Origin: Peace of the River (G Gosling, V Wood)

Subject: lyrics needed
From:
Date: 12 Mar 97 - 12:00 PM

I'm looking for lyrics to the above camp song. thanks in advance, Noah [e-mail]

Subject: RE: peace...river
From: Susan of DT
Date: 12 Mar 97 - 06:50 PM

It was in the Girl Scout Handbook in the 50s. As I remember it:

Peace I ask of thee, oh river

Peace, peace, peace

When I learn to live serenely

Cares will cease

From the hills I gather courage

Visions of the days to be

Strength to lead and faith to follow

All are given unto me.

(repeat first verse.)

Subject: RE:
From: Sue Wichers
Date: 14 Mar 97 - 10:45 AM

This songs is by words: Glendora Gosling, :usic: Viola Wood; 1941

Subject: Lyr Req: Peace I ask of thee O'River
From: Gold Cord Girl Guide
Date: 05 Apr 03 - 02:01 PM

I'm trying to remember the song I learned at a Girl Scout camp' The lyrics I do remember are
"Peace I ask of thee O'River..Peace..Peace..Peace. When I learn to live serenely, cares will cease... From the hills I gather courage..vision of the day to be.."
That's all I can remember and these days the song is with me a lot. If any Mudcats remember any more I'd appreciate help. Thanks

Subject: RE: Peace I ask of thee oh river
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Oct 03 - 07:43 PM

I learned this song in Girl Scout camp (in the 60s). There was an bit we always sang before the words listewd above -- don't know if they are a proper intro to the original song, or if someone put two songs together, but here they are:

A plea for one world
Is heard in many different lands
This is the cry (plea?) of a world that is hungry for
Peace, I ask of thee oh river... etc

Cheers,

Vikki Appleton Fielden

Subject: RE: Peace I ask of thee oh river
From: Jen M
Date: 05 Oct 03 - 10:36 PM

Guest, those were definately two songs put together, A Plea continues --Let all men come together, Let all men strive together,
Making this whole world better, Pledgeing their lives to Peace.

Subject: RE: Peace I ask of thee oh river
From: Tinker
Date: 05 Oct 03 - 11:19 PM

Plea for One World is in the DT . At Bonnie Brae in East Otis Mass I remember beginning the chords in Am... a slightly different tune..

We never did those two together. We sang a "trilogy" Begining with Green Trees, then Peace I ask of Thee Oh River, and Finally Taps.

Tinker

Subject: RE: Peace I ask of thee oh river
From: Celtaddict
Date: 06 Oct 03 - 12:17 AM

Minor (possibly regional) lyric variations: we sang

A plea for one world is heard in many different lands.
This is the plea of a world that is hungry for peace.
Let all men come together.
Let us work well together,
Striving to make our world better,
Pledging our lives to peace.

As an interesting (to me) sidebar, this song was for a time in the 60s banned at our local Girl Scout camps (Oklahoma and Texas; don't know if this was more widespread). I was told by a college-age counselor this was because the idea of everyone working together was Communistic. Go figure.
Of course certain banned songs, including this one, were not heard around the "official" campfires but got a good deal of airtime in our tents or cabins after lights-out.

Subject: RE: Peace I ask of thee oh river
From: Celtaddict
Date: 06 Oct 03 - 12:33 AM

I see the DT mentions that this is believed to have been a Young Pioneers song translated from the Russian. Now that I see that, I seem to remember hearing it before, which may well have influenced those who sought to ban it.

Subject: RE: Peace I ask of thee oh river
From: GUEST,Vikki Appleton Fielden
Date: 06 Oct 03 - 07:44 AM

Now that you folks mention it, I remember the second half of the song (I admit I had completely forgotten there was more to it). The version I remember was ever so *slightly* different from those posted above:

Let all men come together.
Let all men work together,
Striving to make the world better,
Pledging our lives for peace.

Also never realized it was a round (although once you mention it, it seems obvious) -- which is lovely to know.

Tinker... this is a long shot, but I don't suppose you attended Narrin GS Camp as a kid (in the 60s; Southeast Michigan)? Thing is I remember a girl whose nickname was Tinker; we both particularly enjoyed singing. Even got together once after camp ended. If you want to contact me off-list, my @ddress is [e-mail]

Cheers.

Subject: RE: Peace I ask of thee oh river
From: Barbara
Date: 06 Oct 03 - 08:09 AM

Well, Vicki, Tinker may or may not have, but I attended Camp Narrin in the 50's in southeast Michigan. I think there were a set of camp nicknames that were often recycled. When I was there, there was a Tinker as well. I believe I was called Peanuts (last name at the time was Brown).
Songs I remember from there include the "Peace I ask" and "A Plea"
Here are some of the others:
Gehlobit (german, don't know spelling)
Walk Shepherdess, Walk
The Billboard Song
Witchcraft
Kum By Yah
Jacob's Ladder
Man's Life's a Vapor
I'm Wild about Horns on Automobiles
Stodala Pumpa
I'd like to be just like the Wind

There are more. Seems like there was a song leader that I really liked that was a little ball of fire, can't remember her name.
Toby, maybe?
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peace I ask of thee oh river
From: Tinker
Date: 07 Oct 03 - 08:49 AM

I went to Girl Scout camp in East Otis Massachusetts at Camp Bonnie Brae between 1968 to 1974. Tinker was my camp name and I took it back on Mudcat, since it was where I first learnt folk music.

My old GS back pocket song book, which has lost it's cover, notes that Peace I ask of Thee oh River was

" Written during a training course for leaders and camp counslors given aboard a river boat on the Kentucky River."

There is no date given

Tinker

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peace I ask of thee oh river
From: GUEST,Vikki Appleton Fielden
Date: 13 Oct 03 - 06:32 PM

Hi Barabara & Tinker,

Thanks for your responses. Sorry not to respond quicker myself -- have been away from the computer for the last week or so.

Barbara, I was at Narrin in the late 60s (& early 70s), so I probably wouldn't have known the song leader you mentioned. Some of the songs you mention are familiar, though -- but more are not.

Gehlobit - no
Walk Shepherdess, Walk - yes, but not from camp (one of my Dad's fav songs)
The Billboard Song - yes, but (again) not from Narrin
Witchcraft - no
Kum By Yah - definitely
Jacob's Ladder - no
Man's Life's a Vapor - no
I'm Wild about Horns on Automobiles - yes! (that one brought a smile to my face...)
Stodala Pumpa - no
I'd like to be just like the Wind - no

Here are the songs I remember from Narrin:
Peace I Ask of Thee oh River (of course)
Sippin' Cider/The other day I met a bear
Spiderweb
There are Suitors at my Door
In the Land of Oden (sp?)
Tovishka - with hand motions
An Austrian Went Yodeling - with hand motions
The Spades (go Tulips together) - with hand motions
(Si si si) Playmate - with hand motions
Donkey Riding
Oleanna
The Ash Grove
The Happy Wanderer
I Know a Place
John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt
Land of the Silver Birch
(The Life of a) Voyageur
(I've got a Little) Pile of Tin
Desperado
Green Trees/Taps
The Ship Titanic
Rise & Shine (& give God the glory glory)
Barges (of course)
If All the Raindrops (were lemon drops & gum drops)
L-O-double L-I (P-O-P spells Lollipop)
Roll Me Over in the Clover (a naughty one!)
Ho Young Rider
Hola Hee Hola Ho
I Had a Little Dog (named Do-fi)
Do Your Ears Hang Low?
Piccolo Mini
Dickie Bird
Silly Willie

Rounds:
Rise Up Oh Flame
Make New Friends
Whene'er You Make a Promise
I Have Promises to Keep/The Woods Are Lovely, Dark & Deep
Ah, Poor Bird
Rose/America
Little Jack Horner - with hand motions
Evening Star - with hand motions
A Ram Sam Sam
Buddies & Pals
Here I Sit & Wait for You
La
The Little Bells (of Westminster)

Any of these familiar to you?

Cheers,

Vikki

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peace I ask of thee oh river
From: Susan of DT
Date: 13 Oct 03 - 07:31 PM

We seem to have had some thread creep here, but as another old girl scout. I'll jump in. Many of the ones I do know were not from girl scouts, but from summer camp in New york in the 1950's to early 60's.

Gehlobit - no - no, never hear of it
Walk Shepherdess, Walk - yes, but not from camp (one of my Dad's fav songs) - no
The Billboard Song - yes, but (again) not from Narrin - no
Witchcraft - no - yes, I thiink from scouts
Kum By Yah - definitely - yes, but not from scouts
Jacob's Ladder - no - yes, not from scouts
Man's Life's a Vapor - no - no
I'm Wild about Horns on Automobiles - yes! (that one brought a smile to my face...) - no
Stodala Pumpa - no - no
I'd like to be just like the Wind - no - no

Here are the songs I remember from Narrin:
Peace I Ask of Thee oh River (of course)- yes, scouts
Sippin' Cider/The other day I met a bear - YES, Tinker let's try it
Spiderweb - no
There are Suitors at my Door - yes
In the Land of Oden (sp?) - no
Tovishka - with hand motions - no
An Austrian Went Yodeling - with hand motions -no
The Spades (go Tulips together) - with hand motions - no
(Si si si) Playmate - with hand motions - yes, not from scouts
Donkey Riding - yes, with hand motions
Oleanna - yes, not from scouts
The Ash Grove - yes
The Happy Wanderer - yes, learned in music is elementary school
I Know a Place - no
John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt - yes, camp
Land of the Silver Birch - no
(The Life of a) Voyageur - no
(I've got a Little) Pile of Tin - no, but yes to the Baby Blue Ford
Desperado - yes, not scouts
Green Trees/Taps - yes to taps, including Mariners taps
The Ship Titanic - yes
Rise & Shine (& give God the glory glory) - yes, camp
Barges (of course) - no
If All the Raindrops (were lemon drops & gum drops) - vaguely
L-O-double L-I (P-O-P spells Lollipop) - yes
Roll Me Over in the Clover (a naughty one!) - not as a kid
Ho Young Rider - no
Hola Hee Hola Ho - no
I Had a Little Dog (named Do-fi) - Bingo??
Do Your Ears Hang Low? - Yes
Piccolo Mini -yes
Dickie Bird - no
Silly Willie - no

Rounds:
Rise Up Oh Flame - no
Make New Friends - definitely scouts
Whene'er You Make a Promise - definately scouts
I Have Promises to Keep/The Woods Are Lovely, Dark & Deep - not as song
Ah, Poor Bird - vaguely
Rose/America - no
Little Jack Horner - with hand motions
Evening Star - with hand motions - no
A Ram Sam Sam - no
Buddies & Pals - no
Here I Sit & Wait for You - no, but here we sit like birds in the wilderness?
La
The Little Bells (of Westminster) - no

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peace I ask of thee oh river
From: Joe Offer
Date: 05 Jun 04 - 04:03 AM

This was posted in the Help forum:

Subject: Need a recording of a GS tune...
From: Joanna Brach
Date: 04-Jun-04 - 08:09 PM

I am looking for a recording of the song "Peace I ask of Thee oh River", a popular Girl Scout song. I am trying to make a photographic/CD with music for my parents 50th wedding anniversary, and this is one of my mother's favorite songs. I have been able to find lyrics but cannot locate a place to purchase or rent the song...do you know of a CD or website where I might purchase this song? Thanks so much for responding.

---

I think the actual name of the song is "Peace of the River."
lyrics: Glendora Gosling, music: Viola Wood, 1941
The only recording I could find is on a CD called Girl Scouts Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 (click), by Melinda Caroll.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peace I ask of thee oh river
From: Jen M
Date: 05 Jun 04 - 09:51 AM

Check with your local Girl Scout Council. This song is a Girl Scout Song and I doubt it's been recorded else where. If's been several years since I've been active but your council's scout shop should have a recording. You may also find a copy in the council "lending Library".

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peace I ask of thee oh river
From: YorkshireYankee
Date: 07 Jun 04 - 12:28 PM

Can't help on locating a recording, (if all else fails, maybe you could get a group of friends together to sing it & record them?) but responding to Susan's post, which I missed the first time round...
I Had a Little Dog (named Do-fi) - Bingo??

No... very different from Bingo. Doesn't seem to be in the DT or in the Forum, so here 'tis:

I had a little dog named Do-fi* (*think Fido pronounced backwards... sort of!)
I had him ever since he puzz a wupp
I taught him how to sit upon his lind hegs
And to hold his punt fraws up
And tag his wail...

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peace I ask of thee oh river
From: GUEST,Peace of the River
Date: 12 May 05 - 06:42 PM

now that's a song I haven't heard on over 40 years and that was old, then. :-)
    Girl Scouts, you say? I first heard it back in 1962 in Mississippi Boy Scout camp....lol
[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peace I ask of thee oh river
From: GUEST,sharon
Date: 08 May 09 - 11:50 PM

Gehlobit (german, don't know spelling)

This is probably the song we used to sing at Camp Hitaga near Walker, Ia. I don't know German, but I sang it for someone who spoke German, and he wrote out what he thought I was singing, but I lost the words. He said it translated as, "In the loving sight of God." as in "God is watching you." The phoenetic version of what we sang:

Gay lobin, Gay lobin, Gay lobin site der Herr mein Got

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peace I ask of thee oh river
From: Dorothy Parshall
Date: 09 May 09 - 08:16 PM

I actually have the words to that song but I am in the middle of moving and they are packed in one of 10 million boxes. If I ever see that book again.....

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peace I ask of thee oh river
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 10 May 09 - 02:28 PM

"Peace of the River," Glendora Gosling and Viola Wood, was printed in "Chansons de notre chalet," a Girl Guides and Girl Scouts songbook, with musical score. Note appended; Copyright Janet E. Tobin, 1941; used by permission.

Words as posted by Susan of DT. Minor correction-
"Vision of the day to be," not 'visions.'

Also printed with music in "Songs of Many Nations," p. 39, Cooperative Recreation Service, Delaware, Ohio.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Gelobet
From: GUEST,Beverly Flynn
Date: 16 Jul 10 - 03:10 AM

Gelobet words and music are in the Chansons de Notre Chalet Third Edition 1962 songbook.

GELOBET

Gelobet sei, Gelobet sei Der Herr mein Gott.
Gelobet sei Der Herr mein Gott.
Gelobet, gelobet, Gelobet sei Der Herr mein Gott.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peace of the River (G Gosling, V Wood)
From: GUEST,Susan
Date: 31 Jul 11 - 10:52 PM

I used to go to Camp Narrin as a girl and when I was a CIT one of my counselors was "Tinker". The other was "Puck".
I am trying to find the words to "Spades" to teach a friend's granddaughter. I remember the hand motions, but not all the words.
Can anyone help?
Thanks - Susan "Kelly" Schoen

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peace of the River (G Gosling, V Wood)
From: GUEST
Date: 01 May 12 - 06:56 AM

I remember this song "peace of the River" from my girl scout days in St. Clair, MI. It was written by a Mrs. Miller after a Girl Scout trip on the Mississippi, I believe. She lived in St. Clair and was the head of the Scouting in St. Clair - this was in the late 1940's.

Peggy Moore Roll
[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peace of the River (G Gosling, V Wood)
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 01 Apr 14 - 12:41 AM

i am trying to find out copyright status...would girl scouts own copyright still even though it is now over fifty years old?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peace of the River (G Gosling, V Wood)
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 01 Apr 14 - 02:07 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peace of the River (G Gosling, V Wood)
From: GUEST,Guest, clc
Date: 13 Dec 14 - 10:11 PM

Guest, mg -
I am also trying to locate status of copyright for "Peace...". I wrote to and received response from GSA - response was that copyright was to Glendora Gosling (lyrics) and Viola Wood (music). I can find no contact information or further copyright info.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peace of the River (G Gosling, V Wood)
From: GUEST,#
Date: 14 Dec 14 - 08:33 AM

The music was from Gosling and the lyrics from Wood according to the link to a Girl Scout site.

http://www.gscmchorus.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/gspt1-pg28.pdf

Beautsong.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peace of the River (G Gosling, V Wood)
From: GUEST,#
Date: 14 Dec 14 - 08:38 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGdfyom5HUc

Rendition and a half there.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peace of the River (G Gosling, V Wood)
From: GUEST,#
Date: 14 Dec 14 - 08:40 AM

Looks like the song would have to be licensed from Girl Scouts of America. Give 'em a try, and good luck.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peace of the River (G Gosling, V Wood)
From: GUEST,#
Date: 14 Dec 14 - 09:31 AM

Sorry, saw you've tried that.



BINGO, BINGO, BINGO

Copyright is with

Hal Leonard Corporation since 2001.


I found a piece of sheet music and that copyright notice was there. Says they also have the International copyright.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peace of the River (G Gosling, V Wood)
From: GUEST,#
Date: 14 Dec 14 - 04:31 PM

Refresh one time.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peace of the River (G Gosling, V Wood)
From: GUEST,Susan Anderson
Date: 24 May 15 - 02:48 PM

I am the daughter of Glendora Gosling who wrote the words to "Peace", sometimes called "Peace I Ask of Thee O River". She was in her 20s back in the late 1920s when she wrote it. She was on a Girl Scout training course for camp counselors on the Kentucky River when she wrote the words. Viola Wood, who wrote the music, was also on the same boat trip.
I was in church this morning when the choir sang the Gwyneth Walter arrangement. It was referred to as a "Traditional American Folk Song. I believe my mother gave the copyright to the Girl Scouts so they should be getting some compensation for the use of the song but the copyright may have expired.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peace of the River (G Gosling, V Wood)
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Jul 23 - 01:47 PM

Peace I ask of thee oh river
Peace, Peace, Peace
When I learn to live serenely
Cares will cease
From the hills I gather courage
Vision of the day to be
Strength to lead and faith to follow
All are given unto me.
Peace I ask of thee oh river
Peace, Peace, Peace

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Peace of the River (G Gosling, V Wood)
From: GUEST,meself
Date: 04 Mar 24 - 07:29 PM

some lines in this thread are similar to https://www.yourdailypoem.com/listpoem.jsp?poem_id=497 This is My Song, two verses 1934 by Lloyd Stone, and a verse added later by Georgia Harkness.(info on the poets are on the daily poem page)

This Is My Song
by
Lloyd Stone and Georgia Harkness
        
Next
        

This is my song, O God of all the nations,
a song of peace for lands afar and mine;
this is my home, the country where my heart is;
here are my hopes, my dreams, my holy shrine:
but other hearts in other lands are beating
with hopes and dreams as true and high as mine.

My country’s skies are bluer than the ocean,
and sunlight beams on cloverleaf and pine;
but other lands have sunlight too, and clover,
and skies are everywhere as blue as mine:
O hear my song, thou God of all the nations,
a song of peace for their land and for mine.

May truth and freedom come to every nation;
may peace abound where strife has raged so long;
that each may seek to love and build together,
a world united, righting every wrong;
a world united in its love for freedom,
proclaiming peace together in one song.

-----
in youth I learned the Peace, Peace, Peace, when I learn to live serenely ... verse but not the lines A plea for one world is heard in many different lands.
This is the plea of a world that is hungry for peace.
Let all men come together.
Let us work well together,
Striving to make our world better,
Pledging our lives to peace.

what I've just heard is like two songs combined, at least the two parts have different melodies?