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:

"What are we doing here on planet earth?"
Chirps the little chicken, pondering its birth
Oinks the little piglet, snorts the caribou
Even Misses Cow asks: "Moo, moo, moo, moo-moo?"

"What are we doing here on planet earth?"
Questions from us creatures, pondering our birth

"What are we doing here on planet earth?"
Buzzes the mosquito, pondering its birth
Croaks the father bullfrog, hoots the wise old owl
Even Cousin Cat asks: "Meow, meow, meow, meow-meow?"

"What are we doing here on planet earth?"
Questions from us creatures, pondering our birth

 

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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 )