Music You Can Read®

"Down the River"
       
     
"Down the River"
 


"Down the River," Lyrics, Text Format



"Down the River," Lyrics, Text Format



Singing and reading two part harmony (in 6ths and 3rds).

Click to hear melody.
 


Description
 
  • Grade: Fifth

  • Origin: USA - River Chantey

  • Key: F Major

  • Time: 6/8

  • Form: AB - verse/chorus

  • Rhythm: beginners: | ti ti ti ti ti ti | ti ti ti ta ti |
    | ta ti ti ti ti | ta/a ti | ta ti ta ti | syncopation,
    | ta/ (ta/) | ta ti ta/ | syncopation

  • Pitches: intermediate: melody: Mi So La Ti Do Mi Fa So
    lower harmony: So La Ti Do Re Mi

  • Intervals: intermediate: melody: So/Mi8 (M6), Mi8\Do\La\So descending arpeggio (vi7, dm7), So\Mi/So (m3), So/Ti (M3); lower harmony: Mi\So (M6) Ti/Mi (P4)

  • Musical Elements: notes: dotted quarter, quarter, eighth; rest: dotted quarter; two part harmony (in 6ths, and 3rds), 6/8 time: eighth note receives one beat, divisions of a dotted quarter note: three eights (3 ti's), feeling duple meter (2) in 6/8: where three eights would be a triplet if the beat is represented by a dotted quarter, pickup beat, arpeggio (vi7, Dm7), tied notes, vocal slur, singing in parts, reading two parts

  • Key Words: USA history, USA geography: Ohio, Ohio River; river chantey, river work song, river channel, steady and strong, river current, sailing, wind, morning sun, sun ray, hoe-cake (pancake from corn meal, cooked on a hoe; garden tool), contraction: won't (will not), Dinah's (Dinah is)

  • Recorder: intermediate: playing and reading two part harmony (in 6ths and 3rds)

 
 


"Down the River"

           
    1. The river is up and the channel is deep,
The wind is steady and strong.
Oh, won't we have a jolly good time,
As we go sailing along.
   
      Chorus:    
      Down the river,
Oh, down the river,
Oh, down the River we go.

Down the river,
Oh, down the river,
Oh, down the Ohio.
   
   
2.
The water is bright, and flashing like gold,
In the ray of the morning sun,
And old Dinah's away, up out of the cold,
A getting the hoe-cake done.
   
      Chorus    
    3. The river is up, and the channel is deep,
And the wind blows steady and strong;
Oh, won't we have a jolly good time,
As we go sailing along.
   
      Chorus    
           


Back to top.

 

Additional Formats


music

"Down the River," Music Format
click image to enlarge



beats

Click to enlarge: "Down the River," Beats Format
click image to enlarge



rhythm

Click to Enlarge: "Down the River," Rhythm Format
click image to enlarge



pitch numbers

Click to Enlarge: "Down the River," Pitch Number Format
click image to enlarge



solfeggio

Click to Enlarge: "Down the River," Solfeggio Format
click image to enlarge



letter names

Click to Enlarge: "" Letter Names Format
click image to enlarge


 
       
     
Music You Can Read is a registered trademark of Music Notes, Inc.