Dry Bones

Words & Music:

Traditional

 

This is an excellent game and song for young kids and one which I've used very successfully to teach the concept of "tempo" in the classroom.  For older students, it is a great exercise in transposition and the ascending and descending chords are a great example of how "F#" and "Gb" are the same chord, but this is how they are used in ascending and descending context.  Unfortunately, if I were to do so now, someone would bring me up on charges by focusing on the "tree" of the line "I hear the word of the Lord" and missing the "forest" of orally and kinetically teaching the concept of tempo and a general awareness of anatomy, to boot!  Again, I say, get over it.  If it really bothers you, change it to "I hear the word from above." or something equally inoffensive to you.

 

 D                     A7  D        A7                       D

Ezekiel connected them dry bones, Ezekiel connected them dry bones,

D                      G            D        A7          D

Ezekiel connected them dry bones, I hear the word of the Lord!

 

    D                           A7   D

The toe bone's connected to the foot bone.

    D#                           A#7   D#

The foot bone's connected to the ankle bone.

    E                            B7  E

The anklebone's connected to the leg bone.

    F                           C7   F

The leg bone's connected to the knee bone.

    F#                           C#7   F#

The knee bone's connected to the thigh bone.

    G                            D7  G

The thighbone's connected to the hip bone.

    G#                         D#7  G#

The hipbone's connected to the back bone.

    A                           E7       A

The backbone's connected to the shoulder bone.

    A#                               E#7  A#

The shoulder bone's connected to the neck bone.

    B                            F#7  B

The neck bone's connected to the head bone.

  B        F#7         B

I hear the word of the Lord!

 

     B                       F#7   B            F#7                           B

Them bones, them bones gonna walk around.  Them bones, them bones gonna walk around.

     B                       E               B        F#7         B

Them bones, them bones gonna walk around.  I hear the word of the Lord!

 

Them bones, them bones gonna walk around!  Them bones, them bones gonna walk around!

Them bones, them bones gonna walk around!  I hear the word of the Lord!

 

Disconnect them bones, them dry bones.  Disconnect them bones, them dry bones.

Disconnect them bones, them dry bones.  I hear the word of the Lord!

 

     B                                F#7  B

Your head bone disconnected from your neck bone.

     Bb                               F7  Bb

Your neck bone disconnected from your backbone.

     A                               E7 A

Your backbone disconnected from your hipbone.

     Ab                             Eb7  Ab

Your hipbone disconnected from your thighbone.

     G                                D7   G

Your thighbone disconnected from your knee bone.

     Gb                               Db7 Gb

Your knee bone disconnected from your leg bone.

     F                               C7   F

Your leg bone disconnected from your anklebone.

     E                                B7   E

Your anklebone disconnected from your foot bone.

     Eb                               Bb7 Eb

Your foot bone disconnected from your toe bone.

  D        A7          D

I hear the word of the Lord!

  D        A7          D

I hear the word of the Lord!

 

HAVE THE KIDS "PUT THEIR BONES TOGETHER"; WALK AROUND WITH THOSE BONES AND THEN "TAKE THEIR BONES APART" IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE MUSIC.  THE TEMPO AND VOLUME INCREASE DURING THE "CONNECTING" OF THE BONES AND DECREASE DURING THE "DISCONNECTING" OF THE BONES.