Song cupboard I

I am glad for two bright eyes

I had a little sailboat

I have a little house

I have a little tiny house

I know where I’m going

I like peace, I like quiet

I love my little donkey

I saw a ship a-sailing

I-Spy birds

Last updated: 5/4/2021 2:53 PM

The songs below are part ofAway we go’ Round and about

compiled, adapted and illustrated by Dany Rosevear

Return to the Singing games for children’ home

To listen to music from these songs click on 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

·       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.

 


 

 

I am glad for two bright eyes 🔊

 

 


This song comes from http://hagonoy-bahay-kubo.blogspot.co.uk/2009/02/nursery-rhymes-and-songs.html a great collection of nursery rhymes and songs.

Music by Dany Rosevear.

 

This lends itself to hand play.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


I am glad for two bright eyes

To see the world’s delights;

To wink and blink and close so tight

At bedtime every night.

I am glad for my little ears,

To hear the meadow lark.

To hear the wind blow, “Oo-oo-oo!”

And hear the doggies bark.

 

I am glad for my little nose

To smell the flowers so sweet;

And I am glad I have a mouth

To smile and talk and eat.

I am glad for my two hands,

For they can clap and play.

And I am glad for legs and feet,

To run and skip all day.


 

 

 

I had a little sailboat 🔊

 

 


This song comes from ‘140 folk songs’ from the Concorde Series 1921. The words are by John Irwin using a traditional French tune ‘Il était une bergère’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


I had a little sailboat,

Its decks were new and all painted blue;

I had a little sailboat,

And sailed it on the brook, Tra-la!

And sailed it on the brook.

 

A little frog sat staring,

A little frog that was on a log;

A little frog sat staring,

Then leaped upon the deck, Tra-la!

Then leaped upon the deck.

 

My ship went topsy-turvy,

Its sails so white disappeared from sight;

My ship went topsy-turvy,

Beneath the water clear, Tra-la!

Beneath the water clear.


 

 

I have a little house 🔊

 

 


Welcome to my house.

Words and music by Patty Zeitlin.  "I Have a Little House" is from her CD and book Castle in My City. Copyright of the song is, as follows; Ballades, ASCAP.Words and music by Patty Zeitlin c. 1963 Bullfrog Ballades, ASCAP

I was introduced to this song through Tony Sarletan’s ‘The Song Bag’ LP.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


I have a little house, a little house, a little house,

I have a little house just for me;

With flowers and grass and sycamore trees,

Round that little house just for me.

 

I have a little bed, a little bed, a little bed

I have a little bed just for me,

And I rest my head on that little bed

In that little house just for me.

 

I have a little chair, a little chair, a little chair

I have a little chair just for me,

And I sit right there in that little chair

In that little house just for me.

 

I have a little table, a little table, a little table,

I have a little table just for me,

And whenever I’m able I eat on that table,

In that little house just for me.

 

And when you come I’ll let you in

Because I surely like you;

You can sleep on my bed and sit on my chair,

And eat on my table too, my friend,

In that little house just for me – and you!


 

 

I have a little tiny house O

 

This is from the traditional Welsh song ‘ Tŷ Bach Twt’ ‘The tidy little house’ You can find the Welsh version at:  http://www.mamalisa.com/?lang=Welsh&t=es&p=2547#multimediaBoxInternalLink

The words here are a delightful take by Mari Griffiths and originally came from the BBC radio Music Box programme.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


I have a little tiny house,

A tiny house, a tiny house.

I have a little tiny house,

That’s right beside the seaside.

Hi-dee-ho, de-hi-dee-hi-dee-ho,

That’s right beside the seaside.

 

I do no work, I sit and watch,

I sit and watch, I sit and watch.

I do no work, I sit and watch,

The high tide and the low tide.

Hi-dee-ho, de-hi-dee-hi-dee-ho,

The high tide and the low tide.

 

And here I live and eat and sleep,

And eat and sleep, and eat and sleep;

And here I live and eat and sleep,

Contented by the fireside.

Hi-dee-ho, de-hi-dee-hi-dee-ho,

Contented by the fireside.

 


 

 

I know where I’m going O

 

 


A Irish folk song that works beautifully as a lullaby.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


I know where I'm going,

And I know who's going with me,

I know who I love,

And the dear knows who I'll marry.

 

I have stockings of silk

And shoes of fine green leather,

Combs to buckle my hair,

And a ring for every finger.

 

Feather beds are soft,

And painted rooms are bonnie,

But I would leave them all,

To go with my love my Johnny.

 

Some say that he's poor,

But I say he's bonnie,

The fairest of them all

My handsome winsome Johnny.

 

I know where I'm going,

And I know who's going with me,

I know who I love,

But the dear knows who I'll marry.

 


 

 

I like peace, I like quiet 🔊

 

 


Which sounds do you like best? A song from BBC TVs Play School; words by Michael Cole, music by Peter Gosling.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


I like peace, I like quiet,

I like to hear small things stir.

I like peace, I like quiet,

I like to hear the birds wings whirr.

I like noise, I like row,

I like to hear things bang and pow!

I like noise, I like row,

I like to hear things wham and wow!

I like peace, I like quiet,

I like to hear the whisper of grass.

I like noise, I like riot,

I like to hear jets go past.

I like dongs and bongs and clangs

And noises that give you a shock!

I like hush and I like shh…

Quiet enough to hear the ticking of a clock.


 

 

I love my little donkey 🔊

 

 


An Orléanais song with English words by Helen Henschel for ‘A third 60 songs for little children’ OUP 1960.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


I love my little donkey,

Hee, haw! Hee, haw!

I love my little donkey,

His coat’s so soft,

His velvet coat’s so soft.

 

I drive my little donkey,

Gee up! Gee up!

I drive my little donkey,

In a painted cart,

In a little painted cart.

 

The bells they jingle gaily,

Dingle ding, ding, ding,

The bells they jingle gaily,

As off we trot,

Merrily off we trot.

 

I lead my little donkey,

Hee, haw! Hee, haw!

I lead my little donkey,

To his bed in his stall,

So good night, that’s all.


 

 

I saw a ship a-sailing O

 

Iona and Peter Opie say in their’ Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes’ that the lines below were copied with some variation into a family album of verse, dated 1815,by a Mrs Elizabeth Susannah Graham.

A version with ‘raisins in the cabin, And almonds in the hold ‘is from ’Ye fairy ship’ by Walter Crane and the  tune below with slight changes comes from ‘The Baby's Bouquet, A Fresh Bunch of Rhymes and Tunes’ by Walter Crane (1878).

I am more familiar with the words below.

A correspondent for the Revue Celtique, 1880, saw children singing it as they danced in a circle imitating ducks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


I saw a ship a-sailing,

A-sailing on the sea;

And oh, but it was laden,

With pretty things for me!

 

There were comfits in the cabin,

And apples in the hold;

The sails were made of satin,

And the masts were made of gold.

 

The four-and-twenty sailors

That stood between the decks,

Were four-and-twenty white mice

With chains about their necks.

 

The captain was a duck, a duck,

With a packet on his back;

And when the ship began to move,

The captain said, "Quack! Quack! "

 


 

 

I-Spy birds 🔊

 

 


A homage to the birds in our lives.

During lockdown we have all become much more aware of the wildlife in our vicinity; they have kept us company, made us smile and entertained us as we while away these lonesome days.

Words and music by Dany Rosevear.

Play I-Spy birds!! If you have a favourite bird or ones native to your country just swap it with one not familiar in your neighbourhood. I’ve missed out so many in the song below that live in or around where I live, I’m sure you could make a much longer list of birds you see where you live or go!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


If you look you’ll see birds everywhere,

If you look you’ll see birds in the air,

On the rooftops, and the trees,

In your garden with the bees,

On the pavement pecking seed,

In the ponds amongst the reeds

Above the rivers, lakes and seas,

Sailing gently in the breeze

Over mountains, wild and free

Soaring with the greatest ease;

If you look you’ll see birds everywhere.

 

If you look birds are busy everywhere,

If you look birds are busy here and there,

Swooping low, flying high,

Catching insects in the sky,

Tapping snails, eating slugs,

Hunting every sort of bug,

Digging underneath the ground

Where the wiggley worms are found.

Finding twigs, building nests,

For the little broods to rest;

If you look birds are busy everywhere.

 

If you look you’ll see birds of every kind,

If you look in your garden you will find:

Sparrows, bluetits, robins, wrens,

Blackbirds, thrushes, jays and then,

Magpies,goldfinch, collared doves

Pretty wagtails you will love.

In the country if you look

You’ll find jackdaws,crows and rooks,

In the rivers, brooks and ponds,

There’ll be ducks and geese and swans;

If you look you’ll see birds of every kind,

So many different kinds of birds you will find.


 

 

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