The Birdies’ Ball

Lyrics

(American folk song)

The spring dove said to the nightingale,
“I mean to give you birds a ball.
Pray, ma’am, ask the birdies all.
The birdies great and the birdies small.”

Refrain
Tra-la-la-la-la, Tra-la-la-la-la,
Tra-la-la-la-la, Tra-la-la,
Tra-la-la-la-la, Tra-la-la-la-la,
Tra-la-la-la-la-la, Tra-la-la.

Soon they came from bush and tree
Singing merry their songs of glee.
Each one dressed in his Sunday best,
Each one just from his cozy nest. Refrain

The wren and the cuckoo danced for life.
The raven waltzed with the yellow bird’s wife.
The awkward owl and the bashful jay
Wished each other a very good day. Refrain

They danced all day till the sun was low
And the mother birds prepared to go.
And then the birds both great and small
Went home to their nests from the birdies’ ball. Refrain

See also

  • Subject: birds
  • Form: AB
  • Harmony: chords I, IV, V
  • Meter: 4
  • Scale: major
  • Source: Folk Songs out of Wisconsin, Harry B. Peters, The State Historical Society of Wisconsin, 1977
  • PDF of song with chords
  • MIDI file
  • Listen to the melody

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