Song
cupboard rounds and partner songs
Ah,
poor bird
Brother
Martin
Call
John the boatman
Canoe
song
Chain,
chain, daisy chain
Clouds
of rain
Come
follow
Crimson
and red
Dona
nobis pacem
Donkeys
and carrots
Every
night when the sun goes in
Early
in the morning / Kum bachur atzeil
Fare
thee well
Frogs
in yonder pond
Grasshoppers
three
Hey, ho, nobody home
Ifca’s
castle
Mr.
Moon, Mr. Moon / Cuckoo!
Morning
song
Now
all the woods are waking
Now I
walk in beauty
Find more
rounds at:
Have you seen the Ghost of Tom?
Last updated: 5/24/2021
10:46 AM
The songs below compiled, adapted and illustrated by Dany
Rosevear
Return to the ‘Singing games for
children’ home
To listen to music from these songs click on 🔊
To watch the
author sing a song click on the title at:
© Dany Rosevear 2008 All rights reserved
You
are free to copy, distribute, display and perform these works under the
following conditions:
·
you must give the original author credit
·
you may not use this work for commercial purposes
·
for any re-use or distribution, you must make clear to others the
licence terms of this work
·
any of these can be waived if you get permission from the copyright
holder
Your
fair use and other rights are no way affected by the above.
Ah, poor bird O An Elizabethan round. |
Ah, poor bird, Take thy flight, Far above the sorrows Of this dark night! Ah, poor bird, Mourn the tree, Where sweetly thou did’st warble In thy wand'rings free. Ah poor bird, Spread thy wings, Soar in joy above the world And sing, sing, sing! |
Brother
Martin 🔊 A three part round and Latin American folk song though I have not been
able to find the South American source of this song. I found it in ‘Koloeoko’
published in 1983 by June Tillman. The tune is very similar to ‘O, how lovely
is the evening’. |
Brother Martin climbs the tower, Climbs the tower, Pulls the rope to ring the hour, Ring the hour. Ding, dong, ding, dong, ding, dong. |
Canoe song O A traditional Canadian song written to help keep time when rowing a
canoe. This song works well as a round or sung with ‘Land of the silver
birch’ My
Paddle's Keen and Bright & Land of the Silver Birch Move as in this video http://vimeo.com/31997644.
Alternatively sit on the floor in groups of six or so one behind the other
and row in time to the music. |
My paddles keen and bright, Flashing with silver, Follow the wild goose flight, Dip, dip and swing, Dip, dip and swing. Dip, dip and swing her back, Flashing with silver, Swift as the wild goose flies, Dip, dip and swing, Dip, dip and swing, Dip, dip and swing. |
Call John the
boatman 🔊 This three part round is probably 300 years old. It can be found in a
collection of Captain Patrick Tayleur of New York who says this was heard
aboard British ships and sung by sailors in the foc’s’le. I found it in ‘The
Revels’ book of Chanteys and sea songs’ selected and compiled by John
Langstaff in 2006. |
Call John the boatman, call, call again, For loud roars the tempest and fast falls the rain. John is a good man, he sleeps very sound; His oars are at rest and his boat is aground. Red flows the river so rapid and deep; The louder you call him the sounder he’ll sleep. |
Chain,
chain, daisy chain 🔊 This round would also make a lovely simple circle game out on the
grass, even more fun for young children if they first make a necklace
wristlet or coronet of daisies – the youngest might need considerable help!! |
Chain, chain, daisy chain. All the pretty flowers, One for you, and one for me, And one for Jenny Bowers. |
Come follow O A traditional three part call and response round. Words and music by
John Hilton (17th century). |
Come, follow, follow, follow, Follow, follow, follow me. Whither shall I follow, follow, follow, Whither shall I follow, follow thee. To the greenwood, to the greenwood, To the greenwood, greenwood tree. |
Clouds
of rain 🔊 A round for Easter and Whitsun. |
Clouds of rain, blue above; Easter sun and Whitsun dove. |
Crimson
and red 🔊 A very simple Autumn round written by Dorothy Dino Rice for her book
‘Rounds, rhymes and silly songs’ – just wish I could find a copy of this!! |
Crimson and red,
orange and purple, Falling when the leaves come down. |
Dona
nobis pacem 🔊 Just three words, Latin for ‘Give us peace’; something we all wish for
in the personal, community and the world wide sense. This well known round has been attributed to the 16th
century Italian composer Palestrina, although most people believe it was
composed by Mozart. Find out more at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dona_nobis_pacem_(canon)
|
Dona nobis pacem, pacem, Dona nobis pacem, Dona nobis pacem, Dona nobis pacem, Dona nobis pacem, Dona nobis pacem. |
Donkeys
and carrots 🔊 A silly round from Belgium. It works as a two, three or four part
round. It can also be used to make up your own crazy verses. |
Donkeys are in love with carrots, Carrots aren’t in love at all; Hee-haw! Hee-haw! Listen to that loving call! Josie is in love with pancakes, Pancakes aren’t in love at all; Hee-haw! Hee-haw! That’s a crazy, funny call! |
Early
in the morning / Kum bachur atzeil 🔊 A folk song from Israel and a three part round. |
Early in the morning, arising with the sun, Early in the morning, arising with the sun. Crow, rooster, the day has now begun, Crow, rooster, the day has now begun. Kukuriku, kukuriku, work for everyone, Kukuriku, kukuriku, work for everyone. |
Every
night when the sun goes in 🔊 A campfire, vespers, community spiritual adapted from the Appalachian
tradition.Can be sung as an echo |
Two groups sing one follows the other.
Ev’ry night when the sun goes in, Ev’ry night when the sun goes in, Ev’ry night when the sun goes in, I hang my head and mournful cry. If the stars, in the sky don’t shine, If the stars, in the sky don’t shine, If the stars, in the sky don’t shine, I hang my head, and mournful cry. If the moon hides behind a cloud, If the moon hides behind a cloud, If the moon hides behind a cloud, I hang my head, and mournful cry. |
Fare
thee well 🔊 A round and campfire parting song that can be sung in four parts. |
Fare thee well. Luck go with thee. When I’m far remember me. Goodbye my friend, Be carefree. When you are far we’ll remember thee. |
Frogs
in yonder pond 🔊 A round for the tadpole season. Crouch on the floor like a frog. At the "Barrrump", everyone
leaps in the air and claps their hands over their heads. Once everyone is
familiar with the words and actions, singers are split into small groups.
Each group starts singing at slightly different times and repeating the song
‘til everyone tires! Aim for an effect of a pondful of frogs croaking in
spring! It will sound even better accompanied by a guiro. |
Hear the lively song of the frogs in yonder pond; “Crick, crick, Crickety, crick, crick! Barrr-rump!” Hear the lively song of the frogs in yonder pond; “Crick, crick, Crickety, crick, crick! Barrr-rump!” |
Grasshoppers three O This cheerful song can be sung as a round. |
Grasshoppers three a-fiddling
went, Hey! Ho! Never be still. They paid no money toward
their rent, But all day long with elbow
bent, They fiddled a tune called
rillaby, rillaby, Fiddled a tune called rillaby
rill, They fiddled a tune called
rillaby, rillaby, Fiddled a tune called rillaby
rill. |
This Yuletide round can be sung with partner songs "Rose
Rose" and "Ah Poor Bird" to make a three part harmony. Find out more about
this canon and Thomas Ravenscroft at: http://www.music4education.com/resources/canon/heyhonobodyhome.pdf |
Hey, ho, nobody home. Meat nor drink nor money have I none, Yet we will be merry, very merry. Hey, ho, nobody home. Meat nor drink nor money have I none, Yet we will be merry, very merry. Hey, ho, nobody home. Hey, ho, nobody home. |
Ifca’s castle O A round from Czechoslovakia. |
Above the valley fresh and green, A young boy’s head is plainly seen; Hi-ya hi-ya hi-ya ha, Tumbling goes the river, Hi-ya hi-ya hi-ya ha, Tumbling goes the stream. But no it’s not a young boy’s head, It’s Ifca’s castle there instead. Hi-ya hi-ya hi-ya ha, Tumbling goes the river, Hi-ya hi-ya hi-ya ha, Tumbling goes the stream. |
Mr. Moon, Mr. Moon / Cuckoo! 🔊 These two partner songs can
separately or
in unison. |
Mr. Moon, Mr. Moon, You're out too soon, The sun is still in the
sky. Go back into your bed And cover up your head And wait ‘til the day goes
by. 'Twas on a summer's
evening I walked the forest
through. When suddenly I heard it A soft and sweet cuckoo. Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo!
Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo!
Cuckoo! Cuckoo! |
Morning song O This traditional Native American song was published in Singing
Together, Summer 1961, BBC Publications. Just the first verse is normally sung as a round. |
Morning is come, Night is away; Rise with the sun And welcome the day. Birdies and flowers, Beasties and men; Rise with the sun And join in the ring. |
Now all the woods are waking 🔊 Can be sung as a four
parter round. From
‘Very favourites of the very young’ by the Co-operative Recreation Service
published in 1986. |
Now all the woods are
waking, The sun is rising high! Wake up, now! Get up, now! Before the dew is dry! Now all the birds are
chirping, The air is full of song. Wake up, now! Get up, now! And join the happy throng. |
Now I walk in beauty 🔊 A
traditional Navajo Prayer. A wish to be in harmony with the world around us. Seek and you will find; use your eyes to look at the wonders and good
things about you in your journey through life. It will make you happier. |
Now I walk in beauty, Beauty is before me, Beauty is behind me, Above and below me. |
Return to the ‘Singing games for
children’ home