Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets

Subject: BBC Schools booklets
From: Penny S.
Date: 31 Jan 13 - 04:57 PM

Some years back I rescued some children's pamphlets from Singing Together and other programmes - did it several times so ended up with some duplicates. I'm going to list them here in turn, and if anyone is interested in having them, they can PM me and we can take it from there.

Number 1

Singing Together - Summer 1990

Midsummer Song - Rune Lindstrom, Hakan Norlen
The Drover's Dream - Australian Traditional
Vet's Song - Jan Holdstock, Pat Belford
Alexander's Ragtime Band - Irving Berlin
The Good Eating guide - Janet Wheeler
Come to the Well - Welsh Traditional Tune, Janet Wheeler (Can't identify the tune.)
Skin Song - Chris Hazell
Jump in the Line - Blake Alphonso Higgs, Jessie Cavanaugh

Only one folk song in this lot.

Subject: RE: BBC Schools booklets
From: Penny S.
Date: 31 Jan 13 - 05:03 PM

Number 2 - these are in no order.

Singing Together - Summer 1972

As I was going along the road, to see the flowers a-springing - Irish folk song
REap the flax - Swedish folk dance
The Gypsies - Gaelic folk song
Loudly proclaim - Welsh traditional song
Taffta Hindi - Arabian folk song
No other moon - Brazilian folk song
Water come a me eye - Jamaican folk song
Fire down below - English sea shanty

Much more folky - but what is the difference between folk and traditional?
Fire down below reminds me of the first Jennings book, where the boys singing this song reminds the Head to have a drill, with, as they say, hilarious consequences.
Penny

Subject: RE: BBC Schools booklets
From: Penny S.
Date: 31 Jan 13 - 05:09 PM

Number 3

Singing Together - Autumn 1980

Farewell to Fiunary - Scottish
The Hopak - Russian
Reap the flax - Swedish (again)
Captain Nipper - English
Who did? - Spiritual
Kelly the Pirate - Irish
The Friendly Beasts - English
The Virgin Mary had a Baby Boy - West Indies
O sleep my pretty baby - Mexican
Rise up Shepherd - American
The Gower Wassail - Wales

Forgot to mention, there are two copies of number 2.

Subject: RE: BBC Schools booklets
From: Penny S.
Date: 31 Jan 13 - 05:15 PM

Number 4

Singing Together - Spring 1981

Song of a Country Girl - Welsh, John Emlyn Edwards
Mountain Dancer - Czech, John Emlyn Edwards
The Tortilla Vendor - Chilean
La Cucaracha - Mexican
Here Come the Navvies - Ian CAmpbell
The Piper o'Dundee - Scottish
Greek Shepherd Song
Alnwick Football song - English
The Mountains I love - Swiss, John Emlyn Edwards
The Mountain skier - Austria
Troika - Russian

Subject: RE: BBC Schools booklets
From: Penny S.
Date: 31 Jan 13 - 05:22 PM

Number 5

Singing Together - Summer 1981

The ship that never returned, English,
My White Horse - Chilean, Wolfe, Krone & Fullerton
Lewis Bridal Song - Scottish
The spinning wheel - Irish
Angelico - Haitian, John Emlyn Edwards
The peanut vendor - Cuban, M Sunshine, L W Gilbert, M Simons
Lisa Lan - Welsh, J P B Dobbs

Subject: RE: BBC Schools booklets
From: Penny S.
Date: 31 Jan 13 - 05:23 PM

Left out The Fireman's Song, Don Bilston

Subject: RE: BBC Schools booklets
From: Penny S.
Date: 31 Jan 13 - 05:28 PM

Singing Together - Summer 1971 - 2 copies

Linden Lea - W Barnes, Vaughan Williams
Morris men - Welsh
The meadowlands - Czech
One Man went to mow - English
TRamping Song - Irish
Donkey riding - English traditional sea song
Pretty Pena - Mexican folk song
The top of the morning - Scottish sheep shearing song

Found a second copy of Summer 1981

Penny

Subject: RE: BBC Schools booklets
From: Penny S.
Date: 31 Jan 13 - 05:34 PM

Singing Together - Spring 1972 - two copies

Spring song - Swedish folk-tune, trans Ruth Ostland
The Gypsy Davey - American version of English folk song
Avenging and bright - Irish, Thomas More
Glenlogie - Aberdeenshire ballad
Lucerne to Weggis - Swiss folk song
Stenka Razin - Russian popular song, trans Jacob Robbins
Robin Hood - English trad tune, Gordon Hitchcock
Maranoa Lullaby - Australian Aborigine tune, M Lyell
The Drummer and the Cook - Music Hall and sea shanty
Llantwit Major - Welsh Oxen song
The rain song - John Parry, Douglas Coombs

Subject: RE: BBC Schools booklets
From: Penny S.
Date: 31 Jan 13 - 05:47 PM

Number 8

Singing Together - Spring 1971

Kookaburra
The spinner - Catalan, trans Margaret Fullerton
The noble Duke of York
The shanty boys in the pine - American lumberjack song
The shpherd and his dog - Welsh, Barbara Kluge
The meeting of the waters - Irish, Thomas Moore
The wee cooper of Fife - Scots
The pedlar - Ukrainian, Max Krone
John Brown's Body - American
Bound for the Rio Grande - windlass and capstan shanty

Penny

Subject: RE: Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: Penny S.
Date: 01 Feb 13 - 04:31 AM

I've just seen the misspelling in the title - perhaps someone could alter it?
Penny

Subject: RE: Siunging Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: Penny S.
Date: 01 Feb 13 - 05:40 PM

I've had someone interested, so I'm not listing anything else yet, Please assume that only things listed as having more than one are still available.
Penny

Subject: RE: Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: GUEST,Sylvia
Date: 02 Feb 13 - 03:45 PM

These are far too recent. I would love any booklets from 1960's - the beginning of my education in folk music, particularly Scottish, for some reaswon.

Subject: RE: Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: GUEST,JohnB
Date: 02 Feb 13 - 11:44 PM

One song intrigues me from Singing Together - Summer 1971
Morris men - Welsh.
Any way to get the one song?
JohnB

Subject: RE: Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: Penny S.
Date: 03 Feb 13 - 05:05 PM

The recipient of the first posting will be getting that Morris Men song available as a priority.

There is a Summer 1967 bookletstill available:
The Coast of High Barbaree
Old Mister Noah
Casey Jones
The BIg Rock Candy Mountain
Come o'er the stream Charlie
My bonny cuckoo
The pearly Adriatic (not any more it isn't, with the film from the countless oil rigs over all)
The Lady bird
My boy Billy
Migildi, Magildi

Unfortunately, the school had a scorched earth policy with archival material, and I didn't always know what was happening.
I lost a chemical balance, and a very interesting little book from a maths series on symbology of numbers, including ideas for I'll sing you one O, and a some really good nativity costumes 'cos the children in charge of sorting put the wrong ones in the bins and I only found out just after the bin men had been.
Penny

Subject: RE: Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: GUEST,The Dean of Rochester
Date: 04 Feb 13 - 04:28 PM

I absolutely loved these in Music lessons at Primary School back in the late 60s/early 70s.

Have you got the ones with 'Hey Ho How the Money Does Go', 'Land of the Silver Birch', 'Three pirates came to London Town' and 'Come and Sing together'? Four tunes I remember very well and loved, but can only remember bits of the words in my old age!

Subject: RE: Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 07 Feb 13 - 07:33 AM

Having been the lucky recipient of some of these books, Morris men is now transcribed Here

Subject: RE: Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 07 Feb 13 - 11:31 AM

If there are any songs in the above listed books that someone would particularly like to see posted (ah, those schoolday memories) just PM me & I'll see what I can do.
Otherwise I'll work through slowly, seeing what takes my fancy!

Subject: RE: Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: Penny S.
Date: 07 Feb 13 - 04:59 PM

Honourable cleric, the only one of that list I can remember writing down recently is Land of the Silver Birch - it must be in on of those I haven't listed, but sent to Nigel.

Still available: summer '71,Summer '72, summer '81, Spring '72 and Summer '67.

Pity I couldn't save the lot. They must have been stashed in classrooms and been dumped with staff changes.

Penny

Subject: RE: Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: GUEST,JohnB
Date: 07 Feb 13 - 05:11 PM

Thanks again Nigel, I found your other thread before I re-found this one.
JohnB

Subject: RE: Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 08 Feb 13 - 04:20 AM

Numerous versions of Land of the Silver Birch are already available Here

Subject: RE: Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: GUEST,Helen Firth
Date: 05 Mar 13 - 07:03 PM

We joined in the programmes Autumn 1958 to Summes 1960. The old books were carefully put away so they could be used as well. Has anyone got a pre 1960 book? Who'll buy my caller herring? O give me a cot in the land of the mountains? Have ye heard of a Welshman who travelled to Cork? Sweet Polly Oliver?

Subject: RE: Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: Betsy
Date: 06 Mar 13 - 04:31 AM

Helen , I/we had a geography teacher in the 60's who insisted on us listening to Kathleen (spelling?)Ferrier singing "Caller Herring".
It still remains for me the definitive version of this song and well worth seeking out.

Subject: RE: Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: GUEST,Michael Thomas
Date: 03 Apr 13 - 03:52 PM

I'm interested in trying to find a Singing Together Booklet from 1961, containing a song called 'The Boaster.' (I think it was a 'reissue', since the same title appears for one of the 1956 terms.)
If anyone knows where I could find the 1961 book, I'd be grateful (I don't know which term it was, I'm afraid).
thanks,
Michael

Subject: RE: Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 04 Apr 13 - 04:55 AM

Guest:
There is a song with that title already in the DT The Boaster
Is that the one?

Cheers

Subject: RE: Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Apr 13 - 06:47 PM

A few years ago at Saddleworth Folk Festival, our old friend Theresa Tooley suggested having a singaround based around these songs - and she managed to find the pamphlets for quite a lot of them. It was amazing just how many people knew them and loved them!
Ali

Subject: RE: Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: GUEST,Thanks, Nigel
Date: 07 Apr 13 - 06:07 AM

Dear Nigel: thank you for your reply. It wasn't that one, though it's a great song and thank you for posting it. I remember a couple of lines from the one I'm trying to find:
I've in town three houses fine
When I've bought them they'll be mine,
I'm from our village, our village,
I'm my father's son.
with thanks and best wishes,
Michael

Subject: RE: Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: May Queen
Date: 15 May 13 - 04:36 AM

Wanted: Booklets from the 1950's and 60's

I was going to start a new thread asking about BBC schools broadcasts but I should have known there would be something here already! Mudcatters know everything :-)

My interest in these broadcasts is because I would like to share folk songs from these books with my mum who has dementia. She was at school from 1941 to 1952 (do they go back that far?) but she was also a primary age teacher into the late 1960's. Does anyone have booklets from this time? Or even sound recordings?

She remembers teaching these songs and has recognised some from CD's playing in my car when we go out although the lyrics sometimes seem to confuse her. One particular one I'd like is 'Haul Away Joe' as she doesnt know the words I know (ie about lips going all mouldy and King Louis having is 'ead cut orf!) I guess some of the songs were "cleaned up" for schools broadcast although it may be memory failure on her part. Another is 'Maid of Amsterdam' and she thought it was hilarious when i told her the version I know...the maid in question being "mistress of her trade" etc

BTW I have fond memories of my own regarding these songs from the 1970's and have found similar booklets to Penny's at mums house. How she got these when her own teaching career was over by then I dont know...Unfortunately the ones I remember the tunes of are mostly the Jamaican ones ie Mango Walk and Linstead Market as I'd really like to share British tunes that I have on recordings so we can sing along accompanied.

Hope someone can help.

Rachel

Subject: RE: Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 15 May 13 - 03:35 PM

What a great resource, Penny, and what a great number of uses for the saved booklets. Good job!

SRS

Subject: RE: Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 May 13 - 02:27 PM

I poked around and found some of these on eBay.

SRS

Subject: RE: Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Apr 14 - 01:39 PM

does anyone remember the Hawaiian rainbow,white clouds go by.......or sing sweet string make pitsacado?.... must be about 1979/1980? please help bugging me for years now.

Subject: RE: Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: Joe Offer
Date: 19 Apr 14 - 07:27 PM

Here's our thread on 'Hawaiian Rainbows' (click).

Can't find "Sing Sweet String" or anything with "make pizzicato."

Subject: Req: Ten Sail of Turks We Did Spy
From: GUEST,Chris Bealey
Date: 06 May 14 - 08:25 PM

I remember a song which I'm sure was Bbc singing together in the middle seventies.Can only remember some of the words but no title.

Twuz east northeast so near the line, as near as we could lie,
we'd hardly left our loading port when 10 sail of Turks we did spy.
Come strike you colours ye English dogs, strike colours presently,
come strike Your colours ye English dogs or ye will be struck by we.

Any help please.

---

See this thread to discuss this song.
-Joe Offer, Music Editor-

Subject: RE: Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: GUEST,Conan McDonnell
Date: 28 Nov 14 - 08:31 PM

I remember these programmes from around 1980-81. I'm pretty sure we learned Cadet Rousselle from this series but can't find any reference to it. Thanks for listing these - brings back many happy memories

Subject: RE: Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: GUEST,Conan McDonnell
Date: 28 Nov 14 - 08:45 PM

Incidentally, "Cadet Rousselle has houses three". Michael, could you have got it mixed up with that song?

Subject: RE: Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: EnglishFolkfan
Date: 28 Nov 14 - 09:05 PM

BBC Radio programme on 'Singing Together' to be broadcast today and accompanying article on BBC website:

Jarvis Cocker presents Singing Together on Archive on 4 on BBC Radio 4 on Saturday 29 November 2014 at 20:00 GMT (this should then be available on BBC Radio iPlayer for 30 days)

Singing Together: The radio show that got schoolchildren singing -
For nearly 60 years the long-running BBC Schools radio programme Singing Together got generations of children singing in classrooms across the country. What made it so special and why does it still have a place in people's hearts, asks the BBC's Ruth Evans.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-30210485

Remember and enjoyed these singalongs in our small village school in the 1950's, mono sound from a plywood boxed speaker placed on the teachers desk. Same speaker taken outside for 'music and movement' programme on the asphalt playground in clement weather.

Subject: RE: Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: Irene M
Date: 29 Nov 14 - 02:19 PM

Looking forward to the programme. Sadly the Beeb didn't record the programmes fro posterity. I have a spare copy of the Spring '67 pamphlet if anyone is keen. The staples are a bit rusty!

Subject: RE: Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: GUEST,Janet M
Date: 29 Nov 14 - 03:51 PM

I listened during the last two years of primary school from 1957-9. We've heard from William Appleby, but does anyone remember Miss Avis who did some of the singing at that time?

Subject: RE: Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 29 Nov 14 - 06:55 PM

Miss Avis would have been Miss Marjorie Avis. Shown in a photo in a copy of Singing Together currently on EBay UK.

Cheers
Nigel

Subject: RE: Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: GUEST,Nick Kirby
Date: 02 Dec 14 - 04:07 PM

Just discovered this forum, thanks to the Radio 4 programme. Is the copy from 1981 still available, please?

[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: Penny S.
Date: 02 Dec 14 - 04:35 PM

Sorry, it's gone.

Penny

Subject: RE: Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: GUEST,Barry Fisher
Date: 05 Dec 14 - 12:28 PM

All you people are postively youngsters! My wife and I listened in the early 1950s (albeit 125 miles apart) and we argue over the date of The Ash Grove, and The Animals Went In Two by Two. Any one help?

Subject: RE: Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: GUEST,guest Jocelyn
Date: 06 Dec 14 - 06:50 AM

Hi

I caught up with the programme on iPlayer last night and really enjoyed it...... was singing along just like lots of other people who listened to it I expect!
My junior school was hopeless and Singing Together was definitely the best thing about it.
Except for Autumn 1957 and Summer 1958, I have all the copies from the school years 1957 to 1960 and could photocopy the odd song for anyone who needs it. If anyone has the ones I'm missing I would be interested in buying them.
When my children were small I used the booklets for bedtime songs and lullabies and I'm hoping they'll do the same with their babies now.

Subject: RE: Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: GUEST,Stephen
Date: 14 May 16 - 07:46 PM

Hi I have been looking for the name of a Peruvian folk song that I used to sing at school in Engkand. The lyrics go something like:
"Let me tell you a story, of a long time ago...' and was about a boy and girl called rairu and marilia.

Does anyone know this song?

Subject: RE: Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Jun 16 - 02:20 PM

When the sun left the heavens, and the clouds turned to snow.
I still say no this with my sisters!

Subject: RE: Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Jan 17 - 12:56 PM

Hi, I can help with this one. It was from BBC Time and Tune, Spring 1973, from a story called La Campanelita. The song was called Sun Bird:

Sunbird tell me the story
Of a day long ago,
When the sun left the heavens,
And the clouds turned to snow

To a girl in a village
Came a king robed in gold
They were happy together
So the story was told.

Then the king had to leave her
And he never returned,
But the heavens were shining
And the golden sun burned.

For the girl, left alone, now,
Waiting days were so long
She became lovely sunbird,
And keeps singing her song.


I've just tracked down the sheet music for this - if you want a copy drop me a line via the 'About' section on my website www.antonuzzo.com

Subject: RE: Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 15 Jan 17 - 02:00 PM

All you people are postively youngsters! My wife and I listened in the early 1950s (albeit 125 miles apart) and we argue over the date of The Ash Grove, and The Animals Went In Two by Two. Any one help?
Looking at the partial index Here the closest I can get to early fifties is that "The animals went in two by two" was broadcast Spring '54 & The Ash Grove Summer '51 & Summer '57
Cheers
Nigel

Subject: RE: Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: GUEST
Date: 02 May 18 - 10:02 AM

Hello- I was at junior school until 1960 and Singing together was a favourite. I have a distinct memory of singing a song that began "I came down Ellum and I came down Main, trying to beg a nickel to buy cocaine" but nobody believes me- am I mistaken? I'm Ron Wood, email [e-mail]. Help me Obi Wan- you're my only hope!

Subject: RE: Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: GUEST
Date: 02 May 18 - 10:14 AM

Leadbelly ........... Take a Whiff (click)

---

email sent to requestor -Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Feb 19 - 11:10 AM

Hi, I'm looking for a 'Singing Together' booklet from, I think, 69/70. I remember the 'Nature Carol' Coral, Amber, pearl and Shell, gifts we gather from Summer seas.... Even to establish the issue date, or picture of the right one , other songs in the booklet would be an enormous help. Anyone?

Subject: RE: Singing Together: BBC Schools booklets
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Feb 19 - 11:20 AM

Amazingly, I've now established it was Summer 1970 which had the Nature Carol in it - Thanks!