Rounds – Constellation Press

Grasshoppers Three

Words: Sir Henry John Newbolt.

Music: Unknown.

Parts: 3

Range: 14 half-steps

Difficulty: Medium.

Our recordings

Lyrics

Grasshoppers three a-fiddling went. Hey, ho, never be still!

They had no money, they paid no rent; but all day long with their elbows bent,

They fiddled a tune called Rillaby-rillaby, fiddled a tune called Rillaby-rill.

Notes

In the original 1921 poem, there were four grasshoppers, and six verses. (And a few other bits have changed over the years, probably due to the usual folk process.)

The words have been set to music several times, with different tunes. The earliest instance we’ve seen of the melody that we know dates from 1956, from volume 6 of Together We Sing: Music Across Our Country. But that version may not have been intended as a round. The earliest instance that we’ve seen that explicitly refers to that tune as a round is in 101 Rounds for Singing, which we think was published in 1968.

Despite extensive searching, we’ve been unable to find out who composed the melody that we know. We think that it’s out of copyright, but we’re not certain of that either. If you know who the composer of this melody is, please contact us.

Ilu Finu

English words and music: Linda Hirschhorn.

Parts: 3

Range: 17 half-steps

Difficulty: Medium.

Our recordings

Lyrics

Hebrew version, from the Shabbat morning service:

Ilu finu male shira ka-

yam. Ilu finu male shi-

ra ka-yam. Ilu ka-yam.

English version, by Linda Hirschhorn:

Let us have songs to fill our mouths as full as the

sea. Let us have songs to fill our mouths as full

as the sea, full as the sea.

Recordings elsewhere

Recorded by Linda Hirschhorn with Vocolot: “Ilu Finu,” on Gather Round: Songs of Celebration and Renewal.

Onawa’s Waltz

Words and music: John Krumm.

Parts: 3

Range: 16 half-steps

Difficulty: Medium.

Our recordings

Lyrics

I’ve been waiting all the day long to see the stars in your eyes.

My love, come dance with me now; see how the evening flies.

And as you sleep, my dear, know that I’ll be near, to hold you when you arise.

Sheet music

You can download sheet music for “Onawa’s Waltz” (PDF) for free from John Krumm’s website.

Recordings elsewhere

Recorded by John Krumm: “Onawa’s Waltz,” on The Rounds of John Krumm. You can also listen to that track from the album for free on YouTube.

Recorded by The Rounds Galore and More Singers: “Onawa’s Waltz,” on Rounds Galore … and More, Volume 1.

Notes

Written for Onawa Pardini.

Misty Morning

Words and music: John Krumm.

Parts: 4

Range: 13 half-steps

Difficulty: Medium.

Our recordings

Lyrics

On a grey and misty morning,

I looked out upon the sea.

Sea birds cried, soft breezes sighed

as you sailed away.

Recordings elsewhere

Recorded by John Krumm: “Misty Morning,” on The Rounds of John Krumm. You can also listen to that track from the album for free on YouTube.

Recorded by The Rounds Galore and More Singers: “Misty Morning,” on Rounds Galore … and More, Volume 1.

Gaudeamus Hodie

Words and music: Natalie Sleeth (1930–1992).

All rights assigned to Carl Fischer, LLC.

Parts: 3

Range: 16 half-steps

Language: Latin.

Difficulty: Harder to learn.

Our recordings

Lyrics

Gaudeamus, gaudeamus, gaudeamus hodie, hodie.

Gaudeamus, gaudeamus, gaudeamus hodie; gaudeamus, gaudeamus hodie.

Gaudeamus, gaudeamus hodie.

Literal English translation:

Let us rejoice today.

Sheet music

You can purchase copies of the sheet music from the Carl Fischer website.

Notes

Different versions of this song put the three parts in different orders. You can sing them in any order.

We’ve labeled this song as harder to learn because we’ve seen some people have a hard time learning songs with Latin lyrics that are essentially the same words in each part. (“Dona Nobis” has similar issues, but singers are more often already familiar with that.)

You Would Think…

Words and music: Joanne Hammil.

Parts: 4

Range: 12 half-steps

Difficulty: Medium.

Our recordings

Recordings elsewhere

Recorded by Joanne Hammil: “You Would Think…,” on Rounds and Partner Songs, Volume 1.

Winter

Words and music: John Krumm.

Parts: 3

Range: 12 half-steps

Difficulty: Medium.

Our recordings

Lyrics

When the winter comes, we gather, to dance and sing together. When the winter comes, we gather, to dance our cares away.

[clap] Everybody clap hands. [clap] [clap] Everybody sing now. [clap] Sing a song of gladness. [clap] [clap] Sing a song of joy.

Winter [clap], cold winter, blows hard against the windowpane; dance round [clap] the fire, ’til springtime comes again.

Sheet music

You can download sheet music for “Winter” (PDF) for free from John Krumm’s website.

Recordings elsewhere

Recorded by John Krumm (faster than we usually sing it): “Winter,” on The Rounds of John Krumm. You can also listen to that track from the album for free on YouTube.

This Pretty Planet

Words and music: John Forster and Tom Chapin.

Parts: 3

Range: 12 half-steps

Difficulty: Medium.

Lyrics

Lyrics on Tom Chapin’s website.

Recordings elsewhere

Recorded by Tom Chapin et alia: “This Pretty Planet,” on Family Tree.

Recorded by The Rounds Galore and More Singers: “This Pretty Planet,” on Rounds Galore … and More, Volume 2. For an audio sample, see the CDBaby ordering page.

Round and Round

Words and music: Unknown.

Parts: 3

Range: 10 half-steps

Difficulty: Easy to learn.

Recordings elsewhere

Recorded by Libana: “Round and Round,” on A Circle Is Cast.

Rain Falls Down

Words: Unknown.

Music: Joanna Miller.

Parts: 4

Range: 13 half-steps

Difficulty: Easy to learn.

Our recordings

Lyrics

Rain falls down on the streets where the cars go;

rain falls pitter-pat on my head.

Rain makes the grass grow;

rain makes the whole world wet.

Notes

The composer is uncertain where the words came from, and we’ve been unable to track down a source. If you know the origin of the words, please let us know.