Songs from Movies and Musical Theater, 45-114 words

• Born Free
• Singing in the Rain
• Summertime ​Porgy and Bess
• Goldfinger
• Somewhere over the Rainbow Wizard of Oz
• The Way We Were
• As Time Goes By  Casablanca
• The Sound of Music
• Ol' Man River ​Showboat
• High Noon
• Impossible Dream ​Man of la Mancha
• Staying Alive Saturday Night Fever
• I Just Called To Say I Love You ​Woman in Red
• I Could Have Danced All Night ​My Fair Lady
  

Gilbert and Sullivan, 87-105 words

• ​​Oh, Better Far to Live and Die, or Pirate King
  
• When a Merry Maiden Marries
  
• A Magnet Hung in a Hardware Shop
  
• Captain of the Pinafore
  

Others, 39 - 101 words

• Take Me Out to the Ballgame
• Autumn Leaves
• Fly Me to the Moon
• I Need You Now
• There but for Fortune
• Yesterday
• A Winter's Tale
• Country Roads
• You Are My Sunshine
• Clementine
  

​►​Happy Birthday, published in 1903, with unclear authorship, now in the public domain (4 words)

Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday to you
Happy birthday, happy birthday
Happy birthday to you.

Note: Usually the name of the person having a birthday is said in the third line, which becomes, for example,
Happy birthday, dear Paul

►Are You Sleeping? Brother John Traditional in French as Frère Jacques (11 words)
Note: Sung as a round: When the 1st person reaches "Brother John", the 2nd person starts "Are you..."
 
Are you sleeping? Are you sleeping?
Brother John, Brother John,
Morning bells are ringing! Morning bells are ringing!
Ding, dang, dong. Ding, dang, dong.

Alphabet, traditional (13 words)

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y and Z
​Now I know my ABCs. Next time won't you sing with me?

►0-2016, (30 words)
​Note: This and the next 3 songs are not well-known, but they are easy for beginners

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 101 1000 2000 2016​

►Listen to the Drum (10 words)

Listen to the drum, everybody come.
Come to the circle, everybody come (repeat)

Listen to the drum, can you echo the drum (repeat)

Listen to the drum, everybody come
Come to the circle, everybody come (repeat)

►Diversify and Balance Your Life (12 words)
 
Take a little bit of this / Take a little bit of that
Take a little bit of this / Take a little bit of that
Diversify and balance your life

►Talk a Lot (14 words)
 
I love us playing
I love us singing songs
I love us interacting when we talk a lot
 
We talk a lot / we learn a lot
We talk a lot / we laugh a lot
We talk a lot / we learn a lot when we talk a lot

►Give Peace a Chance 1969 by Lennon, unknown singer (12 words)
 
(Everybody out there on YouTube, can you hear me?)
 
All we are sayin', give peace a chance
All we are sayin', give peace a chance
Yeah yeah
All we are sayin', give peace a chance
All we are sayin', give peace, give peace a chance
Baby
All we are sayin', give peace a chance
Hey yeah yeah
All we are sayin', all we are sayin',baby yeah, give peace a chance
 
All we are sayin', is give peace a chance
 
►We Shall Overcome 1900, by Tindley, sung by Morehouse College (21 words)
 
We shall overcome, We shall overcome, We shall overcome some day
Oh deep in my heart I do believe that we shall overcome some day
 
We'll walk hand in hand, We'll walk hand in hand, We'll walk hand in hand today
Oh deep in my heart I do believe that we shall overcome some day
 
We are not afraid, we are not afraid, we are not afraid today
Oh deep in my heart I do believe that we shall overcome some day

►Edelweiss 1959, from The Sound of Music by Rogers and Hammerstein, sung by Douglas Wright, who has many other easy songs (25 words)
Note: Edelweiss is a white flower
 
Edelweiss, Edelweiss
Every morning you greet me
Small and white, clean and bright
You look happy to meet me
Blossom of snow may you bloom and grow
Bloom and grow forever
Edelweiss, Edelweiss
Bless my homeland forever.
​
►4 Songs: Hail, Hail, the Gang's All Here (1917), The More We Get Together (1926?), For He's a Jolly Good Fellow (1800s?), The Bear Went over the Mountain (57 words)
 
​(11 words)
Hail, hail, the gang's all here
What the heck do we care? What the heck do we care?
Hail, hail, the gang's all here
What the heck do we care now?   (2x)
 
​(30 words)
The more we get together, together, together,
The more we get together the happier we'll be
For your friends are my friends and my friends are your friends
The more we get together the happier we'll be
 
​Oh how's for getting friendly? Quite friendly, real friendly
Oh how's for getting friendly? Both your friends and mine.
If your friends like my friends and my friends like your friends
We'll all be friends together, now won't that be fine?
 
​(10 words)
For he's a jolly good fellow, for he's a jolly good fellow, for he's a jolly good fellow
Which nobody can deny, which nobody can deny, which nobody can deny
For he's a jolly good fellow, for he's a jolly good fellow, for he's a jolly good fellow
Which nobody can deny.
 
​(18 words)
The bear went over the mountain The bear went over the mountain
The bear went over the mountain to see what he could see
Oh What could he see? What could he see?
The other side of the mountain, the other side of the mountain,
The other side of the mountain was all that he could see
 
Hail, hail, the gang's all here
What the heck do we care? What the heck do we care?
Hail, hail, the gang's all here
What the heck do we care now?

►Old MacDonald Had a Farm, traditional (25 words)
Note: E-I-E-I-O is not a word, and has no meaning. It shows excitement.

Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O.
And on that farm he had a cow, E-I-E-I-O.
With a moo-moo here, and a moo-moo there.
Here a moo, there a moo, everywhere a moo-moo.
Old Macdonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O.

Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O.
And on that farm he had a pig, E-I-E-I-O.
With an oink-oink here, and an oink-oink there.
Here an oink, there an oink everywhere an oink-oink.
Old Macdonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O.

Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O.
And on that farm he had a duck, E-I-E-I-O.
With a quack-quack here, and a quack-quack there.
Here a quack there a quack, everywhere a quack-quack.
Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O.

Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O.
And on that farm he had a dog, E-I-E-I-O.
With a woof-woof here, and a woof-woof there.
Here a woof there a woof, everywhere a woof-woof.
Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O.

Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O.
And on that farm he had a cat, E-I-E-I-O.
With a meow-meow here, and a meow-meow there.
Here a meow there a meow, everywhere a meow-meow.
Old MacDonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O.

►Swear Thou the Jury (37 words)
Other songs by Gilbert and Sullivan are better known, but they have more words.
​'Twixt is an archaic word for "Between"

Swear thou the Jury
Kneel, Jury men, oh, kneel
O, will you swear by yonder skies,
Whatever question may arise,
'Twixt rich and poor - 'twixt low and high,
That you will well and truly try.

To all of this we make reply,
To all of this we make reply,
By the dull slate of yonder sky:
That we will well and truly try.

They will well and truly try

►Opposites, (60 words)
​Note: This song is not well-known, but it helps beginners learn important words.

CHORUS:
Let’s sing a song about opposites,
Two things as different as they can be
Let’s sing a song about opposites
You can sing along with me

The opposite of good is bad
The opposite of happy is sad
The opposite of hot is cold
The opposite of young is old    (CHORUS)

The opposite of short is tall
The opposite of none is all
The opposite of old is new
The opposite of many is few    (CHORUS)

The opposite of heavy is light
The opposite of day is night
The opposite of open is close
The opposite of yes is no   (CHORUS)

The opposite of black is white
The opposite of wrong is right
The opposite of water is ice
The opposite of mean is nice    (CHORUS)

The opposite of fast is slow
The opposite of stop is go
The opposite of near is far
The opposite of easy is hard    (CHORUS)

​Alphabet, Listen to the Drum and Opposites are from NancyMusic.com
Diversify and Balance, and Talk a Lot are from ​Tim Murphey

The singer has a website at NancyMusic.com, with more songs.
​Twinkle Twinkle is much better known than the other songs.

►Bluebird through My Window, traditional (13 words)

Bluebird, bluebird, through my window,
Bluebird, bluebird, through my window,
Bluebird, bluebird, through my window,
Oh Johnny I’m tired. Night, night.
 
Red bird, red bird, through my window ...
Oh Johnny I’m tired. Night, night.
 
Yellow bird, yellow bird, through my window ...
Oh Johnny I’m tired. Night, night.
 
Purple bird, purple bird, through my window ...
Oh Johnny I’m tired. Night, night.

►Dancing Rainbow Colors (29 words)

I am dancing around with my rainbow colors. Dancing around and around
I am dancing around with my rainbow colors. Dancing around and around
I can reach up high and twirl them around, then twirl them slowly to the ground
I am dancing around with my rainbow colors. Dancing around and around

I am jumping up and down with my rainbow colors. Jumping, jumping up and down
I am jumping up and down with my rainbow colors. Jumping, jumping up and down
I can reach up high and twirl them around, then twirl them slowly to the ground
I am jumping up and down with my rainbow colors. Jumping, jumping up and down

I am swaying back and forth with my rainbow colors. Making a rainbow in the sky
I am swaying back and forth with my rainbow colors. Making a rainbow in the sky
I can reach up high and twirl them around, then twirl them slowly to the ground
I am swaying back and forth with my rainbow colors. Making a rainbow in the sky

►An Owl Sat Alone, traditional (49 words)

An owl sat alone on the branch of a tree.
And she was as quiet as quiet could be.
It was night, and her eyes were wide open like this.
And when she looked around, not a thing did she miss.

Some little birds perched on the branch of the tree
And they were as quiet as quiet could be.
​The solemn old owl said who-who-who.
​And up jumped the birds, and away they all flew.

►Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, traditional, (68 words)

​Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high, Like a diamond in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are.

When the blazing sun is gone, When he nothing shines upon,
Then you show your little light, Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.

Then the traveler in the dark, Thanks you for your tiny spark,
He could not see which way to go, If you did not twinkle so.

In the dark blue sky you keep, Often through my curtains peep,
For you never shut your eye, Till the sun is in the sky.

As your bright and tiny spark, Lights the traveler in the dark.
Though I know not what you are, Twinkle, twinkle, little star.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star. How I wonder what you are.

►Hard Times Come Again No More, chorus, sung by Nashville Session Players (22 words)
Note: 'Tis is a contraction of "It Is"

'Tis the song, the sigh of the weary
Hard times, hard times come again no more
Many days you have lingered
Around my cabin door
Oh hard times come again no more
Oh hard times come again no more

►Old Folks at Home, or Swanee River, first verse and chorus (42 words)
Note: Swanee is a mis-spelling of the Suwannee River in Georgia and Florida.

Way down upon the Swanee River, Far, far away
That's where my heart is yearning ever, That's where the old folks stay
All up and down the whole creation, Sadly I roam
Still longing for the old plantation, And for the old folks at home
All the world is sad and dreary, Everywhere I roam
Oh, brother, how my heart grows weary, Far from the old folks at home

►Moon River 1961, from Breakfast at Tiffany's, by Mancini and Mercer. Won Academy Award (47 words)

Moon river
Wider than a mile
I'm crossin' you in style
Some day
Old dream maker
You heart breaker
Wherever you're goin'
I'm goin' your way

(2x)
Two drifters
Off to see the world
There's such a lot of world
To see
We're after the same
Rainbow's end
Waitin' round the bend
My huckleberry friend
Moon River
and me

►Jamaica Farewell traditional (88 words)
Note: Ackee is a fruit in West Africa, Jamaica and Haiti.

Down the way where the nights are gay
And the sun shines daily on the mountain top
I took a trip on a sailing ship
And when I reached Jamaica I made a stop

CHORUS:
But I'm sad to say I'm on my way
Won't be back for many a day
My heart is down, my head is turning around
I had to leave a little boy in Kingston town

Sounds of laughter everywhere
And the dancing girls swaying to and fro
I must declare my heart is there
Though I've been from Maine to Mexico  CHORUS

Down at the market you can hear
Ladies cry out while on their heads they bear
Ackee, rice, salt fish are nice
And the rum is fine any time of year  CHORUS 3X

There are more songs with words on YouTube.