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Blackleg Miner: Arranged In Two Parts

Blackleg Miner is a 19th-century English folk song, originally from Northumberland (as can be deduced from the dialect in the song and the references in it to the villages of Seghill and Seaton Delaval). Louis Killen writes, “At the height of the miners’ union struggles of the 1880’s and ’90’s, labourers were brought in from… Continue reading Blackleg Miner: Arranged In Two Parts

We Are Building A Strong Union

“A strike can be tragic and glorious, bitter and beautiful…” -Scroll down for the background of this song. An arrangement of a miners’ protest song, which borders on a lament. Click here for the sheet music. Practice Tracks All Parts Soprano Alto Tenor Bass *From “Songs of Work and Protest”, Fowke and Glazer

The Hammer Song Arranged for 4 Voices

(If I had a hammer) Scroll down for the sheet music and practice tracks. An arrangement for the Union Singers, of the song originally by Pete Seeger and Lee Hayes. -From an arrangement by Tom Bridges, for 4 voices, all 4 verses. In many ways the definitive arrangements must be the Weavers renditions, both songwriters… Continue reading The Hammer Song Arranged for 4 Voices

The Hammer Song (2 Parts)

(If I had a hammer) For the (slightly) more difficult 4 part arrangement click here! An arrangement for the Union Singers, of the song originally by Pete Seeger and Lee Hayes. -From an arrangement by Tom Bridges. Here is the music for the first 3 verses. The 4th verse could follow the same pattern. Scroll… Continue reading The Hammer Song (2 Parts)

Soyilwela

A traditional South African protest song.  Scroll down for practise tracks.  I’ve transposed this song into the key of A, a little higher than the “original”, in G,  further down the page. Sheet music in A Midi File in A Practice Tracks in Key of A Listen live, or right-click on the track title to… Continue reading Soyilwela

Dark As A Dungeon

Here is Doug McPherson’s arrangement of a Merle Travis song, with practice tracks, chords, lyrics, and 3 part harmony in the chorus.  The lyrics are from the Merle Travis 1946 recording on the 78 RPM box set, “Folk Songs of the Hills”. I used the  Country Gentlemen’s arrangement, as performed at their reunion show at Woodstock… Continue reading Dark As A Dungeon

It’s Time: A Choral Arrangement

The iconic song for Gough Whitlam and the Australian Labour Party’s victorious 1972 election campaign. A campaign that brought Australia free education and health care, an end to conscription, and equal pay for women, to name just a few reforms. Perhaps its’ time again! My arrangement is an SATB version for the Illawarra Union Singers.  It’s clearly slightly different… Continue reading It’s Time: A Choral Arrangement

Bolujem Ja / My Love is True

This is another great gypsy tune I’m arranging, at the moment for guitar and three voices.  It’s part of the repertoire of Zlatkos’ Balkan Cabaret Practice Track: Alto, Tenor, Baritone Practice Track: Alto, Tenor Sheet Music: Alto, Tenor, Baritone Sheet Music: Alto, Tenor -And a practice performance, (some of which is in Serbian), from Zlatko’s Balkan… Continue reading Bolujem Ja / My Love is True

Jelem Jelem: Arrangement for Two Voices and Guitar

My arrangement of Jelem Jelem: Click here to download or view the sheet music. Click here to stream or download a practice track: melody, harmony, and chords. We recommend using the Music Player for Google Drive app for streaming. Jelem Jelem, (or Gelem Gelem, or Djelem Djelem) is a song composed by Žarko Jovanović, often… Continue reading Jelem Jelem: Arrangement for Two Voices and Guitar