About For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow#
The tune behind For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow is French. It is the old melody of Malbrough s’en va-t-en guerre, a song about a soldier gone to war, and English speakers took it over for the toast sung at birthdays, retirements and send-offs. The same tune also carries The Bear Went Over the Mountain.
This tab fits on four lines and is printable, which makes it handy to bring along to a party. On the 12-hole ocarina it is about as friendly as songs get. It stays between C and A, all natural notes, so you never touch a sub-hole or a thumb hole. Most of the work is keeping the rhythm bouncy and giving the last line its big finish.
For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow Ocarina Tab#
| C | E | E | E | D | E | F | E |
| E | D | D | D | C | D | E | C |
| C | E | E | E | D | E | F | A |
| A | G | E | F | E | D | C |