Lyr Req: Picnic on the Grass (Homer H. Harbour)

Subject: Lyrics: Picnic Song?
From: RS
Date: 24 Jul 97 - 10:35 PM

My mother used to sing a song about an outdoor feast, of which I only remember scattered lyrics, including -

"With the green grass for a table, and a tablecloth too...

With a cup made out of birchbark, and a (something ... )

... you can drink from the stream"

Anybody know the words and/or music and/or source?

Thanks!

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Picnic Song?
From: RS
Date: 26 Jul 97 - 11:37 AM

Remembered a bit more -

"Were you ever on a picnic, when the sunny skies were blue

With the green grass for a table and a tablecloth too

... with the plates made out of oak leaves ... "

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Picnic Song?
From: RS
Date: 27 Aug 97 - 08:37 PM

Well it's been a month with no reply ... anybody new on-line to help out with this one?

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Picnic Song?
From: John Nolan
Date: 27 Aug 97 - 11:39 PM

...our couch hard by the rill-side/the sturdy knotted oaken bows our curtain overhead/the summer blaze we laughed at, the winter snows we laughed at/And trusted in our long steel swords to win our daily bread. (But then...the Dutchmen's troops came round us, and the picnic was over.) Oops, have I've got your song mixed up with something else?.

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Picnic Song?
From: RS
Date: 04 Feb 98 - 12:37 AM

Just trying again for help with this song. (Thanks John Nolan, but that's not the song I was looking for). Any ideas?

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Picnic Song?
From:
Date: 05 Feb 98 - 10:28 PM

The only picnic song I know is The Teddybear's Picnic.

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Picnic Song?
From: Claire K.
Date: 06 Feb 98 - 03:06 AM

Awhile back my uncle was searching high and low for
"On a Picnic We Will Go." Would this happen to be the song you're looking for? If so, I can get the words for you.

I found it on a Sharon, Lois and Bram CD.

Claire K.

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Picnic Song?
From: RS
Date: 21 Feb 99 - 03:14 PM

Just upping this thread again.

Sorry I never replied to Claire K's enquiry - Claire K., if you are still out there, it could possibly be the Sharon, Lois & Bram song - I would appreciate seeing the words to find out.

Come on, with more than two million hits per month on this site, [see the "How many Mudcatters?" thread] _somebody_ must recognise this song!

- RS

Subject: RE: Lyrics: Picnic Song?
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 05 Nov 05 - 03:21 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Picnic Song?
From: GUEST,Katherine
Date: 16 Jul 09 - 09:43 AM

from my 3-year-old... (so not extremely reliable, i reckon... ;)

Were you ever on a picnic, when the sunny skies were blue
With the green grass for a table and a tablecloth too
With the plates made out of oak leaves
Tied together with a string
With a cup made out of birchbark
You can drink from the stream
Picking flowers Picking berries
Till the good things are spread
Eating dinner in the sunshine
When the birds sing overhead

Subject: Lyr Add: A PICNIC ON THE GRASS (Homer H. Harbour)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 23 Jul 09 - 12:05 AM

This song appears with musical notation for the melody only in

140 Folk-Tunes: Rote Songs Grades I, II and III for School & Home, New and Revised Edition, edited by Archibald Thompson Davison (Boston: E. C. Schirmer Music Co., 1921):


A PICNIC ON THE GRASS
Words, Homer H. Harbour. Music, German folk-song.

Were you ever on a picnic
When the summer sky is blue,
With the green grass for a table
And for tablecloth too?

With the platters made of oak leaves
Tied together with a string,
And with cups made out of birch bark
You can drink from the spring.

Picking flowers, picking berries,
Till the good things all are spread;
Eating dinner in the sunshine
While the birds sing o'erhead.

---

Click to play

Subject: RE: ADD: Picnic Song? (Picnic On the Grass)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 23 Jul 09 - 12:29 AM

The songbook says the tune is a German folk song. I don't recognize it - anybody recognize the tune?
Note that this song was requested in July, 1997. After all this time, Jim Dixon found the song and posted it. Great job, Jim! (Well, actually, a 3-yr-old beat him to it and remembered the song almost exactly).
-Joe-

(I e-mailed the requestor - I wonder if the e-mail is good after all these years)

Subject: RE: ADD: Picnic Song? (Picnic On the Grass)
From: GUEST,Katherine
Date: 13 Nov 09 - 05:59 AM

Thank you SOOOOOOOO much, Jim Dixon- this is my favorite song from my child's kindergarten class.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Picnic on the Grass (Homer H. Harbour)
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Oct 11 - 09:19 AM

Wow! My sister was doing a google search for The Picnic Song and found this ... 14 years after my initial posting!!! Mudcat is wonderful!!!!!

Thanks so much to Katherine Guest & Jim Dixon for your contributions!

@Joe Offer, I never did get the email you sent in 2009 - can you tell me what email is linked to me, and how I can update it?

I have been away from the site for quite a few years, but it seems it is time to return!

- RS

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Picnic on the Grass (Homer H. Harbour)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 04 Oct 11 - 02:43 AM

Hi, RS - we have a member named RS with an e-mail address at post.queensu.ca - that's where I sent the information from this thread.

Is that you, or did I send it to the wrong person?

-Joe Offer-
[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Picnic on the Grass (Homer H. Harbour)
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 22 Mar 12 - 07:28 PM

My 97 year old Mom was sitting at her kitchen table. She started singing, "Were you ever on a picnic..." She told me she remembered a song from her childhood when she was a Girl Scout. She had the first two verses down pat, but could not remember the last verse. Thank you posting it! She was thrilled to learn again the last few words.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Picnic on the Grass (Homer H. Harbour)
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Mar 20 - 07:48 PM

Hi, it’s RS!

My sister and I were just talking about this song, so I googled “Were you ever on a picnic where the sunny skies were blue”, and this thread came up!!!!!

Originally posted in 1997 ... 23 years later, I’m really pleased to see it still online!

Joe Offer, how do I go about updating my email address?