# Common folk tunes in common meter. Know any?



## Augusta (Nov 9, 2007)

Hey all, we are giving psalters as gifts this year to close family members. Most of them are RC and so they don't know a lot of hymn tunes. We want to give a list of common tunes that lots of people know. I have compiled the list below. Can you guys think of any other tunes that are common meter that would work well with psalms? Some of them may seem inappropriate and I am willing to hear comments on that subject. Our purpose was to get family members into the Word of God and singing the Word of God that might not otherwise do so. Maybe Andrew can pull a few more out of Google or memory than I could. 

Yankee Doodle
America the Beautiful
Brighton Camp
The Marine Hymn
O Susannah
The Happy Wanderer (verses)
The Alpha Phi Omega toast song
I've been Working on the Railroad
Amazing Grace
Giligan's Island
Greensleeves
House of the Rising Sun
Oh Little Town of Bethlehem
The Yellow Rose of Texas
Joy to the World
Auld Lang Syne
Beverly Hillbillies Theme
Ghost Riders in the Sky
Stairway to Heaven
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Nov 9, 2007)

Interesting list, Traci! I can look up more later, but for now one that occurs to me is the tune "Melita" which is associated with "Eternal Father, Strong to Save" aka the Navy Hymn (sung in the movie _Titanic_), also used with Psalm 84B in the RPCNA psalter. I also like "Cwm Rhondda", which goes well with Psalm 122B in the RPCNA psalter. The Doxology tune of course goes with Psalm 100. 

There are a couple of sites I have linked to which can be helpful: Psalter.org and the RPCA Psalm page.

Also, this list may be of use. The Trinity Psalter would be a good resource to consult too since it is designed for people switching over from hymns to psalms. What psalter are you planning to give to your friends?


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## Augusta (Nov 9, 2007)

It is interesting isn't it.  I thought it was kinda fun searching out popular tune in cm. Now when I hear and oldie I will count the meter to see if they work. I tried House fo the Rising Sun today and it works pretty well with a good lament. I also like the Alpha Phi Omega tune.

We are giving them 1650 Scottish psalters, the pocket ones. They don't have any tune recommendations or indexes. The recipients are people who have no experience with the psalter so we want it to be easy for them to sing them to well-known tunes.


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Nov 10, 2007)

Traci -- Do you have an edition of the 1650 Scottish Metrical Psalter with an index of tunes? I have the 1979 Reformed Presbyterian Church of Ireland edition which has an alphabetical tune index (as well as a metrical tune index, 'classifed' [by type of psalm] tune index, and recommended tune index; and the 1992 _Scottish Psalmody_ edition by the Free Church of Scotland, which has a metrical index of tunes. If any of those resources would be of interest to you, feel free to send me a pm.


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## Augusta (Nov 10, 2007)

Oh yes, I have tunes galore. I was just looking for popular tunes that non churched people could remember and sing common meter psalms to. Thanks.


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