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Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown)
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Subject: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: GUEST,dave Date: 17 Nov 10 - 11:45 PM Hey all. Searched but couldn't find anything. Looking for more info (including more complete lyrics) about a song that goes something like this:
she like to use a stone to knock out the dirt. Don't go 'way, don't go 'way mister river. Won't you stop and play as you travel out to sea?" |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: Charley Noble Date: 18 Nov 10 - 08:29 PM Not a clue. Any idea when it was composed? Charley Noble |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: GUEST,.gargoyle Date: 18 Nov 10 - 10:08 PM Well Dave welcome to Mudcat.
I see are learning your way around. You have posted a new thread for your request.
As Mr. Noble noted above (BTW brillant lyrics)
Sincerely,
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: GUEST,LisaToc Date: 04 Dec 10 - 10:49 PM Hi all -- Dave was aksing on my behalf. (Sadly not very helpful) answers to your questions, Gargoyle ------> Where/how/when: Elementary music class in early 1980s, taught by elementary music teacher What I remember: Down by the river mama she wash my shirt. She like to use a stone to knock out the dirt. The river is shallow. The kids knock about. And when it time for supper mama have to pull them out. Don't go 'way, don't go 'way mister river. Won't you stop and play as you travel out to sea? Thanks! |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: open mike Date: 05 Dec 10 - 01:20 PM where did you go to school? is this in the U.S.? it sounds like black vernacular so perhaps it is from the South? or maybe even Caribbean? |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: Desert Dancer Date: 05 Dec 10 - 01:35 PM I wonder if it is a translation of a song, done for a textbook. If so, probably harder to track down... ~ Becky in Long Beach |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: GUEST,Grishka Date: 05 Dec 10 - 03:15 PM Becky, who would translate any song into "black vernacular"? Including the "Old Man River" cliché? My completely uneducated guess points into the direction of Hammerstein & co. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 05 Dec 10 - 08:46 PM Sounds Caribbean. Songs taken from school song books hard to run down unless one has the book. Some appear only in the book. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: GUEST,Lisa Date: 27 Dec 10 - 11:38 AM I went to elementary school in Delaware -- I don't know if the song was from a text or from my music teacher's brain! But if it is common for textbook songs to be difficult to track down, then I'm thinking that it's likely that the song was from a text. If it truly were a folk song, Caribbean or southern American, it seems that it would appear somewhere on the web. Thanks, everybody! |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: EBarnacle Date: 27 Dec 10 - 11:41 AM Do you remember the name of the song book? For example, the one in our school system was "Twice 55," which contained 110 miscellaneous songs. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: open mike Date: 27 Dec 10 - 12:36 PM the silver burdett song books were the series used in my elementary i think there was a different volume for each grade level. I should start a collection of them...they had a lot of great songs...and pictures, too as i recall. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 27 Dec 10 - 04:41 PM Permathreads listing contents of series of Silver Burdett and other series by publishers such as Follett for school music classes are in Mudcat, thanks to the efforts of contributors. The series were revised over time as different compilors took over, and styles changed. Most contain at least some translated and simplified folk material from various countries, especially volumes such as "Music Near and Far", Silver Burdett "Music for Living" series and "Music Sounds Afar," Follett "Together We Sing" series. Joe Offer and others have collections; they are a cheap source of songs, but copyright applies in the usual manner and many have authored contents. Introductory material credits the authors and those who have contributed to the compilations. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: GUEST,WMJ Date: 02 Apr 11 - 04:26 PM I sang this in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in elementary school beginning in kindergarten, 1957.
She liked to use a stone to knock out the dirt. The river was shallow, the kids jumped about, And when it's time for supper, Mama has to pull them out. Don't go away; don't go away, Mr. River. Won't you stop and play as you travel out to sea? Don't go away; don't go away, Mr. River. Won't you stop and play as you travel out to sea? I feel like there were more lyrics, but can't recall them. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: Charley Noble Date: 03 Apr 11 - 08:14 AM Well, this old river thread keeps on rolling along. Cheerily, Charley Noble |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: GUEST Date: 23 Dec 11 - 01:15 AM My mother sang this song to me and I sing it to my son now, The second bit is:
Down by the river got a big bamboo pole Papa take time off so he can be free he come down by the river and he go to fish with me Don't go away, don't go away mr river. Can't you stop and play as you travel out to sea? |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: GUEST,kvasnickad Date: 04 Aug 12 - 08:06 PM I also remember this song from elementary school in Northern Ohio. That would have been in the late 1960's. Parts of it are stuck in my head and I came on line looking for all of the words. Seems I'm not the only one. This is all that I remember: Down by the river mama washes my shirt She has to use a stone to knock out the dirt The river is shallow, the kids run about And when its time for supper, mama has to pull them out. don't go away, don't go 'way mister river can't you stop and play as you travel out to sea? don't go away, don't go 'way mister river can't you stop and play as you travel out to sea? Down by the river there's a good fishing hole Down by the river cut a big bamboo pole -------------when he can be free He likes to------'cause he likes to fish with me. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: Joe Offer Date: 04 Aug 12 - 08:13 PM Collectively, we have a vast school songbook collection. Seems funny we can't find this one. -Joe- |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: GUEST,999 Date: 05 Aug 12 - 12:45 PM Maybe it ain't out there as a song lyric. A few of the recalled stanzas seem impossible to sing. Count the syllables. Is it possible it would appear somewhere as children's poetry--that is, poetry meant for children? |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: Bill D Date: 05 Aug 12 - 01:06 PM If it was only in books in elementary school, it might have been written especially for one book that was sold in that era. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: Jeri Date: 05 Aug 12 - 03:17 PM I can sing this. Try an extra couple of beats for the last lines in the stanzas and sing the "Don't go 'way" part as a bridge or chorus. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: GUEST Date: 20 Aug 12 - 12:18 PM I learned this in western Tennessee about 1969 or so as a folk song (along with Goober Peas). This is as I remember it: Down by the river mama she washed my shirts. She liked to use a stone to knock out the dirt. The river is shallow, the kids jump about And when it's time for supper mama has to pull them out. Don't go 'way, don't go 'way mister river. Can't you stop and play as you travel out to sea? Down by the river, got a good bamboo pole. Down by the river, got a good fishin' hole. When papa gets time off, so he can be free, He comes down by the river and goes fishin' with me. Don't go 'way, don't go 'way mister river. Can't you stop and play as you travel out to sea? |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: GUEST Date: 20 Aug 12 - 12:29 PM Sorry, I forgot to put that it was elementary school. It was a recording for fifth graders. As far as I know, there was no book, only the recording. I think its title is, of course, "Down by the River". I'm not sure but I think it was on the same recording as "Goober Peas". We also learned other folk songs such as "Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie" and "Git along little doggies" or something like that... I love the old folk songs. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 20 Aug 12 - 03:10 PM I have many school songbooks, but there are many more I don't have. I looked through my Burdett's and Follett's, and some others, but no luck. I remember those old recordings for schools. I have seen some at rummage sales and junktiques. I have a set somewhere, I'll check if I can find it. There were a number of these sets, so just an off-chance. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: GUEST,Ed Date: 07 Jan 13 - 05:11 PM I remember introducing the song at a spring concert in grade school (late 50s). I sang most of it to my wife before I googled it. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: GUEST,Ed Date: 07 Jan 13 - 05:12 PM Forgot to mention, the music is "Calipso". |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: GUEST Date: 25 Feb 14 - 12:50 AM Down by the river momma she wash my shirt she like to use a stone to knock out the dirt The river is shallow, the kids jump about and when it's time for supper momma have to pull them out. Don't go away don't go away mister river can't you stop and play as you travel out to sea. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: GUEST,guest Date: 24 Jun 14 - 12:05 AM The one from West tn is the is exactly the way I learned it in elementary school. I live in West tn also. I think it was may have Latino roots, probably Mexico. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: GUEST,Yaffe Date: 20 Aug 14 - 10:05 PM I also sang this in kindergarten at Jones School in Ann Arbor MI in 1957 and I don't remember the second verse. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: GUEST Date: 16 Jun 15 - 07:42 PM I remember this song from elementary school circa 1987. My teacher Mrs Penny Gross played it on one of the little records. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: GUEST,Grishka Date: 17 Jun 15 - 07:22 AM Lovely lyrics. Would someone please post the melody in ABC notation? |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: GUEST,Grishka Date: 18 Jun 15 - 04:18 AM As long as this thread is on the most-recent list, let me restate my request: Would those who remember the tune please communicate it to us? If you do not know how to use ABC notation (- it is not difficult; many Mudcatters learned it -), which other medium can you offer? |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: GUEST Date: 01 Nov 16 - 05:47 PM Down by the river mama she washed my shirt, she used a stone to knock out the dirt, the river is shallow, the kids jump about and when it's time for supper mama has to pull them out. Don't go way don't go way mister river, can't you stop and play before you travel out to sea. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: GUEST Date: 10 Mar 17 - 09:15 PM Here is a video of the vocal: vocal of this song as I remember it. . . |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: Jim Dixon Date: 16 Mar 17 - 12:58 AM By searching for the phrase "stone to knock out the dirt" I found that this song appears in 2 books: Studying Music by Richard Charles Berg (American Book Company, 1966), page 24, and Music for Young Americans, Book 6 also by Richard C. Berg, (American Book Company, 1963), page 15. Unfortunately, these books are both still under copyright, and can't be entirely displayed online. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: GUEST Date: 22 Sep 21 - 12:09 AM Yes, I remember this song. I don't know where or when. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: GUEST Date: 29 Jun 22 - 08:54 PM I learned this song in Chicago, 1965. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: GUEST Date: 26 Aug 23 - 04:50 PM I learned this song in elementary school in the early 1970's in our music class. I grew up in upstate New York in a little town called Ellenburg Center just a couple miles south of the canadian border. Sounds like this song was taught everywhere in the USA. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: NightWing Date: 26 Aug 23 - 11:12 PM I've transcribed this from the video posted by Guest (Lisa Shutt?). It is NOT from either of the books identified with this song. The title is my best guess, based on the lyrics. Again, I've not seen either of the books cited as containing it.
I'm not 100% sure that the ABC is correct; I created it "by hand", rather than with any of the applications, so it is untested.
BB,
X:1 |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: GUEST Date: 26 Aug 23 - 04:50 PM I learned this song in elementary school in the early 1970's in our music class. I grew up in upstate New York in a little town called Ellenburg Center just a couple miles south of the canadian border. Sounds like this song was taught everywhere in the USA. |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: NightWing Date: 26 Aug 23 - 11:12 PM I've transcribed this from the video posted by Guest (Lisa Shutt?). It is NOT from either of the books identified with this song. The title is my best guess, based on the lyrics. Again, I've not seen either of the books cited as containing it.
I'm not 100% sure that the ABC is correct; I created it "by hand", rather than with any of the applications, so it is untested.
BB,
X:1 |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: GUEST Date: 24 Jan 24 - 05:23 PM I was in the 4th grade in 1961 in Enumclaw, Washington. My music teacher, Miss Joann Torgrum (deceased) taught us this song. It was sung in more of a calypso manner. I love it. I found it here when I typed in the same lyrics you printed. Perfect! |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch Date: 25 Jan 24 - 04:11 AM A “Manhattan Calypso” as performed by The Clark Kids. Sister Michele “Shelly” Clark-White was one of the “Ikettes” for a spell.: Actual title = Down by the River (Lillian D. Krugman & Alice Jeanne Ludwig, 1955) LP on Discogs: Elia & Michele Clark – Calypso Songs For Children Columbia, CL 995, 1957, trk.B4 w/Jackie Fields & His Calypso Band(?). RE: Songbook Indexing: Calypso/Caribbean Songbooks “KRUGMAN, LILLIAN DIANE. Little calypsos; songs and stories about the West Indies, arr. for rhythm instruments by Lillian D. Krugman and Alice Jeanne Ludwig, illustrated by Rubi Roth. 24 p. $1.50 Carl Van Roy Co., Brooklyn; 15Nov55; A211592.” [Published Music, Catalog of Copyright Entries, Third Series, vol.9, pt.5A, no.1, Jan-Jun, Library of Congress, 1956] I still have the darn thing somewhere in the catacombs... somewhere... |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch Date: 31 Jan 24 - 05:16 PM Finally turned up. Minor differences to the above, a few lines reversed &c: “DOWN BY THE RIVER Down by the river Mama she wash my shirt, She like to use a stone to knock out the dirt. The river is shallow, The kids jump about, And when it's time for supper Mama has to pull them out. Chant: Don't go'way, don't go'way Mister River, Can't you stop and play, As you travel out to sea. Down by the river got a good fishin' hole, Down by the river cut a big bamboo pole. When Papa gets time off, so he could be free, He comes down by the river and he goes to fish with me. –Repeat Chorus The River is important to man. It has always been a means of transportation and communication and used for food, work and washing. Wash Day takes the form of a picnic; mothers and children, food and play. A day spent at the River is fun and work and deep satisfaction. Gosip and jikes are exchanged to lighten the labor as the water brightens the clothes. Upstream, Father and the older boys may be fishing for the evening meal.” [Little Calypsos, Krugman, Ludwig, Roth, (New York: Carl Van Roy) 1955, p.16] |
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Subject: RE: Lyr Req: River Song (actual title unknown) From: cnd Date: 01 Feb 24 - 08:06 AM Good work on solving a decade-old mystery, Phil! Solid stuff |
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