Echo Songs

While browsing in some books this evening, I came across a mention of "echo songs." I knew about call-and-response songs and songs with a chorus for participation, but I'd never heard the term echo songs before. I expect all of us have heard or sung one at some time, and I've even used a few in performances. But I never heard them called echo songs.

What is an echo song? It's a song where the audience repeats each line after the singer. For example, here is Bill Grogan's Goat:

There was a man
There was a man
Now please take note
Now please take note
There was a man
There was a man
Who had a goat
Who had a goat

He loved that goat
He loved that goat
Indeed he did
Indeed he did
He loved that goat
He loved that goat
Just like a kid
Just like a kid

One day that goat
One day that goat
Felt frisk and fine
Felt frisk and fine
Ate three red shirts
Ate three red shirts
Right off the line
Right off the line

The man, he grabbed
The man, he grabbed
Him by the back
Him by the back
And tied him to
And tied him to
A railroad track
A railroad track

Now, when that train
Now, when that train
Hove into sight
Hove into sight
That goat grew pale
That goat grew pale
And green with fright
And green with fright

He heaved a sigh
He heaved a sigh
As if in pain
As if in pain
Coughed up those shirts
Coughed up those shirts
And flagged the train!
And flagged the train!

Most of the echo songs I've found have been silly children's songs like this one--fun to sing and share. Princess Pat and Bear in Tennis Shoes are other examples of echo songs.

Echo songs are excellent for getting audiences of all ages to sing. They don't have to worry about knowing the words and most of the melodies are simple and easy to follow.

There are even books of echo songs, like this one on Amazon.

I have used the echo technique to teach a song or refrain to an audience. For example, when I sing the Swapping Song, the refrain is sung quickly: "with a whim-wham-whaddle, with-a-jack straw-straddle, and johnny's-got-his-fiddle and he's-gone-on-home." It's easy for the audience to sing each part of the refrain after me until I can see they have it; then we sing it together. You can find lyrics to the Swapping Song on Mudcat.

So what's the difference between this method and call-and-response? In call-and-response the audience is often calling back something different to the singer, as in Did you Feed My Cow?:

Did you feed my cow? (Yes, Ma-am)
Could you tell me how? (Yes, Ma-am)
What did you feed her? (Corn and Hay)
What did you feed her? (Corn and Hay)

Did you milk her good? (Yes, Ma-am)
Now did you milk her like you should? (Yes, Ma-am)
How did you milk her? (Squish, Squish, Squish)
How did you milk her? (Squish, Squish, Squish)

For a classic version of this song,you can go here to buy a download of the incomparable Ella Jenkins performing it. Call-and Response is a lot of fun to sing with audiences although they usually need to be taught their "part" in advance.

There are many websites with more songs like those I've mentioned. Three of the best I've found are:

Kididdles is one of the best online with hundreds of songs and lyrics.

Another good site is Bussongs, which claims to have the largest collection of children's music online.

The National Institute of Environmental Health maintains a healthy collection of children's music, complete with midi files so you can hear the melody.