Title: 01 Oh Mary Slides2

Music Activity – Sing the Song

Teach the song by rote, using the recording if you wish. Echo the song phrase by phrase, then combine phrases until the students can sing the entire song on their own.

Add a Descant

A descant is a harmony part that is sung higher than the song. When the students know the song well, try adding the descant during the chorus of the song. This melody may be sung an octave lower (especially for changing voices).

Weep no more, weep no more

Pharaoh’s army got drowned. Oh Mary, don’t you weep.

Title: Oh Mary Slides

Add an Accompaniment

clap clap clap clap clap clap clap

a a se el E E E E E E E

stamp stamp stamp stamp

Perform this body percussion pattern while singing the chorus of “Oh Mary Don’t You Weep.”

Perform the same rhythm pattern on the drum, woodblock and tambourine.

Create a new 16 beat body percussion pattern.

Title: 01 Oh Mary Slides4

Lyrics

If I could I surely would stand on the rock where Moses stood.

Pharaoh’s army got drowned. Oh Mary don’t you weep.

Notes

• Look at the time signature at the beginning of the song.
• Which number tells you how many beats are in each measure?
• What are measures?
• They are the spaces between each bar line.
• How many beats are there in each measure?
• How many measures does verse 1 have?

Title: Oh Mary Slides

Play the song on an instrument

la re mi fa

There are only five different notes in this song.

This makes the song very easy to play on an instrument such as a recorder, a metallophone, or a small keyboard.

Sing the song to letter names and then try playing it on an instrument.

Title: 01 Oh Mary Slides 6

Oh Mary Don’t You Weep

Swing the 8th notes

If I could I surely would stand on the rock where Moses stood.

Pharaoh’s army got drowned Oh Mary don’t you weep.

Chorus:

Oh Mary don’t you weep no more. Oh Mary don’t you weep no more.

Pharaoh’s army got drowned Oh Mary don’t you weep.

Title: Oh-Mary-Slides7

The Story Behind the Song

• This song was being sung long before Abraham Lincoln became the president of the United States!
• The words speak about a people who were finally freed from a life of submission.
• In the first verse it talks about the story of Moses’ people who were finally freed from a life of slavery under Pharaoh.
• The words were especially appealing to the enslaved people of the southern United States in the mid 1800s.

Title: Oh-Mary-Slides8

The Story Behind the Song

It became popular again during the African-American Civil Rights movement in the 1950s and 60s.

• At that time different words were written using a similar melody. It was called “If You Miss Me at the Back of the Bus.”
• Listen to the Pete Seeger recording of the song. How is it similar to “Oh Mary Don’t You Weep?”
• Listen to the second recording of “If You Miss Me at the Back of the Bus.” What is the significance of the illustrations in the second video?

Title: Oh Mary Slides

Oh, Mary Don’t You Weep no More

Performed by the Georgia Field Hands

Discussion Questions:

• What are your first impressions?
• What instruments were used?
• Think about the elements of music: tempo, dynamics, texture, timbre, form, mood
• What is the style or genre in this performance?
• How many singers were there?
• Why were the musicians performing?

Title: 01 Oh Mary Slides10

Oh, Mary Don’t You Weep no More

Performed by Bruce Springsteen

• What are your first impressions?
• What instruments were used?
• Think about the elements of music: tempo, dynamics, texture, timbre, form, mood
• What is the style or genre in this performance?
• How many singers were there?
• Why were the musicians performing?