Song cupboard A

A basket full of nuts

A cat and a mouse and a bumblebee

A cat came a-fiddling out of a barn

A dog and a mouse / Animals’ dance

A frog he would a-wooing go

A frog went walking on a summer’s day

A hundred years ago

A little bird sat on a tree

A little green frog

A nonsense song

A place in the choir

A sly old fox am I

A smile is quite a funny thing

Al tambor de la alegria

All around my hat

All the little chickens in the garden

Among the little white daisies

Away into space

Away with the fairies

Last updated: 5/10/2021 10:49 AM

The songs below are part ofAway we go’ Round and about

compiled, adapted and illustrated by Dany Rosevear

Return to the Singing games for children’ home

To listen to music from these songs click on O

To watch the author sing a song click on the title at:

 

© Dany Rosevear 2008 All rights reserved

You are free to copy, distribute, display and perform these works under the following conditions:

·       you must give the original author credit

·       you may not use this work for commercial purposes

·       for any re-use or distribution, you must make clear to others the licence terms of this work

·       any of these can be waived if you get permission from the copyright holder

 

Your fair use and other rights are no way affected by the above.

 

 

 

A basketful of nuts O

 

 


A song from the Dutch tradition. The English words are by R. Elkin and the song comes from Mabel F. Wilson’s ‘Music time’ an infant teacher’s classic in the 1960s.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


A basket full of nuts I’ve gathered from my auntie’s tree,

And now I’m going home and I am taking them all with me.

Fa la la, fa la la, fa la la la la la la,

Fa la la, fa la la, fa la la la la la la,

A basket full of nuts I’ve gathered from my auntie’s tree.

 


 

 

A cat and a mouse and a bumblebee 🔊

 

 


Dancing lifts the spirits.

I would love to know the origin of this song, supposedly a nursery rhyme, though it is not to be found in The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes (edited by Iona and Peter Opie) or anywhere else for that matter.

Music by Dany Rosevear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


A cat and a mouse and a bumblebee,

Started a dancing with a one, two, three.

They danced in the daytime,

They danced in the night,

They cared not whether it was dark or light.

 

What did they dance to? Don't ask me!

They danced to the hum of the bumble bee,

They danced to the purr of the big tom cat,

They danced to the mouse squeaks high as a hat.

 

Where did they go to? I don't know!

Nobody ever saw them go.

But if you ask me, I'm willing to bet,

That if they are alive still, they are dancing yet.


 

 

A cat came a-fiddling out of a barn O

 

 


This is more traditionally known as: ‘A cat came fiddling out of a barn’.

I came across it in The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes (edited by Iona and Peter Opie) where it was noted that the earliest form of this rhyme appeared in a Wiltshire manuscript and in Nursery Songs and London Jingles both dated around 1740.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


A cat came a-fiddling out of a barn,

With a pair of bagpipes under her arm.

She could play nothing but fiddle-cum-fee,

The mouse has married the bumble bee.

Pipe, cat; dance, mouse;

We'll have a wedding at our good house,

Pipe, cat; dance, mouse;

We'll have a wedding at our good house,

 

A pig came a-dancing out of the barn,

With a pair of drums tucked under his arm.

He could play nothing but diddle-dum-dee,

The mouse has married the bumble bee.

Pipe, cat; dance, mouse;

We'll have a wedding at our good house…

 

A cow came dancing out of the barn,

With a big brass horn under her arm.

She could play nothing but tootle-tum-tee,

The mouse has married the bumble bee.

Pipe, cat; dance, mouse;

We'll have a wedding at our good house…

 


 

 

A dog and a mouse 🔊

 

 


A cumulative song.

Welcome to our house for fun and dancing – the more the merrier!

I presume this came from a BBC Schools TV or radio programme. As a young teacher I would cut out favourite songs from old brochures and add them to my class collection; unfortunately at that time I did not appreciate the need for recording the source and author.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


A dog and a mouse lived together in a house

And spent their time in dancing,

And all day long they would sing a little song

To keep their feet a-prancing.

 

Tweak! Tweak! Tweak! Sang the mouse with a squeak,

Jig, jig, jog went the little dog.

All together with a one and two and three,

Until their bedtime came.

 

There came a horse who said ‘Of course

I seldom go out dancing,

But I have come to join in the fun

So may I now start prancing?’

Hee! Hee! Hee! Said the great big horse…

 

Then up to the door with a rumble and a roar,

Came a great big bull advancing

With eyes bright red, but all he said

Was ‘May I join the dancing?’

Rerr! Rerr! Rerr! Said the bull with a snort…

 

And then came a cow and a big fat sow

And little lambs a-dancing;

We haven’t got a home we can call our very own,

But yours we think entrancing.

Moo! Moo! Moo! Said the friendly cow…

 


 

 

 

A frog he would a-wooing go O

 

 


This is a very familiar song to those of our generation. This is a very old song, I have seen it in 140 Folk songs 1915 It has been suggested that its purpose was to satirize the rural gentry of Suffolk: Rowley, Poley, Bacon and Green were four families of Suffolk notables.(Wikisource)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


A frog he would a-wooing go,

“Heigh ho!” says Rowley;

A frog he would a-wooing go,

Whether his mother would let him or no.

With a rowly, powly, gammon, and spinach,

“Heigh ho!” says Anthony Rowley.

 

So off he set with his opera hat,

“Heigh ho!” says Rowley;

So off he set with his opera hat,

And on the road he met with a rat,

With a rowly, powly, gammon, and spinach,

“Heigh ho!” says Anthony Rowley.

 

They rode till they came to Mousey's Hall,

“Heigh ho!” says Rowley;

They rode till they came to Mousey's Hall,

They gave a loud knock, and they gave a loud call.

With a rowly, powly, gammon, and spinach,

“Heigh ho!” says Anthony Rowley.

 

Pray, Mrs. Mouse, are you within?

“Heigh ho!” says Rowley;

Yes, kind sirs, I'm sitting to spin.

With a rowly, powly, gammon, and spinach,

“Heigh ho!” says Anthony Rowley.

 

Pray, Mr. Frog will you give us a song?

“Heigh ho!” says Rowley;

But let it be something that's not very long.

With a rowly, powly, gammon, and spinach,

“Heigh ho!” says Anthony Rowley.

 

She had not been sitting long to spin,

“Heigh ho!” says Rowley;

When the cat and the kittens came tumbling in.

With a rowly, powly, gammon, and spinach,

“Heigh ho!” says Anthony Rowley.

 

The cat she seized the Rat by the crown,

“Heigh ho!” says Rowley;

The kittens they pulled the little mouse down.

With a rowly, powly, gammon, and spinach,

“Heigh ho!” says Anthony Rowley.

 

This put Mr. Frog in a terrible fright;

“Heigh ho!” says Rowley;

He took up his hat and he wished them “Goodnight.”

With a rowly, powly, gammon, and spinach,

“Heigh ho!” says Anthony Rowley.

 

But as Froggy was crossing a silvery brook,

“Heigh ho!” says Rowley;

A lily white duck came and gobbled him up.

With a rowly, powly, gammon, and spinach,

“Heigh ho!” says Anthony Rowley.

 

So there’s an end of one, two, three,

“Heigh ho!” says Rowley;

The Rat, the Mouse, and the little Frog-gee.

With a rowly, powly, gammon, and spinach,

“Heigh ho!” says Anthony Rowley.

 


 

 

 

A frog went walking on a summer’s day O

 

 


This is more traditionally known as: “Frog went a-courtin’’. This version is adapted from Barbara Ireson and Christopher Rowe’s ‘Over and over again’ published in 1978. A slightly different song was recorded by the Wiggles in Australia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


A frog went walking on a summer’s day,

A hum, a hum.

A frog went walking on a summer’s day,

He met Miss Mousie on the way,

A hum, a hum, a hum, a hum, a hum.

 

He said, “Miss Mousie will you marry me?”

A hum, a hum,

He said, “Miss Mousie will you marry me?

We’ll live together in an apple tree.”

A hum, a hum, a hum, a hum, a hum.

 

The first to the wedding was Mr. Pig,

A hum, a hum,

The first to the wedding was Mr. Pig,

He played the guitar and danced a jig,

A hum, a hum, a hum, a hum, a hum.

 

And what do you think they had for supper?

A hum, a hum,

And what do you think they had for supper?

A fried mosquito and bread and butter.

Yum yum, yum yum, yum yum, yum yum, yum yum.

 

And what do you think they had on the shelf?

A hum, a hum,

And what do you think they had on the shelf?

If you want to know go look for yourself.

A hum, a hum, a hum, a hum, a hum.

 


 

 

A hundred years ago O

 

 


A sea shanty to be believed – do try! A hundred years is a very long time – so true if you are young; if you are old it is no time at all!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


A hundred years is a very long time,

Oh, yes, oh,

A hundred years is a very long time,

A hundred years ago.

 

They used to think that pigs could fly,

Oh, yes, oh,

I don't believe it no, not I,

A hundred years ago.

 

They thought the moon was made of cheese,

Oh, yes, oh,

You can believe it, if you please,

A hundred years ago.

 

They thought the stars was set alight,

Oh, yes, oh,

By some good angel every night,

A hundred years ago.

 

A hundred years is a very long time,

Oh, yes, oh,

A hundred years is a very long time,

A hundred years ago.

 

I thought I heard the old man say,

Oh, yes, oh,

That we were homeward bound today,

It's time for us to go!

 


 

 

A little bird sat on a tree O

 

 


A German song translated into English by Mabel F. Wilson from ‘Music time’ a infant teacher’s classic music book in the 1960s.

Find it translated into Catalan at: http://malandia.cat/2016/01/a-little-bird/ 

 

1, Open and close thumb and forefinger.

2. Move fore finger like a worm. Make hands fly.

3. Brush cheeks for cat’s whiskers.

4. Hold up hands in crouching position. Count with fingers to three.

5. Clap hands.

6. Make hands fly, hold hands to chest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


A little bird sat on a tree, on a tree, on a tree,

A little bird sat on a tree:

Still was he.

 

He saw his breakfast on the grass, on the grass, on the grass

He saw his breakfast on the grass:

Down flew he!

 

A pussy cat was hiding there, hiding there, hiding there,

A pussy cat was hiding there

Near the tree.

 

He set himself to make a spring, make a spring, make a spring,

He set himself to make a spring:

One! Two! Three!

 

But we began to clap our hands, clap our hands, clap our hands,

But we began to clap our hands

Noisily!

 

So then our little bird flew off, bird flew off, bird flew off,

So then our little bird flew off:

Glad were we.


 

 

A little green frog  🔊

 

 

 


A poem by Rose Fyleman.

Music by Ddany Rosevear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


A little green frog once lived in a pool,

The sun was hot but the water was cool;

He sat in the pool the whole day long,

Singing a queer little, dear little song.

“Quaggery do, quaggery dee,

No one was ever so happy as me.”

He sang this song to his little green brother,

And if you don't like it then make me another.

 


 

 

 

A nonsense song O

 

 


For those that are fond of cheese.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


There was an old man who was awfully spry,

Diddle-um, diddle-um day!

He jumped off the ground halfway up to the sky,

Diddle-um, diddle-um day!

And what d’you think the old man saw,

Halfway up to the sky?

The man in the moon eating up his green cheese,

Diddle-um, diddle-um day!

 

The old man he says to the man in the moon,

Diddle-um, diddle-um day!

D’you think there’s a chance of you coming down soon?

Diddle-um, diddle-um day!

For as I’m very fond of cheese, bring with you I pray,

A very large piece for my tea if you please,

Diddle-um, diddle-um day!


 

 

A place in the choir 🔊

 

 


A wonderful song by Bill Staines, born 1947, an American folk musician from Massachusetts who has written and performed many other notable songs including those for children.

You can find versions by Irish musicians with badgers, otter and blackbirds and other European creatures joining the choir. It is also a popular song sung by young community groups and in school assemblies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


All God’s critters got a place in the choir,

Some sing low and some sing higher;

Some sing out loud on the telephone wire,

Some just clap their hands, or paws,

Or anything they got now.

 

Listen to the bass, it's the one on the bottom,

Where the bullfrog croaks and the hippopotamus

Moans and groans with a big t'do

And the old cow just goes ‘Moo!’.

 

The dogs and the cats they take up the middle

The honeybee hums and the cricket fiddles,

The donkey brays and the pony neighs

And the old coyote howls.

Chorus

 

Listen to the top where the little birds sing,

The melody with the high note ringing

The hoot owl hollers over everything

And the jaybird disagrees.

 

Singing in the night time, singing in the day,

The little duck quacks and is on his way.

The possum hasn’t got much to say

And the porcupine talks to himself.

Chorus

 

It's a simple song, you can sing it everywhere

With the ox and the fox and the grizzly bear,

The grumpy alligator, the the hawk above,

The sly raccoon and the turtle dove.

 

Everybody here is a part of the plan;

We all get to play in the great critter band,

From the eagle in the sky to the whale in the sea,

It’s one great symphony.

Chorus

 


 

 

 

A sly old fox am I O

 

 


A traditional song published in ‘Infant Joy’ edited by Desmond Mahon and published in 1954 by University of London Press; it was one of the standard song books in the infant classroom when I first began my teaching career in the 1960s. The book unfortunately does not acknowledge source materials.

Sing stealthily.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


A sly old fox am I,

And in a farm nearby,

I hear the geese say, “Clack, clack, clack!”

The ducks say, “Quack, quack, quack!”

A sly old fox am I.

 

All night when they’re asleep

Into the yard I creep;

A goose upon my back I throw

Then quickly home I go;

A sly old fox am I.

 

The farmer he has come

To shoot me with his gun

But though he searches everywhere,

He cannot find my lair;

A sly old fox am I.


 

 

A smile is quite a funny thing 🔊

 

 


A cheerful contagious community song, without a mask. We all all need cheering up at times like these and that is exactly what a smile can do.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


A smile is quite a funny thing,

It wrinkles up your face,

And when it's gone you never find

Its secret hiding place.

 

But far more wonderful it is,

To see what smiles can do.

You smile at one, he smiles at you,

And so one smile makes two.

 

He smiles at someone, since you smiled,

And then that one smiles back,

And that one smiles until, in truth,

You fail in keeping track.

 

And since a smile can do great good,

By cheering hearts of care.

Let's smile and not forget the fact

That smiles go everywhere.


 

 

 

Al tambor de la alegria 🔊

 

 


A folk song from Panama adapted from a song written in 1918 by Juan Pastor Peredes to praise Panamanian life and its natural beauty.

Translated loosely into English by Dany Rosevear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Al tambor, al tambor, Al tambor de la Alegría,

Yo quiero que tu me lleves, Al tambor de la Alegría.

 

Maria, oh, Maria, Maria, amiga mia.

Yo quiero que tu me lleves, Al tambor de la Alegría.

 

Happy days, come away to the drums, we’ll play together,

We’ll play such a lively beat as we play the drums together,

Happy days, come away to the drums, we’ll play together,

We’ll play such a lively beat as we play the drums together.

 

Maria, oh Maria, Maria my friend come with me,

We’ll play such a lively beat as we play the drums together.


 

 

 

All around my hat 🔊

 

 


A folk song for the Spring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


All around my hat I will wear the green willow;

And all around my hat for a twelve-month and a day;

And if anyone should ask me the reason why I'm wearing it,

It's all for my true love who is far, far away.

 

Fare thee well cold winter and fare thee well cold frost;

Nothing have I gained but my own true love I've lost;

I'll sing and I'll be merry when occasion I do see,

He's a false deluding young man, let him go, farewell he.

 

The other night he brought me a fine diamond ring,

But he thought to have deprived me of a far better thing

But I being careful like lovers ought to be,

He's a false deluding young man, let him go, farewell he.

 

Here's a half a pound of reason, and a quarter pound of sense,

A small sprig of thyme and as much of prudence;

You mix them all together and you will plainly see,

He's a false deluding young man, let him go, farewell he.


 

 

 

All the little chickens in the garden 🔊

 

 


Find this song in ‘Songs of England, Ireland and Scotland’ by D. Milner and P. Kaplan, published in 1983. The version below is more or less is the one collected from Joe Udall, a Cumbrian shepherd in 1974 by Norma Waterson and Martin Carthy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


When first I came to Yorkshire,

Not many years ago.

I met with a bonny Yorkshire lass,

And I’ll have you all to know,

She was both blithe and buxom,

So beautiful and gay,

Now listen while I tell to you,

What her daddy used to say…

 

“Treat my daughter kindly,

Don't do her any harm.

And when I die I'll leave to you,

My tiny little farm.

My cow, my pig and my sheep and goat,

My house, my field and barn.

And all the little chickens in the garden."

 

When first I came to court the lass,

She was so blooming shy.

She never said a dicky bird,

When other folks went by.

But as soon as we were on our own,

She made me name the day,

Now listen while I tell to you,

What her daddy used to say…

 

And so I wed my Yorkshire lass,

So pleasing to my mind,

I always did prove true to her,

And she proved true and kind.

We have three kids, they’re grown up now.

There's a grandkid on the way.

And when I look into their eyes,

I hear their grandad say…


 

 

 

Among the little white daisies  🔊

 

 


An adaptation of a folk song from Alabama.

A good introduction song and way of including new children into a group. Can also be used as a birthday song. Children’s self confidence can be built by using their name.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Peter is his first name, first name, first name,

Peter is his first name, among the little white daisies.

Johnson is his second name, second name, second name,

Johnson is his second name, among the little white daisies.

 

This is Emilia’s birthday, birthday, birthday,

This is Emilia’s birthday, she’s six years old today.


 

 

Away into space 🔊

 

 


This song comes from Cynthia Raza’s book ‘The lollipop man’ published in 1975.

An opportunity to mime space actions including moon walks!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Chorus:Away, away, away to the stars,

Maybe to Venus, maybe to Mars.

Away, away, away from our base

Into space.

 

All systems ready

At Mission Control,

We blast off at midnight

And head for our goal

Into space.

 

We land on the moon

And do a moon walk,

They see us on Earth,

And they even hear us talk

In space.

 

Our space-suits are special

As the atmosphere is rare,

Our boots must be weighted

Or we’d float in the air

In space.


 

 

Away with fairies 🔊

 

 


We’ve all been there!

Words and music by Dany Rosevear. This song took inspiration from a time when I was very young and had an extended childhood illness. In my imagination the fairies came to visit, the shadows of the leaves outside made the fairies slide down my knees. My grandparents played along with my imaginings with little stories and the gardener on the railway embankment provided me with teeny potatoes to feed the fairies which I did on rose petal plates.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Away with the fairies, down in the dell,

Riding on bumble bees, dancing with elves;

Peeping, laughing, playing hide and seek,

In and out the buttercups, do they never sleep?

 

Falling with the raindrops, splashing with glee,

Little folk, fairy folk, follow, follow me!

Into my garden fly, I’ll make a fairy feast,

On pink rose petals; we’ll welcome bird and beast.

 

Hedgehogs, badgers, foxes join us in the fun,

Til night comes a-calling with the setting of the sun,

Flutter with the twilight leaves up in the trees,

Flit with shadows of sleepytime, sliding down my knees.

 

Tell me sweet stories in the moon’s silvery beams,

With magic and fairy dust, blow away bad dreams;

Look underneath my pillow a little tooth to find,

And a letter for my fairy friends to thank them for their time.

 

Away with the fairies, down in the dell,

Riding on bumble bees, dancing with elves;

Peeping, laughing, playing hide and seek,

In and out the buttercups, do they never sleep?


 

 

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