Wimoweh: How To Orchestrate the Crowd?

Subject: Wimoweh: How To Orchestrate the Crowd?
From: Peter T.
Date: 15 Mar 03 - 03:32 PM

I was at a boring event the other night, and thought on a whim that what the crowd needed was to do "Wimoweh" or something rousing, but I didn't know how to orchestrate it. I have a vague idea. Pete Seeger is the guy, obviously, for getting his crowds to do "Wimoweh", but on the albums I have listened to, the instructions are truncated; and his book is (as far as I recall), not exactly clear on who does what. Anyone here do this with a crowd, or a camp group, or recall being orchestrated? The bare bones: the low male voices sing something like "Way-up-o", and the women (or higher male voices sing "wimoweh", and then after a bit, Seeger goes into the "lion sleeps tonight" tune (I know that that is not the original title, but everyone knows it as that). Is there a fourth alto part? What are the notes for everyone? Anything else one needs to know? yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Wimoweh: How To Orchestrate the Crowd?
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 15 Mar 03 - 04:01 PM

There is a Spinners (Liverpool, not Detroit!) live recording on one of their albums which is very nicely done. I think it's 'Folk at the Phil'. It seems excessive to send a tape of it from Germany to the States, but if there's no other way, send me a PM.

Subject: RE: Wimoweh: How To Orchestrate the Crowd?
From: michaelr
Date: 15 Mar 03 - 04:27 PM

Talk about a boring event... what could be more excruciatingly tedious than the exercise you propose?

;-) Cheers,
Michael

Subject: RE: Wimoweh: How To Orchestrate the Crowd?
From: Tiger
Date: 15 Mar 03 - 05:11 PM

I'd rather watch Richard Simmons viseos.

Subject: RE: Wimoweh: How To Orchestrate the Crowd?
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 15 Mar 03 - 05:37 PM

Peter, with the right crowd this could be rousing and fun! There's been some discussion about the correct words, etc., on the thread highlighted at the top of the page, "Lyr Req: lion sleeps tonight". As for how to get them singing, the trick is to spend enough time with each part until the group is singing confidently and independantly.
*Rehearse one part, such as the men, then rehearse each next part separately before adding it to the previous parts.
*Wave your arms up and down firmly to maintain the beat, and don't hesitate to slice them apart horizontally to stop the action if they drift from it!
Most folks have heard this song plenty of times, so each part will at least sound familiar to them. If you exude knowledge of the song and confidence in their ability to sing it, they will believe in you and in themselves and have a wonderful time! Don't try to be like Pete S- just be Peter T and you'll be fine!

Subject: RE: Wimoweh: How To Orchestrate the Crowd?
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 15 Mar 03 - 10:08 PM

One helpful thing to do is to use one hand to direct one part, and then add the other hand when the second part comes in. You can lift your foot and sort of swing your leg to give the third group their cue, and then vigorously nod your head in time with the descant. If you do it really well, it won't be a boring party any more. At least, not for you.

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: Wimoweh: How To Orchestrate the Crowd?
From: Peter T.
Date: 16 Mar 03 - 12:47 PM

Thanks, but still looking for technical information. yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Wimoweh: How To Orchestrate the Crowd?
From: greg stephens
Date: 16 Mar 03 - 03:05 PM

Some people may have followed a recent thread I tarted on Zimababwe musicians in England.After the gig described in the thread, I drove the guys back to Stoke. Nearly the whole way, they sang Wimoweh, in the original and then hilariously, and somewhat humiliatingly, parodying the kind of performances described here. I think they have heard done few times to often in Harare nightclubs.

Subject: RE: Wimoweh: How To Orchestrate the Crowd?
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 16 Mar 03 - 04:27 PM

Peter, I guess I don't understand. What kind of technical info?

Subject: RE: Wimoweh: How To Orchestrate the Crowd?
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 16 Mar 03 - 04:41 PM

Sorry, no tech info, cuz I just saw this and I have to leave in one minute but

You ain't heard NUTHIN' til you've heard Yma Sumac sing Wimoweh. It may be the single most excrutiatingly awful music thing I've experienced, and CBC played it this morning.

In a Sing Out article in the early sixties, Pete Seeger, who unleashed the incorrect words of Wimoweh on the universe (and thought that Solomon Linda actually was gonna make the money ha ha!) was actually 'begging' people to not just sing "The Lion Sleeps Tonite" in imitation of the Tokens but to actually try and consider the South African situation.

Anyway, I think I know how the parts go......will be back.

Cheers

Rick

Subject: RE: Wimoweh: How To Orchestrate the Crowd?
From: Frankham
Date: 16 Mar 03 - 07:12 PM

Peter, my memory of it is this.

The bass lines starts first. Get the audience to sing it comfortably.

Then the tenor line which is kind of the melody of the song. (Not including what's being sung over it).

Then the alto line matches the tenor line a third above.

There are essentially three parts. The bass is singing "way up oh, wimoweh" or something approximating and English bastardization of African.

The tenor is singing "wimoweh, wimoweh, wimoweh, wimoweh"
and the alto sings the same lyric a third higher. The soprano part might want to double the tenor.

Once the bass is secure, than add the other two parts and you sing over it.

Frank Hamilton