15 Born to rule

R ESO U RCES P CD1 track 15 (performance); CD2 track 16 (backing)

You need to know even though the rhythm is different.

The simple yet captivating melody of ‘Born to rule’ is
1
The parts switch roles in the ‘C’ section, with the bass
typical of Jamaican traditional music in its use of a part on the tune. Practise the upper parts together
repeated ca figure, which is a simple form of synco-
pation. This figure forms the basis of the first three bars of
slowly, making sure they move together on the beat
until bar 29, and aren’t tempted to ‘swing’ with the
the tune. The syncopated figure is then discarded in basses.
favour of the ‘on the beat’ rhythms of the last two phrases
1
When putting the whole song together, check carefully
of the melody. The song is unusual in that each verse is that the joins between sections are confident––every
six bars, rather than four or eight bars, long. It is arranged singer must know which note they are moving to.
for up to six parts, in different combinations to give it Practise moving from bar 23 and bar 30 back to bar 5, as
variety, and to create a full and joyous sound for the there is no piano break to give singers time to think and
‘What a joy!’ section. The structure is A B A C A Coda. prepare.
The words to which this traditional melody is set are by
1
Finally practise the Coda––singers must know where
Louise Bennett who, until her death in 2006, led the they are getting their notes from so that the chords are
movement which sought to preserve Jamaica’s traditional confident and tidy.
music and language. Bennett recorded many Jamaican
songs (including No. 10 ‘Brown Girl in the Ring’) and Listen out
wrote several books of poems which explore a variety of 1
Is everyone confident about the structure of the song?
Jamaican themes through the medium of the national Talk through the geography of the song, singing the few
language. In the case of ‘Born to rule’, the phonetici- bars around the joins if necessary. See the performance
zations stem from Jamaican language usage. They are ‘de’ plan below.
(pronounced ‘dee’ and a version of ‘the’ in English), ‘eart” 1
Are the words pronounced as indicated in ‘You need to
(earth), ‘worl” (world), and ‘deh’ (there). know’, above? Read through the words to check that
everyone is doing the same.
Warming up 1
What is the balance like when all the parts are together?
1
Practise standing tall and breathing deeply. Place both The melody could be obscured––check this and
hands over the middle of the stomach and, while redistribute voices if required.
breathing in slowly, pull the hands outwards, imagining
a big barrel of air in front of you. Breathe out, doing the Performing
reverse, keeping the shoulders down. 1
Performance plan: ‘A’ section (verse 1)––melody only
1
Sing Ex. 1 at the foot of the page, changing key to (upper or mixed voices); ‘B’ section––all three parts, a
stretch the voices across the full range. cappella, or with piano for support; ‘A’ section (verse
2)––melody plus harmony (one, two, or three parts as
Teaching and learning appropriate); ‘C’ section––all three parts, a cappella, or
1
First learn the melody of the ‘A’ section; bars 11–16 are with piano for support; ‘A’ section (verse 3)––all parts;
a repeat of bars 5–10. Sing all three verses warmly and Coda.
with clear diction. Ex. 1
1
Now work on putting all parts in the ‘A’ section
together. Start with the simple bass part––sing the words
even though they belong to verse 3. Add as many of the
V #### 44 Š Še Š Še Š Š Še Š Še Š
harmony parts as you can, starting with the top line, Born to rule de eart’, born to rule de eart’,
and practise them with the bass part until it sounds # #
1
confident and together.
The ‘B’ section (bars 17–23) comes next. The harmony
V # Š Še Š Še Š Š Šf Š Šf Š
#
part shadows the melody up to bar 20, and moves with born to rule de eart’, born to rule de
key change
the bass part in bars 22–3. Practise it with both the # #
other lines separately before putting them all together.
Make sure ‘What a joy!’ is strong in the lower two parts
V #Š r r Š Š ‰ q .
#
eart’. What a joy!

15. Born to rule 73

15 Born to rule Words: Louise Bennett
Music: Jamaican trad.
arr. Michael Burnett and Peter Hunt
Joyous but steady
V # 4
p p p p
Melody
4
Harmony V 44
#
p p p p
Bass
 44
B#p p p p
Joyous but steady
G
‰‰ ‰‰ D7 G D7

V 44
# ˆˆ ‰‰ ‰‰ ˆˆ
Piano mf ‰ Š ŠŠ ŠŠ ŠŠ ŠŠ ŠŠ ‰ Š
A
{ B# 44 r ‰ Š f f r ‰ Š ŠŠ ŠŠe ŠŠ ŠŠe ŠŠ
V # mfŠ Še Š Še Š Š Š
5
Š Š Š Š Še Š Še Š Š Š
f f ŠŠŠŠ ŠŠ
1. Born to rule de eart’, born to rule de sky, Born to rule de worl’, to walk up - on the sea, Lit - tle
2. Poor an’ low - ly born, pure an’ ho - ly born, Sure an’ sole-ly born to res -cue you an’ me. What a
3. Je - sus rule de eart’, Je - sus rule de sky, Je - sus rule de worl’ an’ walk up - on the sea, Loo-koo
div. mp 1st time tacet
#
V ‰‰ ‰‰ ˆˆ ‰‰ ‰‰ ‰‰ .. ŠŠ
2./3. ah ah
mp 3rd time only
Music © Oxford University Press 2009; Text © Louise Bennett Coverley Estate, Canada

B# ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ
 3. oo oo
A
G Am G C Am D
#
V ŠŠ .. ŠŠe ‰‰ ŠŠ .. ŠŠe ‰‰ ŠŠ .. ŠŠ ‰‰ ŠŠ .. ŠŠ ŠŠ ŠŠ
mp ŠŠ Š Š Š
fŠŠ f
Š Š
{ B# Š Š ŠŠ Š Š Š Š Š Š Š
74 15. Born to rule This page may be photocopied
 9
V # ‰ f mf
r ŠŠ ŠŠ ‰‰ .. r Š Še Š Še Š Š Šf Š Šf Š
boy. What a joy! Born to rule de eart’, born to rule de sky,
joy! Lit - tle boy! Poor an’ low - ly born, pure an’ ho - ly born,
deh! Loo-koo deh! Je - sus rule de eart’, Je - sus rule de sky,
mf mp‰
V # ‰‰ Š Š ‰ .
r Š Š Š. Š Š r ‰ ‰‰ ˆˆ
f
(2.) Lit - tle boy!
ah
(3.) Loo-koo deh!

Š Š Š mf‰. mpˆ ˆ
B# Š r
Loo - koo, loo - koo deh! oo
G Cmaj7 Dsus D G Am

V # ‰‰ ... ŠŠ ˆŠ . Š ‰ Š ..
Š ŠŠe ‰‰ ŠŠ .. ŠŠe ‰‰
Š mf
Š f
Š ‰ mp
B#
{ ŠŠ Š Š Š Š Š Š Š ŠŠ Š Š Š ŠŠ Š
1st time on to B
2nd time to C
13
V # Š Še Š Še Š Š f last time to Coda O
ŠŠŠŠŠ ŠŠ‰ r ŠŠ ŠŠ ‰‰ .. r
Born to rule de worl’, to walk up - on the sea, Lit - tle boy. What a joy!
Sure an’ sole - ly born to res -cue you and me. What a joy! Lit - tle boy!
Je - sus rule de worl’ an’ walk up - on the sea, Loo-koo deh! Loo-koo deh!
f
V # ‰‰ ‰‰ ‰‰ .. ŠŠ ‰‰ r ŠŠ ŠŠ ‰Š .. Š Š r
ah
f
(2.) Lit - tle boy!
(3.) Loo-koo deh!

Š Š Š Š ‰.f
Music © Oxford University Press 2009; Text © Louise Bennett Coverley Estate, Canada

B# ˆ ˆ r
 oo Loo - koo, loo-koo deh!
1st time on to B
2nd time to C
last time to Coda O
G C Am D G Cmaj7 Dsus D

V # ŠŠ .. ŠŠ ‰‰ ŠŠ .. ŠŠ ŠŠ ŠŠ ‰‰ ... ŠŠ ˆŠ . Š ‰
fŠ Š fŠ Š ŠŠ Š Š Š ŠŠf Š Š Šf ‰
{ B# Š Š Š Š Š Š
This page may be photocopied 15. Born to rule 75