Lyr Req: Open Up Your Heart (and Let the Sun...)

Subject: Let The Sunshine In/lyrics
From:
Date: 14 Aug 97 - 11:10 AM

The camp song thread brought to mind a song from my youth about letting the sunshine in. Smilers never lose and frowners never win...oh let the sunshine in, face it with a grin...open up your heart and let the sun..shine..in...

Anyone remember the whole thing? Think the verse starts out with: My mother told me something a little girl should know It was all about the devil, and I've learned to hate him so.........

Any

Subject: RE: Let The Sunshine In/lyrics
From: PattyG
Date: 14 Aug 97 - 11:11 AM

I'm sorry, I didn't sign my name to the above thread:) PattyG

Subject: Lyrics-Let The Sunshine In
From: Night Owl
Date: 10 Apr 99 - 12:57 AM

Looking for the verses to an old camp (I think) song. Chorus is: "So let the sunshine in;...Face it with a grin;...Smilers never lose;,,,.And frowners never win;...So let the sunshine in;...Face it with a grin;...Open up your heart and let the sunshine in." Thanks!!

Subject: RE: Lyrics-Let The Sunshine In
From: Night Owl
Date: 10 Apr 99 - 01:54 AM

P.S....I did try the database using "Let the sunshine in" and "Open up your heart". I have no idea what the real title of the song is.

Subject: RE: Lyrics-Let The Sunshine In
From: Musicman
Date: 10 Apr 99 - 03:08 AM

didn't know there were any verses!?!

Subject: Lyr Add: OPEN UP YOUR HEART (Stuart Hamblen)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 10 Apr 99 - 04:13 AM

OPEN UP YOUR HEART
Words and music by Stuart Hamblen, 1955
Recorded by The Cowboy Church Sunday School & by Bing Crosby

My mommy told me something a little girl should know
It's all about the devil and I've learned to hate him so
She says he causes trouble when you let him in the room
He will never ever leave you if your heart is filled with gloom

So let the sun shine in, face it with a grin
Smilers never lose and frowners never win
So let the sun shine in, face it with a grin
Open up your heart and let the sun shine in.

When you are unhappy the devil wears a grin
But oh, he starts a running when the light comes pouring in
I know he'll be unhappy cause I'll never wear a frown
Maybe if we keep on smiling he'll get tired of hanging around.


Here's where I found it: http://200.241.97.241/~pfilho/html/lyrics/o/open_up_your_heart.txt

I see that it was also recorded by Pebbles Flintstone.
Gene and Dale are the experts on songs like this. Maybe they can give us some background. You know though, it really bothers me to learn that I am older than this old song.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyrics-Let The Sunshine In
From: Night Owl
Date: 10 Apr 99 - 01:17 PM

To the INCREDIBLE Joe Offer...THANK YOU!!!!!! AMAZING--I posted this request at about 2:00am this morning. Just for the heck of it, and given my increasing faith in the Mudcat community, I checked the thread at 6:00am before going back to work.....AMAZING!! and Joe...don't despair yet...seems to me that I knew the song before 1955. Given the discussion on another thread about copywriting...I'm not convinced that the song itself is that NEW.

Subject: RE: Lyrics-Let The Sunshine In
From: Joe Offer
Date: 10 Apr 99 - 03:45 PM

Hi, Night Owl - glad I could help. As a graduate of a liberal Catholic seminary, I'm not sure I'm comfortable with the "devil" lyrics, but it looks like those are the legitimate, original lyrics. One source dated the song to 1953, but it looks like the hit record from The Cowboy Church Sunday School came out in 1955. I did a pretty thorough search and I can't find any sources earlier than 1953, so I think it may well be a 1950's original. The Stuart Hamblen song is listed by ASCAP under several titles, notably "Let the Sun Shine In" and "Open Up Your Heart," apparently to cover all the bases. Of course, there is a bit of confusion caused by the song from Hair, "Let the Sunshine In."
Hmmm. Reminds me that my ex-girlfriend still has my Fifth Dimension CD. Darn.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyrics-Let The Sunshine In
From: AlistairUK
Date: 10 Apr 99 - 03:48 PM

There is a fantastic Version of this song by Frente on the album Saturday Morning...because it was a song sung by pebbles in an episode of the old Flintstones show.

Subject: RE: Lyrics-Let The Sunshine In
From: Joe Offer
Date: 10 Apr 99 - 03:49 PM

What are the verses on that recording, Alistair? Same as what I posted above?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyrics-Let The Sunshine In
From: seahorse
Date: 30 Oct 03 - 10:12 PM

Has anyone found an audio link for the song Open up your heart (also known as Let the sunshine in) seahorse

Subject: Lyr Add: OPEN UP YOUR HEART (Stuart Hamblen)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 31 Oct 03 - 01:34 AM

I haven't found a definitive source for this song, but this page has these lyrics, with one more verse than above.

OPEN UP YOUR HEART
Words and music by Stuart Hamblen, 1955

Mommy told me something
a little kid should know.
It's all about the devil
and I've learned to hate him so.
She said he causes trouble
when you let him in the room.
He will never ever leave you
if your heart is filled with gloom.

So let the sun shine in
face it with a grin.
Smilers never lose
and frowners never win.
So let the sun shine in
face it with a grin
Open up your heart and let the sun shine in.

When you are unhappy,
the devil wears a grin
But oh, he starts to running
when the light comes pouring in
I know he'll be unhappy
'Cause I'll never wear a frown
Maybe if we keep on smiling
He'll get tired of hanging 'round.

If I forget to say my prayers
the devil wears a grin jumps with glee.
But he feels so awful awful
when he sees me on my knees
So if you're full of trouble
and you never seem to win,
Just open up your heart and let the sun shine in.

So let the sun shine in
face it with a grin.
Smilers never lose
and frowners never win.
So let the sun shine in
face it with a grin
Open up your heart and let the sun shine in.

---

See MIDI here (click)

Subject: RE: Lyrics-Let The Sunshine In
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 31 Oct 03 - 01:40 AM

The verses in the latest version in this thread are the version that I remember from my childhood being played on the radio in Australia

Perhaps some people cut that verse to make it more "non-specifically-religious"?

Robin

Subject: RE: Lyrics-Let The Sunshine In
From: Joe Offer
Date: 31 Oct 03 - 03:09 AM

Is it "feels so awful awful" in the lst verse, robin? I think I like that usage - but would a grammarian tell me to say "awfully awful"?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyrics-Let The Sunshine In
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 31 Oct 03 - 08:16 AM

"awful awful" - I think it scans better, but...

I think I've got it in one of my books somewhere - we'll just have to wait until I'm looking urgently for something else - that's the way Murphy's Law works... :-)

This is one of the few song I remember well from my VERY early days -

also
Tell me a story
All I want of Xmas
Teddy bears picnic

Robin

Subject: RE: Lyrics-Let The Sunshine In
From: M.Ted
Date: 31 Oct 03 - 10:21 AM

I think those words are wrong, because there is no rhyme for the word "knees"--I seem to remember the first line of that verse ending with the word "Please" on my little yellow
Roy Rogers and Dale Evans 78--

Subject: RE: Lyrics-Let The Sunshine In
From: katlaughing
Date: 31 Oct 03 - 10:58 AM

I'd forgotten about this song! We used to sing the chorus all the time while growing up. I don't remember there being verses, but I'll bet my sisters do. Pretty kewl to be reminded of it!

Thanks,

kat

Subject: RE: Lyrics-Let The Sunshine In
From: Joe Offer
Date: 31 Oct 03 - 12:12 PM

I remember this song from when I was young, but I don't remember it being religious. Could there be a secular version?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyrics-Let The Sunshine In
From: Cool Beans
Date: 31 Oct 03 - 12:43 PM

"Open Up Your Heart (And Let the Sunshine In)" reached No. 8 on the pop charts and remained on the charts for 21 weeks in 1955, sung by the Cowboy church Sunday School, which was really Stuart Hamblen's wife; their daughters, 16 and 18, and a couple of the daughters' friends. The song was recorded at 33 and 1/3 rpm so it sounded like children's voices when played at 45 rpm.

Subject: RE: Lyrics-Let The Sunshine In
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 31 Oct 03 - 08:45 PM

There were a lot of tricks used for records, one of teh more famous being "Alvin & the Chipmunks"

NO! - say not the name of the beast three times or it will appear!

Robin

Subject: RE: Lyrics-Let The Sunshine In
From: Joe Offer
Date: 01 Nov 03 - 02:23 PM

Ted, I think I found the correction for the mistake you pointed out - I made it up above. Click here to see where I found it - there's a MIDI there, too.
I still can't find sheet music or a Hamblen recording.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Lyrics-Let The Sunshine In
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Nov 03 - 10:40 AM

The original song can be found on page 35 of The Record Lady.

Subject: RE: Lyrics-Let The Sunshine In
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 02 Nov 03 - 12:43 PM

Or I remember the shorter (chorus only) Rugby version

Let the sun shine in
Face it with a grin
Open up your legs
And let me see your.....

(the missing last word is one I have failed to find in my dictionary, and so am leaving for the tantilization of scholars...)

Nigel

Subject: RE: Lyrics-Let The Sunshine In
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 02 Nov 03 - 09:55 PM

Yes, the "m" sound and the "n" sound are barely a rhyme...

Robin

Subject: RE: Lyrics-Let The Sunshine In
From: GUEST,marthabees
Date: 03 Nov 03 - 08:05 PM

I actually still have my record of that song. (Yikes! But then I still have the original 45 with the theme song from "The Shaggy Dog" too.) Without digging it out, I'd have to say that my recording is by Dale Evans. 1955 sounds right...

It's a nice little tune and it always created a little sunshine-y feeling in my heart. Sorta taught the virtue of optimism.....

Martha in Tallahassee

Subject: RE: Lyrics-Let The Sunshine In
From: LindaG
Date: 06 Nov 03 - 06:30 PM

How nice to find the words! and the tune! I never heard this song growing up, but when my son was little our village library had an LP by Roy Rogers and Dale Evens called Let The Sun Shine In. We loved it and played it a million times, but I could never quite get the words.

So thanks, everybody!

--Linda Goodman

Subject: RE: Lyrics-Let The Sunshine In
From: GUEST,deannaslo
Date: 29 Dec 03 - 12:47 PM

Is there a recent rap recordidng of this song- possibly featuring Macy Gray. I heard a bit of a song i fell in love with and thought I heard the lyrics "so let the sun shine in". So I'm just beginning a search for what I heard on a pop radio station. Any help would be appreciated.