Every Good Boy Does Fine
by John Riggio
Mnemonic (silent m) devices are tools used to aid memory. In the case of this song, the mnemonics are words assigned to the letters E, G, B, D, and F, which are (of course) the lines of the treble clef staff. If remembering the letters is difficult for students, maybe the words or phrases can help. The most common mnemonic for E, G, B, D, F is "Every Good Boy Does Fine."
In this light and lively rock tune, students are invited to think about what other mnemonics they might use. There are a number of examples in the song, which are included on the lyric sheet on page 31. These are spoken solos which occur the second time at measure 5. However, the real fun comes from letting students create and use their own! Here are a few extras to get you going:
Electric Generators Burn Diesel Fuel
Every Grocer Buys Delicious Food
English Gents Bow Down Flawlessly
Every Gaffer Builds Domiciles Fabulously
Even Good Beagles Drool Finally
Note: For lots more neat mnemonics, visit Quodlibet in Music K-8, Volume 15, Number 1, page 71.
Text is taken from Music K-8 magazine.