Summer songs and music activities to share with your family, friends or pupils, Melody and lyrics for all the songs can be downloaded at the bottom of the page. Click on a title to open its music player.

Holahi! I's Summer!

Holahi! It's Summer!    |    Lyrics

This works well dividing the melody up between several players. Bars 1-2, 5-6 are very simple to play on keyboards or tuned percussion. A less coordinated child may find it rewarding to play un-tuned percussion in bars 3-4, 7-8, 11-12, 15-16 (Holahi, holaho, etc.) These bars are naturally accented and they do not require quick rhythmic movements. Children unable to sing the whole song may enjoy joining in with these exclamations.

Another way to divide up the work, is to have two contrasted percussion instruments, or groups, playing each half of the tune. A light, short, sound works well in the first half, with a more resonant instrument for the second half. Let the group discuss the best way to perform it.

Why not make up your own lyrics, to meet your group's own situation? This would be a good activity to keep everyone occupied on a long journey! The best known lyrics are for a hiking song, so, maybe, this is how the song started.

The Evening Bells

The Evening Bells /3-part round     |     Lyrics

This can be performed as a 2- or 3-part round but it is also a satisfying little tune to sing in unison. Beginner flute players will probably need it transposed up (+2). The repeated notes of the final line can be used as a repeated vocal or instrumental accompaniment.

Come, Follow

Come, Follow /3-part round    |    Lyrics

This is harder to do as a round but, like The Evening Bells, it is satisfying to sing, in its own right. The 1st line can be simplified, so that it comes straight down the scale, making it easier to play on keyboards or tuned percussion, either in quavers (US - eighth's), as suggested in the score, or in crotchets (quarters). This modified version can be used in conjunction with the written part. If desired, this line can be repeated, throughout, while other voices move on to other lines.

One Man Went To Mow

One Man went To Mow   |    Lyrics

The instrumental parts of the written arrangement are for more able players but they are all compatible with the main tune, which may be substituted at any point.

When using the percussion facility on a MIDI keyboard, the note G, key 79, is called 'Open Cuica'. This sounds like a dog barking. It is fun for a group member, unable to play in a sustained manner, to play this instrument on the words, " ... and his dog". Alternatively, someone can sing, or say, just these words.

Even where everyone is playing/singing the basic melody, experiment with dividing the work between players. The count-down of who went to mow, in particular, gets monotonous (for grown-ups!) if everyone plays and sings it all.

A Summer Shower

A Summer Shower    |    Lyrics

Find real or improvised percussion to simulate the sound of rain falling. Create your own 'shower', by taking it in turns to play one of these rhythms:

pit- ter, pat-ter
1     2    3   4

sum-mer rain ---
1     2     3    4

drip --- drop --
1     2    3     4

Use your 'shower' as an introduction to the song. If you wish, the percussion can continue during, and after, the song. Experiment with changes of speed and volume.

Schubert: To Wander

To Wander   |    Lyrics

This Schubert song, with new lyrics,  is very folk-like in character and some of the ideas from "Holahi! It's Summer!" can be also be tried here.

Download "Songs for Summer",  melody & lyrics of all the songs featured here:

Songs for Summer

For ensemble parts, see Miscellaneous Scores