Here’s the mp3 recording, the song lyrics in Italian, followed by Giada’s English translation…

MP3 of Principessa Nel Regno Del Ghiaccio

Principessa Nel Regno Del Ghiaccio

(Testo e musica di Giada de Gioia)

 

Bianca come la luna piena

la pista è come uno specchio d’argento

ma tu non sei Biancaneve.

 

Bianca con i riflessi del cielo più blu

e tu ti senti davvero felice

come un orsetto polare.

(Coro)

Sei perfetta, ballerina

sui tuoi pattini d’argento

principessa poi sarai regina

sul podio nel palazzo

nel tuo regno di ghiaccio.

 

Esile,

a volte sembri fragile

in equilibrio instabile tra gioco, ambizione

infinita passione.

 

Lame lucenti come spade

brillanti più del sole

sui pattini da ghiaccio

e tu non vedi l’ora

di gareggiare ancora, ancora ancora.

(Coro)

Sui pattini da ghiaccio

e tu non vedi l’ora

di gareggiare ancora, ancora ancora.

(Coro)

 

English Translation:

 

Princess In The Reign Of Ice                 

 

White like the full moon

The skating-rink is like a silver mirror,

But you are not Snow White.

White, with the reflection of the bluest sky

And you feel really happy like a little polar bear.

 

(Chorus)

You are perfect, dancer, on your silver skates

You are a princess, then you’ll become a queen

On the platform in the palace

In your reign of ice.

 

Thin, sometimes you look fragile

In unsteady balance between game and ambition,

Endless passion.

Blades shining like swords

Brighter than the sun

On your skates you look forward to competing again.

 

(Chorus)

Blades shining like swords

Brighter than the sun

On your skates you look forward to competing again.

 

(Chorus)

Many thanks to Giada de Gioia for sharing this fun song about ice skating with us!

Grazie!

Mama Lisa

Hello, I was hoping you’d be able to help with a song my grandmother sang to us when we were kids. It seems nobody can remember the whole thing but it starts like this:

"There was a young man who lived on the common from what I have heard his mother was a woman if all tales be true from what I am told he was born quite an infant but the years made him old. His face was the most peculiar you’ve seen it never was washed so it never was clean and to see this man smile you’d get such a grin for his mouth ran crossed his face twixt his nose and his chin." 

Unfortunately this is all anyone can remember other than some parts but we don’t have the whole thing as our grandmother use to sing it. I have been looking for this song for ten years since she died.  It would be greatly appreciated if you could write back with any information on this song. Thank you.

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

Thanks!

Mama Lisa

Here’s a link to our current books and apps.

The song "Pussy Willows" used to be taught in schools.  Some people have written to me about it because their grandparents sang it to them as kids.  It’s a sweet little song! 

Here are the lyrics to Pussy Willows, with a musical score and midi tune…

Midi Tune of Pussy Willows

Pussy Willows

Pretty pussies down by the brook,
Swinging away to and fro;
On the bending willow boughs
Like pussy cats all in a row.

If I put you down by the fire,
You pussies so cunning and shy,
I wonder if you’ll turn
Into pussy cats by and by?

“Ah, no!” the pussies said,
“We couldn’t and we wouldn’t do that;
We belong to fairy folks
And we are their pussy cats.”

If anyone would like to sing this song for us, please email me or comment below.

Enjoy!

Mama Lisa

Many thanks to Monique Palomares from the French version of Mama Lisa’s World for creating the midi tune.

The song was written by Seosamh Mac Cathmhaoil and arranged by Herbert Hughes to old Irish melody.

Below you can listen to a video of the song, followed by the lyrics.

The Ninepenny Fidil

My father and mother were Irish,
And I am Irish too
I bought a wee fidil for ninepence,
And it is Irish too
I’m up in the morning early
To meet the dawn of day
And to the lint-white’s* piping,
The many’s the tune I play!

One pleasant eve in June time
I met a lochrie man,
His face and hands were weazen**,
His height was not a span.
He boor’d me for my fidil,
"You know" says he, "Like you,
My father and mother were Irish,
And I am Irish too!"

He took my wee red fidil,
And such a tune he turned,
The Glaise in it whisper’d,
The lionan in it m’urned’
Says he "My lad, you’re lucky,
I wish t’ I was like you,
You’re lucky in your birth star,
And in your fidil, too!"

He gave me back my fidil,
My fidil-stick also
And stepping like a may-boy,
He jump’d the Leargaidh Knowe
I never saw him after,
Nor met his gentle kind:
But, whiles, I think I hear him,
A-wheening in the wind!

My father and mother were Irish,
And I am Irish too,
I bought a wee fidil for ninepence
And it is Irish too.
I’m up in the morning early
To greet the dawn of day
And to the lintwhite’s piping,
The many’s the tune I play.

*A lint-white is a linnet (a small finch)
**Wizened

This song was sung by Maureen Hegarty in the video.

Do you know this tune?  I don’t recognize it.  I found you on the internet.  Thanks for your help.

Jody B

If anyone can help with the tune, please comment below.

Thanks!

Mama Lisa

No one really knows what music sounded like in ancient Egypt, but we do know what some of their instruments used during that time looked like. A close look at some of the beautiful hieroglyphics found in the pyramids and in archeological ruins show that Egyptian musicians enjoyed playing harps, drums, hands drums and also used a unique rattle called a sistrum.

A sistrum is a hand-held percussion instrument, that was most often played by priestesses or the court musicians who entertained pharaohs and nobility. Instead of shaking it around like you might play maracas, the sistrum was moved back and forth and the rattles or jingles on the instrument would create a “swooshing” sound.

Can you make your own version? Yes! It’s easy… for a wooden sistrum you just need to find the right branch in the shape of a "Y", then add the wires plus the jingles to create your version of this ancient instrument.

Here are supplies needed for creating a wooden sistrum:

-A tree branch shaped like a “Y”
-Assorted buttons, jingle bells or metal washers
-A small amount of floral wire, jewelry wire, fishing twine or embroidery thread
-A wire-cutter

Thread different kinds of buttons, jingle bells or metal washers onto a small piece of floral wire or jewelry wire. [You can also use fishing twine or embroidery thread, but wire is better at keeping the bangles in place.] Tie or secure the wire in place on each side of the branch by twisting the wire securely around the branch (making sure no pointy parts are sticking out). 

Then try out your instrument. It should make a pleasing sound when “swooshed” from one side to another. Enjoy!

You can find almost 2 dozen multicultural music crafts on DARIA’s world music for kids site.

Thank you for sharing this wonderful craft with us Daria! –Mama Lisa

Enjoy!

Mama Lisa

Sumer is icumen in

Sumer is icumen in,
Lhude sing cuccu!
Groweth sed and bloweth med
And springeth the wde nu,
Sing cuccu!
Awe bleteth after lomb,
Llouth* after calve cu.
Bulloc sterteth, bucke verteth,
Murie sing cuccu,
Cuccu, cuccu!
Wel singes thu, cuccu;
Ne swik thu naver nu.

English Translation

Summer has come,
Loudly sing cuckoo!
Seeds grow, and meadow blooms
And the woods bud anew,
Sing cuckoo!
The ewe bleats after the lamb,
The cow moos after the calf,
The bullock leaps, the buck farts,
Merry sing, Cuckoo!
Cuckoo! Cuckoo!
Well you sing Cuckoo,
Nor cease you never now…

Listen below…

Translation by Mama Lisa.  You can learn more about Sumer is iumen in on Mama Lisa’s World England Song Pages.

Double Dutch jump roping is done with two long jump ropes turning inwards at the same time. 

The phrase Double Dutch is old slang meaning “to talk nonsense”.  It may be a coincidence, but the name Double Dutch makes sense in the context of this style jump roping because not only are there two (thus double) ropes, but kids also jump rope while chanting “nonsense”. 

Here’s a video of They Might Be Giant’s song about Double Dutch.  In it you can hear them singing some nonsense phrases from jump rope rhymes… though, as far as I can tell, many of the lines they made up themselves.

Here’s a quick video explaining how to Double Dutch… followed by bunch of FAILS!

Enjoy!

Mama Lisa

The Cuckoo

In April,
Come he will.
In May,
He sings all day.
In June,
He changes his tune.
In July,
He prepares to fly.
In August,
Go he must.

*****
The Cuckoo Song can be found in Ballads and Lyrics (1891) by Katharine Tynan.

Cuckoo Song

Cuckoo, cuckoo!

In April skies were blue

As every hedgerow knew;

And there was you.

In April

The cuckoo shows his bill,

With windflowers on vale and hill.

O, Love!

Sweet was April, sweet was April!

Cuckoo, cuckoo!

In May his song was true,

And the world was new

For me and you.

In May

He sings all day,

All the long night that’s sweet with hay.

O, Love!

Blithe was the May, blithe was the May!

Cuckoo, cuckoo!

Last June the roses grew

In many a place we knew,

I and you.

In June

He changes his tune.

A young man’s fancy changes soon.

O, Love!
Fleet was June, fleet was June!

Cuckoo, cuckoo!
His notes are faint and few,
The lily is dying too,
For the rose there is rue.
In July

Away will he fly,

His notes blown back from an empty sky.

O, Love!
Sad was July, sad was July!

Cuckoo, cuckoo!
No more we listen to
The merry song we knew,
I and you.
In August
Go he must,

Love and lovers will turn to dust.

O, Love!
Cold is August, cold is August!

I’ve annotated the song within the lyrics and updated the spelling.  The refrain consists of nonsense words used for the sound.

MP3 Recording of The Three Ravens

The Three Ravens

There were three ravens sat on a tree,

Downe a downe, hay downe, hay downe

There were three ravens sat on a tree,

With a downe.

 

There were three ravens sat on a tree,

They were as black as they might be.

With a downe, derrie, derrie, derrie, downe, downe.

 

The one of them said to his mate,

Downe a downe, hay downe, hay downe

Where shall we our breakfast take?

With a downe, derrie, derrie, derrie, downe, downe.

 

Down in yonder green field,

Downe a downe, hay downe, hay downe

There lies a Knight slain under his shield,

With a downe, derrie, derrie, derrie, downe, downe.

 

His hounds they lie down at his feet,

Downe a downe, hay downe, hay downe

So well they can their Master keep,

With a downe, derrie, derrie, derrie, downe, downe.

 

His hawks they fly so eagerly,

Downe a downe, hay downe, hay downe

There’s no fowl dare him come nigh [near]

With a downe, derrie, derrie, derrie, downe, downe.

 

Down there comes a fallow Doe,

Downe a downe, hay downe, hay downe

As great with young as she might go,

With a downe, derrie, derrie, derrie, downe, downe.

 

She lift up his bloody head,

Downe a downe, hay downe, hay downe

And kissed his wounds that were so red,

With a downe, derrie, derrie, derrie, downe, downe.

 

She got him up upon her back,

Downe a downe, hay downe, hay downe

And carried him to the earthen lake [grave],

With a downe, derrie, derrie, derrie, downe, downe.

 

She buried him before the prime [a prayer at 6 - 7 am],

Downe a downe, hay downe, hay downe

She was dead her self ere even-song [evening prayer] time.

With a downe, derrie, derrie, derrie, downe, downe.

 

God send every gentleman,

Downe a downe, hay downe, hay downe

Such hawks, such hounds, and such a Leman [i.e. dear-one].

With a downe, derrie, derrie, derrie, downe, downe.

Check it out!

I know many people are interested in this song, so when I found a version from 1917 in "Primary Education" (Vol. 25), I became very curious.  But before getting to the song and game, you have to read what was written before it in the article.  It’s talking about the “old days” when pigeons were used to carry messages and how in the modern time of the article (i.e. 1917) they use telephones and telegraphs…

Although the aeroplane, telephone, and telegraph are now used for sending messages, tell the children about the sending of messages in former times by the carrier pigeons.

These pigeons are trained to carry messages. They fly up into the air, keep a straight course, then fly directly down. When free they always fly home again. Their speed is a mile a minute, and they can see long distances.

Of course in 1917 they didn’t have cell phones, email, video-conferencing, Facebook and texting!  So if you’d like to point out to children about how quaint an idea carrier pigeons were… you can also mention how people used the telegraph in 1917!  (This makes me wonder if someone reads this in 95 more years in the future how will they laugh at me?!  Will Facebook be around?  Or all of that other stuff?)

Back to the song… here’s how the game is described in the article:

Four or six children stand facing each other, and clasp hands to form the pigeon house. Several children are chosen to be the pigeons. At first the pigeons are inside the pigeon house. The children sing, using the tune of "The Morning Bright":

My pigeon-house I’ll open wide,
And set all the pigeons free.
They fly o’er the fields on every side,
And light on the tallest tree.

The pigeon house doors are opened by having the children who form it raise their arms, as in the illustration. This also shows the children who represent the pigeons flying out from the doorways thus formed. The pigeons raise and lower their outstretched arms in place of wings as they play flying away, and then they light on the trees by flying up onto the little reading chairs over in a corner.

Then the children sing:

But when they return from their merry flight,
We’ll close the doors, and say good-night.

The pigeons fly back to the pigeon house, and after they fly in again, the doors are closed, while the little pigeons sing very softly as they go to sleep: "Coo-roo, coo-roo, coo-roo, coo-roo," etc. Repeat the game with different children.

Enjoy this song and remember that one day much of this technology we find so advanced will be outdated!

Mama Lisa

Artwork by Gracie Gralike

10,000+ historical sound recordings are available online for free at the National Jukebox at The Library of Congress. The Jukebox includes work issued on record labels now owned by Sony Music. Sony granted the Library of Congress a gratis license to stream these acoustical recordings. Most of the recordings were made by the Victor Talking Machine Co. between 1901 and 1925. The National Jukebox will be adding additional pieces on a regular basis.

The recordings include old songs by Sousa’s Band, The Fox Trot, Ragtime, Early Tin Pan Alley and some Irving Berlin Songs.

Enjoy!

Mama Lisa

American children’s folk singer Ella Jenkins released a new cd earlier this year.  It’s called A Life of Song.

Ella’s music is a lovely way to introduce kids to American folk songs and spirituals.  She actually sings some of the songs with children on this cd.

The cd starts out with Pick a Bale of Cotton.  Ella explains how she picked cotton for fun with her brother as a child when visiting her grandmother in Mississippi!  Then she goes on to a lovely rendition of this song with a group of kids.

On the cd you’ll find a couple of versions of Little Sally Walker.  There are classic spirituals like, He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands, Swing Low Sweet Chariot, and a stirring version of Amazing Grace.  Ella chose to sing Cotton-Eyed Joe slowly – it’s perfect for learning the lyrics!  On Summertime, Ella recites the song first and then sings it.  These are perfect moments for teaching kids these classic songs. 

The last song "On My way to Canaan" is a lovely way to end this cd.

Here you can hear Ella sing Go Tell Aunt Rhodie (note: this song is not on the "A Life of Song" cd)…

Enjoy!

Mama Lisa

Kouralengay kalenkana
Chum chum pa
Koura lengay kalenkana
Chum chum pa
Ona ding onka
Ding ding ding

Midi Tune of Kouralengay Kalenkana

Listen to a recording of this song here.

Karen wrote:

I have come across this song in two separate books and one claims it is from Tanzania.  Can you confirm or deny this for me and if it is, what do the words mean and what is the origin?

…Yes, this book [where it can be found] is Music in the Early Years by Susan Young but I originally found it in Lucinda Geoghehan’s "Song and Rhymes for Middle Years".  The trouble is, I have learnt that picking up songs from people and authors who are not directly from the source, all sorts of misunderstandings and assumptions can occur!!!

Best wishes

Karen

If anyone can let us know specific countries where this song is sung, please comment below.  We would also like to find out what language it’s in and what it means. 

Thanks in advance!

Mama Lisa

Here’s what wikipedia wrote about furin, "Japanese glass wind bells known as Fūrin (風鈴) have been produced since the Edo period… Wind chimes are thought to be good luck in parts of Asia and are used in Feng Shui."

Ayako shared the photo below with the following note:

"Fuurin 風鈴 are our traditional chimes.  (鈴 alone means bell.)  You can hear them ringing in the wind. It adds a cool feeling in the humid summer in Japan!

Nowadays, they’re not heard as much.  Though everyone is familiar with them."

I found a couple of videos on YouTube so you can hear the sound of these chimes.  What’s interesting is that they sound different in each video.  Check them out below…

If you live in Japan, please let us know if you or your friends still hang these lovely bells.

Thanks for sharing Ayako!

-Mama Lisa