In honor of Purim Katan, I thought it would be nice to share some grammen with y’all!

Grammen is a traditional Purim tune meant to tastefully poke fun at people or practices. There is a standard tune for grammen, where the performer sings a line and the audience responds with “da-da-da-da-da-da-da”.

My husband has been singing grammen in our shul for years. At some point, our kids caught on and started writing their own grammen too (we are probably the only family that listens to grammen for a month after Purim!).

I have been caught by surprise some years when asked to accompany the grammen on the piano. (I know, you would think I might remember from year to year, but I am amazingly forgetful that way!) Fortunately, there aren’t many chords in this song, so it is pretty easy.

Sheet Music

Download Grammen for Purim in C (PDF)

Download Grammen for Purim in G (PDF)

How to Play

You can, as always, begin by just playing the block chords. If you are looking for something a little more exciting, try this accompaniment:

1. Play the root note of the chord in the left hand.
   For example, when playing a C chord, play the note “C” with your left hand, finger 5.

   

2. Play the block chord in the right hand.
   In our example, just play a C chord in the right hand.

   

3. Play the root note of the chord one octave above where you played it in step 1. Use the left hand, finger 1 (thumb).
   Ex, C (just the note) an octave above the C you played in step 1.

   

4. Play the block chord in your right hand again.