Great Big House in New Orleans

folk song, melody, Orff

Lyrics

(American folk song)

1. Great big house in New Orleans,
Forty stories high,
Every room that I been in
Filled with pumpkin pie.

2. Went down to the old mill stream,
To fetch a pail of water;
Put one arm around my wife,
The other ’round my daughter.

3. Fare thee well, my darling girl,
Fare thee well, my daughter,
Fare thee well, my darling girl,
With the golden slippers on her.

Dance

Students stand in a circle; each student is given a number: One or Two. (See video below.)

Verse 1
Ms (Measures) 1-2 – Ones step forward 4 steps (on the quarter note beats)
Ms 3-4 – Ones step back 4 steps
Ms 5-6 – Twos step forward 4 steps
Ms 7-8 – Twos step back 4 steps

Verse 2
Ms 1-2 – Ones step forward 4 steps and join hands
Ms 3-4 – Twos step forward 4 steps while reaching into the circle created by the Ones. They join hands with other Twos.
Ms 5-6 – Twos raise their joined hands over the heads of the Ones and stand behind the Ones’ circle.
Ms 7-8 – Ones raise their joined hands over the heads of the Twos and stand intertwined

Verse 3
Ms 1-4 – All students – left foot step left, bring right foot to step together with left foot. (4 times)
Ms 5-6 – Ones lift their hands over the heads of the Twos
Ms 7-8 – Twos circle left 4 small steps until they are each in between 2 different people

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Song with chords in 2 keys with Solfege, Adapted Version for High / Low, Lesson ideas for High & Low, Dance steps (beginner & intermediate versions), Orff arrangement
MIDI file
Listen to the song