My Song Journal

TAA DAAAA! Yes, here it is in all of its online glory. I just wanted to make a few notes that might explain some of my choices here.

First, I had a seperate spiral-ring notebook for my class notes that I suppose I could have turned in as my song journal instead...but I liked the idea of being able to pick out the songs and the ideas that most intrigued me and putting them into a format where I could have my reflections, the lyrics, and the actual melody all together. Hence, on the blog you won't see reference to every single song we covered in class even though I recorded most of them on my digital recorder. I downloaded them all onto my laptop, but only chose to make select ones into movie files that were compatible with the blog format (why you can't just post audio clips I'll never know. Maybe you can...I just couldn't figure it out.)

Second, I also have songs and thoughts included herein that may not connect directly with the class. I think that this was part of the song journal idea though, so I feel good about that.

Third, since this is a public blog, I have had people comment on some of my entries (especially down at the beginning of the blog). Some have included lyrics and thoughts on folk songs of their own. I found them interesting and I think it's a nice addition to the concept of a song journal. I feel as if I am sharing the music that I've selected rather than just keeping it to myself. In turn, others have shared their music with me. It's been a great experience.

Well, I think that's all I had to say about it. If I think of something else to add before Tuesday I'll post it up real quick--perhaps my reactions to the other groups presentations.

OH, which reminds me, I almost forgot to write this (pretend it's a seperate post): Just some reactions to the other groups that presented with us on Tuesday.

I loooooooved Carly's presentation. I felt like I learned so much more about the Shakers than I ever did, especially through her songs like "Mother" and "Shake, Shake." In addition, I loved seeing how the Shakers used music notation, surrounding the tones with diagrams of the dances. It really made music take on yet another dimension: the tune, the words, and the movement, all on one page. Amazing.

And, of course, who couldn't love the 1st Annual Christmas Carolers Convention. Particularly enjoyed learngin about the differences between songs and carols. Their section on the Commodification/Commercialization of Christmas was a necessary and well presented section as well with Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer to represent. It reminded me of a marvelous cultural history of the commercialization of holidays I read last year called "Consumer Rites." Check it out, at least the Christmas chapter. It was very informative and interesting.

Some Working Music

Here's a short video on the history of the song "Erie Canal" that we covered in class when we talked about Working Music (sorry I haven't posted on it until now! I was reviewing notes and noticed I had somehow missed posting this. I thought I had.)

It was nice to sing because I actually sang a version of it when I sang in the Women's Chorus at BYU. Good times, especially taking the Alto II part--holy hecka low notes there.

I've got a mule, and her name is Sal,
Fifteen miles on the Erie Canal.
She's a good ol' worker an' a good ol' pal,
Fifteen miles on the Erie Canal.
We've hauled some barges in our day,
Filled with lumber, coal, and hay,
And we know every inch of the way
From Albany to Buffalo.

Chorus:
Low bridge, everybody down!
Low bridge, for we're comin' through a town!
And you'll always know your neighbor,
You'll always know your pal,
If you've ever navigated on the Erie Canal.

2. We'd better look around for a job, ol' gal,
Fifteen miles on the Erie Canal!
'Cause you bet your life I'd never part with Sal,
Fifteen miles on the Erie Canal!
Git up there, mule, here comes a lock,
We'll make Rome 'bout six o'clock,
One more trip and back we'll go
Right back home to Buffalo.
Chorus

I just also wanted to note here the song we sang in class called "Poverty Knock." I thought it was a perfect tune for what it was meant for: as a working song in mills. The song lilts and knocks just like a loom would. perfect.

It just surprises me that music can be so versatile. I think people sometimes put too much emphasis on the words, but I think in many cases, especially in working tunes, the music tells just as much of a story as the words.

Erie Canal is slow, plodding. It sounds like a mule pulling along a barge. Poverty Knock sounds like a loom. Sea shanties time the pulling of a rigging. Slave songs often beat in time with hoes or shovels.

It's been interesting to read about Lumberjack songs in this context. I had noticed that all of the songs seemed to lack this work-tune quality. Most were ballads (beginings with "Come allyou shanty-boys" or "Come join me fine young men") that sought to tell a story more than keep up the work. The only exception I found was a short selection from American Songbag that had a one-line melody meant to keep lumbermen pulling when putting logs up on a steam engine.

In general though, there were no group songs in the forests. Lumberjacks worked mostly in very small groups or as solitary figures or pairs. In the camps, one man would be singled out for his voice or his willingness to sing, and he would then be the camp entertainer of sorts. The men mostly listened to him in their shanties after a long day at work. Men sometimes sang together, but it wasn't the norm, and this is very evident in the actual melodies of the working songs, not really in the words.

"Oh I am a lumberjack and I'm okay..."

Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a fake beard in Boston after Halloween?!

Ugh. frustrating.

Well, beyond our inability to find our grand beards for our grand final plan, I think the presentation went pretty well. I experienced, for probably the first time in my life, stage fright and COMPLETELY forgot the tractor song. Ahhhhhhhhh!!!!! It was horrible. Okay, so other than the beard thing and the Tractor Song, I think it went pretty well.

I was very pleased with how easily our topics meshed together. We didn't really have any difficulties finding transitions and it was fun to be a little creative with 'em (example: Old MacDonald had an...AXE!). Props to Deanna for knowing all the songs like the back of her hobo hand.

And, lovely to get up and act a little again (although I have to say that we were ten billion times more animated in our rehearsals than in our presentation...I think we all got a little shy and scared up there). I did quick a bit of musical theater in high school and it's something I've always wanted to get back into. I think think helped put me back into that determined mindset to find some way to be a part of it again. I have the training, why not use the talent, right? Why let all those tap-lessons go to waste? ;-)

Shantyman's Life...in a questionable arrangement

Same songs...much, MUCH different feel than the original. It's just interesting to see how people take folksongs and alter them to fit their personal tastes, the occasion, the audience, the instruments available. In this video...it's a angsty, emo, teenage shanty-man of the twenty-first century coming out through this song, rather than the thirty-something, bearded, rugged, 1890s man that I had alway imagined when singing it.

Trippy.

Big Rock Candy Mountain

This is the version of the Hobo song we're singing for our final presentation. I have to say that I had no idea what the origins were for this song. I didn't know all the words, but I thought it was meant to be a fantasy-children's song. But, now in context, it is all so clearly a depression song. Hobo-allusions are especially in lines like "all the bulldogs have rubber teeth" or "the brakemen have to tip their hats."

It's just interesting how songs can be misunderstood or misappropriated without knowing their history (I'm having memories of learning the origins of "ring around the rosy")

Never get tired of it

There are some songs that you just never get tired of. "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" is definitely one of those. To me, it's right up there with "Amazing Grace" (just thinking about the film we watched in class). I was listening to this arrangement on Sunday morning and thought about how powerful music can be. Of course, this is a folk song that's been arranged for choir and orchestra, so it has a bit of polished "umph"...but it is still music. It's still the tune. It's still the same words. And I find myself on walks or when I'm alone in a car humming this tune to fill the silence. Maybe that's where music came from in the first place--it was another way, maybe even a better way, for us to express what we have to give. A way to use our voices to fill silence and make something beautiful outside of ourselves.

This song is one of the great songs, I think. I think it's hard not to feel anything...especially from counter time 4:30 to the end.

Lumber jack song

In honor of my research into Lumberjacks, I just HAD to post this...

Master and Commander

I LOVE this movie and watched it again last night. I noticed this time how many sailing songs it incorporates into its scenes. I particularly noticed its scene with "Spanish Ladies" since one of the midterm groups sang it. Here is a montage of pictures about the Royal Navy along to Spanish Ladies in honor of "Master and Commander."

Spanish Ladies
Farewell and adieu to you, Spanish Ladies,
Farewell and adieu to you, ladies of Spain;
For we've received orders for to sail for ol' England,
But we hope in a short time to see you again.
We will rant and we'll roar like true British sailors,
We'll rant and we'll roar all on the salt sea.
Until we strike soundings in the channel of old England;
From Ushant to Scilly is thirty five leagues.

We hove our ship to with the wind from sou'west, boys
We hove our ship to, deep soundings to take;
'Twas forty-five fathoms, with a white sandy bottom,
So we squared our main yard and up channel did make.
We will rant and we'll roar like true British sailors,
We'll rant and we'll roar all on the salt sea.
Until we strike soundings in the channel of old England;
From Ushant to Scilly is thirty five leagues.

The first land we sighted was called the Dodman,
Next Rame Head off Plymouth, off Portsmouth the Wight;
We sailed by Beachy, by Fairlight and Dover,
And then we bore up for the South Foreland light.
We will rant and we'll roar like true British sailors,
We'll rant and we'll roar all on the salt sea.
Until we strike soundings in the channel of old England;
From Ushant to Scilly is thirty five leagues.

Then the signal was made for the grand fleet to anchor,
And all in the Downs that night for to lie;
Let go your shank painter, let go your cat stopper!
Haul up your clewgarnets, let tacks and sheets fly!
We will rant and we'll roar like true British sailors,
We'll rant and we'll roar all on the salt sea.
Until we strike soundings in the channel of old England;
From Ushant to Scilly is thirty five leagues.

Now let ev'ry man drink off his full bumper,
And let ev'ry man drink off his full glass;
We'll drink and be jolly and drown melancholy,
And here's to the health of each true-hearted lass.
We will rant and we'll roar like true British sailors,
We'll rant and we'll roar all on the salt sea.
Until we strike soundings in the channel of old England;
From Ushant to Scilly is thirty five leagues.

La illaha illa lah dhikr

A clip from a North African dhikr (I'm assuming since it's more subdued).

I loved our presentation today on Love imagery in Sufi singing. The melodies were a refreshing change from out Anglo-centric class and I learned a great deal about Islam, a religion I have always been interested. I was particularly happy learn more about Sufism, since it seems to be the more marginalized aspect of Islam when it comes to learning basic information about the religion.

Of all the lyrics we sang and looked at, I do want to highlight one passage that just struck me with its beauty, passion, and desperate longing from "Burning, Burning I drift and tread"

Hold my hand, lift me from this place
Or take me into your embrace
You make me weep, make me rejoice
Come see what love has done to me.

The mystical connection between humanity and God symbolized through the powerful and complicated experience of Love is something I've personally been exploring over the past few years and I was grateful to have my eyes opened to Sufism's beautiful philosophies and theologies.

Three of Cups

I LOVED loved loved loved the Three of Cups and their presentation. I thought their music was lovely, not too contrived but still polished in a folksy type of way. I was amazed at how full their songs could sound with just a few simple instruments and harmony.

I particularly loved their Round from the 19th century. It just blew me away at how intricately that melody could overlay itself and sound so beautiful. It made me wonder if it was only two part or if a third or fourth could come in as well.

I hope to have some of their songs posted here that I recorded in class: some Sacred Harp, some "Hard Times," some bawdy. I loved hearing the lilting, peppy "Outlandish Knight" that I had only heard in class, one-voice, to a slower tune before. The fiddling was wonderful, the singing was phenomenal, and the way both women really got into their stories made the songs entertaining to a degree that I don't think I've seen yet.

All in all, I thought this presentation was a great way to see how folk music is not dead, can change your life and your friendships, and be used to bring joy into the lives of others.

You can see their schedule and hear a few clips of music form Three of Cups here.

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir - Come Come Ye Saints

The current rendering of "All is Well"

All is Well

To continue my postishness on Religious Songs I just wanted to write a little bit about what it meant for me to present a Mormon Trail themed Midterm to the class (with the wonderful help of Beth).

I think one of the most rewarding parts of preparing was being able to sift through Pioneer journals. After one long day of research I had chosen 18 pages of single spaced quotes that I had thought were "indespesible." It was immensely difficult to cut it all down to the 4 pages single-spaced (including song lyrics) that I needed for the presentation because all the voices I had found were REAL people going through such a trying period in their lives...a trial that we can't even imagine.

I was particularly happy to find a song in its original tune form from the British immigrants since a few of my own ancestors may have sung that very song as they immigrated from Wales and Scotland to "Zion."

Of course the children's songs were great too, a nice mix up from the period songs. It was fun for the class to see I think.

BUT, the high point of my presentation had to be singing "All is Well." I have known about this song my entire life and have always loved singing it. I wanted to do it right. I wanted to try and let people in the class feel the song, written on the trail and sung by thousands of pioneers crossing the plains and going through such difficult times, yet singing "All is well, All is well."

Maybe I imagined it...maybe...but it seemed that by the second verse the classroom had gone silent..."Why should we mourn or think our lot is hard? 'Tis not so; all is right." I remember thinking that Beth had begun at a much MUCH faster tempo than we had practiced. I remember looking at her and trying to regulate it, slow it down with me...looking at each other I think we could feel the song a bit better. I remember singing through the first verse and looking back at the class and seeing quite a few people with their eyes closed...(I don't THINK they were sleeping. hee hee) I think they were really listening. We switched into harmony. And even though I had learned a descant for the final verse...I was so caught up in the song that I completely forgot. I just heard my soprano and Beth's alto and I heard my ancestors a capella on the plains...

It meant a lot to me to have that opportunity.

Singing Sacred Harp

In the film we watched this week, 'Amazing Grace,' nestled in the many renditions and sounds of the old song was a section on Sacred Harp . It reminded me of the piece the Women's Chorus sang when I was singing at my College: Alleluia. Follow this link to listen: here. I remember when we worked through the song, we split the parts up a little differently since it was an all womens chorus. Alto II: bass. Alto I: tenor Soprano II: Alto Soprano I: Soprano. Our director was always trying to bring out the Alto I (tenor) parts since in Sacred Harp that is always the dominant melody. It was a struggle though since the Sopranos (not to stereotype) always slipped into taking the melody dynamic.

When we were recording our CD and preparing for our final concert, our director told us that although we still needed to give the Alto I's precedence, we should drop any pretense of dynamic. It's all "LOUD" (it was nice to hear all these ideas again in class). She also pointed out the swing-feel of the sacred harp arrangement. If you listen carefully to the recording you can here how we found ourselves emphasizing the down, down, down beat, watching our director as she conducted in the traditional "up-down" way.

One last thing I'll remember is that for our last take, after singing so strongly, the sacred harp music swinging up and down in our hearts and heads, caught us up and we suddenly all clasped hands and swung them between us as we sang loud and smiling. "And we'll all sing Hallelujah when we arrive at home!"

Nonsense Words

Of all the many folk songs we've sung, I've found the Nonsense Words songs rather fun. It seems like English folk songs have more of these than others. Essentially, the songs employ nonsense words into the songs just because of the sounds the syllables make. Then, after a few verses the audience can pick it up and then you have a party. Hey, it helps you practice wrapping your mind and mouth around hard-to-pronounce words and sounds. I think these songs, focused so much on sounds rather than means, are a poet's...or linguist's dream.

Symbolism

This folk song could be in the Christmas section as it refers to Christ's birth, but I chose to post it seperately. It's a strange story which makes you realize that there must be a lot more going on here than a walk through an orchard. I'm sorry this song is incomplete, but just to point out a few things from what I have.

Berries and Cherries: perhaps bringing ideas of Fertility? Perhaps the red of the berries ref. to Christ's future sacrifice?

And what is going on with the baby talking to Joseph from Mary's womb? (Oh, and side note: Joseph as "old man" is a good indicator that this song is quite old. Joseph often was depicted as old as far back -at least- as the Renaissance, probably to preserve the image of Mary as virginal. If Joseph was a strapping young man, then it implied that the couple was probably getting along pretty well...you know. BUT if he was old then Joseph was not auto-connected to Mary as her husband per se, more like her kindly grandfather.

Classic Non-Child Ballad

This is a perfect example of a folk ballad that would NOT qualify for a Child ballad. First off, it refers to a rather bawdy/emotional theme of a man persuing a feisty woman, second it has a huuuuuuge supernatural aspect to it as the lady and her suitor change into different animals/objects.

Christmas Folk Songs

"The Twelve Days of Christmas" has quite a few variations around the world. This is one particular version from Britain with a jaunty chorus that has the words "Come to me dilly come dally come dilly." It's a nice variation to learn--impress your relatives at Christmas! ;-)

This song records the changing of the year through the different garlands and flowering trees that follow each other through the year. I chose this one to be part of the Christmas songs because of its reference to holly

Harvest Songs--Let's try this again

Harvest Songs

Two songs here: one about "the bearded barley" (which everyone loved because of its alcoholic possibilities) and another one sung around the harvest table giving "Health Unto the Master, the Founder of the Feast!"

Slave Songs Crossing Over

Recently many formal choirs have taken traditional slave songs and adapted them. What I find interesting is the the obviously passionate tunes and words juxtaposed with the stiff formality of choir boys in this clip. It's...just not the way it was meant to be I think. But, could we perhaps salvage these adaptations by not seeing them as Slave Songs being resung but rather its own category of music, perhaps inspired by Slave Songs, but not meant to replicate.

The Outlandish Knight

A Ballad for You: Can you guess if it's a Child Ballad or not?

Regurgitating the Archives

I couldn't think of a better word for the title there...

At any rate, it's high time to start posting some of the songs I've recorded since the beginning of October. I just have been needing to sit down and convert the files to a format that I could post here...it takes a little while...but I think it's worth being able to have the tunes in an accesible location where I can post a little of their background as well.

So, hopefully, I'll be converting and posting those in the near future. In the meantime, I'll post a little more "literary" thoughts on the subject of Folk Songs, Folk Songs in class, and Folk Songs around the world.

Child vs Broadside Ballads

Child Ballads REQUIRE the following:

--No "ordinary" people
--Kept the supernatural
--Strictly non-judgemental. Couldn't have a moral or a warning.
--Didn't like anything overly "emotional" or about relationships.
--Couldn't be bawdy (Although "Daily Growing" had some bawdy hints in it)

Broadside Ballads have the following that Child wouldn't tolerate:

--Ordinary People
--Emotional relationships
--Formulaic Beginnings (Like "Come all ye..." or "It is of a sailor/train driver/soldier/maid"
--Judgmental ending, usually a warning that begins with a format "and as.../then don't..."
--Examples: "Come all you Texas Rangers" and ends with a moral "You better stay at home"
"Come all you Buffallo Skinners" ends with the warning "you best kill your scheming boss or else you'll die in the middle of nowhere"
"Shanty Boys/Save your Money": calls to all the Shanties and "all you people listenin'" and ends with the moral "save your money."

Folk Song Indexing

A few folk song indexes are available. First, there is the Child index that listed and catalogued a specific type of Ballad. Then Laws followed with a more inclusive list. Finally, the Vaughn Williams library created its online Roud index.

Because many of these songs overlap each other in different indexes, all three tend to cross reference each other, which provides a very convenient "community" of information that you can search to find country of origin, original tunes, and even printed sheet music through their resourses.

In a class assignment, I also used MUDCAT, an online Folk Songs Database, which is more easily searchable and references all three indexing numbers at times.

A note of explanation: the Laws index categorizes its songs by topic. So, when picking up his "Native American Balladry" you can see that "War Ballads" comprise of songs "A1-A26." Sailor and Sea songs are "D." Murder ballads are F. British War Ballads are Js. And Ballads of Family Opposition to Lovers are Ms.

With that in mind, here are the first lines, titles (if I found them), brief synopsis, and Index numbers of my assigned ballads.

********
Sam Hall
O I killed a man, they said, so they said
I killed a man they said, I smashed his head
With a great big lump of lead, blast his eyes

(Yes...well...isn't that a nice song?)
Laws: L5 (L's are "Crime and Criminal Ballads")

*********
As I walked out in the streets of Laredo
As I walk out in Laredo one day
Who should I see buyt a handsome young cowboy
Dressed in white linen and cold as the clay

Laws: B1 (Cowboy songs, you guessed it)

**********
The Outlandish Knight or Pretty Polly

An outlandish knight came from the northland
He came a'wooing me
He said he would take me into the northland
And there his bride I would be

This song is about a tricky night guy that tries to kill all these women. But this lady knows his trick, totally knocks him off his horse, and then has to bribe her parrot to not tell her parents why she was gone so long. Yes...yes this is a real song.

Child: 4

***********

Father, O Father you've done me great wrong
For you've married me to a boy who is too young
For I'm twice twlece and he is but fouteen
He's young but he's daily growing

This song is categorized under "Faithful lovers"...maybe because by the end of it she's okay with her "husband" since later on in the song she discovers that she's pregnant...Hm...yeup. British Ballads.

Laws: O35

***************

The moral of this sotry is very plain to see
You should always wear a life preserver who you go to sea
The Titanic never made it across the ocean blue
It was sad when the great ship went down

Oooooohhhhh it was sad (it was sad)
Very sad (oh so sad)
It was sad when the greeeeat ship went down (oh it was sad)
Fathers, and Wives, little children lost their lives
(OR Uncles and Aunts little children wet their pants)
It was sad when the greeeeat ship went down

Now...this song is sung SO perkily. It's a little disturbing...yet really strangely cathatically fun. Titanic song.

Laws: D24

*********
Stewball

If I'd bet on old Stewball, I'd be a rich man todaaay

Peter, Paul, and Mary anyone? Anyone?

Laws: Q22
*************
Cruel Mother

There was a lady in the north
He the rose and the lindsey-o
She was courted by her father's clerk
Down by the greenwood sidey-o

Child: 20
Roud: 9
**************
Blue-Tail Fly

When I was young I used to wait
On the Master's table and pass the plate
Pass the bottle when he got dry
And brush away the blue-tail fly

Laws: I19 (Negro songs)

**************
Mary Hamilton

Laxt night there were four Maries
Tonight there'll be only three
Mary Beaton and Mary Seaton and Mary Carmichael and me

Child: 173
Roud: 79


***************

Reynardine

Well if by chang eyou look for me
By chance you'll not me find
I'll be in my castle, inquire for REynardine

Laws: P15
**************

Wise Omie

Now Omie, dear Omie, I'll tell you my mind
My ind is to down you and leave you behind
They arrested John Lewis, they arrested him today
They buried poor Omie in the cold clay

Yeah, murder song,
Laws: F4

***********
House Carpenter

Well if you have lost your old true love
I'm sure you are to blam
For I am married to a house carpenter
And I think he's a nice young man

This is a song about a sailor that comes back after a stint and finds the girl he loved married to the village carpenter. He's all "Hey, let's run away. I love you, I do." and she's all, "Um, you know, I DID love you...but you left...your bad...I think my carpenter is a pretty nice guy anyway. At least he stays around!" Bam

Child: 243
Roud: 14

Irreverent Songs and Parodies

So, within a one week period I have heard multiple times from multiple (unrelated) people about one particular song. One learned it in a pub in the North of England, another heard it at Maryland's Renaissance Faire (you have to spell it like that.."Faire"...you know).

It's called: Five Constipated Men in the Bible
Featuring verses about characters like Cain (he wasn't "Abel") or Moses (he took the tablets) or Solomon (sat for 40 years "on a throne")


So, it made me wonder about other "irreverent" songs and a few maybe came to mind. In class a few days back some people brought up anti-teacher songs you could learn at school. Or the "We three kings of orient are, tried to smoke a rubber cigar, it was loaded, it exploded...We two kings of oreint are...I'm a king from orient is...Silent Niiiiiiight..." song. Or maybe "Jingle Bells, Batman smells..." (but is that really "irreverent"?)

I suppose...we could count "Popcorn Popping" as an irreverent song, right? Huh? Huh? (that's a shout out to the Mormon readers)

But really, do you know of any other irreverent songs? Something like "Evan Almighty"ish. Maybe the entire score of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" would do....but it's not really a...folk song.

I know they're out there! If you know one, let me know!

Learning Songs

People often teach songs that teach. Memorization often comes easier when paired with a tune. Here are some "learning songs" I know and some people in my class learned in school. Maybe you know them too. What are some more learning songs you remember?

- Do, Re, Mi
- ABC's
- 50 Nifty United States
- U.S. Capitols (Animaniacs)
- Saying Hello/Happy Birthday in different languages
- "Circumfrence Round and Roung, 2 pi r" (to the tune of Kumbaya)
- Presidents (Animaniacs)
- SCHOOL HOUSE ROCK songs! (Interjections, Conjunctions, The Preamble, I'm just a Bill)
- Periodic Table
- Greek Alphabet
- Quadratic Equation
- "I know my number, my telephone number" (Safety Kids)

O My Father

Original British Tune: Gentle Annie. Writen by pioneer Eliza R. Snow.

Tragedy and Macabre

Spring Hill, Nova Scotia (Mining Disaster)

Two sisters
From Britain, macabre song...with a macabre background (actually I just made a mistake when I was putting these vids together, but it's all about the song, right?)

Bawdy and Scatological

Rattlin' Bog

An Irish drinking song that eventually morphed into the American elementary school song "And the green grass grows all around, all around"

Shine Your Buttons with Brasso: A Playground song from Britain. Like Miss Lucy, comes close to the "bad word" but pulls out at the last moment--a common playground song genre.

Assignment 9/11: List

First official assignment for this class: make a list of your songs. It was a lot harder than I thought it would be, but here are my beginnings. Please comment and tell me your remembered School songs (clapping, jumprope games?), camp songs?, family songs?

School Songs


Row, Row, Row your boat


Hush little baby


All the pretty little horses

Rock a by, baby, on the tree top

Kukabura

Fish and Chips and Vinegar (Don't Put Your Muck in My Bucket/One Bottle o' Pop)

Baby Beluga

I've been working on the railroad

If all the raindrops were lemon drops and gumdrops (If all the snowflakes were candybars and milkshakes)

She'll be coming around the mountain


This Pretty Planet
This Pretty Planet
Is spinning through space
Your garden, your harbor, your holy place
Golden sun going down
Gentle blue giant spinning around

Black Socks
Black socks
They never get dirty
The longer you wear them
The blacker they get
Sometimes
I think I should wash them
But something inside me
Tells me not just yet!


Michael Finnigan
There was an old man named Michael Finnigan
He had whiskers on his chin-igan
They fell out and then grew in again
Poor old Michael Finnigan, Begin again.


John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt

99 Bottles of Beer (pop, coke) on the Wall

Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer

My Bonnie lies over the ocean


Fried Ham

Bingo



Old McDonald Had A Farm


Oh Lord Byron, do not touch me


You are my sunshine

Miss Mary Mack (Mack..Mack..)

Wheels on the Bus

Green grass grows all around all around

Down By the Bay
Down by the Bay
Where the watermelons grow
Back to my home
I dare not go
For if I do, my Mother would say...
(Insert rhymed verse here like,)
Did you ever see a whale
With a polka dot tail?
Down by the bay

This is the song that never ends
yes it goes on and on my friend (from Lamb Chops' Playalong)

Miss Lucy

Turn it Off (Learned in my 4th grade program. Environmentally themed program. Still remember the dance moves)
Turn it off! Turn it off!
Running water.
(Turn it off! Turn it off!)
Save the power
(Turn it off! Turn it off!)
Running water.
(Turn it off! Turn it off!)
Save the power.
YEAH!
Turn it off when you brush.
It's a 5 hour rush [never was quite sure what that meant...]
Turn it off!

The Ants Go Marching
The Ants Go Marching
One by one
Hurrah, Hurrah
The Ants Go Marching
One by one
Hurrah, Hurrah...
The little one stops to
Suck his thumb
And they all go marching
Down, to the ground
To get out of the rain

2- Tie his shoe
3- climb a tree, scratch his knee, take a pee
4- shut the door
5- do the jive, learn to jive
6- pick up sticks
7- go to heaven
8- back a cake, shut the gate
9- check the time, drinks and wine, scratch his behind
10- to start aagin, and that's the end

If you're happy and you know it

James-James-Bo-Bames
Banana-Fanny-Fo-Fames
Me-My-Mo-Mames
Jaaaaames


Family Songs

Tick tock, the Cuckoo Clock

COMET
Comet, it makes your teeth turn green.
Comet, it tastes like gasoline
Comet, it makes you vomit
So have some Comet
And vomit
Todaaaaaaaaay!

Little Red School House
In the little red school house
With my book and slate
In the little red school house
I was always late...(continues)

We're Going on a Bear Hunt (and my friend Winston's Pub version that includes verses that are "tongue in cheek")

Christa McAuliffe
Christa McAuliffe
You were meant to be
A teacher remembered
In our history...
(Learned from my mom. About the Challenger disaster)

Happy Birthday (the Harris version, sung like a dirge)
Happy Birthday
Oh Happy Birthday
Sickness, sadness, and despair
People dying everywhere
On your birthday
So happy birthday

I like Apples and Oranges

I love the Mountains (in a round)

Blue Rugby

Do sports teams count? I'm not sure what constitutes a "folk song" but if it is one written by regular folk which gets a lot of singing time, there are lots of rugby songs... the women's rugby team at Hamilton College sings this one at the beginning of every game - I hope this fits the assignment:

(to the tune of America, the Beautiful - at least I think that is the name of the song that begins "O Beautiful, for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain...")

"Oh rugby gods, it's time to play/
to you we now do pray/
for beers to numb/
the pain to come/
for men* that we shall lay/
oh rugby gods, oh rugby gods/
please grant this one request/
to cream this team/
for we have seen/
BLUE RUGBY IS THE BEST"

* or "chicks" given one's preference...

Contributed by R.

Bonny Wood Green

Irish Hero/Casualty Tragedy War (WWI or II) Song

All around the green valley of Bonny Wood Green
Where me and me true love, we oft times were seen.
Ah the years they roll by, and how happy were we
For tis little we knew that a soldier he'd be.

It was early one morning
When the lambs they did play
From Derg to O'Connor, he then made his way
To enlist as a soldier and to fight for the King
To uphold the good cause, he left Bonny Wood Green

Oh Bonny Wood Green
Bonny Wood Green
To Uphold the good cause he left Bonny Wood Green

And soon he was ordered away or the foam
Where soldiers were needed for to fight for their home
He kissed me and told me, "Oh Nell, you're my queen"
And softly I whispered, "Remember Wood Green."

Remember Wood Green
Bonny Wood Green
And softly I whispered,
"Remember WOod Green."

It was way out in Flanders at the back of the line
They were talkin' of sweethearts that they left behind
Said one Irish soldier, "Well, I've got a Queen.
And she works at Jon Ross' in Bonny Wood Green."

In Bonny Wood Green
Bonny Wood Green
And she works at Jon Ross' in Bonny Wood Green

It was early next morning when the sun was still low
The bullets were flyin' and he was laid low
He turned to his mates in a terrible scene
Sayin, "Kiss my love Nell and remember Wood Green."

Remember Wood Green
Bonny Wood Green
Sayin, "Kiss my love Nell and
Remember Wood Green"

So if ever to Ireland you happen to stray,
And you go to Jon Ross' at the end of the day
There's a quiet old woman who can oft times be seen
For she wears a white apron from Bonny Wood Green.

From Bonny Wood Green
Bonny Wood Green
For she wears a white apron from Bonny Wood Green.

The Handcart Song

British immigration song c. 1860-1880s. Describes the coming journey across the American plains.

Ye saints who dwell in Europe's shore
Prepare yourselves with many more
To leave your own dear native land
For sure God's judgements are at hand.

We must cross the raging main
Before the promised land we gain
Then with the faithful make a start
To cross the plains in your handcart.

For some will push and some will pull
As we go marching up the hill.
And merrily on the way we'll go
Until we reach the valley-o.

As on the roads the carts we pull
T'would very much surprise the world
To see the old and feeble dame
Thus lend a hand to pull the same.

Maidens fair will dance and sing.
Young men more happy than a king.
And children too will laugh and play.
Their strength increasing day by day.

And long before the valley's gained.
We will be met upon the plains.
With music sweet and friends so dear
And fresh supplies our hearts to cheer.

And then with music and with song
How cheerful we will march along.
And thank the day we made a start
To cross the plains in our handcart.

Chorus

Hallelujah

Music and Text: unknown

Most likely a revival-song, methodist hymn, 19th century.

Sung by the BYU Women's Chorus

And let this feeble body fail
And let it faint or die.
My soul shall quit this mornful veil
And soar to worlds on high.

And I'll sing hallelujah.
And you'll sing hallelujah.
And we'll all sing hallelujah
When we arrive at home.

Oh, what are all my suffrings here
If Lord thou count me meet?
With that enraptured host appear
And worship at thy feet.

Chorus

Give joy or grief
Give ease or pain
Take life or friends away.
But let me find them all again
In that eternal day.

Chorus

White Choral Bells

I like your idea--creative. Here is my contribution. It is a song that we always sang growing up. On every family video, there is inevitably at least one kid singing it. It can be sung as a round. It is called "White Coral Bells." I loved it because (1) we had lilies of the valley growing along the side of our house and they had the most incredible smell that triggers memories of Spring (2) it had fairies in the song. Please excuse my obviously amateur voice.

ARTIST: Trad and Anon
TITLE: White Coral Bells Lyrics
{Sung as a round}
White coral bells upon a slender stalk
Lilies-of-the valley line the garden walk
Oh don't you wish that you could hear them ring?
That will happen only when the fairies sing

--Contibuted by M.F.

Music Preservation--If We Don't Do It, Who Will?

For my new folk song class, one of our assignments is to keep a folk song journal. Our professor told us we could use any method we chose, and I'm rather partial to the blog. Here I can post sound clips, video, music scans, as well as my own reflections, and hopefully get songs from all of you readers!

Any songs you've learned from family, camp, holidays, life-spans (weddings, funerals, etc.), festivals, cultural experience, anything--please send me your title and, if you have time, the lyrics or even a recording of it! It will all be compiled for further research and enjoyment.

Let's keep our music and share it with others!