On a bright spring day, the girls of our bluegrass trio decided to treat themselves — and their listeners — to a playful little experiment. First, they sang a cheerful song using only vowels. Then they tried the very same tune using only consonants. And once that mischief got rolling, they simply had to do it both ways again. The result is a lighthearted bluegrass romp full of laughter, rhythmic wordplay, and pure springtime fun. [Spoken] Girls, remember our song about tongue twisters? [Spoken] Forget it? Never! Betty Botter bought some butter, broke the batter — ha-ha-ha! [Spoken] Then let’s be ridiculous and sing this one in vowels only! [Spoken] Deal! And after that, same tune in consonants only. [All laugh] [Verse 1] In April English starts to skip like banjos in spring sun Its playful sounds can leap all day till lessons turn to fun A silent E can tease a grin, a vowel can softly slide Crisp consonants can snap in time as fiddles grin in pride Odd little rules can kick and clap like dancers on a rail Short comic drills can jingle fast like pennies in a pail So on bright blue April days our trio starts to sing A happy song on English rules to make porch floorboards ring [Spoken] Ooh, that’s cute — like grammar in a jam jar! [Spoken] All right, ladies, vowels only — everybody smile and over-enunciate! [Verse 2 — vowels only] I Ai Ei a o i ie ao i i u I au ou a ea a a i eo u o u A ie E a eae a i, a oe a o ie I ooa a a i ie a ie i i ie O ie ue a i a a ie ae o a ai O oi i a ie a ie eie i a ai O o i ue Ai a ou io a o i A a o o Ei ue o ae o oooa i [Spoken] Mercy, we sound like three flirty cats on a moon fence! [Spoken] Good. Now boots on, vowels out — consonants! YEAH! [Verse 3 — consonants only] N prl nglsh strts t skp lk bnjs n sprng sn Ts plyfl snds cn lp ll dy tll lssns trn t fn Slnt cn ts grn, vwl cn sftly sld Shrt cmc drlls cn jngl fst lk pnns n pl S n brght bl prl dys r tr strts t sng Hppy sng n nglsh rls t mk prch flrbrds rng [Spoken] Well girls, did we let the steam out? [Spoken1] For today, yes — come back tomorrow! [Outro] Chk-trk, chiki-triki, clp-clp, prr! Plnk-plnk, trk-trk, stmp-stmp, hrr! Bnj-rff, fddl-kck, sprng-jm, grn! Prch-clp, grss-jmp, trr-trr, fn! Ai-ai, i-i-i, a-a, oo! E-e, a-oa, i-i, uu! Ao-ai, ee-oa, a-a, ei! I-i, a-e, oo-a, ai!
