CMP Teaching Plan

NAME
Jayden Gustafson
I’ve Been to Harlem
Folk Song
General Music Level

Broad Description
• Folk song with unknown origin. About travelling the world by sailing over the ocean. Mentions Harlem and Dover
specifically, connecting to both the USA and United Kingdom.
• Supposedly began as a play-party song/drinking song. Has ties to Sussex but origin and solid background information is
unknown.

Composer Biography
Unknown

Background Information
Unknown

Elements of Music
• Folk Song Analysis Template Attached
Form Phrasal structure: ABCA’
The form is reinforced with its contrasting melodies and text associated with each varying section. With
each section of the phrasal structure, different rhythmic patterns are introduced as well as lyrics that get
their own melodic material. This seems to show what it is like to travel; there is always something new,
and I’ve Been to Harlem reflects this travelling idea very well. The A section introduces where the person
has travelled; the B section explains how many times they have travelled and the drinking game aspect;
the C section speaks of the sailing over the ocean; and finally, the A’ section returns to a variation of the
beginning tying up the story by explaining the rules of travelling by sea.

Rhythm I’ve Been to Harlem is enhanced by the rhythmic differences between the A and C phrasal structures. The
song itself is not rhythmically complex as it contains only half, quarter, and eighth notes, however, the
 variations of rhythm make the song interesting and reinforce the beat. Half notes sound like a boat
gliding through the water. Eight notes represent constant moving and travelling from place to place.

Melody The melody reflects the nature of the story, travelling, through its constant and driving melody that
reflects the lyrics of the song. The folk song constantly switches from ascending and descending notes. At
the end of the A section and beginning of the B section, ascending and descending thirds sounds like what
it is like to experience and explore a new place. The melody in section C flows beautifully and sounds like
a boat sailing through calm waters.

Harmony The harmony is primarily a I chord; however, there seems to be a V7 chord in the second and fourth
measures of the A section and A’ section. These notes reaching from do to la, and sol, signals either the
place in which the person has traveled, or a warning. In the A’ section, this V7 chord warns to watch when
the boat rocks so that your girl does not fall into the ocean. It signifies something important in the lyrics.

Timbre Unison voice. This song may have been written as a solo song because the lyrics refer to “I”.

Texture Monophonic; This appears to be a solo song that is sung by the person that has travelled by sailing the
ocean. This is especially evident in the phrase “I’ve been to Harlem; I’ve been to Dover” and “Sailing o’er
the ocean.”

Expression There are many opportunities for dynamic contrast as well as shaping the song to fit the lyrics. Sections
A, B, and A’ can be sung at a higher volume in a “walking down the street with confidence” kind of way.
Section C can be sung at a softer dynamic and shaped to soar through air to represent the boat gliding
through the ocean. Another option could have the end of section A and beginning of section B sung like
section C as suggested above—then the style reflects the travelling related lyrics. Can also experiment
with students to sing how they feel it should sound.

Additional Considerations/Reasons to Perform this Piece

I’ve Been to Harlem is a great piece that has a strong beat as well as ascending and descending thirds in a major key. It
explores notes below do and has a good range—so it is perfect for reinforcing beat as well as being able to jump
between pitches below and above do. The only concern is that the original lyrics include content about drinking
alcohol/brandy, so it should be adapted to fit the classroom by either replacing problematic lyrics with “drinking
lemonade” or “drinking chocolate milk” (or other lyric combinations can be left to the teacher)

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The Heart Statement
The heart of “I’ve Been to Harlem” is the musical representation of travelling expressed through its beautiful ascending and
descending melodies painting what it is like to sail over the ocean.

Introducing the Piece

Teacher: “I will be singing a song about sailing over the ocean. Show me with your bodies what you think standing on a ship
looks like. Now show me with your bodies what you think standing on a ship that is gliding on calm water looks like.” This is a
great introduction into the piece because it gets students in the mindset of travelling/sailing, and they can apply that image to
the song later on in the lesson.

Affective Outcome: Students will describe where and why they would want to travel
somewhere in the world and who they would take along with them. Students will
identify places within their own community that they can travel to.
Strategies
1. Questions: Where would you go if you could travel anywhere in the world? Why? Who would you take with you? Why?
2. Sing through the song again, replacing “Harlem” and “Dover” with places shared by the students.
3. Have students identify places they can travel to at home/school/community. Explain that you can make anything an
adventure if you set your mind to it. Explain that you can make the simplest things in life extraordinary by changing your
mindset.

Assessment
1. Class discussions
2. Exit ticket: Describe (in words, written or oral depending on need) one place the student would travel to (anywhere in the
world) and who they would take with.
3. Exit ticket: Describe (in words, written or oral depending on need) one place the student can travel to in their community.

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Skill Outcome: Students will recognize and perform notation patterns in duple meter:
• I’ve Been to Harlem: containing half notes, quarter notes, and eighth notes.
Strategies
1. Have students stomp the beat while clapping the words in their hands (can take the song slower if necessary).
2. Have students use body percussion on rhythms within the folk song through a call and response with the teacher: teacher
will pick and perform a section of rhythms with body percussion, and the students will repeat that section back to the teacher.
3. Have students clap the rhythm. Once they are comfortable, split the class in half within one section clapping the rhythm and
the other singing, all the while maintaining tempo and melodic/rhythmic accuracy. Teacher can also split the class into half,
with one half clapping the beat while the other half wither sings or claps the rhythm.
4. Have students sing the song using “Fill in the Blank”. Teacher sings: when teacher stops, students sing the next part.

Assessment
1. Teacher will check for rhythmic accuracy during various performance opportunities throughout the unit.

Knowledge Outcome: Students will improvise singing the melody in stylistically

appropriate ways.
Strategies
1. Once the song has been reintroduced, students will be asked to show the phrases/lyrics/feeling/mood of the song through
movement (teacher sing). Teacher will ask why they moved the way they did.
2. Students will then switch places with the teacher: they will sing, and the teacher will show phrases/lyrics/feeling/mood
through movement.
3. Students will be asked to sing the melody in an unstylistic way/experiment with different styles (for example: sing like
pirates, sing like opera singers, sing like fairies, sing in a crazy voice, sing in a static voice, and so forth.) The point is to sound
as unstylistic as possible.
4. Students will then be asked to experiment singing the melody in a stylistic way—as beautiful as they can sing it. Have them
think back to their movements from earlier and apply those movements to their singing. Have students really dig in and find
the style that they think is appropriate.

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Assessment
1. Students will perform, as soloists, in what they believe is the stylistically appropriate way to sing the melody.
2. Students will describe why certain movements correspond to certain sections within the song better than others.
3. Students will improvise different styles to sing the melody and demonstrate/perform a style that might not work compared
to other styles.

Recommended Recordings
Monson-Sultana School Women’s Chorus - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92vL-D-9tZE
Morgan Valley Voices - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiZS6z9v8QI
Kate Fellin - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SArLdQtwNug

References
https://www.bethsnotesplus.com/2015/10/ive-been-to-harlem.html
https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=110318