Lightly Row

This gentle little tune began life in Germany as “Hänschen klein,” or “Little Hans,” a folk song from the early 1800s that eventually became a nursery favorite for German children. It crossed over into English as “Lightly Row,” picking up new words about rowing a boat along the way. Simple, singable, and built from just a handful of notes, it's no surprise that generations of piano teachers--including me--have used it as one of the very first real tunes a beginner learns to play with confidence.