Compiled by Elizabeth Devereux, with special thanks to Amanda Hockenberger for her contributions. Many, many thanks also to Kathryn Merrill and Jean Brandt for the wonderful, whimsical words found in their book, The New Pre-Twinkle Book, and to Jean for bringing this book to my attention!
Pre-Twinkle Songs
Rest Position Song (to the tune of Twinkle, from The New Pre-Twinkle Book)
Rest position, feet in line
Scroll out front, it’s mighty fine
Check your bridge cause it should be
Peeking out at you and me
Now it’s time to take a bow
Ichi, nee and sahn is how
(ichi, nee, sahn* = one, two, three in Japanese)
*Spellings of Japanese words is phonetic and Anglicized.
Dinosaur Song (not really a song, just a chant accompanied by tapping violin fingers—left hand—against thumb or fingerboard)
Bron-to-saur-us
Steg-o-saur-us
Tyran-no-saur-us Rex
These are the di-no-saurs that I like best!
Up Like a Rocket (with a great bow hold)
Up like a rocket
Down like the rain
Back and forth like a choo-choo train
Around my face like the great big sun
Stop at my nose
Curve my pinkie, bend my thumb
Monkey Song (can start on open A or E string)
I’m a little monkey
Climbing up a ladder
Climbing way up high to
Pick a pink banana
I’m a little monkey
Climbing down a ladder
Climbing way back down to
Eat my pink banana
Dirty Doggie Scrub Scrub (from The New Pre-Twinkle Book)
Dirty doggie scrub, scrub
Wash him in the bath tub
Dirty doggie scrub, scrub
Dirty Doggie Scrub Scrub-advanced version! (same fingering as Flower Song)
Dirty doggie scrub, scrub
Wash him in the bath tub
Dirty doggie scrub, scrub
Rub-a-dub-a-dub-dub
Flower Song
See the pretty flowers
Growing in the garden
See the pretty flowers
Red and green and purple
Pirate Song (same fingering as Flower Song)
I’m a little pirate
Sailing in the ocean
I’m a little pirate
Seeking pirate treasure
Lizard Song (same fingering as Flower Song)
See the little lizard
Crawling in the garden
See the little lizard
Brown and green and tricky
Twinkle Songs
Dr. Suzuki Song (to tune of all of Twinkle Variation B, from The New Pre-Twinkle Book)
Doctor Suzuki says
Never be lazy but
Practice and practice un-
til you go crazy! For
You know and I know that
Playing’s not easy, but
Practice, more practice makes
Hard spots seem easy, so
Doctor Suzuki says
Never be lazy but
Practice and practice un-
til you go crazy! (ah!)
Hiccup Song (to first part of Twinkle Variation B—“bread” part, from The New Pre-Twinkle Book)
My bow has hiccups and
Your bow has hiccups and
Her bow has hiccups and
His bow has hiccups, HIC!
Book 1 Songs
This is My Violin (to the tune of Lightly Row)
This is my violin
This is where I put my chin
E-A-D-G are the four strings
And the F holes let it ring
Here’s the front and here’s the back
If I drop it, it might crack
So I hold it close beside me
Rest position you now see
(repeat)
Button here, tailpiece there
Bridge and fingerboard right here
Pegs help keep my strings in tune the
Peg box holds the pegs firmly
Mr. Scroll is dressed his best
Looking down at all the rest
Here’s the bow and now I’ll show a
play position, 1-2-3
Star Light, Star Bright (to tune of Go Tell Aunt Rhody)
Star light, star bright
First star I see tonight
Star light, star bright
First star I see tonight
Shining above us, up above us
Shining above us in the sky
Star light, star bright
First star I see tonight
Star light, star bright
First star I see tonight
O Come, Little Children
Oh come, little children, Oh come, one and all
Let’s join hands together, both big ones and small
We’ll form one large circle and stand nice and tall
We’ll sing out with joy, listen to our great call!
May Song
I’m so happy now that it’s May
All the flowers blooming
Go outside and hear all the birds
Twitter, twitter up in the trees
I’m so happy now that it’s May
All the flowers blooming
Wake Up, Shake Up (to tune of Allegro)
Wake up, shake up, take off your pajamas
Eat your breakfast, time to go to school
Wake up, shake up, take off your pajamas
Eat your breakfast, time to go to school
I don’t want to, I’m so tired
I just want to sleep some more…
Wake up, shake up, take off your pajamas
Eat your breakfast, time to go to school
Allegretto
Down a path in the woods the three bears’ cottage stood
Down a path in the woods the three bears’ cottage stood
On a hot summer day in the woods far away
The three bears, they went out for a walk
First the big Papa Bear right behind Mama Bear
And at last right behind came the small Baby Bear
On a hot summer day in the woods far away
The three bears, they went out for a walk
Andantino
Brush your teeth, wash your face, go to bed NOW
Brush your teeth, wash your face, go to bed NOW
Brush your teeth, wash your face, go to bed NOW
Brush your teeth, wash your face, go to bed NOW
I don’t want to go to bed now
I am not so very sleepy…
Brush your teeth, wash your face, go to bed NOW
Brush your teeth, wash your face, go to bed NOW
Henrietta Popoletta (to tune of Etude)
Henrietta Popoletta
Had a special friend, her name was
Wilhemina Windowcleaner
She had brought along her football
Henrietta Popoletta
Picked it up and threw it back to
Wilhemina Windowcleaner
And it crashed right through the window
Mother came right down the stairs and
Called to Father, Father came right
Down the stairs and quickly picked up
Henrietta Popoletta
Picked her up and scolded her and
Sent her off to bed!
Minuet 1
J. S. Bach had twenty kids
Boy, that’s a lot!
He lived in a country
called Germany and
wrote lots of songs there
(repeat)
Jo-hann Sebastian Bach
played the organ and harpsichord
he played the violin and he played the
viola too.
Bach wrote a lot
of music that
we love to play.
Minuet One is so very fun so,
thank you, J.S. Bach
(repeat)
Minuet 2
I like strawberries and blueberries
I like strawberries and blueberries
Mangoes and papayas and bananas are yummy too!
I like strawberries and blueberries
I like strawberries and blueberries
Once in a while I like to eat some
strawberry ice cream pie!
(repeat)
Fruit is good but I like ice cream too
I like lots of flavored ice cream too
Lots of different flavored ice cream like
Chocolate ice cream pie with a spoon!
I love to eat it, you love to eat it
We love to eat ice cream in a cone,
cookie dough, rocky road,
but to be healthier…
I like strawberries and blueberries
I like strawberries and blueberries
Once in a while I like to eat some
strawberry ice cream pie!
Two Grenadiers, Book 2 (double ups/downs on all chocolates)
It’s chocolate that I like to eat
Yes chocolate chocolate ice cream
Oh give me some chocolate
I like chocolate
Give me some chocolate candy
Yes, chocolate is my favorite flavor
Let’s go to the store and buy some
SoundStringS 
Awesome words to Minuet 1!
Thanks for reading, Yuko! Feel free to add any words you’ve made up, too!
Thanks so much!
As a ‘suzuki mom’ I really needed these 🙂
I’m so happy to hear they’re helpful to you!
Happy playing, singing, and practicing!
Words for two songs from Book 2…
Musette
Let’s go a-walking among the tall maples.
Let’s go a-looking for the lilly lolly tree.
Let’s go a-walking among the tall maples.
Let’s go a-looking for the lilly lolly tree.
Let’s go a-climbing the mitty mighty mountain
Looking for the syrup from the lolly gag tree.
Climb on our horses and gallop gallop gallop
And then trot a-trot a-trot until we find another one.
Let’s go a-walking among the tall maples
Looking for the syrup from the lilly lolly tree.
Waltz
B—we start with B—and then we toss in a little hop.
We block and rock—again to 4,
And then we introduce a sharp.
2 goes to B—we start with B—and then we toss in a little hop.
We block and rock—again to 4,
And then we introduce a sharp.
And then we float—along on D
And then we fly—up to the sky—
We go so high—before we tumble back down.
B—we start with B—and then we toss in a little hop.
We block and rock—again to 4,
And then we finish up our song—
But not until—we float on D
And then we fly—up to the sky—
We go so high—before we tumble back down
B—we start with B—and then we toss in a little hop.
We block and rock—again to 4,
And then we finish up our song.
Thanks, Rachel! These are so fun!