Scarecrow

There are several opportunities in this tune to teach and learn elements of music. You can use it as an example to demonstrate a concept or concepts that you are studying, or you can simply sing and perform it purely for the fun of it!

If you do wish to use it for learning, here are some possibilities to consider exploring.

• First of all, the tune is in cut time. The half note should be around 84-88, with a quarter note feel around 168-172. If you're discussing the comparison of half note to quarter note in cut time, ask your students how to determine the speed of the quarter note if the half note is 88. This might also be a good time to introduce them to a metronome, if you haven't already.
• The feel of the tune is swing with a rock back beat. That may sound confusing, but it isn't really. The emphasis is two solid beats per measure. That beat is in the left hand of the piano part. If you're adding your own percussive punctuation, add the "back beat" on beat 2 (in cut time). Over that steady pounding the lyrics are sung in a swing style. That is to say, the eighth notes have a triplet feel behind them.

If you are using the P/A cassette, you can hear and feel the style rather easily. If you play the cassette for your students, let them hear the children on the tape sing the rhythms. They will be able to pick it up with no trouble.

• The clapping rhythms may be the perfect opportunity for you to teach this rhythm to your kids. Once they feel it, it will be natural for them. You may need to go over it several times in repetition before some of them get the hang of it, but you will have some who will pick it up immediately and will be strong leaders. Again, the P/A cassette is a good example for listening and learning. On the second side where there is no clapping, the kick drum (or bass drum) is playing the rhythm for reinforcement. Write the rhythm on the board to let your students see the rhythm they are clapping. Analyze it at a slower tempo (and in 4), subdividing the beats, and then add it to the song up to tempo in cut time.
• You will note that the clapping only occurs during the first verse and on the repeated "Scarecrow" sections.
• The second time during the verse, noises are to be ad libbed for the spaces in between lyrics. Encourage creativity. What kind of sound would a scarecrow make on Halloween night? Of course, during the "shimmy and shake part," they should freely shake around, and during the "moan, groan" and "say boo" part, they should do just that. The tough thing will be getting them to stop ad libbing, shimmying, moaning and" boo-ing" at the entrance of the next lyrics!
• Starting in the second ending, the dynamic begins to drop. The words and the clapping should diminish equally by one dynamic marking until they are just whispering "Scarecrow." After the subito fortissimo entrance of the half notes (pipe organ on the P/A cassette), the final "Scarecrow" is yelled out in a full forte. Discuss the differences in dynamics and write out the markings for their identification.