Chemical Education Today
Letters attraction of the book lies in the Foreword written by Sir Hans Krebs.
Music and Chemistry Cory C. Pye has published a charming article on the use of songs to enhance the teaching of chemistry (1). Pye does not cite, and perhaps some of your readers do not know of, the book by Harold Baum, The Biochemists’ Songbook (2). Familiar songs are set to original words: the initial words to the “Battle Hymn of the Republic” become “Mine eyes have seen the glory of respiratory chains” and “Camptown Races” is used to describe purine biosynthesis (“Oh glycine gives C–5 and 4, and N–7”). Baum suggests that these be sung in a communal setting with a blood alcohol level of around 35 mg percent (0.035%). An added
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Literature Cited 1. Pye, C. C. J. Chem. Educ. 2004, 81, 507–508. 2. Baum, H. The Biochemists’ Songbook, 2nd ed.; Taylor & Francis: London, 1995. E. J. Behrman Department of Biochemistry The Ohio State University Columbus, OH 43210
[email protected] Vol. 82 No. 1 January 2005
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Journal of Chemical Education
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