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
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:
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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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for any re-use or distribution, you must make clear to others the licence
terms of this work
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any of these can be waived if you get permission from the copyright
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Your
fair use and other rights are no way affected by the above.
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
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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
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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
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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
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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. .
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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 Follow this song with ‘Sur
le Pont’ for a French flavour. Listen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Z7OSHqgRXg&feature=related
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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.
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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
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