Did you know that you can sing the Alphabet Song to different tunes? Listen to Jbrary do it. And then come back here and play it on your ukulele.
I’ve already posted the traditional “Twinkle Twinkle” version. Now here are the five songs that Melissa at Mel’s Desk suggests (and Jbrary sings), plus a couple more that I added in just for fun. Additions to the songs are almost all Melissa’s. She also gives an excellent explanation about why it’s great for kids’ early literacy skills to sing the alphabet in new ways. (Hint: it involves the letter elemenopee).
Tune: The Bear Went Over the Mountain
G C
A B C D E F G
The bear went over the mountain
D G
H I J K L M N
The bear went over the mountain
C
O P Q R S T U
The bear went over the mountain
D G
V W X Y Z
To see what he could see.
Tune: Clementine
F
A B C D E F G H
In a cavern, in a canyon
C7
I J K L M N O
Excavating for a mine
F
P Q R S T U V
Lived a miner forty-niner
C7 F
W X Y and Z
And his daughter Clementine
Tune: Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes (American Version)
G
A B C D E F G H I J
Head and shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes
G D
K L M N O P Q R S T
Head and shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes
G C
U V W X Y Z
Eyes and ears and mouth and nose
D G
Sing the alpha - bet with me, sing with me!
Head and shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes
Tune: London Bridge
F
A B C D E F G
London Bridge is falling down
C7 F
H I J K L M
Falling down, falling down
F
N O P Q R S T
London Bridge is falling down
C7 F
UV W X YZ
My fair la - dy
Tune: Mary Had a Little Lamb
C
A B C D E F G
Mary had a little lamb
G7 C
H I J K L M
Little lamb, little lamb
C
N O P Q R S T
Mary had a little lamb
G7 C
U V W X Y Z
Whose fleece was white as snow
Tune: Row Row Row Your Boat
F
A B C D E
Row, row, row your boat
F
F G H I J
Gently down the stream
F
K L M N O P Q R S T U V
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily
C7 F
W X Y Z
Life is but a dream
Tune: This Old Man
F
A B C D E F
This old man, he played one
F C7
G H I J K L M
He played knick knack on my thumb
F
N O P Q R S T U V W
With a knick knack paddy whack, give a dog a bone
C7 F
X and Y and Z Z Z
This old man came rolling home