Ain’t it great to be crazy

Ain’t it great to be crazy

Doing the monster stomp

Down by the bay

Down in the jungle

It ain’t gonna rain no more

Knees up Mother Brown

Shake those sillies out

She sailed away

The monster stomp

Last updated: 05/11/2015 11:51

The songs below are part of ‘Away we go’ Round and about

compiled, adapted, translated and illustrated by Dany Rosevear

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To listen to music from these songs click on title at 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

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· 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.

Ain’t it great to be crazy! O

A standard camp site song in the U.S.A., this works well as a cheerful movement activity for younger children who will appreciate the humorous words.

Before attempting as a circle game, learn the words well and try as a pair activity.

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xB57qcGAPfw&feature=related and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVLriQOFXg8&feature=related for more verses.

Begin the game below by standing in pairs, holding hands, in a large circle.

Do-si-do

Chorus Boom, boom, ain’t it great to be crazy! Boom, boom, ain’t it great to be nuts like us. Giddy and foolish, all the day long. Boom, boom, ain’t it great to be crazy! Way down south where bananas grow, An ant stepped hard on an elephant’s toe. The elephant cried with tears in his eyes, ‘Why don’t you pick on someone your own size?’ Chorus Way up north where there’s ice and snow, There lives a penguin, his name is Joe. He got so tired of black and white, He wore pink pants to the dance last night! Chorus

Bump partner’s hips twice, hold both hands and sashay sideways into circle (step close, step close). Opposite hips repeat, sashay out. Swing partner round on the spot. Raise clasped hands and both duck under in a full circle. In the large circle, walk to the centre holding hands high. Move back with lowered hands. Face partner stamp twice with hands on hips. Do-si-do 1½ times (see below) so children end up back to back with their original partner, facing a new partner, ready to repeat sequences.

Doing the monster stomp O

One of the many delights to be found in old copies of the BBC music programme ‘Music Box’.

The words and music clearly suggest the actions. Not much encouragement will be needed for the children to develop their own vigorous ‘monster’ movements. Allow them to ‘show-off’ their particular monster’s moves.

Add a vigorous: Ooh-ah-ooh-ah, ooh-ah-ooh-ah!

Ooh-ah-ooh-ah, ooh-ah-ooh-ah! to the end!

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LVaqBTIfZQ

Down by the bay O

Sing this with Hawaiian overtones as an echo song. Extend this song by helping children think of more crazy ideas to make new rhyming phrases with appropriate actions. This song encourages other creative endeavour: paint a whale with a polka dot tail or dress up to make wacky combinations.

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2IWDF_PyuY&feature=related

Down by the bay, where the watermelons grow, Back to my home, I dare not go, For if I do, my mother will say... Did you ever see a goose, kissing a moose, Down by the bay? Repeat above but substitute line four as below Did you ever see a whale with a polka dot tail Did you ever see a bear, combing his hair Did you ever see a gran waving a fan Last verse Was there ever a time when you couldn’t make a rhyme More ideas ...llamas wearing green pyjamas... ...otter reading Harry Potter... ...crab riding a cab... ...snake baking a cake... ...frog walking his dog... ...cat wearing a hat... ...pig doing a jig... ...spider drinking apple cider... ...snail delivering the mail... ...teacher kissing a creature...

Move hands like the waves Hawaiian style Shape a big watermelon above head. Form roof over head, then shake head. Shake finger, then place hands on hips. Make goose with arm and hand. Form antlers with thumbs to the side of head. Move hands like the waves Hawaiian style. Wiggle backside. Comb hair. Wave fan. Throw out hands and shrug.

Down in the jungle O

Adapt this song to include any geographical situation: forest, valley, river etc. Ask children what kind of animals are found in these places and suggest movements they might make: elephant waving a trunk, tiger prowling, monkey bouncing up and down.

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFj3iQvRVkc

Down in the jungle where nobody knows, I saw a crocodile a-washing his clothes, With a rub-a-dub here and a rub-a-dub there, That’s the way he washes his clothes. Snip! Snap! Boogie-woogie-woogie, Snip, Snap! Boogie-woogie-woogie, Snip, Snap! Boogie-woogie-woogie, That’s the way he washes his clothes. Down at the billabong where nobody knows, I saw a kangaroo a-washing her clothes, With a rub-a-dub here and a rub-a-dub there, That’s the way she washes her clothes. Hippety hop, boogie-woogie-woogie, Hippety hop, boogie-woogie-woogie, Hippety hop, boogie-woogie-woogie, That’s the way she washes her clothes. Down in the jungle where nobody knows, I saw an elephant a-washing his clothes, With a rub-a-dub here and a rub-a-dub there, That’s the way he washes his clothes. Trumpetty trump, boogie-woogie-woogie, etc.

Creep around in time to the music looking around with hand above eyes. Stand still and mime washing of clothes to one side then the other. Open and close arms. Make boogie movements with arms and body – wiggle back and forth and from side to side. Creep around in time to the music looking around with hand above eyes. Stand still and mime washing of clothes to one side then the other. Swing arm from head.

It ain’t gonna rain no more O

This song began as old country dance tune from Nebraska. Wendell Hall composed the original version in 1923 but soon, as with many folk songs, everyone would sing the chorus together and then vie to make up the wittiest set of lines. Sing the refrain between each verse.

Listen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYuWr9o8eek

Form a square with partners standing side by side.

.

Chorus It ain’t gonna rain no more, no more, It ain’t gonna rain no more, It ain’t gonna hail and it ain’t gonna snow, If it ain’t gonna rain no more. It ain’t gonna rain no more, no more, It ain’t gonna rain no more, How in the heck can I wash my neck, If it ain’t gonna rain no more. Chorus Bake those biscuits good and brown, It ain’t gonna rain no more, Swing your partner round and round, If it ain’t gonna rain no more. Chorus A, B, C, D, E, F, G, It ain’t gonna rain no more, Sing right on to X, Y, Z, It ain’t gonna rain no more. Chorus Some people say that fleas are black, But I know that ain’t so, ‘Cos Mary had a little lamb, It’s fleece was white as snow! Chorus Rabbit ate a turnip top, It ain’t gonna rain no more, Then off he went with a hipperty hop, If it ain’t gonna rain no more. Chorus Peanut sat on a railway track, His heart was all a flutter, Along came the chugga chugga train, Toot! Toot! Peanut butter! Chorus

1. Skip around the circle to the left. 2. Circle to the right. 3. Partner on the left hook elbows with the one opposite and exchange places Those on the right do the same. 4. Partners swing each other around. Continue as above.

Knees up Mother Brown O

This music hall song was written in 1938 by Harris Weston and Bert Lee. A more familiar and bawdy version of the one below, strongly associated with Cockney culture, was developed in the pubs and streets of London’s East End. It ends with ‘Ow’s yer farver? All right!’ A ‘knees up’ is a party or a dance.

Follow this song with ‘Sur le Pont’ for a French flavour.

Listen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Z7OSHqgRXg&feature=related

There came a girl from France, Who didn’t know how to dance, The only thing that she could do, Was knees up Mother Brown. Oh knees up Mother Brown, Knees up Mother Brown, Knees up, knees up, Don’t let the fleas up, Knees up Mother Brown. Oh hopping on one foot, Hopping on one foot, Hopping, hopping, never stopping, Hopping on one foot. Hopping on the other, Hopping on the other, Hopping, hopping, never stopping, Hopping on the other, Oh knees up Mother Brown... Prancing up and down. Oh prancing up and down, Prancing, prancing, never dancing, Prancing up and down. Oh knees up Mother Brown... Whirling round and round. Oh whirling round and round, Whirling, whirling, never twirling, Whirling round and round. Oh knees up Mother Brown...

In groups of three or four circle move to the left. Drop hands and raise knees alternately high in front Leave circle and hop, first on one foot, then the other As before With a partner skip or gallop sideways up and down the room As before Find a partner, hold hands and skip round in a circle As before

Shake those sillies out O

This song is adapted from Raffi’s classic ‘Shake my sillies out’. Raffi, the renowned Canadian songwriter and veteran children’s performer, has written many other wonderful songs such as ‘Baby Beluga’ which are well worth searching out as are his numerous CDs and videos.

Watch him at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJ37oXWKK9w&feature=related

Move individually or with a partner to the rhythm of the music. Encourage exploration of other movements – stamp, march, skip etc. Choose a favourite action for the last verse – it will be quite a challenge to sing own words while ignoring those of friends. Ankle and wrist bells will enhance the movement of this tune.

We’re gonna shake, shake, shake those sillies out,

Shake, shake, shake those sillies out,

Shake, shake, shake those sillies out,

And wibble those wobbles away.

We’re going to jump, jump, jump those jiggles out

Clap those crazies out...

Stretch those sleepies out...

Hop those happies in...

She sailed away O

At the end of this song there will be a smile to be found on every face.

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFj3iQvRVkc

She sailed away on a lovely summer’s day, On the back of a crocodile, ‘You see’, says she, ‘He’s as tame as tame can be, And I’ll ride him up the Nile.’ The croc winked an eye, As the lady waved goodbye, Wearing a sunny smile. At the end of the ride, The lady was inside, And the smile was on the crocodile!

With hands together make a sailing motion. Make arms open and close. Thumbs and forefingers make binoculars round eyes. Stroke arm with hand. Make a riding motion back and forth. Wink or with thumb and forefinger. Wave. Make upward smile with forefingers. Wag finger from side to side. Rub tummy. Make enormous smile as above.

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