Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

Twinkle Little Star

reel

Key signature: Amajor

Submitted on September 2nd 2006 by Harping McCartan.

This tune has been added to 11 tunebooks.

Also known as Meu Lanchinho, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, Whiskey Before Breakfast?.

Recordings of a tune by this name:

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

X: 1
T: Twinkle Little Star
M: 4/4
L: 1/8
R: reel
K: Amaj
CB,| A,CEF A2 AB |cBce cBAE| FEFA BAGF| E2 EF EDCB,|
A, CEF A2 AB| cBce cBAc| B2 F2 G2 A2| B4B CB,z|
A, CEF A2 AB| cBce cBAE| FEFA BAGF| E2 EF EDCB,|
A, CEF A2 AB| cBce cBAF| EGBd cEBE| A4A EFG|
A2 A2 B2 B2| cBce d4|e4 f3 e| e2 d4 Bc|
dedc BAGA| Bcdc B4| e4 f3 E| e2 c4 cd| efed cdcB|
AGAB c2 E=F| ^FEFA BAGF| E2 EF EDCB,| A,CEF A2 AB|
cBce cBAF| EGBd cEBE| A6z2|

Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments
Twinkle Little Star sheetmusic
Details ABC Sheetmusic Comments

Best recording of this tune

This is just the basic tune form for Twinkle Little Star. For those of you - esp. fiddlers - who want to take it further there are some amazing variations by Nollaig Casey on a cd by Máire Ní Chathasaigh & Chris Newman called 'Dialogues' (Agallaimh) - see www.oldbridgemusic.com

# Posted on September 2nd 2006 by Harping McCartan

The first two lines are similar to some versions of Whiskey Before Breakfast, but otherwise I don't see it as an AKA.

# Posted on September 5th 2006 by Bob himself


I have not heard that recording, but from reading through the sheet music I think that that is the same "Twinkle Little Star" which is a very common tune in the U.S. You hear it at fiddle contests a lot. Players of a certain age (which I'm well on my way to becoming) favor it. It is not played as a reel here.

"Fiddler's Companion" <http://www.ibiblio.org/fiddlers/TWA_TZ.htm>;
says it dates back to the 1890's as a schottische. It was recorded in the 1920's that way, by Smith's Garage Fiddle Band from Texas (and others).

Bob Wills recorded it with the Texas Playboys and swung it up quite a bit.

Nowadays in the U.S you hear it more in the Bob Wills style than as a schottische. Usually played in G. ABC's of a common version can be found at Fiddler's Companion (see the URL above).

I can post links to sample recordings of both of the aforementioned ways of playing the tune. The samples are on commercial sites (like barnesandnoble.com) and I'm new to here so I don't know if that is considered ok. Is it?

PS I'm new here. Hello, everybody.

Bo_in_VA
(VA is Virginia)

# Posted on September 14th 2006 by Bo_in_VA

Gak! The link doesn't work.

The link does not work as posted. Try this:
http://www.ibiblio.org/fiddlers/TWA_TZ.htm

Bo_in_VA

# Posted on September 14th 2006 by Bo_in_VA

Version with the poem.

This is a version of this tune with the poem "Little Star", by Jane Taylor, this song is a Nursery Rhyme very famous in so many countrys, like in Brazil, with other lyric, but the same melody. Here it is known by "Meu Lanchinho" and we call this rhythm of "Cantiga".

X: 1
T: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
O: England
C: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart/Jane Taylor
M: 4/4
R: Nursery Rhyme
K: C
C2C2G2G2|A2A2G4|F2F2E2E2|D2D2C4|
w:Twi-nkle, twin-kle li-llte star, How I won-der what you are.
G2G2F2F2|E2E2D4|G2G2F2F2|E2E2D4|
w:Up abo-ve the world so high, Like a dia-mond in the sky!
C2C2G2G2|A2A2G4|F2F2E2E2|D2D2C4:|
w:Twin-kle, twin-kle, li-ttle star, How I won-der what you are!

W:Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
W:How I wonder what you are!
W:Up above the world so high,
W:Like a diamond in the sky!

W:When the blazing sun is gone,
W:When he nothing shines upon,
W:Then you show your little light,
W:Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.

W:Then the traveller in the dark,
W:Thanks you for your tiny spark,
W:He could not see which way to go,
W:If you did not twinkle so.

W:In the dark blue sky you keep,
W:And often through my curtains peep,
W:For you never shut your eye,
W:Till the sun is in the sky.

W:As your bright and tiny spark,
W:Lights the traveller in the dark,—
W:Though I know not what you are,
W:Twinkle, twinkle, little star.

# Posted on October 14th 2008 by flipe

Not a member yet? Sign up!

forgotten your password?

Frequently Asked Questions

Enter your email address to have your password sent to you.