Learning the 144 Secular Hymns

♪♪♪ SING ALONG ♪♪♪ as a piano plays the chords and melody (from the SOLO Edition of the Secular Hymnal). Singing along to a simple, chorded melody like this is an ideal way to develop your harmonizing skills!

Lyrics:

Communication is the answer, let the questions come
The hardest problems in the world, we'll solve them one by one
The hardest problems in the world, we'll solve them one by one

A lonely LOBSTER asks for help, the helper shouts "Ja Wohl!"
Yes I can help cuz 'lonely' is a language that I know
Yes I can help cuz 'lonely' is a language that I know

An angry AARDVARK asks for help, the helper shouts "Ja Wohl!"
Yes I can help cuz 'angry' is a language that I know
Yes I can help cuz 'angry' is a language that I know

A hopeless HAMSTER asks for help, the helper shouts "Ja Wohl!"
Yes I can help cuz 'hopeless' is a language that I know
Yes I can help cuz 'hopeless' is a language that I know

Come lobsters, aardvarks, hamsters, humans, ev'ryone we know
And learn the many languages so all of us can grow
Communication is the answer, "Ja, Ja, Ja, Ja Wohl!"

 

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Here's the same hymn in 4-part harmony (from the SATB Edition of the Secular Hymnal). If you and your choir prefer to print out your own score of this hymn, click here to access a beautiful PDF file.

To research the history of this hymn tune: http://www.hymnary.org/hymnal/SH2014

 

Out of respect for our diverse society, please work to keep our public school and community choirs "secular" (comfortable and welcoming to both religious and nonreligious singers). For more information, please visit the secular choirs webpage.

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(Page last updated: January 16, 2016 )