Repertoire of songs

Over the last 25 years Chris has taught almost 800 songs. Here is a list of most of them.

"It's the best one day workshop I've been to. Perfect song choice, not only with the variety of styles, but with the difficulty levels ranging from easy to hard."

The songs

Chris teaches songs from harmony singing traditions around the world. He draws on a huge and varied world music repertoire from a wide range of cultures. All songs are a cappella in three- or four-part harmony. They are usually in the language of the country of origin. He also teaches arrangements of popular English language songs.

This is an exhaustive list of all the songs he has taught over the years (not including pop songs). Contact Chris if you want any more information about any of the songs. He should be able to point you in the right direction.

You can find recordings of many of the songs that Chris teaches on CDs made by choirs he has led in the past. You can buy choir CDs or order a selection of songs of your choice.

World music

The term world music is rather vague. It has come to mean the traditional (or folk or roots) music of the indigenous people of a particular culture. Most of the songs in Chris's repertoire come from these traditions.

The list of songs is in order of country or region. Click on a name to reveal the list of songs.

Chris has arranged those songs which have asterisks by them. You can listen to clips by clicking on the title in blue. You can also buy the arrangements as sheet music or recorded parts.

List last updated 18 September 2018.

 

South Africa

Abasundu nabamhlope
Abiyoyo
Akanamandla
Amazing grace (Ladysmith Black Mambazo)
Amen siakudumisa
Asikhatali
Aweh (Somagwaza)
Ayamicasa
Baba mnu mzana
Babethandaza
Bambelela
Bawo wethu
Bayavuya
Bwana Tuhurume
Dimpho tsarona
Dithotonyana
Diya duma
Freedom is Coming
Haleluya! Pelo tsa rona
Hamba Lulu
Hamba Natil
Hambani gahle
Hlonolofatsa
Idonga za Jeriko
Isiley Som
Jikela emaweni hamba
Ke Arona
Khukude wema
Koloi ya Elija
Kwangena thina bo
Ladum iZulu
Lashong ilang
Mabawuyeke
Mamizolo
Maria
Mayenziwe
Mbube*
Ndinani Na
Ndine siphonono
Nkosi Sikelel'i Afrika
Noyana
Pata Pata
Puleng We
Rain! (Ladysmith Black Mambazo)
Senzenina*
Shosholoza*
Sia wa shia
Siyahamba
Skhanda Mayeza
Soyilwela
Thanda ummelwane
Tom Hark*
Tula
Tula Mama
Uyahalalela
Vuma*
Zulu women's beer song

Africa (other)

A yele mama (Togo?)
Alunde (E. Africa)
Aluta continua (Angola)
Ama beli (Baka)
Ama Ibu (Central African Pygmy)
Aye makomo (Zimbabwe)
Aye mojinumba (Nigeria)
Baba wambinguni (E. Africa)
Banaha (Congo)
Banuwa (Liberia)
Bele mama (W. Africa)*
Chaminuka (Zimbabwe)
Chiro chacha (Zimbabwe)
Due due (Ghana)
Dumbalay (N. Africa)
Emma (Angelique Kidko, Togo)
Eyele (Togo)
Farewell my friend (Sierra Leone)*
Garai pano (Zimbabwe)
Halima pakashalo (Namibia)
He sengo weh (Congo)
Helele mama (Zimbabwe)
Hepepe! (Botswana)
Ide were were (Yoruba)
Imaweni (Malawi)
Imela (Nigeria)
Ishe Olwa (Yoruba)
Ka tam ma wui (Gabon)
Kada kidi (Guinea)
Kakilambe (Guinea)
Kana kameme (Namibia)
Katundu wa kulema (Malawi)
Kolo kolola (Kenya)*
Kwaheri (Kenya)
Londolozela (Zimbabwe)
Ma Belle Sinkwanee (W. Africa?)*
Magobo (Zimbabwe)
Malaika (E. Africa)
Mama papa golo
(Angelique Kidjo/ Togo)
Masibambane (Zimbabwe)
Minuit (Guinea)
Mojuba effe fe i ku (Yoruba)
Mungu akipenda (Tanzania)*
Njabala (Uganda)
Obo sumi sa (Ghana)
Oremi jeka jo (Nigeria)
Pura mame (Guinea)
Salaleo (Gambia)
Sansa kroma (Ghana)
Senwa dedende (Ghana)
Simama tuka imbe paradiso (Tanzania)
Som nyame (Ghana)
Souallé (W. Africa)
Tina singu (Lesotho)
Tuli tuli (Namibia)
Twende tuka (Tanzania)
Umwegitane (Rwanda/ Helen Chadwick)
Vamudara (Zimbabwe)
Wai bamba (Zimbabwe)
Wonfa nyem (Ghana)
Yami yami (Central Africa)
Yemaja (Yoruba)
Yena Weh
Yeye bonge (Yoruba)
Yo yo yo (Nigeria)
Zu arende (Zimbabwe)
Zomina (Togo/Senegal)
Zungo (Nigeria)

English language

Acappella makes the world go round (Faith Watson & Jules Gibb)
Ain't gonna study war (Roxane Smith)
And a mountain (Judy Grahn/ Ali Burns)
Bells of Norwich (Sydney Carter)
Bushes and briars (trad.)*
Challo Brown (shanty)
Coalblack smith (trad.)*
Greensleeves lullaby (arr. David Machell)
Everyone can sing (Chris Rowbury)*
For I am a maid that's deep in love (trad.)
Grey Funnel Line (Cyril Tawney)
Hail smiling morn (Reginald Spofforth)
Hal an tow (trad.)
Hanging Johnny (shanty)*
Harvest Home (Chris Carol)
Harvest song (Chris Coe)
Here we come a-wassailing (trad.)
Here's a health to all good lasses (19th C glee)
Huweya (Sammy Hurden)
I wanna sing (Dee Jarlett)
I'm bound away (shanty)
It's autumn time (Chris Rowbury)*
John Kanaka (shanty)
Landlord fill the flowing bowl (old drinking song)
Let's all welcome in the spring time (Chris Rowbury)*
Lowlands away (shanty)*
Mirie it is (trad.)
Milly's back yard (Roger Bray)
My eyes are opened (Kirsty Martin)
Now the sun is rising up (Sammy Hurden)
Of all the brave birds (19th C glee)
Old Miner (trad.)*
Oo let me sing (Jenny Goodman)
Peace (Alison Whittall)
Peace, perfect peace (Chrys Blanchard)
Pleasant and delightful (trad.)*
Rapid's Charm (Helen Chadwick)
Saucy sailor (trad.)
Searching for lambs (trad.)*
Seeds of love (trad.)
She loves me (Su Lewis)
Sing together (Val Rogers)
Stamford Bullards (trad.)*
Steel threads (Sarah Harman)
Sumer is icumen in (trad.)
Summer is here (Chris Rowbury)*
Ten thousand miles (arr. Coope, Boyes & Simpson)
Thousands or more (The Copper Family)*
Unison in harmony (Coope, Boyes & Simpson)
Van Diemen's land (trad.)
Wangari (Polly Bolton)
Waters of Tyne (trad.)
Week before Easter (trad.)
What shall we do with the drunken sailor? (shanty)
Winter time is here (Chris Rowbury)*

Eastern Europe

Adjon az isten (Hungary)
Agios o Theos (Russia)
Ajde Jano (Serbia)
Ambee Dagheets (Armenia)
Ani vodka ani rumos (Slovakia)
Crven fesic (Bosnia)
Dilmano dilbero (Bulgaria)
Dobru noc (Moravia)
Dosta dosta lično bre Stojne (Macedonia)
Dovidzenya (Poland)
Easter Alleluya (Russia)
Eh Kalina, eh Malina (Russian gipsy)*
Ej žito žela (Croatia)
Erdelezi (Roma)
Ergen deda (Bulgaria)
Gospodi (Russia)
Hamisha asar (Bosnia)
Ja Helo (Czech)*
Joc de Leagane (Romania)
Jovano Jovanke (Macedonia)
Kak po logu (Ukraine)
Kalinka (Russia)
Korobushka (Russia)
Kroz planine (Croatia)
Kyrie Eleison (Russia)
Lakere bala (gipsy)
Legnala Dana (Macedonia)
Malo ja, malo ti (Croatia)
Maliarka (Russia)
Maramica na Stazi (Croatia)
Mi go zatvorile (Macedonia)
Mnogaya leta (Russia)
Moj dilbere (Bosnia)
More sokol pie (Bulgaria)
Na mira romna bikenav (Slovakia)
Niška banja (Serbia)
Njetsvoda (Jos Wuytack)
Nyne sily nebenyia (Russia)
O Kolo hradisča (Czech)
O Postaris (Czech gipsy)*
Oj Dobriču (Croatia)
Oj livado rosna travo (Serbia)
Oj pan khazyayin (Ukraine)
Oj Savice (Croatia)
Opšaj Diri (Croatia)
Oro se vie (Macedonia)
Ovdovjala lisičkata (Bulgaria)
Plovi Barko (Croatia)
Pokhvali sa dobar yunak (Bulgaria)
Polegala (Croatia)
Polegnala e Tudora (Bulgaria)
Rumena (Croatia)
Šano dušo (Serbia)
Sednalo e Jore dos (Bulgaria)
Severino (Bulgaria)
Sjajna svjezda (Bosnia)
Skait mameni (Latvia)*
Slavonska poskočica (Croatia)
Stolat (Poland)*
Štomi e Milo (Bulgaria)
Štomi e Milo (Macedonia)
Što me omilelo (Macedonia)
Szerelem, szerelem (Hungary)
Tashto Mie (Macedonia?)
Tebe poem (Bulgaria)
Tebe poem (Russia)
Teften kate (Bulgaria)
To ne veter (Russia)
Todoro, Todorke (Bulgarian)
Trgnala Rumjana (Macedonia)
Ustat ću se rano ja (Croatia)
V zelenim haju (Ukraine)
Vissbija (Latvia)
Z anynya ö sziep lányát (Hungary)*

Europe (other)

Addio a Lugano (Italy)*
Alle fugler (Norway)
Au jardin de la Reine (France)
Belle qui tient ma vie (France)
De los cuatro muleros (Spain)*
Dio vi salvi Regina (Corsica)
Dumane mi ne muntagnu (Corsica)
Era la vo (Sicily)*
Festa Ianuaria (France)
Hvem kån Segla (Norwegian)
Kyrie eleison (Corsica)
Laula (Estonia)
Ma bela bimba (Italy)
Mun ja mun (Sami yoik)*
Nina, Nana (Spain)
O ley leya loyla (Sami yoik)
Plaisir d'amour (France)*
Salve Regina/ Nous te saluons (France)
Syng du nattergal (Denmark)
Tango Corse (France)
Terzeni guagnesi (Corsica)
Tourdion (France)
Un poquito cantas (Spain)

Georgia

Batonebis simghera
Batonebo
Chela
Didavoi nana
Gazapkhuli
Gogo shavtala
Iavnana
Lile
Makruli
Maspinzelo
Megruli Nana
Mravalžamier (6 different versions!)
Perxuli
Shen har venahi
Suliko
Tsintsqaro
Tsmindao gmerto
Tushuri
Varado

Gospel/ spiritual

Ain't gonna let nobody turn me around*
Ain't no grave a gonna hold my body down
All my trials
Amazing grace (Peter Amidon)
Amazing grace (Sam Cooke)
Angels (one morning soon)
Balm in Gilead
Better day a-comin'
Beulah Land
Come along, get on board
Come to the river
Done made my vow to the Lord
Don't kneel at my graveside
Down in the river to pray
Get away Jordan
Give me a clean Heart
Get on board
Glory hallelujah (Nick Prater)
Goodnight, the Lord is coming
Gospel Ship
Gospel train's a-comin'
Great day
Hallelujah (Total Experience Choir)
Hallelujah (he is here)
Heaven somewhere
Hold on
Hush, hush, somebody's calling my name
I bid you Goodnight
I shall not be moved
I stood on the river of Jordan
I wanna die easy
I woke up this morning with the sun in my heart
In the morning
It's gonna rain*
Jacob's ladder (we are climbing)
Let your little light shine
Lord don't turn your child away
Lord make me more holy
Motherless child
My Lord what a mourning
No ways tired
O Lord give us freedom (Ysaye Barnwell)
O sing to me of heaven
Oh freedom
Oh happy day
One of these fine mornings
Prodigal son
Remember me
Run Mary
Shine on me
Sing 'til the power of the lord come down
Sing 'til the spirit moves
Soon I will be done ...
Steal Away*
Streets of glory
Swing down chariot
Trouble all about my soul
Tryin' to make it in
Up above my head
Wade in the Water
Where shall I be?
You gotta move when the spirit say move

Jewish

Bim Bam
Haida
Hava nagila
Hineh Ma Tov
Lo Yisa Goy
Ma gadlu (Rabbi Shefa Gold)
Oseh shalom (Judith Silver)
Shalom chaverim
Shalom l'kulam (Judith Silver)
Tseh le avoda
Tsena, tsena
Tumbai
Zum gali gali

Maori/ Pacific

E hara (New Zealand)
E malama (Hawaii)
E papa waiari (New Zealand)*
E te ariki (New Zealand)
Epo i tai tai (New Zealand)
Haere mai (New Zealand)
He pele (Hawaii)
Heke hau (Hawaii)
Hine e hine (New Zealand)
Ho ike mai (Hawaii)
Hoea ra te waka nei (New Zealand)
Mate Aroha (New Zealand)
Pokarekare Ana (New Zealand)
Te Aroha (New Zealand)
Te arawa e (New Zealand)
Te oonu (Cook Islands)
Tongo (Polynesia)

United States

Bright morning star's arising*
Bring me little water Sylvie (Leadbelly)
Cherokee morning song (Native American)*
Crawdad (trad.)
Farther down the road (Jane Voss)
Goodnight Irene (Leadbelly)
Harriet Tubman (Walter Robinson)
Harvest hymn (shape note)
Here is my home (Si Khan)
Hey Yana (Native American)
How can I keep from singing? (Robert Lowry)*
I wish I knew how it would feel to be free (Billy Taylor)
I'll fly away (Albert E. Brumley)*
I'm going home (shape note)
In the pines
In wisdom's lovely pleasant ways (Shaker)
Inch worm (Frank Loesser)
Java jive (Milton Drake & Ben Oakland)
Johanna the row-di (Georgia Sea Islands)*
Little bird, little bird*
Man of constant sorrow
Mariner's hymn
Millbrook (shape note)
My blue heaven (Walter Donaldson & George A. Whiting, arr. Lesley Lear)
Neesa (Native American)
Nero's expedition (Moondog)
New York girls (can't you dance the polka?)*
Owen sound (shape note)
Parting Friends (shape note)*
Pick a bale o' cotton
Rain and snow*
Shenandoah*
Simple melody (Irving Berlin)
Sixteen tons (Merle Travis)
Sloop John B.
(trad. Bahamas)
Stormy weather (Harold Arlen & Ted Koehler)
Sweet Prospect (shape note)
Take this hammer*
The thing that makes you beautiful (Jane Voss)
Wondrous Love (shape note)
Yonder come day (Georgia sea islands)
You are my sunshine (Oliver Hood)

Miscellaneous

Ab omni malo (Helen Chadwick)
Adios hermanos (Paul Simon, arr. Bruce Knight)
Adios mama (Cuba)
Alleluia (Honduras)
Alleluia (mediaeval 3-part chant)
Alleluya (Chris Rowbury)*
Alleluya (Nickomo)
Alleluya (Sian Croose)
Also sprach Zarathustra intro. (Richard Strauss)*
Asalaam alaikum (Turkey)
Banana boat song (Jamaica)*
Bhajamana ma (India)
Cancion Mixteca (Mexico)*
Cantai ao Senhor (Brazil)
Chiapanecas (Mexico)
De Colores (Mexico)
El condor pasa (S. America)*
Feuilles-o (Haiti)*
Gaia (Joanne Foster)
Halle, Halle, Halle (Caribbean)
Hallelujah (Pauline Down)
Hari coo coo (India)
Heio (Taiwan)
Hill and gully rider (Jamaica)*
Hotaru Koi (Japan)
I let her go (Trinidad & Tobago)
Jack'u (S. America)
Janie Mama (Caribbean)
Kimbara (Cuba)*
Kojo no tsuki (Japan)*
Kyrie eleison (John Bell)
Kyrie eleison (William Byrd)
Kyrie Guarany (Paraguay)
La Bamba (Mexico)
Mas que nada (Brazil)
Menousis (Greece)
Nesta rua (Brazil)
O so seo (Korea)
Party song (David Gunn/ Cuba)
Plant de letta (Jamaica)
Raghupathi raghava rajaram (India)*
Sakura, sakura (Japan)*
Sami yoik
Sanctuary (Stephen Taberner)
Shut de do', keep out de devil (Caribbean)
Suspira coração triste (Brazil)*
Tedumela (Brian Abrahams)
Ya basta! (Val Regan)
Yonana (Chrys Blanchard)
Yut gung tin (China)

Christmas

A la nanita (Spain)
A szeleknek (Hungary)
Alilo (Georgia)
Angels from the realms of glory
Away upon the mountain top (Austria)*
Baloo lammy (Scotland)
Betelehemu (Nigeria)
Byla cesta (Moravia)
Cherry tree carol (USA)
Christmas song (Copper family)
Coventry Carol
Cradle song
Da droben am Berge (Austria)*
Ding dong merrily on high
Dragana i slaveja (Bulgaria)
Field mice's carol (Ali Burns)
Fum, fum, fum (Spain)
Gaudete
God rest ye merry gentlemen
Holly and the ivy
In the bleak midwinter
Lulajze Jezuniu (Poland)
Nesem vam noviny (Czech)
Nowell (Ali Burns)
Nu ar det jul igen (Sweden)
O come, O come Emmanuel*
Patapan (France)
Rise up shepherd (US)
Sans Day Carol
Silent night (Germany)*
Stille Nacht (Germany)*
Veni, veni Emmanuel*
Wassail song (Polly Bolton)
While shepherds watched their flocks (Nativity by John Ray, Lancashire)
Winter wonderland (Bernard/Smith, arr. Stefan Karpiniec)

Rounds

Ah, poor bird
As I mee walked (Renaissance England)
Autumn time
Ave Maria
Black Socks
Break 'em on down
Breakfast calypso (Jan Holdstock)
Bring it in
Calypso
Canon des scats (Pierre-Gérard Verny)
Cat meditating (Carol Prior)
Christmas is coming
Citrus song (Sue Harris)
Clear horizon (Jan Harmon)
Cock is crowing
Da pacem Domine (Melchior Franck)
Do be do (Jon Conway)
Dona nobis
Doo-ba swing
Down the river we go
Dwarf song
Earth belongs to all (John Warner)
Earth my body
Fa la la (Mozart)
Fly away home (from I'll fly away)
Friends (Tim Wallis)
Gloria (Taizé)
Goethe round
Good Friend (Jan Harmon)
Granadeo
Great is the joy (Robert Burrell)
Happy birthday
Hebrew lullaby
Hey ho, to the Greenwood (William Byrd)
Hey, Mr. Miller
Hie we to the other world boys (old English catch)
How lovely is the evening
Humming round I
Humming round II
Hymn for the Russian earth (Zuri Zaritsky &Eugene Friesen)
I and star (Candy Verney)
I like the mountains
If I had wings
If you can walk
Ig bom billy (N. Congo)
It's the wind (trad. France)
Jean Harlow (Pat Broderick)
Jubilate Deo
Kyrie
Lancashire Boy (Brian Kogler)
March (Stanley Messenger)
Music alone shall live
Nero's expedition up the Nile (Moondog)
Now I walk in beauty
Old Abram Brown (Benjamin Britten)
Oo la la ley
Pura mame (Guinea)
Quarry weave (Meredith Monk)
Raindrops falling (Faith Watson)
Reap as you sow (Chris Hoskins)
River it is flowing
Rose, Rose
Round and round
Sciatica
See the wind
Sellinginya
She died, she did
She is my rose (Hiltrud Allhoff)
Sing we merrily
Sleep, my baby, sleep (James Wild)
Stars (David Gunn)
Summer round
Terre Rouge (France)
Time to go
True Lover's Farewell
Tseh le avoda (Hebrew)
Up above the clouds (Chris Rowbury)*
Waves are coming in
Waters of Babylon
Weave and Mend (Canada)
What a weird bird (Peter Butler)
Why don't we ever sing songs in seven? (Jan Harmon)

Next singing workshop

Castle Acre village hall, Norfolk
Saturday 27 April 2024

Harmony singing day Castle Acre, Norfolk

A fun-filled day of harmony singing taught in Chris's unique style: lashings of humour, oodles of fun and a firm, but gentle hand on the steering wheel.
SOLD OUT


Next singing weekend

St Columba's House, Woking
19-21 April 2024

Harmony singing for all Woking

A fun weekend of fabulous harmony singing in a contemporary retreat centre just 30 minutes by train from the heart of London. Learn songs from across the globe all arranged for voice only.
ONE NON-RESIDENTIAL PLACE AVAILABLEcontact Chris for booking form


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