Song cupboard T (b) old file

The birch tree (Beriozka)

The bird song

The cockle gatherer

The Derby Ram

The frog and the mouse

The jackfish

The grey hawk

The old woman and her pig

The lambs in the green fields

The lion is king of the jungle

The old grey duck

The poor king

The shepherd and his dog

The shiny little house

The spinning song

The tailor and the mouse

The Tottenham toad

The worm song

There was a good old woman

There was a man and he was mad

There were three jolly fishermen

There once was a sow

There’s a fox in a box

There’s a little wheel a-turning

There’s someone living on a big high hill

Three jolly rogues of Lynn

Three men went a-hunting

Last updated: 8/14/2016 8:46 PM

The songs below are part of ‘Away we go’

compiled, adapted and illustrated by Dany Rosevear

Return to the ‘Singing games for children’ home page

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

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The birch tree (Beriozka) O

A beautiful old Russian folk song.

There are many translations of this song and you can find some more at: http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=60360

See the lovely birch in the meadow,

See the leaves a-dancing when the wind blows.

Loo-lee-loo, in the meadow,

Loo-lee-loo, when the wind blows.

I will take three twigs from the birch tree,

I will carve three flutes from its branches.

Loo-lee-loo, from the birch tree,

Loo-lee-loo, from its branches.

Then for my old grandfather’s pleasure,

From the birch I’ll make a balalaika

Loo-lee-loo, for his pleasure,

Loo-lee-loo, balalaika.

As I play my tingling balalaika,

I will think of you, my lovely birch tree.

Loo-lee-loo, balalaika,

Loo-lee-loo, lovely birch tree.

The bird song O

There are many more verses to this song about courting.

"Hi!" said the blackbird, sitting on a chair,

"Once I courted a lady fair,

She proved fickle and turned her back,

And ever since then I've dressed in black."

Chorus:

Howdy dowdy diddle-um-dum,

Howdy dowdy diddle-um-day,

Howdy dowdy diddle-um-dum,

Howdy dowdy diddle-um-day.

"Hi!" said the blue jay and away he flew,

"If I were a young man I'd have two;

If one proved fickle and chanced to go,

I'd have another string to my bow."

"Hi!" said the little leather-winged bat,

"I will tell you the reason that,

The reason that I fly by night,

Is because I lost my heart's delight."

"Hi!" said the robin, with a little squirm,

"I wish I had a great big worm;

I’d fly away into my nest;

I have a wife I think is best."

The cockle gatherer O

A song from the Hebrides made famous by Kenneth McKellar. I came across it on the BBC radio programme Music Box in the 1980s

Eetia doo veel,

Eetia a doo horo,

Eetia doo veel,

Blythe I gather cockles here,

Eetia doo veel,

Eetia a doo horo,

Eetia doo veel,

Blythe I gather cockles here.

High scream the seagulls

Down on the skerry there,

High scream the seagulls

While I gather cockles here,

High scream the seagulls

Down on the skerry there,

High scream the seagulls

While I gather cockles here.

Eetia doo veel,

Eetia a doo horo,

Eetia doo veel,

While I gather cockles here etc.

Laughter of sea-waves

Down on the skerry there,

Laughter of sea-waves

While I gather cockles here.

Laughter of sea-waves

Down on the skerry there,

Laughter of sea-waves

While I gather cockles here.

Eetia doo veel,

Eetia a doo horo,

Eetia doo veel,

While I gather cockles here.

Eetia doo veel,

Eetia a doo horo,

Eetia doo veel,

Still I gather cockles here.

The frog and the mouse O

As a traditional English folk song such a pairing is not so unusual; some of these lines and themes can be found in other songs and tunes see: http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=2338

A ‘buckler’ is a small round shield.

There was a frog lived in a well,

Whipsee diddledee dandy oh!

There was a mouse lived in a mill,

Whipsee diddledee dandy oh!

This frog he would a-wooing ride,

With sword and pistol by his side.

With a harum scarum diddle dum darum,

Whipsee diddledee dandy oh!

He rode till he came to Mouse's Hall,

Whipsee diddledee dandy oh!

Where he most tenderly did call,

Whipsee diddledee dandy oh!

"Oh! Mistress Mouse, are you at home?

And if you are, oh please come down."

With a harum scarum diddle dum darum,

Whipsee diddledee dandy oh!

"My Uncle Rat is not at home;

Whipsee diddledee dandy oh!

I dare not for my life come down."

Whipsee diddledee dandy oh!

Then Uncle Rat he soon comes home,

"And who's been here since I've been gone?"

With a harum scarum diddle dum darum,

Whipsee diddledee dandy oh!

"Here's been a fine young gentleman,

Whipsee diddledee dandy oh!

Who says he'll have me if he can."

Whipsee diddledee dandy oh!

Then Uncle Rat gave his consent,

And made a handsome settlement.

With a harum scarum diddle dum darum,

Whipsee diddledee dandy oh!

Four partridge pies with season made,

Whipsee diddledee dandy oh!

Two potted larks and marmalade,

Whipsee diddledee dandy oh!

Four woodcocks and a venison pie,

I would that at that feast were I!

With a harum scarum diddle dum darum,

Whipsee diddledee dandy oh!

The jackfish O

A traditional song from Virginia. Find out more at: http://patmccaskey.com/jackfish-952

That old Jackfish swimming up the stream,

I asked that Jackfish what did he mean.

Just baited a hook to catch a shad,

The first thing he bit was my old Dad.

Chorus:

Oh, my lordy lor gal, Cindy, Cindy,

Lordy lor gal, Cindy Sue.

Fishpole broke and I got mad,

And down to the bottom went old Dad.

I grabbed that Jackfish by the snout,

And turned that Jackfish wrong side out.

The grey hawk O

A folk song, possibly from Dorset in England. It was published in BBC broadcasts to schools, Time and Tune, Spring term 1961. It was also published in OUP Ears and Eyes Bk2 1974 where it was ascribed to Mrs Vaughan Williams. In both the publications you can find the first two verses of a longer song about a cuckolded husband. Find out more at: https://mainlynorfolk.info/watersons/songs/littlegreyhawk.html

Once I had a grey hawk, and a pretty grey hawk,

A sweet pretty bird of my own.

But she took fright and she flew away quite,

And there’s nobody knows where she's gone, my brave boys,

And there's nobody knows where she's gone.

So it's over the forest I rambled away,

And through the green fields I did stray.

I hollered, I whooped, I played on my flute,

Not my sweet pretty bird could I find, my brave boys,

Not my sweet pretty bird could I find.

The lambs in the green fields O

This lovely Irish air comes from Bill Meek’s ‘Moon penny’; I have added some chords.

It is also known as ‘The false bride’ and below is just the chorus as it is a mournful ballad that tells of a wedding with a tragic ending.

Find out the whole story at: http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=123300

The lambs in the green fields they sport as they play,

And lots of strawberries grow around the salt sea,

And lots of strawberries grow round the salt sea,

And many’s the ship sails the ocean.

The lion is king of the jungle O

A song from the 1970s. Words and music by Christopher Rowe.

The lion is king of the jungle,

A terrible beast to behold;

All of the animals know who he is,

And everyone does as he’s told,

Yes, everyone does as he’s told.

There’s no-one as strong as the lion,

And this is why he’s so proud:

He leaps in the air and creeps through the grass,

And his voice is terribly loud,

His voice is terribly loud.

You know when the lion is angry,

He lets out a frightening roar;

The birds fly away and the animals hide,

They know he is coming for sure,

Yes, they know he is coming for sure.

The lion is frightened of no-one,

He walks with his head held high;

The animals know by the mane on his neck

That this is the king going by,

Yes, this is the king going by.

The lion is king of the jungle,

A terrible beast to behold;

All of the animals know who he is,

And everyone does as he’s told,

Yes, everyone does as he’s told.

The old grey duck O

This song from West Cornwall was collected by Ralph Dunstan for his book ‘Cornish dialects and folk songs’.

The version here is free from dialect apart from the word ‘beels’ / ‘bills’ which is needed for rhyming! It has been brilliantly recorded by the late Cyril Tawney in his wonderful CD ‘Children songs from Devon and Cornwall’!

The old grey duck she stole her nest

And laid down in the fields;

And when the young ones did came forth,

They had no tails nor beels,

And when the young ones did came forth,

They had no tails nor beels.

Two eggs were addled and one was broke,

And they were thrown away;

The young ones couldn’t clunk nor swim

They all died that same day,

The young ones couldn’t clunk nor swim,

They all died that same day.

Next time we'll put her in the barn,

And tie her by the heels;

The young ones then may have a chance

To grow their tails and beels,

The young ones then may have a chance

To grow their tails and beels.

The old woman and her pig O

This is a traditional Appalachian song but the words here were written by Jean Gilbert and are more suitable for young children who will love making the piggy noises.You can easily find the macabre version on the internet.

There was an old woman and she had a little pig,

Oink, oink, oink. x2

There was an old woman and she had a little pig,

It didn't cost much 'cause it wasn't very big.

Oink, oink, oink.

Now that little pig curled up in a heap,

Oink, oink, oink. x2

That little pig curled up in a heap,

He joined his friends and went to sleep

Oink, oink, oink.

They slept and slept and slept and slept,

Sh, sh, sh, x2

They slept and slept and slept and slept,

And slept and slept and slept and slept,

Sh, sh, sh.

The farmer woke them one by one,

Oink, oink, oink. x2

The farmer woke them one by one,

And they rolled right out in the midday sun,

Oink, oink, oink.

They rolled and rolled and rolled and rolled,

Oink, oink, oink. x2

They rolled and rolled and rolled and rolled

And rolled and rolled and rolled and rolled,

Oink, oink, oink.

Those little pigs rolled back in their pen,

Oink, oink, oink. x2

Those little pigs rolled back in their pen,

They went to sleep once again,

Oink, oink, oink.

The poor king O

The words of this song are by Chris Green. The words are ideal for making up your own crazy verses.

The poor king found a goldfish in his bath,

A goldfish in his bath, a goldfish in his bath,

The poor king found a goldfish in his bath,

That swam between his toes.

The poor king found a monkey in his soup,

A monkey in his soup, a monkey in his soup,

The poor king found a monkey in his soup,

That pulled the poor king’s beard.

The poor king found a tiger in his bed,

A tiger in his bed, a tiger in his bed,

The poor king found a tiger in his bed,

That ate the poor king up.

The shepherd and his dog O

This song can be found in Singing Together, BBC Broadcasts to Schools, Spring Term, 1959. It has a traditional Welsh tune 'Twll Bach y Clo' and the words are by Barbara Kluge.

Find out more about this song at: http://www.joe-offer.com/folkinfo/songs/902.html .

There once was a shepherd who lived on his own,

Away on the hills in a hut built of stone.

He guarded his sheep, and they kept to the trail,

So the shepherd whistled gaily and the dog wagged his tail.

In spring-time he watched how the lambs in their play

All kicked up their hooves then darted away.

The dog fetched them back if they strayed to the dale,

So the shepherd whistled gaily and the dog wagged his tail.

In winter he sheltered away from the cold

With his dog by the fire, while the flock in the fold

Lay safe from the blustering, buffeting gale,

So the shepherd whistled gaily while the dog wagged his tail.

The shiny little house O

A poem by Nancy M Hayes. One set firmly in the past!

I wish, how I wish, that I had a little house,

With a mat for the cat and a holey for the mouse,

And a clock going "tock" in the corner of the room,

And a kettle, and a cupboard, and a big birch broom.

To school in the morning the children off would run,

And I'd give them a kiss and a penny and a bun,

But directly they had gone from this little house of mine,

I'd clap my hands and snatch a cloth and shine, shine, shine.

I'd shine all the knives, all the windows and the floors,

All the grates, all the plates, all the handles on the doors,

Every fork, every spoon, every lid and every tin,

Till everything was shining like a new bright pin.

At night by the fire, when the children were in bed,

I'd sit and I'd knit, with a cap upon my head,

And the kettles, and the saucepans,

They would shine, shine, shine,

In this teeny little, cozy little house of mine.

The spinning song O

This can be heard in the Dutch, German (Spinn, spinn, meine liebe Tochter) and Scandinavian tradition with many variations. Most of the chorus’s translate as: ‘But I can't keep spinning My finger is hurting! It's sore, it's sore! I'll spin no more.’

But I have always been familiar with the chorus below.

Have a go at making up new rhyming verses. The verses below are my own.

“Spin, spin my dear daughter,

And I’ll buy you some shoes.”

“Oh, thank you dear mother,

Ones with buckles will do.

Chorus

I’ll spin and I’ll spin till my fingers are sore,

I’ll spin till I can’t spin any more!”

“Spin, spin my dear daughter,

And I’ll buy you a dress.”

“Oh, thank you dear mother,

One with pockets is best.

Chorus

“Spin, spin my dear daughter,

And I’ll buy you a hat.”

“Oh, thank you dear mother,

One with ribbons that flap.

Chorus

“Spin, spin my dear daughter,

And I’ll buy you some gloves.”

“Oh, thank you dear mother,

And a white turtle dove.

Chorus

“Spin, spin my dear daughter,

And I’ll buy you some socks.”

“Oh, thank you dear mother,

Ones with colourful spots.

Chorus

The tailor and the mouse O

This may well be familiar to some as ‘Uncle Feedle’ from Bagpuss which was adapted by Sandra Kerr from this traditional source. The version below is adapted from Cecil Sharp and Baring Gould's English Folk Songs for Schools; it has a kinder ending!

Another verse from the wonderful Alan Mill’s 1956 Folk songs for young folk ‘Animals’ album goes: The mouse ran here the mouse ran there… Until he tripped and fell downstairs…

There was a tailor had a mouse,

Hi-diddle-um-come feedle,

They lived together in one house,

Hi-diddle-um-come feedle.

Chorus

Hi-diddle-um-come, tarum tantum,

Through the town of Ramsey,

Hi-diddle-um-come over the lea,

Hi-diddle-um-come feedle.

The tailor thought the mouse was ill,

Hi-diddle-um-come feedle,

Because he took an awful chill,

Hi-diddle-um-come feedle.

The tailor thought his mouse would die,

Hi-diddle-um-come feedle,

He baked him in an apple pie,

Hi-diddle-um-come feedle.

The pie was cut, the mouse ran out,

Hi-diddle-um-come feedle,

The tailor chased him all about,

Hi-diddle-um-come feedle.

The tailor gave him catnip tea,

Hi-diddle-um-come feedle,

Until a healthy mouse was he,

Hi-diddle-um-come feedle.

The Tottenham toad O

This nonsense game collected by Cecil Sharp has a cheerful steady beat and would work well when accompanied by percussion instruments.

It also lends itself to moving about the room in different ways; running up the road, skipping…, jumping… - ask children for suggestions!

The Tottenham toad came trotting up the road

With his feet all swimming in the sea.

Pretty little squirrel with your tail in curl,

They’ve all got a wife but me.

The worm song O

Sometimes called ‘The hermaphrodite song’ as worms are hermaphroditic like slugs - but it still takes two to tango!

I first came across this song in ‘Sing a Merry Song’ by William Clauson and Basil Swift published in 1962. In 1975 it was published in ‘Sing’ by the Australian Broadcasting Commission - I picked up a copy recently in a charity shop in England!

The earth it was damp with the dew of the dawn,

And sweet scented air spread over the lawn,

A handsome young worm popped out from the ground,

Looking up from his hole, he gazed all around.

Just then as he stared at the sun in the sky,

Another little worm popped up quite nearby,

Said the first with a squiggle, “You’re a trim little worm,

Why not wriggle out here and we'll go for a squirm?”

“If you'd only agree to a brief rendezvous,

I would love to surrender my heart just for you,

I would build you a home and I'd treat you with care,

And happy we'd be as the birds in the air!”

Then the trim little worm gave a shake of its head,

As it sadly replied, “I would love to be wed,

But I fear we can't marry, though I know you'd be true,

For you see Mr. Worm, I'm the other end of you!”

There was a good old woman O

A French-Canadian folk song, ‘En allant au marché’ which comes from ‘Vieilles chansons de Nouvele-France’.

By adding the last line of the previous verse each time the song is sung it can be sung cumunlatively.

There was a good old woman to market on her way.

The basket on her head was full of eggs that day.

But suddenly the eggs fell out

And they went rolling all about,

The eggs went rolling, rolling, rolling all about.

…ducks… …quacking…

…hens… …clucking…

…pigs… …squealing…

…turkeys… …gobbling…

There was a man and he was mad O

There was a man and he was mad,

And he jumped into the pudding bag!

The pudding bag, it was so fine,

That he jumped into a bottle of wine.

The bottle of wine, it was so clear,

He jumped into a bottle of beer.

The bottle of beer, it was so thick,

He jumped onto a walking stick.

The walking stick, it was so narrow,

That he jumped into a wheelbarrow.

The wheelbarrow began to crack,

He jumped onto a horse's back.

The horse's back began to break,

So, he jumped into a chocolate cake.

The chocolate cake became so rotten,

That he jumped into a bag of cotton.

The bag of cotton caught on fire

And blew him up to Jeremiah.

Spoken: Pouf! Pouf! Pouf!

There were three jolly fishermen O

This is a popular song in the scouting movement especially

There were three jolly fishermen,

Fisher, fishermen, men, men,

There were three jolly fishermen.

The first one's name was Abraham,

Abra, Abraham ham, ham…

The second one's name was I-I-saac,

I-I, I-Isaac saac, saac...

The third on'e name was Ja-a-cob,

Ja-a, Ja-acob, cob, cob...

They all went down to Jericho,

Jer-i, Jer-icho, cho, cho…

They should have gone to Amsterdam,

Amster, Amster, Shh! Shh! Shh!

Amster, Amster, Shh! Shh! Shh!,

You shouldn't say that naughty word!

There once was a sow O

A very sad pig tale!

There once was a sow who had three little pigs,

Three little piggies had she.

The old sow always went, “Oink oink oink!”

And the piggies went, “Wee wee wee-ee-ee!”

One day one of these three little pigs,

To the other two piggies said she,

‘Why don’t we always go, “Oink oink oink!”

It’s so childish to go, “Wee wee wee-ee-ee!”

These three piggies grew skinny and lean,

Skinny they well should be.

For they always would try to go, “Oink oink oink!”

When they should have gone, “Wee wee wee-ee-ee!”

These three little piggies they up and they died,

A very sad sight to see.

So don’t ever try to go, “Oink oink oink!”

When you ought to go, “Wee wee wee-ee-ee!”

There’s a fox in a box O

This song by Barbara Ireson has been adapted many times in my classrooms and is there for adapting to your particular topic; the tune too has changed over the years, many apologies Barbara.

The main objectives are to make up rhymes and of course have lots of fun while doing so.

There’s a fox in a box in my little bed,

My little bed, my little bed,

There’s a fox in a box in my little bed,

And there isn’t much room for me.

There’s a snake in a cake in my little bed…

There’s a giraffe in a scarf in my little bed…

There’s a rat in a hat in my little bed…

There’s a goat in a coat in my little bed…

There’s a stag in a bag in my little bed…

There’s a little wheel a-turning O

A song from Alabama.

1. Roll arms, cross hands and place on heart (do this each time). 2. Play guitar

3. Make hand move in waves. 4. Make circle with forefingers and thumbs wiggle fingers towards heart 5. Forefinger draws a smile.

There's a little wheel a-turning in my heart,

In my heart, in my heart,

There's a little wheel a-turning in my heart.

There's a little song a singing in my heart...

There's a little guitar playing in my heart...

There’s a little breeze a-blowing in my heart…

There’s a little moonbeam shining in my heart…

Oh I feel so very happy in my heart...

There’s someone living on a big, high hill O

Sing high and low with this echo song by Henrietta Clark.

There’s someone living on a high, high hill,

I wonder who it could be.

There’s someone living on a high, high hill

Who always answers me.

Yoo hoo! Yoo hoo!

S/he always answers me!

Yoo hoo! Yoo hoo!

S/he always answers me!

Three jolly rogues of LynnO

There are many versions of the words to this song but the tune appears to be fairly constant. The first two lines of this one suggest an U.S.A. origin.

Find out more at: http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=19722

In good King Arthur’s days,

When we served under the king,

Lived a miller and a weaver and a little tailor,

Three jolly rogues of Lynn.

Three jolly rogues of Lynn,

Lived a miller and a weaver and a little tailor,

Three jolly rogues of Lynn.

Now the miller he stole corn,

And the weaver he stole yarn,

And the little tailor he stole broadcloth

To keep those three rogues warm…

Chorus as before

Now the miller was drowned in his dam,

The weaver was hung in his yarn,

And the Devil clapped claws on the little tailor

With the broadcloth under his arm…

Now the miller still floats in his dam,

The weaver still hangs in his yarn,

And the little tailor goes skipping through the fire

With the broadcloth under his arm…

Three men went a-hunting O

This version of the song with the exception of the third verse is from Devon in the UK and is from the singing of Charlie Hill, a farmer; the chorus however was collected from The Endacott family and recorded by Cyril Tawney– it’s a big county and words and music changed as it moved from one place to another – Chinese whispers!g!

There are many other versions heard around the country including ‘Six Jovial Welshmen’ and ‘There were three jovial huntsmen’. Find out more at: https://mainlynorfolk.info/lloyd/songs/threedrunkenhuntsmen.html .

Three men went a-hunting, but nothing could they find,

Except a great big haystack and that they left behind.

The Englishman said, ‘A haystack,’

The Scotsman he said, ‘Nay!’

Paddy said, ‘It's an elephant with the trunk all blown away.’

Chorus:

And it's hunting, we will go, will go, will go,

And it's hunting we will go.

Three men went a-hunting, but nothing could they find,

Except a great big hedgehog and that they left behind.

The Englishman said, ‘A hedgehog,’

The Scotsman he said, ‘Nay!’

Paddy said, ‘It's a pincushion with the pins stuck in the wrong way.’

Three men went a-hunting, but nothing could they find,

Except a natterjack toad and that they left behind.

The Englishman said, ‘A toad,’

The Scotsman he said, ‘Nay!’

Paddy said, ‘It's grandma's duck with the feathers all blown away.’

Three men went a-hunting, but nothing could they find,

Except a great black pig and that they left behind.

The Englishman said, ‘A black pig,’

The Scotsman he said, ‘Nay!’

Paddy said, ‘It's the devil himself, so all three ran away!’

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