The Ants Came Marching


The ants came marching one by one, Hurrah, Hurrah,
The ants came marching one by one, Hurrah, Hurrah,
The ants came marching one by one,
The little one stopped to suck his thumb,
And they all went marching down
Into the ground, do-do-do-do, boom, boom, boom.


The ants came marching two by two, Hurrah, Hurrah...
The little one stopped to tie his shoe...

The ants came marching three by three, Hurrah, Hurrah...
The little one stopped to climb a tree...

The ants came marching four by four...
The little one stopped to shut the door...

The ants came marching five by five...
The little one stopped to take a dive...

The ants came marching six by six...
The little one stopped to pick up sticks...

The ants came marching seven by seven
The little one stopped to go to heaven...

The ants came marching eight by eight...
The little one stopped to shut the gate...

The ants came marching nine by nine...
The little one stopped to scratch his spine...

The ants came marching ten by ten...
The little one stopped to say THE END...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Baby Bumble Bee



I'm bringing home a baby bumble bee,
Won't my Mommy be surprised at me.
I'm bringing home a baby bumble bee,
Ooo-Eee, it stung me.

I'm squishing up my baby bumble bee,
Won't my Mommy be so proud of me.
I'm squishing up my baby bumble bee,
Ooo - Eee, blood on me.

I'm licking up my baby bumble bee,
Won't my Mommy be so proud of me.
I'm licking up my baby bumble bee,
Ooo-Eee, needs salt!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Be Kind To Your Web-footed Friends


[to the tune of "Stars and Stripes"]

Be kind to your web-footed friends
For that duck may be somebody's mother,
She lives on the edge of a swamp
Where the weather is always damp.

You may think that this is the end,
Well it is but to prove that you're all liars,
We're going to sing it again,
But only this time we will sing a little higher.

[Repeat the song but sing it a bit higher. Continue on for as many rounds as you can stand!]

 

Clementine


In a cavern, in a canyon,
Excavating for a mine,
Lived a miner, forty-niner,
And his daughter Clementine.

Chorus
Oh my darling, oh my darling,
Oh my darling Clementine
You are lost and gone forever,
Dreadful sorry, Clementine.

Light she was, and like a fairy,
And her shoes were number nine,
Herring boxes without topses,
Sandals were for Clementine. [Chorus]

Drove she ducklings to the water
Every morning just at nine,
Hit her foot against a splinter,
Fell into the foaming brine. [Chorus]

Ruby lips above the water,
Blowing bubbles soft and fine,
But alas, I was no swimmer,
So I lost my Clementine. [Chorus]

In a churchyard near the canyon,
Where the myrtle doth entwine,
There grow roses and other posies,
Fertilized by Clementine. [Chorus]

Then, the miner, forty-niner,
Soon began to peak and pine,
Though in life I used to hug her,
Now she's dead I draw the line. [Chorus]

In my dreams she still doth haunt me,
Robed in garments soaked with brine,
Though in life I used to hug her,
Now she's dead I draw the line. [Chorus]

Listen fellers, head the warning
Of this tragic tale of mine,
Artificial respiration
Could have saved my Clementine. [Chorus]

How I missed her, how I missed her,
How I missed my Clementine,
Till I kissed her little sister,
And forgot my Clementine. [Chorus]

 

 

 

 

Dem Bones Gonna Rise Again


The Lord he thought he'd make a man,
Dem bones gonna rise again,
So he took a drop of water
And took a grain of sand,
Dem bones gonna rise again

Refrain
I knowed it, knowed it
Indeed I knowed it brother,
I knowed it, yeah,
Dem bones gonna rise again.

[* sing "Dem bones gonna rise again" after each line]

He took a rib from Adam's side *
Made Miss Eve to be his bride.

Put them in a garden rich and fair,
Told em to eat what they found there.

To one tall tree they must not go,
They must leave the fruit to ever grow.

Miss Eve she came a-walking round,
Spied that tree all laden down.

Serpent he came 'round the trunk;
At Miss Eve his eye he wunk.

First she took a little pull,
Then she filled her apron full.

Adam he came prowlin' round,
Spied them peelings on the ground.

Then he took a little slice,
Smacked his lips and said "How nice"!

The Lord then rose up in His wrath,
Told them to "beat it down the path".

He said to Adam "Dis de end!
You no longer is my friend."

 


 

 

 

 

 

Daisy, Daisy


Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer do.
I'm half crazy, Oh for the love of you.
It won't be a stylish marriage,
I can't afford a carriage,
But you'll look sweet upon the seat,
Of a bicycle built for two.

Michael, Michael, this is my answer, dear,
I can't cycle, it makes me feel so queer.
If you can't afford a carriage,
Bang goes this blinking marriage,
'Cos I'll be blowed if I'll be towed
On a bicycle built for two!


Alternate Verse
Harry, Harry, here is your answer true
I'll not marry all for the likes of you,
If you can't afford a carriage,
There won't be any marriage,
And I'll be switched if I'll be hitched
On a bicycle built for two.


 

Down in the Valley


Down in the valley, the valley so low,
Hang you head over, hear the wind blow,
Hear the wind blow, dear, hear the wind blow,
Hang your head over, hear the wind blow.

Roses love sunshine, violets love dew,
Angels in heaven know I love you,
Know I love you dear, know I love you,
Angels in heaven know I love you.

Build me a castle forty feet high,
So I can see him as he rides by.
As he rides by, dear, as he rides by,
So I can see him as he rides by.

Write me a letter containing these lines,
Answer my question, will you be mine?
Will you be mine, dear, will you be mine?
Answer my question, will you be mine?

If you don't love me, love whom you please.
Throw your arms round me, give my heart ease.
Give my heart ease, dear, give my heart ease,
Throw you arms round me, give my heart ease.


 

Frere Jacques



Freres Jacues
, Frere Jacques,
Dormez-vous
, dormez-vous?
Sonnez les matines
,
Sonnez les matines
,
Din
, din, don! Din, din, don!

Suggestion:

The Happy Wanderer

I love to go a-wandering along the mountain track
And as I go, I love to sing, my knapsack on my back.

Refrain
Fal de ri
, Fal de ra, Fal de ri, Fal de ra ha ha ha ha ha
Fal de ri
, Fal de ra, My knapsack on my back.

I love to wander by the stream that dances in the sun,
so joyously it calls to me, come join my happy song.

Refrain

I wave my hat to all I see, and they wave back to me
And blackbirds all so loud and sweet from every greenwood tree.

Refrain

O may I go a-wandering until the day I die,
O may I always laugh and sing beneath God's clear blue sky.

Refrain

 


 

He's Got the Whole World


CHORUS
He's got the whole world
In his hands,
He's got the whole wide world
In his hands,
He's got the whole world
In his hands,
He's got the whole world in his hands.

He's got the little bitty baby
In his hands,
(3 times)

He's got you and me, brother,
In his hands,
(3 times)

He's got you and me, sister,
In his hands,
(3 times)


 

 

 

 

 

Home, Home On the Range



Oh, give me a home where the buffalo roam,
Where the deer and the antelope play,
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word
And the sky is not cloudy or grey.

REFRAIN
Home, home on the range!
Where the deer and the anteloupe play,
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word,
And the sky is not cloudy or grey.

Oh, give me a gale in some southern Southern vale,
Where the stream of life joyfully flows,
On the banks of the river, where seldom if ever,
Any poisonous herb-i-age grows.

Refrain

Oh, give me a land where the bright diamond sands
Lie awash in the glittering stream,
Where days glide along in pleasure and song,
And afternoons pass as a dream.

Refrain


 

 

 

Hush Little Baby

Hush little baby don't say a word, Papa's gonna buy you a mocking bird
If that mocking bird don't sing, Papa's gonna buy you a diamond ring,
If that diamond ring is brass, Papa's gonna buy you a looking glass.

Refrain
Hush little baby, don't you cry, you look much nicer when your eyes are dry,
Hush little baby don't you weep, you look much nicer when you're fast asleep.

If that looking glass gets broke, Papa's gonna buy you a billy goat,
If that billy goat won't pull, Papa's gonna buy you a cart and bull,
If that cart and bull turn over, Papa's gonna buy you a dog named Rover.

Refrain

If that dog named Rover won't bark, Papa's gonna buy you a horse and cart,
If that horse and cart fall down, you'll still be the sweetest little baby in town.


 

 

 

 

 

If You're Happy

If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands [action]
If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands [action]
If you're happy and you know it, and you really want to show it
If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands [action]

2. ...stamp your feet

3. ... snap your fingers

4. ... slap your thighs

5. ... say "we are"!

6. ... do all five! [perform all five actions]


 

 

In the Good Old Summertime



In the good old summertime, in the good old summertime,
Strolling through the shady lanes with your baby mine.
You hold her hand and she holds yours,
And that's a very good sign that she's your tootsy wootsy
In the good old summertime.


 

 

 

 

 

I've Been Working On the Railroad


I've been working on the railroad
All the livelong day,
I've been working on the railroad
Just to pass the time away,
Don't you hear the whistle blowing
Rise up so early in the morn,
Don't you hear the captain shouting
Dinah, blow your horn.

Dinah won't you blow,
Dinah won't you blow,
Dinah won't you blow your horn.

Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah,
Someone's in the kitchen I know-oh, oh, oh,
Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah,
Strumming on the old banjo,
And singing...

Fe fi fiddley-i-o,
Fe fi fiddley-i-o-o-o-o,
Fe fi fiddley-i-o,
Strumming on the old banjo.


Kookaburra



Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree.
Merry merry king of the bush is he.
Laugh kookaburra, Laugh kookaburra
Gay your life must be.

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree
Eating all the gumdrops he can see
Stop kookaburra, Stop kookaburra,
Leave some there for me.

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree,
Counting all the monkeys he can see.
Stop kookaburra, Stop kookaburra,
That's not a monkey, that's me!


 

 

Kum ba yah

Kum ba yah, my Lord, Kum ba yah,
Kum ba yah, my Lord, Kum ba yah
Kum ba yah, my Lord, Kum ba yah
Oh Lord, Kum ba yah.

People singing Lord, Kum ba yah,
People singing Lord, Kum ba yah
People singing Lord, Kum ba yah
Oh Lord, Kum ba yah.

We are happy Lord, Kum ba yah...

Children playing Lord, Kum ba yah...

Nations fighting Lord, Kum ba yah...

Mothers weeping Lord, Kum ba yah...

Families mourning Lord, Kum ba yah..
.

Why this fighting Lord, Kum ba yah...

Peace in our time Lord, Kum ba yah...

So we're praying Lord, Kum ba yah...

 

 

 

 

 

Little Rabbit Fufu



Little rabbit Fufu
Running through the forest
Sneaking up on field mice and
Batting them over the head

(spoken:)
Along came the Good Fairy, who said:

Little rabbit Fufu,
I don't want to see you
Sneaking up on field mice and
Batting them over the head

Little rabbit Fufu
Running through the forest
Sneaking up on field mice and
Batting them over the head

Along came the Good Fairy, who said,
I'll give you one more chance,
Or else I'll turn you into a goon

Little rabbit Fufu
I don't want to see you
Sneaking up on field mice and
Batting them over the head

Little rabbit Fufu
Running through the forest
Sneaking up on field mice and
Batting them over the head

Along came the Good Fairy
Who turned him into a goon
Which just goes to show
Hare today and goon tomorrow



 

London Bridge



London Bridge is falling down,
Falling down, falling down,
London Bridge is falling down,
My fair lady.

How shall we build it up again,
Up again, up again,
How shall we build it up again,
My fair lady?

Build it up with silver and gold,
Silver and gold, silver and gold, ...

Silver and gold will be stolen away,
Stolen away, stolen away, ...

Build it up with wood and clay,
Wood and clay, wood and clay, ...

Wood and clay will wash away,
Wash away, wash away, ...

Build it up with iron and steel,
Iron and steel, iron and steel, ...

Iron and steel will bend and bow,
Bend and bow, bend and bow, ...

Build it up with stone so strong,
Stone so strong, stone so strong, ...

Stone will last for ages long,
For ages long, for ages long, ....


 

Oh, Susanna

I came from Alabama
With a banjo on my knee,
I'm goin to Louisiana,
My true love for to see.
It rained all night the day I left,
The weather it was dry,
The sun so hot I froze to death,
Susanna, don't you cry.

Refrain
Oh, Susanna, oh don't you cry for me,
I've come from Alabama with my banjo on my knee.

I had a dream the other night
When everything was still;
I thought I saw Susanna
A-coming down the hill.
The buckwheat cake was in her mouth,
A tear was in her eye;
Says I, "I'm comin from the South,
Susanna, don't you cry."

Refrain

 


 

 

Old MacDonald



Old MacDonald had a farm, EIEIO.
And on this farm he had some chicks, EIEIO
With a chick-chick here and chick-chick there,
Here a chick, there a chick, everywhere a chick-chick.
Old MacDonald had a farm, EIEIO.

Old MacDonald had a farm, EIEIO.
And on this farm he had some ducks, EIEIO.
With a quack-quack here and a quack-quack there...

REMAINING VERSES
Make up as many verses as you like with other animals and the noises they make such as...

Sheep - baa,baa
Pigs - grunt, grunt
Horses - neigh, neigh
Cats - meow, meow
Dogs - bow-wow, bow-wow
Rooster - cock-a-doodle, cock-a-doodle



Children's Favourite

 

 

Old Smokey

On top of old Smokey all covered with snow,
I lost my true lover through courting too slow.

Now courting's a pleasure and parting is grief,
But a false hearted lover is worse than a thief.

A thief will just rob you and take all you save,
But a false hearted lover drive you to your grave.

And the grave will just rot you and turn you to dust,
Not a boy in ten million a poor girl can trust.

They'll hug you and kiss you and tell you more lies
Than the cross-ties on a rail road or stars in skies.

They tell you they love you to give your heart ease,
But the moment your back is turned they court who they please.

So come all you young maidens and listen to me,
Never hang your affections on a green willow tree.

For the leaves they will perish and the leaves they will die,
And you'll be forsaken and you'll never know why.


A fun alternative -- " On Top of Spaghetti"

 

 

 

 

On Top of Spaghetti


On top of spaghetti
All covered with cheese,
I lost my poor meatball,
When somebody sneezed.

It rolled off the table
And onto the floor,
And then my poor meatball
Rolled out of the door.

It rolled in the garden
And under a bush,
And then my poor meatball
Was nothing but mush.

The mush was as tasty
As tasty could be,
And then the next summer
It grew into a tree.

The tree was all covered,
All covered with moss,
And on it grew meatballs,
And tomato sauce.

So if you eat spaghetti
All covered with cheese,
Hold onto your meatball
Lest somebody sneeze.



A fun twist on an old favourite!

 

Red River Valley



From this valley they say you are going,
We will miss your bright eyes and sweet smile,
For they say you are taking the sunshine
Which has brightened our pathway a while.

Come and site by my side if you love me,
Do not hasten to bid me adieu.
But remember the Red River Valley
And the one who has loved you so true.

Won't you think of the valley you're leaving?
O how lonely, how sad it will be.
O think of the fond heart you're breaking,
And the grief you are causing to me.

As you go to your home by the ocean,
May you never forget those sweet hours
That we spent in the Red River Valley
And the love we exchange 'mid the flowers.


 

 

 

Take Me Out to the Ballgame



Take me out to the ballgame,
Take me out to the crowd.
Buy me some peanuts and CrackerJacks,
I don't care if we never get back.
So it's root, root, root for the home team.
If they don't win it's a shame,
For it's 1, 2, 3 strikes you're out
At the old ball game!


 

This Old Man

This old man, he played one,
He played knick-knack on my thumb,
With a knick-knack paddy-wack
Give the dog a bone,
This old man came rolling home.

This old man, he played two,
He played knick-knack on my shoe,
With a knick-knack paddy-wack
Give the dog a bone,
This old man came rolling home.

This old man, he played three
He played knick-knack on my knee,
With a knick-knack paddy-wack
Give the dog a bone,
This old man came rolling home.

REMAINING VERSES
[Continue 4, 5,6...10 using the group's own rhymes such as...]

four - on the door
five - on the hive
six - picking up sticks
seven - up to Heaven
eight - on the gate
nine - on a line
ten - with the hen


Childhood favourite!

 

 

 

 

The Titanic



Oh, they built the ship Titanic to sail the ocean blue,
And they thought they had a ship
That the water wouldn't go through;
But, the good Lord raised his hand,
Said this ship will never land,
It was sad when the great ship went down.

CHORUS
It was sad, too bad,
It was sad when the great ship went down
To the bottom of the sea (husbands and wives, little children lost their lives),
It was sad when that great ship went down.

Oh, they sailed away from England and were almost to the shore,
When the rich refused to associate with the poor,
So they put them down below, where they were the first to go,
It was sad when the great ship went down.

CHORUS

The boat was full of sin, and the sides about to burst,
When the captain shouted "All women and children first".
Oh, the captain tried to wire, but the lines were all on fire,
It was sad when the great ship went down.

CHORUS

Oh, they swung the lifeboats out o'er the deep and raging sea,
When the band struck up with "Nearer My God to Thee",
Little children wept and cried as the waves swept o'er the side,
It was sad when the great ship went down.

CHORUS




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