Category: Public Domain Songs

We Shall Overcome

We Shall Overcome
Spiritual hymn, protest song, Civil Rights anthem

This song is often played during the Martin Luther King holiday period, for peaceful protests, church services and vigils. This anthem was sung during the Civil Rights struggle and non-violent protests in the 1960s. The song was played by many folk singers, including Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, and the trio, Peter, Paul and Mary.

Rev. Martin Luther King’s birthday is January 15th. The official MLK holiday is celebrated on the Monday on or following Dr. King’s birthday.

My hope is that humankind can move closer to the message of this song. Dr. Martin Luther King advocated for non-violent protest and resistance. The struggle continues today.

Peace.

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We Shall Overcome: Guitar melody, key of C

We Shall Overcome
Spiritual hymn, protest song, Civil Rights anthem

This straightforward arrangement is in the key of C, which is a singable key. This song is a great choice for group singing.

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We Shall Overcome: Fingerstyle Guitar, key of G

We Shall Overcome
Spiritual hymn, protest song, Civil Rights anthem

This is my fingerstyle guitar arrangement of We Shall Overcome. This is in the key of G, which is not as singable as the key of C. However, for purposes of a fingerstyle arrangement, the key of G allows for a wider octave range on the guitar fretboard.

For example, for the measures with G and Em chords, the low G and E notes on the 6th string can be used. Also, in the last two measures (17-18), a reprise of the opening two measures appears an octave higher, and uses the first two strings between the frets 8 – 13. Thus the key of G allows for this wider note range along the length of the fretboard, and has a much fuller sound. In the last measure, the G chord triad at fret 12 is a harmonic, so that it continues to ring as you play the low G note to end piece.

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Auld Lang Syne: Guitar melody, key of E

Happy New Year!

This song is often sung and played on New Year’s Eve, while looking back at past year, and looking forward to New Year. Auld Lang Syne is based on a poem by Robert Burns and is a Scots folk tune.

Auld Lang Syne uses predominantly a pentatonic (5-note) major scale. In the key of E, that would be the notes E, F#, G#, B and C#. In this arrangement, in the opening phrase a D# note note appears, but is mainly an embellishment to the pentatonic scale.

Auld Lang Syne can be harmonized with three chords. In the key of E, this is E Major, A Major and B7.

Best wishes in the New Year! Keep on strumming and learning guitar.

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First Noel

The First Noel, Traditional English Christmas Carol

This is a good Christmas Carol for beginner guitar players. This tune is in a major key and the melody, for the most part, has contiguous scale notes, whether ascending or descending. So if you know the C Major scale, for example, you can learn this melody fairly easily.

Another interesting aspect of this melody is that it does not start or end on the key note. Many songs in the key of C begin and end on a C note. For First Noel, the beginning and ending note is E, which is the 3rd note of this major scale, and is also part of the C Major chord.

Merry Christmas

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Musical Christmas Greetings: Jingle Bells

My friend Linda MacFarlane and I recorded a musical Christmas greeting at PEG-TV in Rutland. We played a Jingle Bells duet, with Linda on ukulele and I on guitar.

The second segment in this video is a musical Christmas greeting from Grace Congregational Church in Rutland.

This video, along with other video greetings from the Rutland community, is played on PEG-TV channels 15, 20 and 21 during the holiday season, in between programs.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Joy To The World

Music: George Frederic Handel
Lyrics: Isaac Watts

The opening phrase of this Christmas hymn is a descending Major scale. In other words, it is the do-re-mi scale backwards. The duration of notes in this phrase vary. But if you were to play these notes more evenly, you would easily hear this Major scale.

I have included two related posts for Joy To The World, one for guitar and one for ukulele, and both in the key of C. That means if you have a friend or family member who plays ukulele, you can play a duet of Joy To The World. One person can play the melody and the other the chords. You can repeat a second verse and switch who plays the chord and melody parts. Your duet could also be two guitars or two ukuleles.

Merry Christmas

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