in concerts or can be used as warm-ups, for sight-reading, or for instruction that leads toward understanding choral octavos, 4) directions for singing games are given, 5) translations and adaptations of all non-English songs are included plus, 6) the original purchaser is authorized to reproduce and use the individual songs within their educational setting.
For example, the song, “Sail Away Ladies”, as made popular by Uncle Dave Macon and The Fruit Jar Drinkers at the Grand Ole Opry (1920s), can be used to teach the part-work skill of call and response form.
Sail Away Ladies
Students will be able to sing, understand, and describe call & response form.
Click here to download this lesson from One Accord: Developing Part-Singing Skills in School-Age Musicians by Georgia A. Newlin
Excerpt from One Accord: Developing Part-Singing Skills in School-Age Musicians by Georgia A. Newlin. Copyright © 2016 by MIE Publications. All rights reserved. Used with permission. Visit Music Is Elementary for more information.
See all posts by Georgia Newlin
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I love your ideas, and it’s a great song. I’m totally against using verse five with school groups. “Love you pretty girls, one by one” ….. girls in our culture are INUNDATED with pressure to look “pretty” by the media (magazines, movies, etc) and it angers me that schools would ever want to teach that line– for more obvious reasons. I don’t think it’s censorship to take a folk song that has been rewritten many times over the years and choose which verses we want to teach. IMHO
Hi Amy,
I agree with you that our young woman are pressured by the media. I have two teenage daughters and work to counteract those pressures with them.
I wrote this book, and made a conscious decision to use these verses. Why? Because I transcribed the song from Uncle Dave Macon & His Fruit Jar Drinkers by listening to a number of recordings that were made of him. As a person quite interested in authenticity in folk song, I included the verses that he sang consistently.
“Schools” don’t teach our children, individual teachers do. If you are so inclined, as an intelligent and sensitive educator (as you clearly seem to be with your respectful post rather than a rude rant), you have the choice to 1) simply omit the verse OR 2) sing the verse and then hold an extremely important discussion with your students about how thinking concerning women has changed over time, benefiting both the boys and the girls in your classes.
Please know that I don’t – in any way – believe that what I have to say in my book pertains to all other music teachers, music classes, teaching situations, or teaching locations at all times, but rather is to be used as a guide for other music educators to find ideas, songs, sequences and inspiration to lead their own students to becoming musically literate.
An excellent response. It seems to me the singer has both a son and some daughters in this family and begs the question why the boy gets the old house. Much of our folk literature provokes teachable moments if we don’t sanitize the past, but rather learn how our culture needs to change with thoughtful class discussion. Just be selective what you program. The parents may not have heard of the cultural lessons at home.