Yeah I can’t get it to fit the usual melody. Did you happen to put it on YouTube?

No I haven't recorded it for YouTube. I do have it on some home video somewhere, maybe. I would probably have to dig for that and maybe do a format conversion from 8mm tape.

This works for me:

Z, y, x, w, v, u, t...

S, r, q, p, o, n, m...

L, k, j,

I, h, g,

F, e, d, c, b, and a.

Yes this also works but the reason I went with "L-K-J-I-H-G-F" over this deals with the fact that I can get each letter distinctly enunciated whereas if I mash the last line as you did there can be some muddying of the first two letters and you end up with another "elemental pee" problem in teaching the letters.

I think F and E are too easy to turn into "effy" when you sing it out.

It's a personal preference. Yours works too.

Oh, you're right. That is a good point. And after looking at your detailed breakdown [0], your original line breaks do make sense. It does work better singing as "Baa Baa Black Sheep" with different lyrics than as "The Alphabet Song" with backwards lyrics.

[0] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36373590

You have to do it like you handle the switch from Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star to Baa, Baa, Black Sheep.

NOTES = 0

ABC = 1

BWABC = 2

TTLS = 3

BBBS = 4

[0] C, C, G, G, A, A, (long G)

[1] A, b, c, d, e, f, (g)...

[2] Z, y, x, w, v, u, (t)...

[3] Twin, -kle, twin, -kle, lit, -tle, (star),

[4] Baa, baa, black, sheep, have, you, (any wool)?

[0] F, F, E, E, D, D, (long C)

[1] H, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, (p)... (the elemental problem rises because they crammed an extra letter into this line and distinguishing each individual letter gets muddy because they used the two D notes for four letters - l, m, n, o. This is not optimum)

[2] S, r, q, p, o, n, (m)... (gives each letter an opportunity to be clearly enunciated)

[3] How, I, won, -der, what, you, (are)...

[4] Yes, sir, yes, sir, three, bags, (full)

[0] G, G, F, F, E, E, (long D)

[1] Q, r, s, t, u, (v)... (pause on the F at S, or use a long F between S and T sop that the third and fourth notes merge on S)

[2] L, k, j, i, h, g, (f)... (fits the flow and allows each letter to have a distinct sound)

[3] Up, a, -bove, the, world, so, (high)

[4] One, for the, mas, -ter, one, for the, (dame)

[0] G, G, F, F, E, E, (long D)

[1] W, x, y, and, (z)... (Both notes G, F are merged to handle the single letter they are sounding and the E includes "Y and" to get you to the last letter)

[2] E, d, c, b, and (a). (This handles the rhythm like we see in [1] treatment of the stretching or pause on the third letter of the series)

[3] Like, a, dia, -mond, in, the, (sky)

[4] One, for the, lit -tle, girl, who, lives, down the, (lane)

[0] C, C, G, G, A, A, (long G)

[1] Now, I've, sung, my, A, B, (C's)

[2] Now, I've, sung, them, back, -wards, (to you),

[3] Twin, -kle, twin, -kle, lit, -tle, (star)

[4] Baa, baa, black, sheep, have, you, (any wool)?

[0] F, F, E, E, D, D, (long C)

[1] Tell, me, what, you, think, of, (me).

[2] Can, you, sing, them, back, -wards, (too)?

[3] How, I, won, -der, what, you, (are)

[4] Yes, sir, yes, sir, three, bags, (full)

That's all I got. That's how I sing it. I tried to break out the notes as they flow in each song. Commas separate each note in the song and the parentheses around the last word or letter denote a long note. Where you see two words behind one comma those two words use the same note - "for the" is an example. It all fits for me though I guarantee that there is more than one way to skin this cat. This way works for me.

It took me a bit to get it, but this is an excellent explanation. Thank you :)