Song
cupboard L 1
Land
of the silver birch
Last
night as I lay sleeping
Lazy
coconut tree
Leave
her Johnny
Let
it be
Let’s
all sing like the birdies sing
Let’s
go fly a kite
Like
little birds the months fly by
Little
Bingo
Little
bird on my window
Little
birdie, little birdie
Little
bitty bats
Little
black bull / Hoosen Johnny
Little
by little, big things get done
Little
David play on your harp
Little
John will be gone
Little
Moses
Little
Peter Rabbit
Little
Rabbit Foo-Foo
Little
red fox
Last updated: 5/10/2021
10:31 AM
The songs below are part of ‘Away we
go’
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
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you must give the original author credit
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you may not use this work for commercial purposes
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any of these can be waived if you get permission from the copyright
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|
Land of
the silver birch O
A
haunting song from Canada sung when paddling a canoe to keep a steady pace;
indeed it is often paired with 'My paddle’s keen and bright'. The
Singing Together Autumn 1971 version goes ‘Hi-a-ya, hi-ya. Hi-a-ya, hi-ya, Hi-a-ya, hi-ya, Ah!’ I presume the refrain below is a Canadian Scouting
one. Find
many other variations on the wonderful Mudcat. Site: http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=5721#2639896 |
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Land of the silver birch,
home of the beaver, Where still the mighty
moose wanders at will. Blue lake and rocky shore,
I will return once more. Boom-diddy-ah-da,
Boom-diddy-ah-da, Boom-diddy-ah-da, boom! High on a rocky ledge, I’ll set my wigwam, Close to the water’s edge,
silent and still. Blue lake and rocky shore,
I will return once more. Boom-diddy-ah-da,
Boom-diddy-ah-da, Boom-diddy-ah-da, boom! Down in the forest’s
glade, deep in the lowlands, My heart cries out for
thee, hills of the north. Blue lake and rocky shore,
I will return once more. Boom-diddy-ah-da,
Boom-diddy-ah-da, Boom-diddy-ah-da, boom! Swift as the silver fish,
my canoe of birch bark, Thy mighty waterways carry
me forth. Blue lake and rocky shore,
I will return once more. Boom-diddy-ah-da,
Boom-diddy-ah-da, Boom-diddy-ah-da, boom! |
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A great song for making up
more verses to rhyme with the names of other real or imaginary islands: Corfu
/ canoe, Sark / Noah’s ark.
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This great calypso song was
written by J.Edwards with music by D.Coombes for BBC radio’s Time and Tune
programme in 1971.
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Leave her Johnny O
Sailors were at sea a long time and this halyard shanty was sung the
homeward voyage after all the jobs were done and as they pulled the ship into
the dock. I first came across this song in BBC radio’s ‘Singing together’ Summer
1968. The verses below are similar to the ones found there. The version here,
however, has a chorus, one that is popularly sung in folk clubs in the
Southwest of England to the present day. The
refrain is in italics. |
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I thought I heard the Old Man say, Leave
her Johnny, leave her! Tomorrow you will get your pay, And
it's time for us to leave her. Leave
her, Johnny, leave her, Oh,
leave her Johnny, leave her! For
the voyage is done and the winds don't blow, And
it's time for us to leave her! The work was hard and the passage long… The seas were high and the gales were strong… Oh, the grub was bad and the wages low… But now ashore again we’ll go… The sails are furled and our work is done… And homeward now we’ve made our run… |
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Let it be 🔊
Nature thrives without our help as long as we don’t bother it. A delightfully thoughtful song by Malvina Reynolds. |
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When you walk in the forest, let it be. There's a flower in the wood, let it be. There's a flower in the wood, and it's innocent
and good, By the stone where it stands, let it be. Let it be, let it be, It's so lovely where it is, let it be. Tho you want it for your own, If you take it from its home, It will not be what it was when you loved it Where it stood in the wood. Let it be, let it be, It's so lovely where it is, let it be. It's a thoughtful child, innocent and wild, By the stone, by the reed, Let it bloom, let it seed, let it be. |
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Let’s all sing like the birdies sing 🔊
A song to have fun with. Written by Robert Hargreaves, Stanley J.
Damerell and Tolchard Evans in 1932. I remember listening to it on the old
records as a child in the early 1950s. New words Dany Rosevear; be sure to make up your own new verses, it’s
easy! |
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Let's all sing like the birdies sing, “Tweet! Tweet! Tweet! Tweet! Tweet!” Let's all sing like the birdies sing, “Sweet! Sweet! Sweet! Sweet! Sweet!” Let's all warble like nightingales, Give your throat a treat. Take your time from the birds, Now you all know the words, “Tweet! Tweet! Tweet! Tweet! Tweet!” “Quack! Quack! Quack! Quack! Quack!”… Round the lake and back… “Cuckoo! Cuckoo! Cuckoo!”… Way up there in the blue… “Cock-a-doodle-doo!”… “Good morning, good morning to you!” |
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Let’s go fly a kite O
A big favourite from the 1964 Disney film "Mary Poppins".
Composed by Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman. |
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With tuppence for paper and strings, You can have your own set of wings. With your feet on the ground, You're a bird in a flight, With your fist holding tight To the string of your kite! Oh, oh, oh! Let's go fly a kite Up to the highest height! Let's go fly a kite and send it soaring Up through the atmosphere, Up where the air is clear. Oh, let's go fly a kite! When you send it flyin' up there, All at once you're lighter than air! You can dance on the breeze, Over 'ouses and trees, With your fist 'olding tight To the string of your kite! |
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Like little birds the months fly by 🔊
Nothing stays still. Words and music by Dany Rosevear. |
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January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December, How the months go tumbling by. January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December, Just like little birds the months fly by. |
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Little Bingo 🔊
I love this variation of an original traditional song, it was recorded
by Canada’s Alan Mills on his CD ‘15 numbers, letters and animal songs’. The more familiar modern version and clapping game, Bobby Bingo, can
be found at: http://www.singinggamesforchildren.com/A%20Cluster%202.2%20Awaywego/12%20Nursery%20favourites.htm |
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There was a farmer had a young dog, His name was little Bingo, B with an I, I with an N, N with a G, G with an O; B, I, N,G, O! His name was little Bingo. The farmer had a very good voice, And he did like to sing-o, S with an I, I with an N, N with a G, G with an O; S, I, N,G, O! And he did like to sing-o. The farmer loved a pretty young maid, He bought her a wedding ring-o, R with an I, I with an N, N with a G, G with an O; R, I, N,G, O! He bought her a wedding ring-o. The wedding bells so merrily rang, A-ting-a-ting-a-tingo, T with an I, I with an N, N with a G, G with an O; T, I, N,G, O! A-ting-a-ting-a-tingo. Then off they went to London town, To see the queen and king-o, K with an I, I with an N, N with a G, G with an O; K, I, N,G, O! To see the queen and king-o. And is this not a jolly good song? I think it is, by jingo. J with an I, I with an N, N with a G, G with an O; J, I, N,G, O! I think it is, by jingo. |
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Little bird on my window O
I believe this is an old Irish song but this and other versions have
been sung in the U.S.A. by grandparents and in elementary schools. |
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Little bird on my window, Won’t you sing me a song? As you fly over meadows Won’t you bring me along? There are beautiful flowers To be seen from up high, Won’t you please take me with you, Little bird as you fly. Little bird on my window May your song never end, I will tell you a secret, You're my very best friend. |
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Little birdie, little birdie 🔊
This Appalachian song is more usually accompanied by a banjo. Find out more at: https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=12974
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Little birdie, little birdie, Come and sing to me your song; I gotta short time for to be here And a long, long time to be gone. Little birdie, little birdie, What makes your wings so blue? It's nothing else but a-grievin', A-grievin' over you. Little birdie, little birdie, What makes you fly so high? It’s because I have
a true little love Way
up there in the sky. Well, I'd rather be a birdie Sailing o’er the deep blue sea Than for to be a young girl With a baby on each knee. Fly down, fly down, little birdie, Come sing to me your song. O, sing it now while I'm with you I won't hear you when I'm gone. |
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Little bitty bats 🔊
Fast, slow and stop; whizz, glide, hang upside down. Can easily be used as a hand play. The nocturnal world from dusk to dawn is a busy one. I woke up this
morning to see a red fox sleeping contentedly in the cut grass pile just
outside our garden window. Badgers are busy too as is evident from the number
of holes in our lawn! And the other day as night fell we saw pipistrelles
flitting briefly around the eaves as we have done before, which inspired this
song. Words and music by Dany Rosevear. |
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Night time, flying time, Catching tiny insects time, Hiding from the moon time, In the dark sky. Flit, flit! Oh, so quick! Dash and dart, zippety-zip! Speedy little whippersnips, Watch them fly! One bat, two bats, Racing round the roofs bats, Little bitty bats, In the twinkling of an eye. Light time, home time, Rest and roosting time, Hanging upside down time, Lullabye! Little bitty bats! |
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Little black bull / Hoosen Johnny 🔊
A folk song from Illinois. |
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The little black bull came down the meadow, Hoosen Johnny, Hoosen Johnny, The little black bull came down the meadow, long
time ago. Long time ago, long time ago, The little black bull came down the meadow, long
time ago. First he pawed and then he bellowed, Hoosen Johnny, Hoosen Johnny, First he pawed and then he bellowed, long time
ago… He whet his horn on a white oak sapling… He shook his tail, he jarred the river… He wink his eye at the little red heifer … He pawed the dirt in the heifer’s face… |
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Little by little, big things get done 🔊
Take your time, don’t give up and slowly but surely things will get
done. Words and music by Carmino Ravora. Arranged by Dany Rosevear. |
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Little by, little by, little by, little by, big
things get done; Little by, little by, little by, little by,
battles are won; Little by, little by, little by, little by, you’ll
reach the skies; Little by, little by, little by, little by, you’ll
take the prize. Little by, little by, smile by smile, Inch by inch and mile by mile, little by, little
by, little by, little by, lot. A lot! |
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A lively happy song that has
a great rhythm. There are other versions of this
that include other characters from the bible.
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Little John will be gone 🔊
Hearing the traditional German folk tune ‘Hänschen klein, geht allein’
when singing the song ‘Chickadee’, a song came to mind that was was taught at
my teacher training college in the 1960s and which I then used in the
classroom in my early days of teaching. Fortunately I recorded the words in a
little notebook at that time as it does not appear to be be recorded anywhere
on the internet. You can find the German words at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hänschen_klein |
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Little John will be gone, Out into the world alone. And his kit, seems to fit And he’s proud of it. But his mother has a cry, When it’s time to say goodbye, I will pray every day, Don’t be long away. Weeks fly past and at last, Seven years, abroad have past, Time has come to fly home, John has ceased to roam. Can the boy we knew before, Be this man outside the door; Sunburnt brown, greatly grown, Will he still be known. One, two, three, John they see, Do not know who he might be. Sister says: “Here’s a face Which I cannot place.” Then his mother hurries in, Only takes one look at him, Shouts with joy, “John my boy, Welcome home my son.” |
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Little Moses 🔊
A song based on the traditional bible story; I loved singing it after
hearing the wonderful Joan Baez in the 1960s. |
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Away by the waters so blue, The ladies were winding their way, When Pharaoh's little daughter stepped down to the
water To bathe in the cool of the day. Before it was dark, she opened the ark And found the sweet infant was there. Before it was dark, she opened the ark And found the sweet infant was there. Away by the river so blue, She carried that beautiful child, To his tender mother, his sister and brother, Little Moses looked happy and smiled. And she called him her own, her beautiful son, And sent for a nurse that was near. (x2) Away by the sea that was red, Little Moses, the servant of God, Before him confided, the seas were divided As upwards he lifted his rod. The Jews safely crossed, while Pharaoh's host Were drownded in the waters and lost. (x2) Away on the mountain so high, The last one that he ever did see, With Israel victorious, his hopes were most
glorious, Some day all of Jordan be free. When his spirit did cease, he departed in peace, And rested in the heavens above. (x2). |
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This is similar to the
version I learnt as a child. ‘Floppy ears and curly whiskers’ is the more
usual chorus on the other side of the Atlantic.
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Little Rabbit Foo-Foo O
A community
story song with actions and sound effects. Line 1: Wiggle two fingers on each side of the head
/ fists move back and forth. 2: Scoop with one hand and ‘bop’ with one fist on
the other. 3: Flap crossed hands downwards. 4 – 5: Repeat above but make circles with thumbs and
forefingers to make glasses for ‘see you’ instead of hopping movement and
shake head. 6: Hold three fingers, clap three times and shake
finger. 7: Wave wand above head. Pull a funny face. Continue as above for each verse. Last time wave
wand round three times.
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Little Rabbit Foo-Foo hopping through the forest, Scooping up the field-mice and bopping them on the
head. Spoken: Along came the Good Fairy, who said: "Little Rabbit Foo-Foo, I don't want to see
you Scooping up the field-mice and bopping them on the
head. Spoken: I'll give you three chances to change and if you don't behave I'll
turn you into a… Goo-oo-oonie!” Little Rabbit Foo-Foo hopping through the forest, Scooping up the wriggley worms and bopping them on
the head. Spoken: Along came the Good Fairy, who said: "Little Rabbit Foo-Foo, I don't want to see
you Scooping up the wriggley worms and bopping them on
the head. Spoken: I'll give you two more chances to change and if you don't behave I'll
turn you into a… Goo-oo-oonie!” Little Rabbit Foo-Foo hopping through the forest, Scooping up the tigers and bopping them on the
head. Spoken: Along came the Good Fairy, who said: "Little Rabbit Foo-Foo, I don't want to see
you Scooping up the tigers and bopping them on the
head. Spoken: I'll give you one more chance to change and if you don't behave I'll
turn you into a… Goo-oo-oonie!” Little Rabbit Foo-Foo hopping through the forest, Scooping up the goblins and bopping them on the
head. Spoken: Along came the Good Fairy, who said: "Little Rabbit Foo-Foo, I don't want to see
you Scooping up the goblins and bopping them on the
head. Spoken: I gave you three chances to change and you still didn't behave!" She waved her magic wand round three times and
POW! She turned him into a… Goo-oo-oonie!” And the moral of the story is: "Hare today - Goonie tomorrow!" |
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Little red fox 🔊
A song from Ireland ‘ An Maidrín Rua’ in Irish. It
was made famous by the Clancy Brothers; this version was inspired by Connie
Cullen. Find out more at Mudcat. |
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The little red fox, red fox, red fox, The little red fox came creeping, The little red fox came a-creeping through the
rocks, And the tips of his two ears peeping. The little red fox is a raider sly, In the misty moonlight creeping; With a morsel to his taste he hurries off in
haste, While the farmyard's soundly sleeping. The little red fox, red fox, red fox, The little red fox, none bolder, The little red fox, came a-creeping through the
rocks, With a fat goose over his shoulder. ''A duck!'' says he, ''Has charms for me, Likewise a young cock crowing; But a fine fat goose is most of use, To a family young and growing.'' The little red fox, red fox, red fox, The little red fox, none bolder, The little red fox, came a-creeping through the
rocks, With a fat goose over his shoulder. Chorus
in Irish: An
maidrín a rua, rua, rua, rua, rua, An
maidrín a rua tá grána, An
maidrín rua na luí sa luachair, Is
barr a dhá chluas in airde. |
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