Song
cupboard T (b3)
The owl
The purple bamboo
The sweet nightingale
The Walloping Windowblind
The water is wide
The wraggle taggle gipsies
There ain’t no bugs on me
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 was a monkey
There’s a hole in my bucket
There’s a hole in the bottom of
the sea
There’s a little wheel
a-turning
There’s a sun for the morning
There’s someone living on a big
high hill
There was a big fish
This
little light of mine
Three
jolly rogues of Lynn
Three
men went a-hunting
Tiptoe,
tiptoe dinosaur
Tozie Mozie
Treading the water wheel
Tumbalalaika
Turn on the sun
Last updated: 2/11/2020
10:49 AM
The songs below are part of ‘Away we
go’
compiled,
adapted and illustrated by Dany Rosevear
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© Dany Rosevear 2008 All rights reserved
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The owl 🔊 The first verse has been a nursery rhyme and is found in Haliwell’s ‘The Nursery
Rhymes of England’ published in 1842. This version can be found in ‘Songs of
the West’ by S. Baring-Gould; an early version was performed for Henry VIII. Find out more at: https://mainlynorfolk.info/steeleye.span/songs/ofallthebirds.html
|
Of all the birds
that ever I see, The owl is the
fairest in her degree. For all the day
long she sits in a tree, And when the
night cometh, away flies she. Chorus To-whit! To-who!
says she, To who! Cinnamon, ginger,
nutmegs and cloves, And brandy gave
me my jolly red nose. The lark in the
morn ascendeth on high And leaves the
poor owl to sob and to sigh; And all the day
long, the owl is asleep, While little
birds blithely are singing, cheep! cheep! There's many a
brave bird boasteth awhile, And proves
himself great, let Providence smile, Be hills and be
vallies all covered with snow, The poor owl will
shiver and mock with Ho! Ho! |
The purple bamboo 🔊 Ready for the Chinese New Year. A Chinese folk song popular south of the
Yangtze River. It comes from the pentatonic song book ‘Just
five’ published in 1972. |
See, I bring to
you purple bamboo
shoot, Now 'twill make a lovely flute; But those lips so small Cannot play at all On a lovely golden flute. Chorus Ee-tee-tee, Soon will come the happy day, Ee-tee-tee, Soon will come the happy day, My friend the flute will play. You must try and grow like the bamboo tall, Then those parting lips so small Soon will play the flute Made from bamboo shoot; Silv’ry tunes will
gently fall. |
The sweet nightingale 🔊 The school standard version can be found in
BBC School’s Time And Tune, Summer 1958. This one however is based on the version recorded by Margaret Chrystal, T. Bikel, C. Gooding as
I rather like the extra bird verses. Find out more at : https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=161744
|
My sweetheart
come along! Don't you hear
the fond song? The sweet notes
of the nightingale flow? Don’t you hear
the fond tale Of the sweet
nightingale, As she sings in
the valley below, As she sings in
the valley below. Pretty Betsy,
don't fail, For I'll carry
your pail, Safe home to your
cottage we'll go; You shall hear
the fond tale Of the sweet
nightingale, As she sings in
the valley below.... Come sit yourself
down With me on the
ground, On the banks
where the primroses grow; You shall hear
the fond tale Of the sweet
nightingale, As she sings in
the valley below.... Down in yonder
grove, There is an
alcove, And violets around
it do spring; Just by in a
bush, There sits a song
thrush, 'Twill charm you
to hear how she sings.... Why hark, my
love, hark, Why yonder's a
lark, She warbles and
pleases me so; That the
beautiful tale Of the sweet
nightingale, Will never entice
me to go.... |
The Walloping
Windowblind 🔊 All at sea on a comical
voyage to a far off land. A nautical ballad based on
Charles Edward Carryl’s (1841-1920) poem. This version comes from ‘The funny
family songbook’ published 1984 by Esther L. Nelson. The original poem can be
found in Louis Untermeyer's ‘The Golden Treasury of Poetry’. |
A capital ship
for an ocean trip Was the Walloping
Windowblind. No gale that blew
dismayed her crew Nor troubled the
captain's mind. The man at the
wheel was made to feel Contempt for the
wildest blow-oh-oh. Though it often
appeared when the gale had cleared That he'd been in
his bunk below. Then blow ye
winds heigh-ho! A-roving I will
go! I'll stay no more
on England's shore, So let the music
play-ay-ay! I'm off on the
morning train I'll sail the
raging main, I'm off to my
love with a boxing glove, Ten thousand
miles away. The bosun's mate
was very sedate, Yet fond of
amusement too; He played
hopscotch with the starboard watch, While the captain
tickled the crew. And the gunner we
had was apparently mad, For he sat on the
after rail-ail-ail, And fired salutes
with the captain's boots In the teeth of a
booming gale. The captain sat
on the commodore's hat And dined in a
royal way On snails and
eels and cockatoo heels And pickles and
figs each day. The cook was new
and burnt the stew, So the diet he
served the crew-ew-ew Was a couple of
tons of hot cross buns Served up with
sugar and glue. |
The water is wide 🔊 This
version is from an old pocket book of songs that I wrote down from various
sources when at Teacher Training College in the 1960s; it seems very similar
to the one publihed in 1906 noted in Cecil Sharp and
Charles Marson ‘Folk Songs From
Somerset’. |
The water is
wide, I cannot get o'er, And neither have
I wings to fly. Give me a boat
that will carry two, And both shall
row, my love and I. Down in the meadows
the other day, A-gath'ring
flow'rs both fine and gay, A-gathering
flowers, both red and blue, I little thought
what love can do. I put my hand
into the bush, Thinking the
fairest flower to find. I pricked my
finger to the bone, But oh, I left the
rose behind. I leaned my back
against an oak, Thinking it was a
trusty tree; But first it
bended and then it broke; And so did my
false love to me. A ship there is
and she sails on the sea, She’s loaded deep
as deep can be, But not as deep
as the love I'm in; I know not if I
sink or swim. Oh, love is
handsome and love is kind, And love’s a
jewel when first it’s new, But love grows
old and groweth cold, And fades away
like the morning dew. The water is
wide, I cannot get o'er, And neither have
I wings to fly. Give me a boat
that will carry two, And both shall
row, my love and I. |
The wraggle
taggle gipsies 🔊 There are many variants of this song across the English speaking world;
this one is from ‘English folk songs for schools’ collected and arranged by
S.Baring Gould and Cecil J Sharp, published circa 1900. It seems very similar
to the version I learnt in school in the 1950s but no longer remember well! |
Three gipsies stood at
the castle gate, They sang so high,
they sang so low. The lady sat in her
chamber late, Her heart it melted
away like snow. They sang so sweet,
they sang so shrill, That fast her tears
began to flow And she laid down her
silken gown, Her golden rings and
all her show. She pluck-ed off her
high-heeled shoes, All made of Spanish
leather, O. And it’s off in the
street, with her bare, bare feet; All out in the wind
and weather, O. O saddle to me my
milk-white steed, And go and fetch my
pony, O! That I may ride and
seek my bride, Who is gone with the
wraggle taggle gipsies, O! O he rode high, and he
rode low, He rode through wood
and copses too, Until he came to an
open field, And there he espied
his lady, O! What makes you leave
your house and land? Your golden treasures
for to go? What makes you leave
your new-wedded lord, To follow the wraggle
taggle gipsies, O? What care I for my
house and land? What care I for my
treasure, O? What care I for my
new-wedded lord, I'm off with the
wraggle taggle gipsies, O! Last night you slept
on a goose-feather bed, With the sheet turned
down so bravely, O! And to-night you'll
sleep in a cold open field, Along with the wraggle
taggle gipsies, O! What care I for a
goose-feather bed, With the sheet turned
down so bravely, O! For to-night I shall
sleep in a cold open field, Along with the wraggle
taggle gipsies, O! |
This humourous nonsense song was recorded
in1928 by Fiddlin’ John Carson. The verses like the last line often go on ad
infinitum and have many in common with other songs such as ‘It ain’t gonna
rain no more’ which with a dance can be found on my website: http://www.singinggamesforchildren.com/A%20Cluster%202.2%20Awaywego/9%20Aint%20it%20great%20to%20be%20crazy%20w.htm
|
Chorus: There ain’t no bugs on
me, There ain’t no bugs on
me, There may be bugs on
some of you mugs, But there ain’t no
bugs on me. Well, the Juney bug
comes in the month of June, The lightning bug
comes in May, Bed bug comes just any
old time, But, they’re not going
to stay. Well, a bull frog
sittin’ on a lily pad, Looking up at the sky, The lily pad broke and
the frog fell in, He got water all in
his eye…ball. Chorus Mosquito he fly high, Mosquito he fly low, If old mosquito lands
on me, He ain’t a gonna fly
no mo’. We had a cat down on
our farm, It had a ball of yarn, When those little cats
were born, They all had sweaters
on. Chorus As I went walking
through the woods, Humming a tune so
gaily, The wind came
whistling through the trees, And froze my ukelele. Well little bugs have
littler bugs, Up on their backs to
bite ’em, And the littler bugs
have still littler bugs, And so on ad
infinitum. Chorus |
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
cumulatively. |
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 was a monkey O This nursery rhyme can be found in print, in a shorter version, as
early as 1626 Find out more at: http://www.rhymes.org.uk/a93-there-was-a-monkey.htm
The version below came from BBC Broadcast to schools, Time and tune
Autumn1960. |
There was a monkey
climbed up a tree, When he fell down, then
down fell he. There was a crow sat
on a stone, When he was gone, then
there was none. There was an old wife
did eat an apple, When she had eaten
two, she had eaten a couple. There was a horse
going to the mill, When he went on, he
stood not still. There was a butcher
cut his thumb, When it did bleed,
then blood did come. There was a lackey ran
a race, When he ran fast, he
ran apace. There was a cobbler
clouting shoon*, When they were mended,
they were done. There was a chandler
making candle, When he them stripped,
he did them handle. There was a navy went
to Spain, When it returned, it
came again. |
There were three jolly
fishermen O This
is a popular song in the scouting movement especially |
There were three jolly
fishermen, There were three jolly
fishermen, Fisher, fishermen,
men, men, Fisher, fishermen,
men, men, There were three jolly
fishermen. The first one's name
was Abraham, The first one's name
was Abraham, Abra, Abraham ham,
ham… The second one's name
was I-I-saac, The second one's name
was I-I-saac, I-I, I-Isaac saac,
saac... The third on'e name
was Ja-a-cob, The third on'e name
was Ja-a-cob, Ja-a, Ja-acob, cob,
cob... They all went down to
Jericho, They all went down to
Jericho, Jer-i, Jer-icho, cho,
cho… They should have gone
to Amsterdam, They should have gone
to Amsterdam, Amster, Amster, Shh!
Shh! Shh! Amster, Amster, Shh!
Shh! Shh!, You shouldn't say that
naughty word! |
A very sad pig tale!
|
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 hole in
my bucket O A
circular song. |
There’s a hole in my bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza, There’s a hole in my bucket, dear Liza, a hole. Then mend it, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry, Then mend it dear Henry, dear Henry, mend it. With what shall I mend it, dear Liza, dear Liza? With what shall I mend it, dear Liza, with what? With straw, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry, With straw, dear Henry, dear Henry, a straw. But the straw is too long, dear Liza, dear Liza, But the straw is too long, dear Liza, too long. Then cut it, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry, Then cut it, dear Henry, dear Henry, cut it. With what shall I cut it, dear Liza, dear Liza? With what shall I cut it, dear Liza, with what? With an axe, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry’ With an axe, dear Henry, dear Henry, an axe. But the axe is too dull, dear Liza, dear Liza, But the axe is too dull, dear Liza, too dull. Then sharpen it, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry, Then sharpen it, dear Henry, dear Henry, sharpen it. With what shall I sharpen it, dear Liza, dear Liza? With what shall I sharpen it, dear Liza, with what? With a stone, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry, With a stone, dear Henry, dear Henry, a stone. But the stone is too dry, dear Liza, dear Liza, But the stone is too dry, dear Liza, too dry. Well, wet it, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry, Well, wet it, dear Henry, dear Henry, wet it. With what shall I wet it, dear Liza, dear Liza? With what shall I wet it, dear Liza, with what? Try water, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry, Try water, dear Henry, dear Henry, water. With what shall I fetch it, dear Liza, dear Liza? With what shall I fetch it, dear Liza, in what? In a bucket, dear Henry, dear Henry, dear Henry, In a bucket, dear Henry, dear Henry, the bucket. But there’s a hole in my bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza, There’s a hole in my bucket, dear Liza, a hole! |
There’s a hole in the
bottom of the sea O A
cumulative song. Make it longer by ‘a hair on the wart’ or
add anything crazy such as an elephant on the flea. |
There’s a hole in the bottom of the sea, There’s a hole in the bottom of the sea, There’s a hole, there’s a hole, There’s a hole in the bottom of the sea. There’s a log in the hole in the bottom of the sea, There’s a log in the hole in the bottom of the sea, There’s a hole, there’s a hole, There’s a hole in the bottom of the sea. There’s a bump on the log in the hole in the bottom of the sea, There’s a bump on the log in the hole in the bottom of the sea, There’s a hole, there’s a hole, There’s a hole in the bottom of the sea. There’s a frog on the bump, on the log, in the hole in the bottom of
the sea, There’s a frog on the bump, on the log, in the hole in the bottom of
the sea, There’s a hole, there’s a hole, There’s a hole in the bottom of the sea. There’s a wart on the frog, on the bump, on the log, in the hole in
the bottom of the sea, There’s a wart on the frog, on the bump, on the log, in the hole in
the bottom of the sea, There’s a hole, there’s a hole, There’s a hole in the bottom of the sea. There’s a fly on the wart, on the frog, on the bump, on the log, in
the hole in the bottom of the sea, There’s a fly on the wart, on the frog, on the bump, on the log, in
the hole in the bottom of the sea, There’s a hole, there’s a hole, There’s a hole in the bottom of the sea. There’s a flea on the fly, on the wart, on the frog, on the bump, on
the log, in the hole in the bottom of the sea, There’s a flea on the fly, on the wart, on the frog, on the bump, on
the log, in the hole in the bottom of the sea, There’s a hole, there’s a hole, There’s a hole in the bottom of the sea. There’s a smile on the flea, on the fly, on the wart, on the frog, on
the bump, on the log, in the hole in the bottom of the sea, There’s a smile on the flea, on the fly, on the wart, on the frog, on
the bump, on the log, in the hole in the bottom of the sea, There’s a hole, there’s a hole, There’s a hole in the bottom of the sea. |
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, 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 a sun for
the morning 🔊 Written
by Charles Ellerton the second verse of this hymn has been adapted by Dany
Rosevear to reflect a more secular age. Find the religious verses at: http://www.kididdles.com/lyrics/g069.html. The music is attributed to W.A. Mozart. 1. Draw a large circle. 2. Put hands to cheek. 3. Hide face. 4. Make
fingers flash in and out. 5. Throw hands out. 6.Draw hands down from on high.
7.Hold hands out. 8.Cross hands to cover heart. |
There's a sun for the morning, And a moon for the night; When the moon hides her face, Still the stars twinkle bright. When the moon hides her face, Still the stars twinkle bright. Love and joy, light and beauty, Shine down from high above, Just as we spread gifts of kindness From hearts full of love. Just as we spread gifts of kindness From hearts full of love. |
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! |
There was a big
fish 🔊 You may also recognise this as ‘Shanghai chicken’ but this one is all
about Jonah. |
There was a big fish
and his name was Whale, A few days and a few
days. Swallowed Jonah head
and tail, and I’m going home. I've got a home up
yonder, a few days and a few days. I've got a home up
yonder; and I'm going home. Swam the ocean 'round
and 'round, A few days and a few
days. Spewed out Jonah on
dry ground, and I’m going home. I've got a home up
yonder, a few days and a few days. I've got a home up
yonder; and I'm going home. Going home in a little
while, a few days and a few days. When I do, I hope
you'll smile, 'cause I’m going home. I've got a home up
yonder, a few days and a few days. I've got a home up
yonder; and I'm going home. |
This little
light of mine 🔊 A gospel song. |
This little light of
mine, I'm gonna let it shine, This little light of
mine, I'm gonna let it shine, This little light of
mine, I'm gonna let it shine, Let it shine, let it
shine, let it shine! Everywhere I go, I'm
gonna let it shine... Each and every day… All around the
world... All through the night,
the stars are gonna shine, x2 And like those little
lights, I’m gonna let it shine … |
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, 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!’ |
Tiptoe, tiptoe
dinosaur 🔊 A little
song for big movements! Carnivore
or herbivore? Each dinosaur is different in looks, movement and diet. The
correct pronounciation of diplodocus is 'dip-lod-ic-uss' though the
pronunciation used in verse two is an accepted common one. Verse 1. Walk on tip toes. Make claws out of hands and stomp feet..
Shrug shoulders Walk on tip toes. Verse 2. Move slowly with a heavy plod.
Make arms into a long neck and tail. Stretch arms apart. Verse 3. Stretch
arms out and fly. Verse 4. Move with a heavy tread. Open and close jaws with
arms extended. |
Tiptoe, tiptoe dinosaur, You're so big you'll break the floor. Great big claws and great big feet. Do you eat plants or meat? Tiptoe, tiptoe dinosaur, You're so big you'll break the floor! Plod, plod, plod, I’m diplodocus, I eat plants, I’m not ferocious! Great long neck and a long, long tail But shorter than the great blue whale; Plod, plod, plod, I’m diplodocus, I eat plants, I’m not ferocious! Flap, flap, flap, pteranodon, With a wingspan metres long. I soar and glide so swift and free, I eat creatures of the sea. Flap, flap, flap, pteranodon, With a wingspan metres long. Stomp, stomp, stomp, tyrannosaurus, King of all the dinosaurus. Great big jaws and great sharp teeth, Watch out children I eat meat! GRRRH! Stomp, stomp, stomp, tyrannosaurus, King of all the dinosaurus! |
Tozie
Mozie O These first two
nonsense verses were collected from the Orkney Islands off the northern tip
of Scotland from a song called ‘The bretheren three’ and are associated with
the custom of hunting the wren. http://www.pearl.celtscot.ed.ac.uk/Samples/08-233/08-233.html
A perfect song
for a walk in the woods. Encourage children to make up their own verses as
they explore the wooded environment; I have added three verses as
suggestions. |
“Come to the wood,” says
Tozie Mozie, “Come to the wood,” says
Johnnie Red Nosie “Come to the wood,” says
brithers and three, “Come to the wood,” says Wise
Willie “What to do there?” says
Tozie Mozie, “What to do there?” says
Johnnie Red Nosie “What to do there?” says
brithers and three, “What to do there?” says Wise
Willie We’ll dance round an oak
tree… We’ll pick up the acorns… We’ll skip through the
bluebells… |
Treading the water
wheel 🔊 Rice fields
are thirsty for water and have been irrigated this way for centuries. This
Chinese work song was translated into English by Maryette Lum for ‘Music near
and far’ bk. 4 and published in 1956. The words here have been adapted. |
Tread wheel, tread wheel, Quickly tread the wheel. Fields must not be dry, Or the crops will die. Tread wheel, tread wheel, All must tread the wheel. Feet must never stop, Or we’ll lose the crop. Left, right, left, right, In the paddy fields; Work in every weather, Tread and turn together. Left, right, left, right, In the paddy fields; Treading one by one, Til the day is done. Left, right, left, right, In the paddy fields; We must never stop, If we want a crop Slow wheel, slow wheel, In the paddy fields; Growing time is done, There’ll be rice for everyone. |
Tumbalalaika 🔊 A Yiddish
riddle song from Russia. Find out more at: http://www.talesfromthekeyboard.com/songs-of-exiles/1-tumbalalaika It
was a favourite sung with international friends on voluntary work camps in
Poland, Turkey and Finland where I travelled with my guitar in the late 1960s. This version comes from the ‘Hootenanny Songbook’ published in 1963. The English translation has been adapted by Dany Rosevear. |
Shteht a bocher, under tracht, Tracht und tracht die gantze nacht. Vemen tsu nehmen ohn nit far schemen, Vemen tsu nehmen ohn nit far schemen? Chorus: Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika, Tumbala, tumbala, tumbalalaika, Tumbalalaika, shpiel balalaika. Tumbalalaika, freylach zol zain. A young lad is thinking all the night
through, Thinking, thinking, what should he do? Whom should he marry, one wise and true, Who’d answer his questions and cleverly too! Maiden, maiden, can you explain, What can grow and never need rain, What can burn for years and years, What can yearn and cry without tears? Foolish young lad, why don’t you know? A stone without rain can surely grow, Love can burn for years and years, And the heart can yearn and cry without
tears. |
Turn on the sun 🔊 Make
ready for the good times! A lively rhythm with syncopation. A song
by Mitch Murray and Peter Callander and made famous by Nana Mouskouri. |
Chorus 1 x2 Turn on the sun, turn on the sun, Light up the world, come everyone. Turn off the wind, thunder and rain, Turn on the sun, let's smile again. Thinker, tailor man, Radiate all the love you can. Lawyer, engineer, Let your heart be a pioneer. Interlude Gather up all the goodness in you, Turn on the sun, turn on the sun. What a world when we all begin to Turn on the sun and smile again. Chorus 2 Turn on the sun, turn on the sun, Open the doors, tell everyone. Bad times are out, good times are in, Turn on the sun, let's smile again. Miner, steeple-jack, Warm emotions are coming back. Sailor, stevedore, Here's a message you can't ignore. Chorus 1 Lalala la… Chorus 2 |
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