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:

Crank and sprocket, chain and wheel
Chugga, chugga, chug, chugga boom boom boom
Spark plug, piston, valve and seal
Chugga, chugga, chug, chugga boom boom boom

My machine has never strayed
Never, never, never disobeyed
Does exactly as it's made
Chugga, chugga, chug, chugga boom boom boom

Head and shoulders, knees and toes
Chugga, chugga, chug, chugga boom boom boom
Eyes and ears, a mouth and nose
Chugga, chugga, chug, chugga boom boom boom

My machine has never strayed
Never, never, never disobeyed
Does exactly as it's made
Chugga, chugga, chug, chugga boom boom boom

 

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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 )