I Hear America Singing

"I Hear America Singing" is a song for baritone and piano, with music by Tom Cipullo and poetry by Walt Whitman. The song was commissioned by the 5 Boroughs Music Festival and The Walt Whitman Project.

Date: 2008Composer: Tom CipulloText: Walt Whitman

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Text

I Hear America Singing
by Walt Whitman

I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear;
Those of mechanics — each one singing his, as it should be, blithe and strong;
The carpenter singing his, as he measures his plank or beam,
The mason singing his, as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work;
The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat —
the deckhand singing on the steamboat deck;
The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench — the hatter singing as he stands;
The wood-cutter’s song — the ploughboy’s, on his way in the morning,
or at the noon intermission, or at sundown;t
The delicious singing of the mother — or of the young wife at work —
or of the girl sewing or washing — Each singing what belongs to her, and to none else;
The day what belongs to the day — At night, the party of young fellows, robust, friendly,
Singing, with open mouths, their strong melodious songs.

Sheet Music

"I Hear America Singing"

Composer(s): Tom Cipullo

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