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Can Anyone Help with a Song with the Line, “Like a Tree, We Would Grow”?

Monday, July 13th, 2009

Alicia wrote:

Dear all,

I have had a friend at home that goes to a Canadian school in Cuba. He sings a song:

Like a tree
We would grow
We’re a family
Don´t you know
We were planted a long time ago
Like a tree we would try
Branches reaching
Towards the sky…

Or something like that. He sang it very quickly and I couldn’t write the whole song. I’m searching on the internet for the song, but I can’t find it, and the children travel abroad…

Please, do you know the lyrics of this song?

Thank you very much for your help.

Sincerely.

Alicia Gómez.

If anyone can help with this song, please let us know in the comments below. Thanks!

Mama Lisa

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Posted in Canada, Canadian Children's Songs, Children's Songs, Countries & Cultures, Cuba, English, Languages, Mama Lisa, Questions, Readers Questions | No Comments »

I’s the B’y – A Song from Newfoundland, Canada

Sunday, November 9th, 2008

Here’s a catchy new song I just learned called I’s the B’y, meaning I’m the Boy. I found two cool YouTube videos so you could hear it. The lyrics are below with some notes about their meanings…

I’s the B’y

I’s the b’y that builds the boat
And I’s the b’y that sails her,
I’s the b’y that catches the fish,
And brings them home to Liza.

Chorus
Hip yer partner*, Sally Tibbo,
Hip yer partner, Sally Brown,
Fogo, Twillingate, Moreton’s Harbour,**
All around the circle!

Sods and rinds to cover your flake,***
Cake**** and tea for supper,
Codfish in the spring o’ the year
Fried in maggoty butter.

Chorus

I don’t want your maggoty fish,
That’s no good for winter,
I could buy as good as that,
Down in Bonavista.

Chorus

I took Liza to a dance,
As fast as she could travel,
And every step that she did take
Was up to her knees in gravel.

Chorus

Susan White, she’s out of sight,
Her petticoat wants a border,
Old Sam Oliver in the dark,
He kissed her in the corner.

Chorus

I’s the b’y that builds the boat
And I’s the b’y that sails her,
I’s the b’y that catches the fish,
And brings them home to Liza.

*”Hip yer partner” means to bump your hip into your partner’s hip when dancing.
**These are all locations in Newfoundland (see map below).
***Sod was used to cover the holes and roofs of huts that were made to smoke fish.
Rinds are bark – they were used to cover the fish on the flakes to keep the fish from getting burnt in the hot sun.
A flake is a stand made of wooden poles used for drying out fish.
****Cake here refers to a hard, dry biscuit eaten on ships.

Map of Newfoundland showing Fogo, Twillingate and Moreton's Harbour

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Posted in Canada, Canadian Children's Songs, Canadian Folk Songs, Children's Songs, Countries & Cultures, English, Folk Songs, I's the B'y, Languages, Mama Lisa, YouTube | 2 Comments »

One, Two, Buckle My Shoe

Wednesday, November 5th, 2008

Cover of One, Two, Buckle My Shoe

Most people know One, Two, Buckle My Shoe up to the number 10. Here’s a well-known version…

One Two,
Buckle my shoe.
Three, Four,
Open the door.
Five, Six,
Pick up sticks.
Seven, Eight,
Lay them straight.
Nine, Ten
Do it again.

Some people know One, Two, Buckle My Shoe up to 20. Below is the version from Walter Crane’s The Buckle My Shoe Picture Book (1910). I’ve posted his illustrations after the rhyme…

One Two,
Buckle my shoe.
Three, Four,
Open the door.
Five, Six,
Pick up sticks.
Seven, Eight,
Lay them straight.
Nine, Ten,
A good fat Hen.

Eleven, Twelve,
Ring the Bell.
Thirteen, Fourteen,
Maids are courting.
Fifteen, Sixteen,
Maids in the Kitchen.
Seventeen, Eighteen,
Maids in waiting.
Nineteen, Twenty,
My plate is empty.

Buckle My Shoe Illustration

Here’s another version that goes up to 20, from A Gift for All Seasons, edited by Lawrence Lovechild (1847)…

One, two, buckle my shoe ;
Three, four, open the door ;
Five, six, pick up sticks ;
Seven, eight, lay them straight ;
Nine, ten, a good fat hen ;
Eleven, twelve, I hope you ‘re well ;
Thirteen, fourteen, draw the curtain ;
Fifteen, sixteen, the maid ’s in the kitchen ;
Seventeen, eighteen, she ’s in waiting ;
Nineteen, twenty, my plate is empty ;
Please, mamma, to give me some dinner.

The Counting-out Rhymes of Children by Henry Carrington Bolton gave this variation of the second part of this rhyme…

9, 10, a good fat hen,
11, 12, roast her well,
13, 14, boys a courtin’,
15, 16, girls a fixin’,
17, 18, maids a bakin’,
19, 20, weddings plenty.

Check out more versions of One, Two, Buckle My Shoe on my nursery rhyme site.

Please feel free to post any versions of this rhyme that you know in the comments below.

Mama Lisa

Coming next on the blog: Versions of One, Two, Buckle My Shoe that go past the number 20!

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Posted in American Kids Songs, Australia, British Children's Songs, Canada, Canadian Children's Songs, Children's Songs, Countries & Cultures, England, English, English Children's Songs, English Nursery Rhymes, Games, Great Britain, Languages, Nursery Rhymes, One, Two, Buckle My Shoe, USA | 1 Comment »

Can Someone Help with a Canadian Song about “A Bunny in My Garden”?

Monday, January 28th, 2008

Marie wrote to me from Canada:

Hello Lisa,

I have been trying to find the rest of the words to a song my grandmother used to sing to me. My granny was from Newfoundland, Canada. Her family were immigrants from Scotland.

The words I remember are: (and I’m sorry I don’t have a scanner, or I would have written out the music!)

I know there is a bunny in my garden
C F E F G A G A Bflat C C

The donkey’s ears were pricked awhile a go
high C h F h F h F h F h E h E hD hD hC
___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
high C hF h F hF hF hE hE hD hD hC A

The mar-i-golds stood stiff- ly in a row.
Bflat hC hC hC hC hC Bflat A G E

Then all at once I saw the grasses quiver
E G G G G G G A A E E

Then all at once ___ ___ ___ ___ ___sway
E G G G G G G A A E

I know there is a bunny in my garden
C E F E G A G A Bflat hC hF

Oh how I wish that he’d come out and play.
Bflat hC hC hC hC hC Bflat A G E

Do you have any songs in your files that match this, or do you know where else I can search? My grandmother passed away about 20 years ago. Neither my mother or my aunt, or my sisters remember all the words. I really wish I could pass the complete song on to my children, who right now sing “la la la” for the missing words!

Thanks so much,
Marie McKibbin

If anyone can help with this song, please let us know about it in the comments below.

Thanks in advance!

Lisa

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Posted in Canada, Canadian Children's Songs, Children's Songs, Countries & Cultures, English, Languages, Questions, Readers Questions | No Comments »

Is Anyone Familiar with a Song with the Line “”Rubin, Rubin, I’ve been thinking, what cruel world this would be”"

Wednesday, June 20th, 2007

Meg wrote:

Good afternoon.

I recently had a little boy and, I have been singing to him different songs from my childhood. I am hoping that you can help me track down lyrics to a song that mother used to sing to me. The song goes…

Rubin, Rubin, I’ve been thinking, what cruel world this would be, if the boys were all transported, far beyond the Northern Sea.

To be honest, I’m not even entirely sure that lyrics are 100% correct. Let me know if you can help.

Thank you,

Meg

If anyone can help out with this song, please comment below or email me.

Thanks!

Lisa

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Posted in American Kids Songs, Australia, Australian Kids Songs, British Children's Songs, Canada, Canadian Children's Songs, Children's Songs, Countries & Cultures, English, Great Britain, Languages, Questions, Readers Questions, USA | 11 Comments »

Does Anyone Know a French Canadian Song with the Line “”Marchons marchons soldats de plomb”"

Wednesday, June 13th, 2007

Carlene wrote:

Hi Lisa

My father-in-law was raised in Northern Ontario. Now that he’s a grand parent he has begun singing a song from his childhood but he only remembers one verse. We have been trying to find more verses but have been unsuccessful. Here are the words:

“Marchons marchons soldats de plomb.
Chantons chantons notre chanson.
Soyons militaires; marchons tête fière.
Marchons, marchons soldats de plomb”.

Any help you can offer would be awesome.

Thanks!

Carlene

Here’s a loose English translation:

Let us march, march, tin soldiers.
Let us sing, sing, our song.
Let us be soldiers; let us march with heads held high.
Let us march, march, tin soldiers.

If anyone can help with this song, please comment below or email me.

Thanks!

Lisa

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Posted in American Kids Songs, Canada, Canadian Children's Songs, Children's Songs, Countries & Cultures, Five Little Pumpkins, France, French, French Kids Songs, Languages, Questions, Readers Questions | No Comments »

The Many Versions of Frog Went A Courtin’

Saturday, May 12th, 2007

I’ve been having a lot of fun researching the history of the popular song Frog Went A Courtin’. There are many versions. It originated in Scotland over 450 years ago. There’s also a well-known British version called A Frog He Would A-wooing Go, which I’ve written about previously.

This song has also traveled around Canada and throughout the US. Along the way, many versions have cropped up – some with different tunes and names. One is called King Kong Kitchie Kitchie Ki-Me-O, while another is called Sing Song Kitty (Won’t You Ki-Me-O).

I think it would be interesting to collect and post different versions on Mama Lisa’s World. If you know any versions of King Kong Kitchie Kitchie Ki-Me-O or Sing Song Kitty, or any interesting variations of Frog Went A Courtin, please comment below.

Thanks!

Lisa

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Posted in A Frog He Would A-wooing Go, American Kids Songs, Australia, British Children's Songs, Canada, Canadian Children's Songs, Children's Songs, Countries & Cultures, England, English, Frog Went A courtin', Great Britain, King Kong Kitchie Kitchie Ki-Me-O, Languages, Questions, Sing Song Kitty, There Was a Frog Lived in the Well, USA | 3 Comments »

Does Anyone Know a Song with the Line “”There was a little mouse who lived on a hill”"?

Friday, May 11th, 2007

Felicia wrote:

Dear Mama Lisa,

I found your website while I was looking for the lyrics to a song my dad used to sing to me when I was a little girl driving down the road. It starts out like this…

There was a little mouse who lived on a hill, uh-huh, uh-huh

There was a little mouse who lived on a hill, uh-huh, uh-huh

There was a little mouse who lived on a hill he was rough and tough like buffalo bill, uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh

The song then goes on to tell a story about the little mouse meeting a girl mouse and getting married under a sycamore tree etc. If you could help me with the lyrics, if you know them, I would be very grateful.

Thanks for any help you can give me,

Felicia Saathoff

If anyone can help with this song, please comment below.

Thanks!

Lisa

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Posted in American Kids Songs, Australia, Australian Kids Songs, British Children's Songs, Canada, Canadian Children's Songs, Children's Songs, Countries & Cultures, England, English, Frog Went A courtin', Great Britain, Languages, Questions, Readers Questions, USA | 25 Comments »

Can Anyone Help with a Canadian Song “”Yoki and the Kaiser”" – Possibly with Korean Origins

Friday, May 4th, 2007

Patricia wrote:

Wondering if you have heard the words to a 50’s skipping game we played using elastics?

I believe it was originally a Korean children’s game and the children of missionaries brought it back to Canada in 1939. Original words:

Rioyun, Kaiyo, Yaku navide etc.

This song was taught to commemorate the victory of Russian-Japanese war of 1905 and written by a Japanese poet (After this war, Japan occupied Korea).

The words we sang as children here in Ontario were:

Yoki and the Kaiser, Yoki addy ay, Tamba, so-ba, Sa-du, say-day. Yoki in the Kaiser, Yoki allee-ay, Kick him in the so-po, Sa-du, sa-day!

We had no idea what we were singing!

Patricia
Ontario Canada

It just so happens that Bill Conrad had asked me about this song last year. Here’s what he wrote:

In Montreal, in the 50’s, girls used to celebrate Spring with skipping ropes and elastics. While playing the elastic game they sung a “ditty” that went somewhat like this,”Yolem a Kaiser,Yokem addiay….” Do you know what I am referring to? Bill Conrod

I’m not familiar with this song. If anyone else can help out with the lyrics, meaning or origins of this song (or of the original song it comes from) please comment below.

Thanks!

Lisa

PS I have one question for Patricia and Bill: Does skipping ropes with elastics mean playing Chinese jump rope?

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Posted in American Kids Songs, Canada, Canadian Children's Songs, Children's Songs, Countries & Cultures, English, Games, Japan, Korean, Korean Children's Songs, Languages, Questions, Readers Questions, Skipping Game, South Korea, USA | 10 Comments »

Are You Familiar with a Picnic Song with Catsup in it?

Wednesday, April 11th, 2007

Eileen wrote:

Dear Lisa,

I am looking for the words to a picnic song that was sung on the very, very old program, The Breakfast Show.

The song was Going on a picnic… did you bring the catsup, catsup…

Thank you so much for any help.
Eileen in Maryland

If anyone can help out with this song, please comment below.

Thanks!

Lisa

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Spring Chicken Song

Tuesday, April 10th, 2007

I’ve established a page where I post questions people have about songs and nursery rhymes. It would be great if you’re able to help answer any of our readers questions.

Occasionally the questions are about songs that are related to current events. Here’s one such question. The song is about Spring!

Hi my name is Vicky and when my daughter was younger she used to sing a song called Spring Chickens, however we can not remember the words. I was hoping you could help me.

Some of the words were:

I’m a real spring chicken and I’m yellow and small,
My feathers are fluffy and they’re keeping me warm.
My legs are not long, so I’m not very tall,
But I’m a real spring chicken and I’m having a ball,
I’m a chicken, I’m a chicken and I’m having a ball.

Many thanks,

Vicky

If anyone can help with the lyrics to this song, please comment below.

Thanks and I hope you’re enjoying your Springtime!

Lisa

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Looking for a CD with Canadian Songs – “The Ogopogo” and “I Want to Blow My Horn”

Sunday, January 7th, 2007

Yvonne wrote me looking for two songs…

Dear Lisa,

I’m looking for two songs I used to sing with my children and would like to sing them for my new grandchild but can’t seem to find them anywhere. They are Canadian (I think). One song is LOOKING FOR THE OGOPOGO, FUNNY LITTLE OGOPOGO etc. and the other one is I WANT TO BLOW MY HORN BUT NO ONE WILL COME NEAR ME, etc.

I live in Australia but a tape or CD would work over here. Do you know of where I could purchase these songs?

With thanks,

Yvonne

I haven’t been able to find a CD with these songs on it looking around the internet. I have been able to find the lyrics to one of the songs Yvonne is searching for called The Ogo-pogo:

One fine day in Hindustan,
I met a funny little man
With googly eyes and lantern jaws;
With a new silk hat and some old plus-fours
When I said to that quaint old chap;
Why do you carry that big steel trap
That butterfly net and that old gun?
He replied, Listen here my son.
“I’m looking for the Ogopogo.
The funny little Ogopogo.
His mother was an earwig,
His father was a snail
I’m going to put a little bit of salt on his tail
I want to find the Ogopogo,
While he’s playing on his old banjo
The Lord Mayor of London,
The Lord Mayor of London
The Lord Mayor of London wants
To put him in the Lord Mayor’s show.”

The other song, with the line “I WANT TO BLOW MY HORN BUT NO ONE WILL COME NEAR ME”, I can’t find at all!

If anyone can help with the lyrics and/or with any information about finding a musical CD with these songs on it, please comment below.

Thanks!

Lisa

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Posted in Canada, Canadian Children's Songs, Children's Songs, Countries & Cultures, Questions, Readers Questions | 2 Comments »

Looking for a French Canadian Song

Saturday, October 14th, 2006

Marilee wrote me…

I was looking for a song my mother used to sing to my children when they were little. She said her father sang it, too. They were of French Canadian heritage and her father and mother lived in a French settlement in Illinois. My mother spoke French until she was 7 years old!

Anyway, the song I am looking for went like this, sang while bouncing a child on your leg:

Ce bonhomme, si gentil
Toujours danse, toujours rit
Dans (what followed sounded like “lac a teea dayna” from what I can remember)
Whoop! Whoop! Whoop!

I do remember my mother placing the child on her knee, singing the first two lines and one more line and then going whoop whoop whoop while bouncing the child up and down on the lower part of the leg (the shin).

I hope you can find something on this. Thank you.

Marilee

Monique at Mama Lisa’s World en français provided the following translation:

This little man, so nice,
Always dances and always laughs
In the ?

If anyone can help with the rest of this song, please comment below.

Thanks!

Lisa

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Posted in Canada, Canadian Children's Songs, Children's Songs, Countries & Cultures, France, French, French Kids Songs, Languages, Mama Lisa, Questions | No Comments »

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Posts

Can Anyone Help with a Song with the Line, “Like a Tree, We Would Grow”?

I’s the B’y – A Song from Newfoundland, Canada

One, Two, Buckle My Shoe

Can Someone Help with a Canadian Song about “A Bunny in My Garden”?

Is Anyone Familiar with a Song with the Line “”Rubin, Rubin, I’ve been thinking, what cruel world this would be”"

Does Anyone Know a French Canadian Song with the Line “”Marchons marchons soldats de plomb”"

The Many Versions of Frog Went A Courtin’

Does Anyone Know a Song with the Line “”There was a little mouse who lived on a hill”"?

Can Anyone Help with a Canadian Song “”Yoki and the Kaiser”" – Possibly with Korean Origins

Are You Familiar with a Picnic Song with Catsup in it?

Spring Chicken Song

Looking for a CD with Canadian Songs – “The Ogopogo” and “I Want to Blow My Horn”

Looking for a French Canadian Song