I managed to get the song which I had sung in my school choir for the national competition during Pesta Muzik 1983 in which we championed, having ‘synchronised’ the sopranoes & altos with the concise beat & rhythm. Something made me recall my childhood & this is what I’ve carried with me until today!
The song was written in 1946 by Leroy Anderson, his first popular hit and originally an instrumental selection. Anderson’s original version—credited to Leroy Anderson and his Orchestra, but sometimes suspected to be the Boston Pops Orchestra, for whom Anderson worked at the time—reached number twelve on the charts, while a version credited to the Boston Pops itself hit number 28.
Wikipedia says about the structure – The arrangement calls for temple blocks to be used as the sound of the clock which is heard throughout the number. The piece is in 4/4 time; the opening establishes a perfectly regular “tick-tock” accompaniment, beginning with a roll off the orchestra’s staccato strike of an A chord, creating an expectation that it will continue. In the sixth measure, there is an eighth-note rest on the second beat, and two syncopated “ticks” are heard before the “clock” returns to its normal rhythm. As the piece proceeds, the “clock” continues to indulge in brief moments of syncopation. Some are expected by the listener (as the tune repeats the passage in which the first syncopation occurred); others are not, creating a whimsical and comic effect. The song’s basic arrangement and lighthearted tone makes it a favourite for school bands.
Being my all-time favourite where my sis, Pauline sings alto with me being the sop, we used to sing to my dad when he came to pick us up from school, whether he liked it or not (…..what are dads for??? :D). I want to share it with you here if you could just turn up your speakers:-
There was a man like you and me, as simple as a man could ever be;
And he was happy as a king, except for one peculiar thing.
He had a clock that worked all right,
It worked all right, but not exactly quite;
Instead of going “tick, tock, tick”,
the crazy clock went “tock, tick, tock”.
The poor old man just raved and raved, because nobody could say
Why his silly clock behaved that hickory dickory way.
But now a famous man is he, He owns a public curiosity;
>From far and wide the people flock To hear the syncopated clock.
Tick-a-tock, tick-a-tock,
There’s a zing in the swing of that clock,
Tock-a-tick, tock-a-tick,
Don’t you think it’s a marvelous trick?
Ting-a-ling, ting-a-ling,
There’s a zong in the bong of that ring,
Ling-a-ting, ling-a-ting,
Don’t you think it’s a wonderful thing?
The experts came to hear and see,
But none of them could solve the mystery.
They called Professor Einstein too,
He said “There’s nothing I can do”.
But soon the fickle human race will find another freak to take its
place,
And one fine day the man will hock the poor old syncopated clock.
Love the song. I like the piece that comes after even better. So sad which is strange considering the singer just got married:)
I think that song was meant for me(pummkin walking out of keith’s life in her dreams)….*baaaawwlll!* He’s married now!!! Boooohoooohooo!!!
But very lumm, isn’t it?? 🙂