The A.B.C. (Bradlee)

For works with similar titles, see ABC.

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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, which also says, "The theme is that used by Mozart for his piano variations, Ah, vous dirai-je, maman." This tune is the same as the tune for "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" and "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep".

1203168The A.B.C.1835Charles Bradlee

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-lmnop, (/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 ɑr ɛs, tiː juː viː,/ pause between s and t)

w--x, y-and-z, (/dʌbɨjuː ɛks, waɪ ænd ziː,/ pause between x and y, 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 wɪθ miː/).^[1]

↑ "Listen to the song sung" (RealPlayer). Archived from the original on 2007-09-28.

[1] "Listen to the song sung" (RealPlayer). Archived from the original on 2007-09-28.

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