Alphabet song

"The A.B.C." /ˌeɪ.biːˈsiː/ or "A.B.Cs" /ˌeɪ.biːˈsiːz/ is one of the best-known English language alphabet songs, and perhaps the one most frequently referred to as "the alphabet song", especially in the United States.

Music for the alphabet song including some common variations on the lyrics

The song was first copyrighted in 1835 by the Boston-based music publisher Charles Bradlee, and given the title "The A.B.C., a German air with variations for the flute with an easy accompaniment for the piano forte". The musical arrangement was attributed to Louis Le Maire (sometimes Lemaire), an 18th-century composer. This was "Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1835, by C. Bradlee, in the clerk's office of the District Court of Massachusetts", according to the Newberry Library,[1] which also says, "The theme is that used by Mozart for his piano variations, Ah, vous dirai-je, maman."[2] This tune is the same as the tune for "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" and "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep".

Lyrics: (each line represents two measures, or eight beats)

A, B, C, D, E, F, G... (/eɪ biː siː diː iː ɛf dʒiː/)

H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P... (/eɪtʃ aɪ dʒeɪ keɪ ɛlɛmɛnoʊ piː/; "L, M, N, O" spoken twice as quickly as rest of rhyme)

Q, R, S.../ T, U, V... (/kjuː ɑːr ɛs <span title="/|/: prosodic break (minor)">| tiː juː viː/; pause between S and T, though in some variants, "and" is inserted)

W... X.../ Y and Z. (/ˈdʌbəl.juː ɛks <span title="/|/: prosodic break (minor)">| waɪ ænd ziː/; pause between X and Y, and W and X last for two beats)

Now, I know my ABCs. (/naʊ aɪ noʊ maɪ eɪ biː siːz/)

Next time, won't you sing with me? (/nɛkst taɪm woʊnt juː sɪŋ wɪð miː/).[3]

Zed for Zee

In the United States, Z is pronounced zee; in most other English-speaking countries (such as the UK, Canada and Australia) it is pronounced zed. Generally, the absent zee-rhyme is not missed, although some children use a zee pronunciation in the rhyme which they would not use elsewhere. Variants of the song exist to accommodate the zed pronunciation. One variation shortens the second line and lengthens the last, to form a near-rhyme between N and zed:

a-b-c-d-e-f-g

h-i-j-k-l-m-n

o-p-q-r-s-t-u

v-w-x-y-z(ed)

Another alternative zed version:

a-b-c, d-e-f

g-h-i-j-k-l-m

n-o-p, q-r-s

t-u-v-w-x-y-z(ed)

Because the English language has 40 sounds and only 26 letters, children and beginning readers also need to learn the different sounds (phonemes) associated with each letter. Many songs have been written to teach phonemic awareness and they are usually referred to as alphabet songs.

There are also songs that go through the alphabet, making some of the letters stand for something in the process. An example, A, You're Adorable (also known as "The Alphabet Love Song"), was recorded in 1948, by Buddy Kaye, Fred Wise, Sidney Lippman, and later Perry Como.

A newer example of this is from the musical Matilda. "School Song" is an acrostic that spells out the alphabet phonetically.[5]

The group Wee Sing released an alphabet song with the letters in reverse order, called "ZYXs".[6]

The Canadian children's TV series The Big Comfy Couch used a version of the song in the first episode of Season 4, "Backwards".[7]

Comedian Soupy Sales released a song in 1966 called "Backwards Alphabet" which contained the reverse alphabet in lyrical style.[8] The original version of the song was performed by actress Judi Rolin with the Smothers Brothers in the 1966 teleplay adaptation of Alice Through the Looking Glass.[9]