Geri wrote looking for help with a childhood song from England:
As a child in the UK (England) we used to sing a song at school (infant or juniors) that I thought started like this:
Summer has come from the sunny lands,
Summer is here again,
Bringing the birdies (not sure of this line)
In every woodland lane
Chirruping, chirruping high and low.*****
That is all I can remember.
This song has haunted me for years and I am now 65, it would be an old song from the late 40’s to the 50’s. I have searched and searched but found nothing I am not sure I have all the word’s down correctly but it does go something like that.
Can anyone help me please.
Thank you.
Geri
If anyone can help with this song, please let us know in the comments below.
Thanks in advance!
Mama Lisa
UPDATE: We received some lyrics to this song in the comments below along with the notes so we could create a midi tune of Summer has come from the sunny lands. Thanks to Christopher Hall for the notes and Monique Palomares of the French and Spanish version of Mama Lisa’s World for creating the midi!
Now you can also hear an mp3 of Sunny has come from the sunny land as played on the piano by Julie Newcombe. Thanks Julie!
This article was posted on Thursday, March 26th, 2009 at 8:08 pm and is filed under British Children's Songs, Children's Songs, Countries & Cultures, England, English, English Children's Songs, Holidays Around the World, Languages, Mama Lisa, Questions, Readers Questions, United Kingdom. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
91 Responses to “Can Anyone Help with a Song with the Line, “Summer Has Come from the Sunny Lands”?”
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April 4th, 2009 at 4:10 am
We sang this at my infants school – Elson – in Gosport, Hampshire in the 1950s. For some reason, it just popped into my mind this morning! The missing words are: Bringing the birdies to sing their song. For the last line, I used to sing In every wood and lane (but that’s probably because I couldn’t read or write at that stage, and was just singing what I thought I’d heard the teacher say.
April 9th, 2009 at 7:10 pm
Yes! I looked on here in search of this song- my grandmother used to sing it when I was young- I’m in my 50’s now- and yes, it is haunting, far more so than the words would make it seem, with a simple clear tune, like bells. I remember only:
Summer has come to the sunny lands
Summer is here again
Bringing her birdies to sing their songs
In every wood and lane
Say, little birdies, if you can tell
Who taught you the way to fly…..
I didn’t have the chirruping high chirruping low line. “From” rather than “to” the sunny lands makes a lot more sense. I seem to remember the birdies went on to say that it was God who taught them the way to fly; it was almost like a childs hymn. I felt it was quite old even when I was hearing it in the fifties and sixties, but that might just have been my own youth.
I am so glad I looked on here tonight; I have looked for it before without finding it; I was beginning to think I might be the last person in the world to have heard that song!
April 12th, 2009 at 5:15 am
I adored this song and as a young child used to sing it at South Norwood Infants/Junior School in the late 1950s. Its sweet little melody has always stayed with me and I often find myself humming it to myself. I tend to associate it particularly with Easter and I think that’s why it came to mind this week and prompted me to search the net again. I was so pleased to find this site.
Like all of you, I can only remember a few lines. I’ve searched the Internet numerous times in the past hoping to find some lyrics … but without success.
However, I was chatting to my sister Mary on the phone today and mentioned that I’d been searching for this elusive song, and to my surprise she told me that she knew it and that it’s actually a hymn (just as Elaine thought). Unfortunately Mary couldn’t remember all the words, but she certainly knew more than me! So ladies, here are a few more pieces to the jigsaw for you:
Summer has come from the sunny lands,
Summer is here again,
Bringing the birdies to sing their songs
In every wood and lane.
Chirruping, chirruping, loud and sweet,
High in the rocking tree,
Dear little birdies I think you sing
Your prettiest songs to me.
We have a Father, the birdies said,
Loving and kind and true,
He who has taught us the way to sing,
Will care for His children too.
… Mary thinks there may be a third verse but she can’t remember it.
She also thought there must be books containing hymns for primary schools somewhere, and that it might be worth contacting antiquarian bookshops, old primary schools or Foyles for books published in the 40s and 50s.
Hope this helps a bit.
April 14th, 2009 at 9:48 am
Oh, I’m so pleased to have found this site. I’ve been looking for the rest of the words to this hymn for years. We sang it at primary school in the early 70s but all I could remember were the first two lines and ‘Bringing the…’ from the third. Asking other people drew a blank and many puzzled looks and I’ve tried numerous other forums and websites, to no avail, so thank you!
April 17th, 2009 at 3:36 am
I too have had this song on my mind since my infant school days and tried to find it so many times. I know the first & last verse, but not the middle ones, although it is about a child asking a “birdie” where they come from & how they learnt to fly & sing. I thought one verse began:
” Tell me dear Birdie I long to know ” (then something such as ” …where do you go when it’s cold in Winter) and ” who taught you the way to fly?”
The first verse as already : then the middle ones ask where the birds go in Winter and how they learn to fly…….
..last verse is;
“Thank you dear Birdie for telling me
I am so glad to know
Now when I’m asked I can always say
A little bird told me so “
May 4th, 2009 at 6:35 pm
The song appeared in “Child Songs Volume 1” edited by Carey Bonner and published by the Sunday School Union in 1908.
Words are by Florence Hoatson and Music by Hermann von Muller.
If anyone would like a copy of the words and music and can’t hunt down a copy of this book, I will be only too pleased to oblige.
(E-mail derek.walmsley@virgin.net)
June 15th, 2009 at 8:10 pm
This is how I remember it. It was in infant school so I was about four or five, in Mumbles Junior School, Wales.
I loved it very much and used to sing it to my family.
It pops into my mind every so often, especially when I am travelling with my own family now, on long car journeys. For some strange reason when I was little, everyone sang it with their noses blocked! I think they were trying to sound like the chipmunks! (or maybe they were copying my baby voice!)
Summer has come from the sunny land,
Summer is here again,
Bringing the birdies to sing a song,
In every wood and lane.
Chiruping, chirruping loud and sweet,
High in the rocking tree,
Dear little birdies I think you sing,
The prettiest songs to me.
Tell me dear birdies I’d like to know
who was it taught you to sing?
Who was it taught you the way to fly.
and gave you each tiny wing?
The dear Lord above us all,
Loving and kind and true,
Twas he who has taught us the way to sing
and taught us the way to fly too
Thank you dear birdies for telling me,
I am so glad to know,
Now if my friends ask me, I can say,
A little bird told me so!
July 27th, 2009 at 6:45 pm
This site is brilliant.
I have always wondered about the words for this song for a very long time.
I must keep this as a favourite and thanks for the words, i will sleep easier now.
I first heard this either Caerau infants school Cardiff
July 27th, 2009 at 6:49 pm
I am looking for the English version to a French children’s song i heard many moons ago.
I only know part of the 1st line, which goes
I look from out my window, the river running by, cannot remember the rest.
July 29th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
Could you provide any more clues -who was singing i.e. male, female, choir, children… and if she know any of the French words or if you could tell what the song was about, maybe it’d help.
August 7th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
I have always remembered this song from when I was a little girl at Dean Field Junior School in Halifax. I always find myself singing it on lovely warm sunny days when all the leaves are on the trees. I loved it then and I love it now. I only remembered the first two verses, but clearly remember the melody. So pleased that other folks also loved this song.
August 7th, 2009 at 6:26 pm
I’ve never heard this song sung… if you’d ever like to sing it for me and send a recording… that’d be great!
Cheers!
Mama Lisa
September 30th, 2009 at 4:47 pm
I too have been wondering about the song of the summer and the birdies for years! We used to sing it at Southcoates Lane Infants School in Hull in the early 60’s. The tune and the first line only have been with me for years – it’s something I hum often! I’m so glad I googled just on the off chance. I know I used to love singing it out loud and heartily! Hope I was in tune!
Thanks all of you! Most grateful!
November 21st, 2009 at 10:17 am
Nice to see Geri remembered the same song that I use to sing at Esh Winning Primary School near Durham in the 1950s and also thanks to Sharon for all those lyrics.
December 10th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
We sang it in Sunday School St Pauls Monton /Eccles Manchester 1963/64.(I’m now 54) I’ ve just googled the first line as I couldn’t get it out of my head for some reason! Glad I found this site.
January 28th, 2010 at 2:48 pm
Dear Friends,
I sang this song in my infants’ school (Bishop Road, Bristol) over 50 years ago and was actually selected to sing the bird’s solo part (v4)! I don’t think any of the contributors has yet got it completely right, so here goes my attempt!
Summer has come from the sunny land,
Summer is here again;
Bringing the birdies to sing their songs
In every wood and lane.
Chirruping, chirruping loud and sweet
High in a rocking tree;
Dear little birdies I think you sing
Your pettiest song for me.
But I should very much like to know
How did you learn to sing?
Who was it taught you the way to fly
And gave you each tiny wing?
“We have a Father,” the birdies said,
“Loving and kind and true;
“He who has taught us to sing and fly
“Will think of the children too.”
Thank you, dear birdies, for telling me;
I am so glad to know.
Now, when I’m asked, I can always say,
“A little bird told me so!”
The tune, for those who are unfamiliar, is in waltz time with notes as follows (each note value one beat unless stated in brackets):
(Top)C A F (bottom)C F G A(2) (top)C C(3)
C A F C(2) A G(6)
C A F C F G A(2) C C(2)
C C A F C(2) A F(6)
May the Father who taught the birds to sing their sweetest songs for you fill you with His grace, truth and everlasting love.
February 9th, 2010 at 2:57 pm
The first two lines of the music is correct but the second two lines are slightly different. I love this song too. I am looking for a song with the lines,
Once upon a time, long ago, long ago
Old Mr.Noah took his wife by the hand
Saying, ‘Come my dears, come away come away
Come away and leave this land,
Call your sons, call your daughters,
Call the animals to the ark,
See the clouds are gathering, gathering
Now the sky is growing dark…
.I remember more but it is disjointed. Would love to hear if anyone knows it.
February 13th, 2010 at 12:46 pm
This song evokes many many happy childhood memories whilst at St Erth C.P. School from 1969 – 1976. My everlasting and true dear friend, Sharon Matthews (now Ciliberto) sang this song together, cross-legged on the parquet floor at primary school, with Mrs Lever / Miss Ferguson (who always selled of copydex). If anyone out there has a musical rendition, then please post it for both of us to enjoy and remenisce. Thank you
March 23rd, 2010 at 2:00 am
I am also looking for the rest of the words to ” Old Mr Noah” I do remember…” The rain came down steadily steadily with all the animals safe below” I sang at it at Newnham Croft school in Cambridge, I wish I could remember the teachers name.
March 23rd, 2010 at 4:46 pm
We heard it at St.Erth CP School in Cornwall, Emma. I loved it but have never come across it again. I am now music coordinator at a primary school and would love to get my children singing it.
April 9th, 2010 at 4:42 pm
Hi…I sang Summer Has Come at primary school too. My sister just reminded me and sent me the link to this site and now I can’t get it out of my head. So I’ve recorded it as an mp3 file using Christopher Hall’s version of the lyrics above. If you want a copy, just email me at julie@sealpointsongs.co.uk. Hope this is ok Christopher….Will be happy to oblige. Am assuming it is now out of copyright and in the public domain, but if anyone knows differently, please let me know. Cheers!
April 9th, 2010 at 4:58 pm
Thanks Julie (my big sis). Derek above kindly sent the sheet music so now we can confirm the full words too.
This song was my favourite at Fir Tree CP School (which sadly closed last year). I was in Marco (Pierre) White’s class right through school. Wonder if he remembers the song too!
Strongly recommend anyone who enjoys this song to download Julie’s music as it’s really lovely.
Pippa xxx
April 9th, 2010 at 6:09 pm
Ooops….just to clarify…the recording is only the accompaniment, for you to sing along to! Thanks!
April 23rd, 2010 at 2:59 pm
I too remember singing this song at infant school in the early 1970s. I also have an audio recording of myself as a small child singing the song – it was a great thing in our house when my uncle came round with his reel-to-reel tape recorder and I still have the recording although I have not listened to it for 35 years.
April 23rd, 2010 at 3:29 pm
If you’d like to send your recording – I can post it!
April 23rd, 2010 at 3:35 pm
It’s still on a 1970s tape reel that I have no means of playing, but when I get around to it I’ll have it transferred to a 21st centrury medium then it can be posted.
April 23rd, 2010 at 3:37 pm
Can’t wait to hear it!
April 26th, 2010 at 4:45 pm
Suddenly found myself singing ‘Summer has come’ and was delighted to find this site with the 5 verses above as I remember. We used to sing it at The Meadows in Northfield Birmingham in the late ’50s. Wonderful! I remember my kid brother used to have a toy car that he called ‘Kind and true’ that he took from this song.
May 28th, 2010 at 4:44 pm
i used to sing this song at westmoreland road school newcastle upon tyne it brings back my childhood i always sing it on a lovely sunny day it cheers me up
June 15th, 2010 at 6:10 am
I was taught this song at SouthFields Primary school in Coventry by Miss Finnett the Nursery Teacher. I still remember the words and sing it often. I’m glad I’m not alone and there are so many others who recall this song too.
July 3rd, 2010 at 12:03 pm
I googled the first two lines of this and came upon this site.
I didn’t think I remembered it all but it just came to me when I typed it. It seems quite correct but I may have got a word or two wrong, but I think this is how it goes:
Once upon a time long ago, long ago
Old Mr Noah took his wife by the hand
Saying, ‘Come my dear, come away,
Come away and leave this land.
Call your sons, call your daughters
Call the animals to the Ark
See the clouds are gathering, gathering
Now the sky is growing dark’.
The windows of Heaven opened, opened
The rain came down the wind did blow
The Ark she lifted gently, gently
With all the animals safe below.
The waters rose steadily, steadily
Deeper and deeper flowing by
And old man Noah stood listening, listening
For the voice of God on high.
At last the rain stopped pattering, pattering
A great wind rose, the Earth to dry
A little dove went a fluttering, fluttering
Softly up into the sky.
‘Fare thee well, little dove, little dove
Fare thee well the Lord keep thee’
And soon she came back carying, carrying
A silver leaf from an olive tree.
Then the Lord remembered Noah
With the creatures in His care
And He drained the Earth of water
Set the Ark on a mountain bare.
Praise the Lord sons and daughters
Praise the Lord for He is good
Praise the Lord… for He has saved us (you?)
From the terrors of the flood.
July 3rd, 2010 at 12:16 pm
OOps…
3rd line, verse 1, should read:
‘Saying, ‘Come my dear, come away, come away…’
July 12th, 2010 at 2:43 pm
I have been going through my late mother in laws estate as she was a teacher all her life & a good music teacher & seeing your notes on the missing song i’m sending this to inform you I have a the original song book vol 1 by Carey & bonner which includes the song & music you remember. feel free to contact me on my email address.
July 23rd, 2010 at 7:40 am
I also remember singing it at Primary School, in the days when each classroom had a piano, and it was one of the qualifications that teachers could play. We used to sing “The spring is coming, resolved to banish, the King of the Ice with his turbulent train” in the appropriate season too.
I remember a cold, wet winters day when one of the girls in the class said to the teacher, “Oh please Miss, can’t we sing ‘Summer has come’ – I’m so fed up of winter”. And the teacher agreed and started to play it. Halfway through the song we started to turn around. Outside in the corridor were all the children from the adjacent classrooms, with their teachers, all singing it as well. Lovely
August 18th, 2010 at 12:05 pm
i am so delighted to at last have found the words to “summer has come”. I still hum it to myself just as as others have said. We sang it at our Primary school in Orpington, Kent around 1955-1960 and i remember many times singing it with my sister in our car on the way to Cornwall for our holiday. Does anyone remember “little bird i have heard what a merry song you sing……? Both songs bring back happy memories of summer days .
September 30th, 2010 at 4:09 pm
Thanks all, this has been puzzling me for ages, but now I can sing it again with happy memories.
November 27th, 2010 at 8:56 pm
HI
can i jet copy of the mysic or mp3 for the song ”
” Once upon a time long ago, long ago
Old Mr Noah took his wife by the hand
Saying, ‘Come my dear, come away,
Come away and leave this land.
Call your sons, call your daughters
Call the animals to the Ark
See the clouds are gathering, gathering
Now the sky is growing dark’.
The windows of Heaven opened, opened
The rain came down the wind did blow
The Ark she lifted gently, gently
With all the animals safe below.
The waters rose steadily, steadily
Deeper and deeper flowing by
And old man Noah stood listening, listening
For the voice of God on high.
At last the rain stopped pattering, pattering
A great wind rose, the Earth to dry
A little dove went a fluttering, fluttering
Softly up into the sky.
‘Fare thee well, little dove, little dove
Fare thee well the Lord keep thee’
And soon she came back carying, carrying
A silver leaf from an olive tree.
Then the Lord remembered Noah
With the creatures in His care
And He drained the Earth of water
Set the Ark on a mountain bare.
Praise the Lord sons and daughters
Praise the Lord for He is good
Praise the Lord… for He has saved us (you?)
From the terrors of the flood”
December 17th, 2010 at 6:07 am
‘The Sun Has Come From The Sunny Lands’ is a childhood song that has never gone away and has doggedly stuck in my mind for many years. I attended Branfil Infants School, Upminster, Essex in the early 1960’s and cannot begin to put into words how thrilled I was to stumble across this website. To read the many people all over the UK who,like me, were touched by this simple but beguiling melody is such a revelation. My years at Branfil school were very happy and the whole school used to sing this song whilst sat crossed- legged on the hall floor accompanied by the archetypal school piano. Bliss!
December 19th, 2010 at 11:52 pm
Summer Has Come From The Sunny Land
I first heard this at primary school here in Glasgow Scotland in the 1960’s. To this day I remember most of the words. Thank you for reminding me of them all. It brought back memories of spring Term going into Summer term. I am a primary teacher myself now and each year I try to get my class to sing this song and they all love it as much as I did when I was their age.
December 20th, 2010 at 12:45 am
That’s neat Elizabeth! If you’d ever like to record your class singing this song, I’d be happy to post a recording.
Thanks for sharing everyone!
Mama Lisa
January 30th, 2011 at 11:59 am
Summer has come from the Sunny Land.
There was one line from this I couldn’t remember, and thanks to your page, I have found it.
Am I the oldest recaller of this song. I sang it in 1941 in Balaam Street School in Plaistow, East End of London.
February 8th, 2011 at 5:38 pm
I am wondering if Sharon Ciliberto ever got a reply about the Noah song? I am searching for the very same one…that is, a recording of it:)
ONCE UPON A TIME….LONG AGO, LONG AGO…
OLD MR. NOAH TOOK HIS WIFE BY THE HAND… SAYING,
“COME, MY DEAR…COME AWAY, COME AWAY….
COME AWAY AND LEAVE THIS LAND.”
CALL YOUR SONS…CALL YOUR DAUGHTERS,
CALL THE ANIMALS TOOOOO THE ARC.
SEE THE CLOUDS ARE GATHERING, GATHERING….
NOW THE SKY IS GROWING DARK….
February 8th, 2011 at 5:39 pm
I am wondering if Sharon Ciliberto ever got a reply about the Noah song? I am searching for the very same one…that is, a recording of it:)
ONCE UPON A TIME….LONG AGO, LONG AGO…
February 9th, 2011 at 1:25 pm
Hey, Amy, if you look back about 10 posts you’ll see that I provided all the words for Mr Noah.
I don’t know if there’s a recording but I could sing it for you, if you’d like! ;)
February 9th, 2011 at 7:25 pm
That would be great if you could sing this for us Sue! Then we could also make a score. We have a phone number where you can sing a song on a recording machine if you’re interested. Or we can post mp3 recordings.
April 24th, 2011 at 7:18 am
On this glorious Easter, I was sitting in my garden enjoying the sun and the birdsong and I thought yet again of this song. We sang it at Whipton Barton Infants in Exeter in the early 60’s. I remember the lines;
Summer has come from the sunny lands, Summer is here again, bringing the birdies to sing their song, in every woodland glen.
Chirruping chirrupping high and low, how did you learn to sing, who was it gave you that lovely voice, and made you those tiny wings.
Then came the religious bit, but i couldn’t remember it.
So I have just googled it and found this site! Wonderful!
I shall relearn it properly.
It holds such lovely memories because of my age, innocence, and the fact we always began singing it going into the Summer term.
Fabulous times!
Thanks everyone!
Anita
May 2nd, 2011 at 12:02 pm
“Summer has come” has been going round in my mind too recently. We sang it at St Annes infants school Bristol in the late ’40s. At that time I thought it was “summer has come from the Sunday land” (pronounced “sun-dee”!). Thanks everyone for the memories and the words!
May 26th, 2011 at 4:41 am
If you try the Methodist school hymnbook then there you will find this and a host of other nice songs/hymns
September 30th, 2011 at 6:05 pm
I remember this hymn. Circa 1952; sunny Summer days, smell of roses in the school hall in dudley, West Midlands. Tune is still in my head. I’m 65 next March!
October 30th, 2011 at 9:57 am
THANKS GUYS!
“Once upon a time Long ago , Long age”:
I learnt this song in school in Jamaica, and my sister called this morning to get the lyrics for Sunday school, where she teaches. I recall most of the words, and will refine as I check with some of my okld class mates in Jamaica.
Once I have done, this , i will record it!