adapted
by Linda McCargar Alvarez,
Bruce O’Brien & Bonnie Lockhart
from the singing of the Carter Family
We’ll
have joy, joy, joy, in my family’s house,
In my family’s house, in my family’s house.
We’ll have joy, joy, joy,
In my family’s house,
We’ll have peace, sweet peace.
We’ll
have homemade music, in my family’s house,
In my family’s house, in my family’s house.
We’ll have homemade music,
In my family’s house,
We’ll have peace, sweet peace.
We’ll
have guitar pickin’,
In my family’s house, in my family’s house.
We’ll have guitar pickin’,
In my family’s house,
We’ll have peace, sweet peace.
We’ll
have banjo playin’ . . .
We’ll
have fiddle playin’. . .
And
we’ll play the spoons. . .
And
we’ll sing along. . .
We’ll
have joy, joy, joy. . .
by
Bonnie Lockhart
Ó2002
Bonnie Lockhart
chorus:
Who were the witches?
Where did they come from?
Maybe your great, great grandmother was one.
Witches were wise, wise women they say.
And there’s a little witch in every woman today!
Witches
knew all about flowers and weeds.
How to use all their roots and their leaves and
their seeds.
When people grew weary from hard-workin’ days,
They made ’em feel better in so many ways.
(chorus)
When
women had babies the witches were there
To hold them and help them and give them care.
Witches knew stories of how life began.
Don’t you wish you could be one? Well, maybe
you can!
(chorus)
Some
people thought that the witches were bad.
Some people were scared of the power they had.
But power to help and to heal and to care
Isn’t something to fear, it’s a pleasure to share.
(chorus)
Traditional
singing game, Trinidad
The singing
games of the Eastern Caribbean are treasure troves of musical fun. The
anthology Brown Girl in the Ring provides an extensive collection
of these game songs, including a slightly different version of this one.
Along with the game song collection, Alan Lomax, J. D. Elder, and Bess
Lomax Hawes, the editors of Brown Girl, offer a wealth of
information about the music and its place in the lives of children and
communities
Tootsie
in the moonlight, Tootsie in the dew,
Tootsie never comes in until the clock strikes two.
Walk
in Tootsie, walk in walk right in I say,
Walk into my parlor, hear my banjo play.
I
don't want no coffee, I don't want no tea.
All I want is (child's name) to come and dance with me.
Tra
la la la la la etc.
This is a ring game. “Tootsie” walks around the outside of the
ring of children while they sing the first verse (Tootsie in the
moonlight...). Children clap and gesture as they sing. At “Walk in
Tootsie” (verse 2), “Tootsie” walks into the circle, and mimes
"hear my banjo play". In verse 3, “Tootsie” mimes pushing
away the coffee and tea, and then names a child in the outside ring to
join him or her in the center. During Tra la la. . . children in the
ring dance around the inside couple. Repeat the tra la la verse and
children in the ring reverse direction. The old “Tootsie” then joins
the ring and the new Tootsie walks to the outside to start over again.
Sometimes the child’s name is sung rather than “Tootsie”.
by
Bonnie Lockhart
Ó2002
Bonnie Lockhart
chorus:
When I feel mad, I hiss like a snake (ssss).
I roar like a bear (grrr). What a noise I make!
I stomp my feet, and I might just shout (Hey!).
But I don’t have to hurt anybody to let my anger out.
’Cause
I use words, words make me strong
And I can tell everybody just what is wrong.
I can say “Stop!” (Stop, Stop). I can say “No!” (No).
I can say I need a turn, I can say leave me alone.
(chorus)
And
when I’m mad, here’s how I know.
I’ve got some place in my body that tells me so.
Could be my throat (gulp!).
Could be my chest (cough!).
Could be my fists or my belly,
my body knows the best!
(chorus)
Traditional,
Mexico
This
lively song integrates well into spring planting and gardening
activities. Its cumulative
repetitions make it useful to Spanish learners.
It invites motions and dramatization.
And it features a female farmer.
This version comes from families at Compañeros, a pre-school in
San Francisco, California.
Cuando
siembra la bella hortelana,
Cuando siembra, siembra asi.
Si, siembra poco a poco,
Luego pone las manos asi,
Siembra asi, luego pone las manos asi.
Cuando riega…
Cuando corta…
Cuando muele…
Cuando tortea…
Cuando come…
Literal (not singable) translation:
When the pretty farmer sows the seeds,
When she sows, she sows like this.
Yes, she sows little by little,
Then she places her hands like this.
She sows like this,
then she places her hands like this.
She waters…
She cuts…
She grinds…
She makes tortillas…
She eats…
by
Bonnie Lockhart
Ó2002
Bonnie Lockhart
Sea
lions, bark and flap your flippers.
Dive down deep, you skinny dippers.
Steer up with your built-in rudder.
Dry off with a shake and shudder.
by
Bonnie Lockhart
Ó2002
Bonnie Lockhart
My
friend the drum, she likes to have fun,
And she can tell you where she’s coming from.
She likes to sing, she likes to play,
And she can tell you what we’re doing today.
She
says stand up, she says to hop,
She says to stretch, she says to stop.
She says to turn, she says to bend,
She says to dance, now wave to your friend.
She tells me please, bend your knees,
Sit down on the floor, and sing it some more.
La la la la. . .
by
Bonnie Lockhart
Ó2002
Bonnie Lockhart
From
the clouds, to the snow,
To the mountain down below.
Melting rain, waterfall,
To the lake that holds it all.
chorus:
It’s a cycle,
it’s a circle, it’s a dancer watch her spin,
And the water coming to us, it goes round and round again.
Aqueduct from the lake
Brings the water that we take
From the pipes underground
To the faucet where it’s found.
(chorus)
Wash
your hands, wash your clothes,
But remember where it goes:
To the ground from the drain,
Back into the clouds again.
(chorus)
Every leaf, every child,
Every creature in the wild,
Everyone, everywhere,
Needs the water that we share.
(chorus)
Traditional,
African American
This
little light of mine,
I’m gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine,
I’m gonna let it shine.
This little light of min,
I’m gonna let it shine.
Let it shine! Let it shine! Let it shine!
All
around my family,
I’m gonna let it shine.
All around my family,
I’m gonna let it shine.
Let it shine! Let it shine! Let it shine!
All
around my neighborhood. . .
All
around the animals. . .
On
everybody everywhere. . .
©1984,
1989 words & music by Sarah Pirtle
Discovery Center Music, BMI
additional words by Bonnie Lockhart
(chorus)
My roots go down, down to the earth,
My roots go down, down to the earth,
My roots go down, down to the earth,
My roots go down.
I
am an ancient redwood tree. (sing
three times)
My roots go down.
chorus)
I
am a pungent garlic plant. (3x)
My roots go down.
(chorus)
I
am a rose in full bloom. (3X)
My roots go down.
(chorus)
I
am a windblown dandelion. (3X)
My roots go down.
(chorus)
I
am every living thing. (3X)
My roots go down.
(chorus)
by
Bonnie Lockhart
Ó2002
Bonnie Lockhart
Ricki
Ticki was a rabbit. He lived in our outdoor pen.
One morning when we came out, we couldn’t find him.
chorus:
Ricki Ticki, Ricki
Ticki, where did you roam?
Can’t you hear the children calling “Come back home”?
Did some bad guys steal you away, or did you run out to play?
The
first thing that we did was searching,
looking for him high and
low.
A very quiet shy girl climbed the highest slide,
and shouted to the kids
below:
“Search for Ricki Ticki at all times!”
She shouted for the kids to hear,
“Search for Ricki Ticki at all times,”
To everybody far and near.
(chorus)
The
next thing that we did was posters
With drawings and our paintings and we wrote.
With masking tape and thumbtacks
we hung them all around,
And never, ever gave up hope.
We hung some bunny pictures in our own yard
’Cause maybe he would think they were a friend.
We hung some bunny pictures in our own yard,
’Cause maybe he would come and play with them.
(chorus)
The
next thing that we did was stories,
Imagining the way it might have been.
It could have been some pirates or
really scary guys
Who came at night to kidnap him.
We drew a lot of pictures of those bad guys,
And we drew bunnies frightened as can be.
We drew a lot of pictures of those bad guys,
And we drew bunnies shouting “Please Help Me!”
(chorus)
The
next thing that we did was tracking.
We thought we saw his footprints in the sand.
We went to a museum and learned about tracks,
Of many different animals on land.
We put our feet in clay and sticky plaster,
And counted all the bumps made by our toes.
We put our feet in clay and sticky plaster,
And let them dry and decorated those.
(chorus)
We
thought we ought to leave some food out.
We thought of all the things he’d like for snack.
We thought we ought to check our backyard fence,
And measure every little hole and crack.
Days went by, then weeks, and then a month passed,
Still we searched, made footprints, and we drew.
Days went by, then weeks, and then a month passed,
Still we thought of more that we could do.
(chorus)
The
next thing that we did was listen.
A teacher told us something really good!
She said she’d seen a poster about a rabbit found,
By someone in our neighborhood!
We took our little wagon out to fetch him,
We even took our pictures to compare.
We took our little wagon out to fetch him,
And jumped for joy to find our rabbit there!
final
chorus:
Ricki Ticki home at last.
Posters made and stories told and footprints cast.
We did everything we could do.
Ricki Ticki, we found you!
Ricki Ticki, we love you!
by
Bonnie Lockhart
Ó2002
Bonnie Lockhart
Pelicans
flying in perfect formation,
Each with its place in the perfect creation,
Each with its own perfect place in the sky.
My place is on earth, but I wish I could fly.
by
Bonnie Lockhart
Ó2002
Bonnie Lockhart
chorus:
Do you remember what
you dreamt about,
You dreamt about last night?
I’ve had some dreams I’d like to think about,
To think about in the light.
I
remember a lake,
And I can see it now.
What would that lake say to me,
If it could talk somehow?
(chorus)
I
remember some noodles…
(chorus)
I
remember a monster…
(chorus)
I
remember a cat…
by
Bonnie Lockhart
Ó2002
Bonnie Lockhart
A
boy and a bear were the best of friends,
And they played in the forest where the river bends.
And the bear really wanted to teach that kid
Some special bear things that she did.
“Can
you teach me how to fly?” asked the little guy.
“Oh no,” said the bear, “but we can try
To find the bat, she’s good at that,
We’ll find the bat, she’s good at that.”
“Can
you teach me how to hop?” asked the little guy
“Oh no,” said the bear, “But we can try
To find the rabbit, ’cause that’s his habit.” (2X)
“Can
you teach me how to build?” asked the little guy.
“Oh no,” said the bear, “But we can try
To find the beaver, she’s very clever” (2X)
“Can
you teach me how to sing?” asked the little guy.
“Oh no,” said the bear, “But we can try
To find the cricket, he’s in the thicket.” (2X)
So
all of the animals shared their skill,
And the sun went down behind the hill.
But there was another thing left to know,
Before that little boy could go.
“Can
you teach me how to sleep?” asked the little boy.
Then the bear’s face lit with a special joy.
’Cause you can learn a lot from all the rest,
But sleeping’s something bears do best!
by
Bonnie Lockhart
Ó2002
Bonnie Lockhart
chorus:
Have you traveled the
road to sleep?
Does it climb up a mountain, or wind down deep?
Is it so very quiet you can’t hear a peep?
Oh, tell me, where is the road to sleep?
Sometimes
I get lost on my way to rest,
And I fly in all directions wondering which is the best.
Like a little bird, circling round and round, trying to weave up a nest.
I lose my way on the way to rest.
(chorus)
Sometimes
I get lost on my way to bed,
And I think of all the things I’d rather do instead.
While I’m reading a little bit more of a story that I’ve never read,
I lose my way on the way to bed.
(chorus)
Now
everybody has their special road to sleep,
A gentle drifting down the hill, or switchbacks so steep.
Whether it’s quick as the blink of an eye or slowly you creep,
You’ll find your way, and you’ll get to sleep.
(chorus)
