First Soprano's Lament
copyright 1999 by Michelle Dockrey

      G                        A         G
In a clan full of singers and natural musicians
      G                            A         G
In a house full of mics, amps, guitars and piano
    G                       D            C
By luck or by fate to this bunch I was born...
     G      D        G
The family first soprano

My family's delightful-- we love harmonizing
And birthdays in my house sets rafters a-ringing
But tho you love harm'ny, when you're first soprano
The melody's what you're singing!

CHORUS
     G                     A      G
And higher and higher the melody goes
     G         D             G             G
Hold onto your head and you stand on your toes
     G      A            G              C
And anyone here who has sung the part knows
     G          D       G
The lot of the first soprano
(Alternate 3rd line:  And anyone here who's sung _________ knows 
(e.g. Wanderlust, Sandman, etc.))

Alone in the house you may practice your part
Replaying the tape til it gets in your head
Rhehearsing the high notes that send the cat howling
To hide underneath the bed

When Christmastime comes, how I love to sing carols
The lovely old ballads & kids' songs as well
But there's just no escape-- someone always requests it--
"Oh won't you sing Carol of the--"
                            
(tune: Carol of the Bells) Hark to the bells, sweet silver bells,
All seem to say, throw cares away...

(roll G to start chorus)

BRIDGE
        F                      C
Now we sometimes record and we do ourselves proud
        F                              C
But so high, to sing true, sometimes means to sing loud
          F                           C
There we are, 'round the living room mics one & all
      D
With they at the mics... 
    D
and I stepping back...     D                             
                 farther  back...   D
                           on the couch...       D
                                   'gainst the wall...

When once in a while you do not have the tune
But a harmony part, it's an absolute scream (spoken: literally!)
Pitched higher than high, but how bravely you try:
                           C
(tune: Mr. Sandman)  Mr. Sandman bring me a dream!

(roll D to start chorus)


bridge melody (this note is for vix):
a g f f f a g f e f g e
a g f f f a a b c b a g
a g f f f a g f e f g c
c d d e d
c d d e d
d e d
d e d
d e d