Digital Tradition Mirror

This notation is pretty simple; dark circles mean covered holes; empty circles mean uncovered holes; a '+' below means to blow harder to get the upper octave; a '#' below means this note is too low for the whistle chosen and you'll have to fake it :) The author of this program always plays accidentals by closing holes, so you'll never see half-covered holes.

When I was starting, I found notation like this to be very helpful, and I know plenty of people who have trouble reading music who find this notation easier. Good luck!

Says the Blackbird to the Crow

(C whistle)

(This score available as ABC, SongWright, PostScript, PNG, or PMW, or a MIDI file)
(Choose a whistle key: A B C D E F G Ab Bb Cb Db Eb Fb Gb A# B# C# D# E# F# G#)
Dulcimer tab for this song is also available

Says the Blackbird to the Crow

Says the blackbird to the crow,
"What makes white folks hate us so?"
"Ever since this world was made,
Pulling up corn has been our trade."

So said the blackbird to the crow
"Down in the cornfield we will go,
"Ever since Adam and Eve were made,
The picking of corn has been our trade."

note: Belden calls this a variant of Child 26. Who am I to argue? RG
Child #26

From Ballads and Songs, Belden
A conflated version from VA (no date given) and from G. C.
     Broadhead, NC,1910  RG

RG
oct96

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!