When The Saints Go Marching In
I want to be in that number
It’s time to learn some traditional jazz on the harmonica! Here’s a song that everybody will recognise. It’s called When The Saints Go Marching In. But that’s a long name, so we’ll shorten it to The Saints.
The Saints was originally an American gospel hymn that was played and sung quite slowly. But when the Jazz Bands of New Orleans got hold of it, they made it swing and they played it hot!
At funerals in New Orleans, a marching jazz band sometimes accompanies a coffin through the city, playing in a slow and sombre mood on the way to the cemetry. Coming home however, the band jumps into Dixieland tempo, which is happy and bouncy. Let’s look at the tab and learn how to play things Dixieland Jazz style.
Doing The Saints
Purple music is for four hole harmonicas. Orange music is for ten hole harmonicas. The number tells you which hole to play. D is draw (breath in). B is blow (breath out). Let’s listen to the whole tune first. We’re using a C major harmonica.
Oh when the Saints, go marching in
1B 2B 2D 3B 1B 2B 2D 3B
4B 5B 5D 6B 4B 5B 5D 6B
Oh when the Saints go marching in
1B 2B 2D 3B 2B 1B 2B 1D
4B 5B 5D 6B 5B 4B 5B 4D
I want to be in that number
2B 2B 1D 1B 2B 3B 3B 2D
5B 5B 4D 4B 5B 6B 6B 5D
Oh when the Saints go marching in
2D 2B 2D 3B 2B 1B 1D 1B
5D 5B 5D 6B 5B 4B 4D 4B
Take me to the Mardi Gras
The biggest celebration of the year in New Orleans is Mardi Gras. In English this is Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake Day. In other countries, it’s Carnival. Mardi Gras marks the start of Lent when people used to fast before Easter. Nowadays people try to give something up for Lent, like chocolate. Then they go crazy when the Easter Bunny comes to call!
So here’s a song you can play at any time for fun, but especially around Easter. Put it all together, sharpen it up and find some friends to play along with. You can even try marching in a rythmic style while you play, just like a New Orleans Jazz Band. Well done – take a bow!