6 Christmas Songs

Here are the six Christmas songs that I have on this site, just linked together as one "song", so that you can listen to all without having to keep clicking "play".  You can still click on the left under "Song List" for the individual songs.

6 CHRISTMAS SONGS 
(Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, O Holy Night, Jingle Bells, What Child Is This, Rudolf, Silent Night

Rudolf The Red-Nosed Reindeer

A Christmas favorite, just a different version.

Rudolf The Red-Nosed Reindeer, Key of A

Mailbox Song Words/Chords

Grandkids Singing The Mailbox Song  (click on one of the links for video of song)
Mailbox Song Tutorial, Leah's Class

I've had a request for these words.  I learned this song in 2nd grade, from my teacher.  She played the guitar, and had GREAT songs!  I especially liked this one because of the last verse (ice-cream soda and bubble gum) - always food hits it home every time.

I play it in the key of D below, but the key of C (below, following the KEY OF D) works great also, and is any easier key to use for ukelele.

The Mailbox Song
KEY OF D
1st verse
D                             A                                                
I'm gonna wrap me up with paper
D                           A                            
I'm gonna dab myself with glue
D                          G                    
Climb up into my mailbox
D                            A       D    
I'm gonna mail myself to you

2nd verse
D                         A
I'm gonna tie me up with red string
D                      A
and shiny blue ribbon too
D                              G
Stick some stamps upon my head
D                            A       D
I'm gonna mail myself to you

3rd verse (get quiet at the beginning, like you are hiding inside a package.  Get louder on "let me out")
D                            A
When you find me in your mailbox
D                            A
Cut the strings and let me out
D                      G
Fill me up with ice cream soda
D                                  A        D
Stick some bubblegum in my mouth!


KEY OF C
1st verse
C                             G                                              
I'm gonna wrap me up with paper
C                           G                            
I'm gonna dab myself with glue
C                           F                    
Climb up into my mailbox
C                           G       C    
I'm gonna mail myself to you

2nd verse
C                         G
I'm gonna tie me up with red string
C                      G
and shiny blue ribbon too
C                              F
Stick some stamps upon my head
C                            G       C
I'm gonna mail myself to you

3rd verse (get quiet at the beginning, like you are hiding inside a package.  Get louder on "let me out")
C                            G
When you find me in your mailbox
C                            G
Cut the strings and let me out
C                      F
Fill me up with ice cream soda
C                                   G       C
Stick some bubblegum in my mouth!

I love my guitar!

John Denver expresses this better than anyone I have known.  Only a guitarist can really understand how this feels.   Enjoy, compliments of YouTube.

ABC Song again

I've posted another ABC song of the 3 boys, this time alone.  I placed it with the other ABC song, to keep things simpler for the future.
They are cute!

ABC Song Again

Jingle Bells

I've always loved our arrangement of Jingle Bells.  I'm not sure where this arrangement came from, but this is how we sang it as a child with my family, while in our car driving home from church or anytime we went up and down the mountain.

The main reason I loved Christmas time, was for the Christmas Carols that we sung together.  When we sang, it was always a time I could count on feeling peace, with beautiful harmonies.  No arguing on quarreling, just great music.   I now sing it with my daughters and their families.

I'll be putting a group of Christmas songs together on one You Tube video, so that if you want to listen and learn them all, you can play them without having recheck and find to play a song.  Watch for the group to come soon.

As always, have fun listening and learning!

Jingle Bells with all 3 parts,  Key of D



Jingle Bells, high part.  Thanks Janelle Rachelle!


Jingle Bells, low part.  Thanks April!

The ABC Song with 3 grandsons

Three of my young grandsons, Cooper, Taivan and Kael wanted to sing.  I placed them on my lap (Kael had to have his OWN chair), and we got in front of Photo Booth on my Mac Computer.

Taivan has played on my Mac computer before, and knows that the Photo Booth App can make you have very funny faces if you place a special effect on the video.  The grandkids love to play with this App.

Watch and see how Taivan is somehow convinced that this computer is making his face funny. Hilarious!





ABC Song Again

Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (practice), by The Singing Grandma

This is my favorite fast Christmas song when performed with my version.  Have fun!

What Child Is This (practice)

This is my arrangement of What Child Is This, same melody as "Greensleeves".  We've started with the 3 part arrangement, then you can choose "Melody Only", "Low Harmony", or "High Harmony" to learn the part you desire.

This is how I've learned much of the music I know and perform.  A lot of arrangements are spontaneously made up, and there isn't any sheet music or recordings of them.  It is also the way I have always taught any my "Youth Choirs".  Kids and adults alike that don't know how to read music find learning this way non intimidating, and they can be very successful at learning by listening

3 Part Arrangement



Melody Only



High Part



Low Part


What Child Is This,   Key of Dm 


Dm                              C                     Bb              A    

What child is this, who laid to rest, on Mary’s lap is sleeping?

           Dm                     C                               Bb             A              Dm

Whom angels greet with anthems sweet, while Shepherds watch are keeping?

Chorus

F                C                               Bb                           A

This, this is Christ the King, whom shepherds guard and angels sing

F                     C                           Bb           A        Dm

Haste, haste to bring him laud, the Babe the Son of Mary

2nd verse

Dm                            C                               Bb                   A  

So bring him incense, gold and myrrh, come peasant king to join Him

      Dm                     C                        Bb      A           Dm          

The King of kings, salvation brings, let loving hearts enthrone Him

Chorus

F                C                               Bb                           A

This, this is Christ the King, whom shepherds guard and angels sing

F                     C                           Bb           A        Dm

Haste, haste to bring him laud, the Babe the Son of Mary



An alternative to the 2nd Chorus is:
    Raise, raise the song on high, The Virgin sings her lullaby
    Joy, joy for Christ is born, the Babe, the Son of Mary

Also, an optional verse, usually replaces the 2nd verse and moves the 2nd verse (above) to the 3rd verse:
   
   Why lies He in such mean estate, Where ox and lamb are feeding?
   Good Christian, fear, for sinners here, the silent Word is pleading.
   Nails, spear shall pierce Him through, the cross be borne, for me, for you,
   Joy, joy for Christ is born, the babe the Son of Mary

Silent Night, practice

Silent Night - a classic.
We are a little rusty singing this.  Sorry for the "off" notes.  The kids were running around, and we were trying to show the arrangement.  Hope it helps.

3 Part Arrangement for practice


High Harmony (1st verse only)

O Holy Night, 3 and 2 part harmonies (for practice), Chords and Lyrics

This is probably my favorite Christmas song.  I heard it sung with guitar by 2 sisters - I think the Shipley? sisters (it was a LONG time ago) - at a church Christmas gathering when I was about 14 years old.  I was so impressed with their beauty and talent that I wanted to grow up and be just like them!  After I learned to play the guitar at around age 16, I figured out the cords.  Initially, I would sing it with my sisters and brothers while driving in the car (they were the ones that would always make up the harmony).  We sang it in the car with 2 part harmony, and I added in the third part later.  I love singing it with my daughters (though we are missing one in this clip).

Also, as almost always, remember that this is a Practice clip - just for learning, not for show.  Lots of kids and distractions!  I'm a very lucky grandma.

3 Part Harmony (Practice)



Low Harmony (1st verse/chorus only)



Low Harmony (2nd chorus only)



3rd Part (mostly high, skips around some).  All harmonies are there, but you can hear this part a little louder than the other. 
The 3rd part is in unison for the first two sections, and then breaks off to a 3rd part on, "Fall on you knees…", and then again in the second verse on, "Christ is our Lord….".  Listen carefully, you will hear me come in overdubbing on those sections. 

1st Chorus



2nd Chorus



Words and Cords
KEY OF A

A                           D                         A                                           E                  A
O Holy Night, the stars are brightly shining,  It is the night of our dear Savior's birth

A                                  D                  A                         C#m                Ab              C#m
Long lay the world, in sin and error pinning, 'til He appeared and the soul felt his worth

     E                         A                                         E                      A            
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices, while yonder waits a new and glorious morn

F#m             C#m           Bm                    F#m
Fall on your knees!  Oh hear, the angel's voices

       A  E      A   D       A     E                           A
Oh  night  divine,  Oh night,  when Christ was born

      E     E7     A D   A       E           A
Oh night,   O Ho-ly Night, O night divine

2nd verse

A                                D             A                                               E            A
Truly He taught us to love one another, His law is love and His gospel is peace

A                                            D             A                          C#m        Ab                      C#m
Chains shall He break for the slave our brother, and in His name all oppressions shall cease

           E                            A                                             E                   A            
Sweet hymns of praise in grateful chorus praise Thee, let all within us praise His holy name

F#m             C#m          Bm                    F#m
Christ is our Lord!  Oh praise His name forever

       A  E          A  D     A E                  A
His power and glo - ry ev - er more proclaim

       E       E7          A  D  A    E                        A
His power       and glo  -  ry,   ev - er more, proclaim

Daisy, Daisy with Leila

Leila and I were up early (so that is why the early a.m. pajama look).  The younger children like substituting their own name where "Daisy" is supposed to be.  Leila especially likes to substitute her own name.  Why don't you sing your name instead of "Daisy"?

The video below is not in the same key as usually played, just spontaneous a Capella.


Daisy        

Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer do

I'm half crazy over the love of you

It won't be a stylish marriage

I can't afford a carriage

But you'll look sweet, upon the seat

Of a bicycle built for two

Girls Camp and Campfire Songs

Thoughts.......

Going to Girls Camp each summer, from age 12 years - 17 years old, was one of the biggest highlights of my teenage life.  I loved the mountains and sleeping over in the cabins with my friends.  We would plan all year for what we would bring, wear, do, etc.   It was the innocent life of a "camper".

However, one of the main reasons I loved Camp was the singing.  We never had a guitar, but the several hundred girls singing together in harmony, led by the older girls, was a unbelievable sound.  Because there was no guitar, the harmonies took on a life of their own, changing and twisting in unexpected and delicious ways.

I also really looked up to the older girls, or "counselors".  I wanted to be like them so much.  They were  so beautiful and grown up compared to me.  They each had a green sweatshirt, with their "camp name" written on the back.  They would get up in front of the entire camp of several hundred "campers", put their arms loosely around each other's back/arms, and sway the tempo, leading us without any "director".  The feeling of unity and love was great, and always made me feel so safe, and that I was in the right place.

Getting my camp name was a very special event.  The grown-up leaders took all of my age group on a hike a long way up the mountain, and then the campfire in the dark with all the favorite songs.  After we were all in a calm and anticipating place, they would read us our poem, which told us why we had been given our "name".   I will never forget getting my name.  It is "Slingshot".  (More to come on my camp name).  

I remember when I became a camp counselor.  I was given my green sweatshirt with my name on it.  I was so full of excitement and anticipation, to be like all those I had looked up to for so long.

Because I was so "responsible", I skipped being a co-counsler, and they started me as a regular counselor, with a co-counselor my same age.  I felt all important about this.  The sad part is that I really wasn't ready, and I'm afraid my "campers" were let down.  I really didn't know how to lead. I was not so grown up as they thought I would be and only did a marginal job.

One day at camp, I talked my "campers" into a joke by me acting like I was really sick and dying (I was a pretty good actor I guess).  I upset everyone so much, that one of my campers became distraught, was crying, and didn't really want to be in our cabin anymore.  I still remember the chilling look on one of the adult leader's face, and her sad voice, when she saw what I had done, and the disappointment on her face.  Definitely a lesson to learn, and a story I am not proud to tell. (Maybe you are getting an idea why my name was Slingshot?)

The Merry Go Round "Toots" Tutorial

I hope you have as much fun seeing how silly I am teaching you to "Toot" as you sing the Merry Go Round as I do singing it.





The Toots

........Merry Go Round broke down

Toot Toot (high), Toot Toot (low), Toot Toot (high), Toot Toot (low)

Toot (high), Toot (low), Toot (high), Toot (low)

Toot Toot (high)

Grandkids singing The Mailbox Song

These 3 granddaughters have made up their own "disco moves" to the Mailbox Song



The Mailbox Song, Chords/lyrics

The Merry Go Round

The Merry Go Round is a fun song that kids love!



The Merry Go Round "Toots" Tutorial



Words and Guitar Chords to The Merry Go Round

Key of E

E
The Merry Go Round Broke Down
                                  B
It made the weirdest sound,
                                       B7
The lights went low we all went WHOA
                                                        E
When the Merry Go Round broke down

Toot Toot (high), Toot Toot (low), Toot Toot (high), Toot Toot (low)

Toot (high), Toot (low), Toot (high), Toot (low)

Toot Toot (high)

Why This Blog?

Music shapes all of our lives, both for good, neutral, and not so good. It influences our mood throughout the day. It can lift you up, or depress you. It motivates, gives energy. It helps relieve boredom. It touches you in a way nothing else can. It is a great teacher of almost any principle. It helps you love more, feel more. It can make work fun. It is fun!

I’ve felt a very strong impression for several years that I need to record the music history of my life. The songs I have sung for these many years have helped shape who I am, my attitudes about life, and how to deal with problems. They have taught me resiliency and given me a zest for life.

These songs have melodies that are catchy, and that don’t need an accompaniment to sound good. They were written knowing that most people would not have that luxury. They were written while people worked, walked, rode, danced, grieved, etc. It is an art that I am determined that at least my offspring and any other person interested won’t loose. Have fun!

The Singing Grandma

Don't Fence Me In

Here is Don't Fence Me In three times, one in 3 part harmony in the Key of C, and the other two in 2 part harmony (Key of D), (one high, one low) so that you can learn the high and low parts easier, or just listen.  (We sang some wrong lyrics, sorry!)

Don't Fence Me In, Key of C, 3 part harmony (easier to play w/ukelele)



Key of D, high harmony part only (with melody)



Key of D, low harmony part only (with melody)