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Childhood Memories, Part II-The Origins of Favorite Songs

© Karen Stafford

Some of our best childhood memories of those of singing old familiar songs passed down from generation to generation. But, where did some of these songs originate?

Which came first, the star or Mozart? Just like in nature, the star did. "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" began, it's believed, as a tune without words called "Ah! Vous Dirai-Je, Maman" ("Shall I tell you, Mother?") in Les Amusements d'une Heure et Demy by M. Bouin in Paris in 1761 (according to The Book of World Famous Music by James J. Fund.) Mozart, of course, then based his variations on this tune. Later, a variety of different lyrics were added, including the ones we know best: "Twinkle, Twinkle", "ABC's", and "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep." (For more information on the background of this tune, visit The Straight Dope website.

For a great activity to teach theme and variations: Using a recording of "Variations on Ah! Vous Dirai-Je, Maman", introduce the work and explain theme and variations. Divide your class into groups, one for each variation. Assign a variation to each group. The groups must work out a movement that reflects the style and tempo of their individual variations. For performance: each group must squat down until its their turn to perform. This activity can measure the following: understanding of theme and variation; understanding of tempo, beat, and stylistic differences; group cooperation; creativity.

So, why exactly would a monkey chase a weasel? And, why are they around a cobbler's bench? According to World Wide Words the words that most Americans know are not the original. This song apparently is a mid-18th century dance. The word "pop" refers to pawning an object, or "weasel" (which in this case, is probably some type of tailor's iron). The monkey probably means a drinking vessel, but most of the origins of the terms are unclear. Visit the World Wide Words site, though, to get some other very interesting verses for this song!

We know it as "ta-ta--ti-ti-ti, ta-ta-ti-ti-ti, ta-ta-ti-ti-ti-ti-ti-ti-ti-ti-ta-ta." Of course, what do we know? The students all know it's "B-I-N-G-O". Unfortunately, I couldn't come up with the history for this popular tune (although I landed loads of gaming sites!). However, I found a great resource for a lesson plan for this song. Visit Music Notes for lesson plans to cover solfege, rhythm, as well as creativity by making up new verses.

Yankee Doodle, according to tradition, originated as an insult to the colonists of the 1750's. But, with "good ole Yankee ingenuity", the colonists stole the tune for themselves.According to The Contemplator, New England troops joined Braddock's forces during the French and Indian war. In contrast to the British's very uniform, very precise look, the colonials were ragamuffins in buckskin and furs. Dr. Richard Schuckburg, a British Army surgeon reportedly wrote the tune ridiculing the Americans in the early 1750s. Far from being insulted, however, the colonials stole the tune for themselves and made up parodies of the words that insulted a number of people, including their leaders (even George Washington.) Another tradition holds that at Cornwallis's surrender at Yorktown, the British played The World Turned Upside Down. Guess what the Americans played?