Canoe Round

This elegant little round began life as a scout campfire song early in the century. Written by Margaret Embers McGee, it is reminiscent of a Native American song, though it is completely original.

The accompaniment for the song is quite simple and can even be played on autoharp, if you like. The alto flute melody can be played on any C instrument with a compatible range. On the recording we used a hand drum, piano, and guitar as well. If you wish to perform the piece live, you will find it quite do-able.

The lyrics of the song are repetitious and in fact, the first verse repeats exactly the third time. Let your students learn the song in unison first, then sing it as a round. You can layer many more round entrances than the two we have indicated, especially if you perform the piece live. The song is simple enough that it would make a good tool for learning to sing rounds.