Songs Your Mother Sang to You

Subject: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: mousethief
Date: 12 Apr 01 - 03:45 AM

What songs did your mother sing to you when you were little? Or your father, or uncle, or grandmother, or whoever it was that first sang those songs to you?

I remember "All the pretty little ponies" and "Go get an axe there's a flea in Lilly's ear" and a real hound that went

The horse walked around with its foot on the ground
The horse walked around with its foot on the ground
The horse walked around with its foot on the ground
The horse walked around with its foot on the ground
spoken: Second verse, same as the first,
Ohhhhhh...
(repeat)

Also "Ooka tooka my soda cracker, does your mama chaw tobaccer?"

And something that went:
My momma done told me
When I was in pigtails
A man is a two-face...

And a real silly one that went:
Go for a ride in the car, car
Go for a ride in the car, car
Go for a ride in the car, car
Vroom, vroom, vroom.

What did you get sung to you at your earliest remembery of music?

Alex

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: mousethief
Date: 12 Apr 01 - 12:23 PM

Oh come on, this is part of the Folk Process! This is on topic for crying out loud! Surely SOMEBODY has something to add?

Alex

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: katlaughing
Date: 12 Apr 01 - 12:36 PM

Alex, you'll find some answers on this recent thread, too.

Irish Lullaby, Prairie Lullaby, I'm a little teapot, there are so many, because ours was such a musical family. She knew scads of songs and sang to us a lot.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: chip a
Date: 12 Apr 01 - 12:48 PM

Alex,

I don't remember being sung to. My dad could tell stories and we heard lots of them. Most he'd make up. Some were traditional. I always sang Guthrie's Hobo's Lullaby to mine at bedtime. Just a week ago, one of my daughters said she has been singing it to her six week old.

Chip

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: kendall
Date: 12 Apr 01 - 12:57 PM

Oh, I had a little chicken and it wouldn't lay an egg
I rubbed hot water up and down its leg
The little chicken hollered and the little chicken begged
and the same little chicken laid a hard boiled egg.

a fly flew into a grocery store
He flew and he flew and he flew some more
He piddled in the pickles and honkered on the ham
Cause he didn't give a damn for the grocery ma.

the old cat shit in the shavings
" " "
" " "
The night before the 4th.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 12 Apr 01 - 01:11 PM

This is not about what my mother sang to me, because I don't remember. But when my oldest son was a baby, I'd sing to him:

Rock-a-bye Teddy, you are a beaut!
You'll fill your pants, a rooty-toot-toot!
You'll fill your pants, and wet them also

And into the pail the diaper will go!

Rock-a-bye Teddy, in the white chair
When you are hungry, mommy is there.
When you've got pants-full, she'll be there too!
When there's diaper rash, she'll Vaseline you!

Both Theodore his younger sister Monika are adopted, and in equity I had to do something just for her, as follows:

Rock-a-bye Monika, you are a queen!
When you joined our family, we thought it was keen!
When we picked you up, little Teddy went too,
Now there's daddy and mommy, Teddy and you!

When, late and unlooked for, our son Hans was born to us, I had run out of rock-a-bye variations, but surely there had to be a song for him. He was breast-fed, and I sang him this. I don't have a way to pass the tune I wrote to you, but you have my (im)modest assurance that it's a lovely, haunting melody.

Go to sleep, my little boy.
Dream about a milk-filled booby!
Mama nurse you in a while,
When your time has come.

When your time has come, my boy,
Mama-milk there'll be in plenty
When your mama has let down,
And nursin' time has come.

When nursin' time has come, my boy,
Mama-milk will fill your tummy.
With the nipple in your mouth
You'll never need your thumb!

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Hollowfox
Date: 12 Apr 01 - 01:19 PM

Greensleeves, Amsterdam Maid, Streets of Laredo, Di Te Moi (from South Pacific, and (with me) an English translation of the jailhouse duet between Alfred and Frosch in the third act of Die Fledermaus.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: MMario
Date: 12 Apr 01 - 01:22 PM

I was child number six. I truly don't remember my mother singing songs to me at all - though music was a constant - and we often sang in the car - or while doing chores, Dad whistled a lot, and mom hummed. Plus records to fall asleep by every evening.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: TamthebamfraeScotland
Date: 12 Apr 01 - 01:24 PM

I remeber my mother singing me a song called Coulter's candy.

This was about a man who went around the border towns of Scotland selling his wares. His name was Robert Coultart.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: GUEST,_Jande at the Vestal (really!) Library
Date: 12 Apr 01 - 03:15 PM

Alex,

My mum didn't sing much at all (thank heavens!)but my dad had a typical Welsh tenor voice. Beautiful timbre! He sang all the mournful songs of the "olde Countrye" when I was growing up. My favourite was Danny Boy.

But he also sang:

Ride a cock horse
from Banbury Cross
to see a fine Lady
upon a White Horse.

With rings on her fingers
and Bells on her toooooooes!

She shall have music
Wherever she goes!

And their favourite chant where I was concerned was:

There was a little girl
who had a little curl
right in the middle
of her forehead.

When she was good
She was very very good!
But when she was bad
she was horrid!

~ Jande of the straight black hair LOL!

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: chip a
Date: 12 Apr 01 - 03:30 PM

Guest Jande,

I didn't remember any singing 'till I read your post. Now I can remember my daddy singing both of those to me when I was very small. Thanks for a memory of him!

Peace,

Chip

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: GUEST
Date: 12 Apr 01 - 03:47 PM

Tam the Bam - there was a recent mention of Coulter's Candy; don't remember whether the name was part of the title, but you should be able to track it down
Jande, I remember my mum singing those two rhymes to me.
As the eldest of six, with a Mum who sang all the time, I suppose I got a really good grounding in songs. I remember 'Raggle Taggle Gypsies','Three Little Fishes', a host of nursery rhymes, music hall songs from Granny's days. Mudcat posters keep refreshing my memory; the mention of 'In and out the Dusty Bluebells' on a recent thread, for instance.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: katlaughing
Date: 12 Apr 01 - 03:51 PM

Jande! My mom used to do both of those, too! I'd forgotten them. She read a lot to us. I also remember Little Miss Tuffet.

When I was about a year old, I fell against the piano leg and knocked out my two top front teeth. I remember hearing All I want For Christmas is My Two Front Teeth, for several years after.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Clifton53
Date: 12 Apr 01 - 04:46 PM

The Momper would always launch into "Make The World Go Away" while busy in the kitchen and with us lounging about watching The Three Stooges or Soupy Sales, cackling like magpies as we bonked each other on the skull, or imitated Soupy's many hand puppet voices. She had a good voice too, and whenever we asked for something impractical she would sing, "That'll Be The Day", by Buddy Holly. I'd give my arm to hear it again.

Clifton53

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: harpmolly
Date: 12 Apr 01 - 05:31 PM

My mom didn't sing much :) but my dad used to play slack key Hawaiian guitar for me. Still does, when I can coax him.

Oddly enough, my grandmother used to sing "Bushel and a Peck", which was always a song I loved, and then I discovered "Guys and Dolls" and had a whole new context for it! :D

Also, my mom's had Danny Doyle's "Twenty Years A'Growin'" album for ages and ages, so I grew up listening to those songs, and they're some of my favorites to this day.

M

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: GUEST,Seth from China
Date: 12 Apr 01 - 06:24 PM

I don't remember what my mother sang, but this has prompted me to ring up my brothers and sister to find out what the remember before we all to old to remember much of anything. I know I was glued to the radio from an early age(beforeTV. THe first song I can remember thinking was really great was Abba Dabba Honeymoon, and my dad singing Open the Door Richard. Mostly, if I think of my mom singing, it was hymns in Latin at church. I didn't have a clue as to what she was sing- oh, now I remember, a Catholic hymn "Tantum Ergo", but I would just scat along at the top of my voice like Eddie JEfferson or King Pleasure might have done in the same situation. Thanks for the thread. I'll be back after I send out some e-mails. Seth from China

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: BRG
Date: 12 Apr 01 - 06:51 PM

Excellent question. My mother was not a singer but my father often (too often, as we got older) sang to us, along with his guitar and his array of one and two finger chords.

"Old Rugged Cross", "Let the rest of the world go by", "Oh you can't get to Heaven", "When the Saints..." all pop into mind.

He passed away in '79. Thanks for triggering some pleasant memories.

Bruce

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Ma Fazoo
Date: 12 Apr 01 - 07:05 PM

There were lots of lulabies which would make me afraid to go to sleep!
"there;s a big bear in the shed, poking out his ugly head,
It's three weeks since he's been fed, you;d be safer, dear in bed.
Boogie man's outside the door, he's been out there twice before,
If he hears a good girl snore, he'll go 'way and come no more.

There was, howerver a beauiful song, and I think its about a constellation. I've never heard anyone from outside my family sing it so if anyone knows it, I'd be glad for news.

Five little fiddlers lived by the sea,
Long John, Ginger John, and Pepper Johns' three
They went to the mill on a very fine night,
Stole a bag of barley and they hurried out of sight.
But the miller he caught them, mad as he could be,
Tied them in a great big sack and sent them out to sea,
So they all clung together and they sang a litttle tune,
And it busted all to pieces and it sent them to the moon.
Now if you'll take the trouble on a very fine night ,
To look up in the heavens when the moon is shining bright
Those Five Little Fiddlers you are very sure to see,
Long John, Ginger John and Pepper Johns' three.

I'm of Welsh, Irish, and English descent, but have no idea wherre this song comes from. It has a very beautiful tune, and is a sure-fire lullaby-works every time.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 12 Apr 01 - 07:32 PM

My mom sang goodnight songs to all five of her children. Most were the usual ones but one of my brothers insisted his song to be "Jingle Bells" EVERY night of the year. I can still remember lying in my bed after a blissful 4th of July celebration and hearing her voicing from my brother's room, "Jingle bell, jingle bells, jingle all the way..." She never let him down!

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: vindelis
Date: 12 Apr 01 - 07:38 PM

When my sister and I were small the main ones were lullabies. Either 'rockaby baby', or my favorite, which was 'Go to sleep my baby close your weary eyes Angels up above you Peeping at you deary from the skies Great big moon is shining Stars begin to peep So close your eyes my picaninie And go to sleep.'

My brother always asked for 'Soldier, soldier, won't you marry me with your musket fife and drum?'

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Jimmy C
Date: 13 Apr 01 - 12:04 AM

My mother and father would sing a lot around the house, . My mother's songs included. " The Doffin Mistress", My Aunt Jane (I'll tell me ma"} - Let Him Go Let Him Tarry - and a little rocking song called Bangor Boats Away, this one she rocked us on her knee and then let you sort of drop back off her knees at the end. My father had a wealth of songs and could really sing as well. Some of his favourites were " The Green Bushes" - "Nut Brown Maiden" "Mountains of Pomeroy" " Eileen Alannah" - The Boston BUrglar" and one called " and others too many to list. They are both deceased now but I still think of them when I sing any one of the songs. This is a nice thread.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Sarah the flute
Date: 13 Apr 01 - 09:24 AM

My mum used to sing :

I wish I was a jelly fish who could not fall down stairs Of all the wishes I could wish I wish I were a jelly fish Who wouldn't even have to wish I wish I was a jelly fish who could not fall down stairs

and

There was a little puffa train That puffed across the desert plain It went as far as Zanzibar And then came puffing back again

Then there was some awful traumatic one about a monkey of which snatches are

There was a mother monkey Who lived in a tall tall tree She had a little monkey boy as happy as can be Then one day when she went walking ......????? He fell into a pail

Then there's some bit in the middle but the ending is...

But putting on her bonnet She ran to the shops so fast And bought another monkey boy Exactly like the last

This used to scare me and particularly my little brother into thinking we could be replaced as easily if we were'nt good !!! If anyone can supply the missing lines or the origin of any of these I'd like to know

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 13 Apr 01 - 12:27 PM

Lily Marlene was one of my mother's favourites and also various lullabies most of which I have forgotten save a few lines eg "Lullu lullu lullu lullu labyby Do you want the moon to play with or the stars to run away with" Sadly my favourite and therefore the one I remember best is totally non PC with references to Mammy and her curly headed picaninny which I was unaware caused so much offence until reading the current thread on Mudcat.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Margo
Date: 13 Apr 01 - 12:50 PM

Mousethief: The "go for a ride in the car car" song is a Woody Guthrie song. I have it on a video with animation. It's a great video for kids - heck, I enjoy it. It's all Woody Guthrie songs.

My mom has a tin ear and can't carry a tune, but she did sing to us. There is one song I hope maybe someone will fill in the lyrics to:

Old folks, young folks, everybody come
come along to Sunday school and make yourselves at home
leave all your children and your pistols at the door,
and I'll tell you bible stories like you've never heard before!

Then each subsequent verse tells about Jonah, Daniel, and others but with a funny twist, like Daniel being a dentist and pulling all the lion's teeth out. Anyone know?

Margo

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Apr 01 - 02:22 PM

Mrs Duck
A lulla, lulla, lulla lulla bye bye
Baby wants the moon to play with
stars to run away with
They'll come if you don't cry
A luula, lulla, lulla, lulla, bye bye
In Mammy's arms a creepin
So close your eyes and go to sleep
My lulla, lulla, lulla, lulla bye

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Matt_R
Date: 13 Apr 01 - 02:28 PM

My mom didn't sing to me either.

But I grow up learning all the words to Hank Williams Jr. songs...

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: KathWestra
Date: 13 Apr 01 - 03:30 PM

Both my mom (no longer with us, alas) and my dad (still here, but struggling with Alzheimer's) were wonderful singers, who loved to sing in the car and at home around the piano. Dad is still a wonderful singer, and remembers song words even though his short-term memory is unreliable. The earliest song I remember my dad singing was "Ragtime Cowboy Joe," a particularly rambunctious rendition to accompany a wild ride for me (and later my little brother) on his bouncing knees.

He and my mom would sing sentimental old songs together, songs like "Let the Rest of the World Go By." (I still know all the words, which I learned by osmosis.) He recently performed "I'll Take You Home Again, Kathleen," at his assisted living center's Valentine's party. It was his first public singing performance ever -- at 78. He remembered all the words.

Driving home to Grand Rapids, Mich., after a long car trip to Ann Arbor or Detroit, we would always sing one particular song. It was the closing theme for a folk-music radio show out of the University of Michigan (in the mid 1950s) called Festival of Song. I still associate this song with sleepy comfort -- and with my late mom's voice:

Sing your way home, at the close of the day;
Sing your way home, drive the shadows away.
Smile every mile, for wherever you roam,
It will brighten your road, it will lighten your load
If you sing your way home.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: GUEST,djh
Date: 13 Apr 01 - 03:45 PM

My Mom liked the song Danny Boy so much she named me after it. She sang it to me maybe 1000000000000000000 times, maybe a few less zeros. I used to HATE the song. Now I really like it. no one in my family ever played music. I am the first named after a song and the first to play. THANKS MA.
My sister in-law is pregnant with my first nephew/niece I got Elizabeth Cotton's SUGAREE all polished up for the little one.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Luke
Date: 13 Apr 01 - 08:09 PM

This is the kind of thread with which you could make a very snuggly blanket.

I grew up youngest. Still am. Everyone was singing three older brothers mom and dad just singing all the time. There were lots of songs my brothers sang that were sort of racey Barnacle Bill and like that. I wanted to learn them all even as a wee boy. But when it came official time to settle and get to bed Mom would hold me in her lap and sing.

Rockabye a baby, Mommy is a lady, Daddy is a gentleman, and Bobby is a coffee can.

This was the official mom loves me connection. No other song would do. If she started out singing anything else I would squirm and cry.

Over and over until I was butter in her arms and really to big to be there anymore. She would let me crawl up there and she would rock and sing. When I had my babies she would do the same. At family gatherings when we all had our small chidren, we would all be giving each other the look when mom would pick up one of the younguns and start into the rocking and singing. Calm then, real calm would settle all through the house and being alive was more than enough to make us all happy and thankful.

Luke

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: lady penelope
Date: 14 Apr 01 - 05:11 AM

My mum would sing, but not very often. It's my dad I remember singing to us and always the strangest of songs. Does any one recognise this ( I apologise if some words are wrong I'm remembering this from when I was five-ish)

Down by the river kipowea Empties its water to the seas Down where the bear in his lair Doesn't care if it rains or shines or snows An indian squaw sang to a baby on a straw mat And she hummed as she crooned as she sang him this lullaby "oh please don't cry................... (memory now fails me)

Some people I know will recognise this one and possilbly curse, but I assure you it's my dad's fault.

Bluebells are bluebells Bluebells are blue Bluebells are bluebells 'cos Bluebells are blue

2nd verse

Bluebells are bluebells......ad nauseum.........

And there was one he would only sing whilst working (he's a chippie)

If I had a nail and a hammer And a picture to hang on the wall......

But he says he can't remeber it now, does anyone else?

TTFN M'lady P.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Nathan in Texas
Date: 14 Apr 01 - 12:03 PM

Jesus bids us shine with a clear pure light
Like a little candle burning in the night
In this world of darkness we must shine
You in your small corner, an I in mine.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Mudlark
Date: 15 Apr 01 - 01:49 AM

Both my m. and d. sang a lot....I used to plead with my m. to sing The Organ Grinder Song and cry my eyes out every time ("....oh, please sir don't cry, she's going to die, just play her your serenade...") Lullabies "That Sly Old Gentleman, from featherbed lane" and " Little man you've had a busy day" (a fav. despite the gender problem), and "the Old Lamplighter (He makes the night a little brighter, wherever he may go....), and another tearjerker I loved "2 Babes in the Wood"......and The Gypsy's Warning.

Gay 90's (grandma was in the music hall) Ta Ra and BOOMP se daisy, I like a bussle that bends, On the Boardwalk ("one said 2 dollars, I said 3, he took out the sox, gave the box to me....It's the box you've bought, not the sox, said he...I'll never go there any more!), Oh Didn't He Ramble. ...

And a whole raft of great 1940's pop songs...instilled me with a love of good lyrics...

Nancy

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Apr 01 - 04:22 AM

In amongst the more normal nursery rhymes such as "See Saw, Marjory Daw", "Hickory Dickory Dock" and "Three Blind Mice" would be slightly rude numbers like:

Oh Mother, look at Uncle Jim
Lying in the piddle pot, learning how to swim
First he did the side stroke, then he did the splash
And then he did a mighty splash and out went the gas!

Another one was:

Holly-o and misletoe, Put the baby on the po! When she's done, wipe her bum With a little bit of tissue-issue paper!

Sometimes after a Xmas glass of sherry, mum and my Aunt would get through a line and a half of "It's Only Me from Over the Sea, said Bollocky Bill the Sailor" before collapsing in a giggling heap.

Mum's everdyday speech was littered with references to old songs; "Don't Do That to the Poor Puss Cat"; "Open the Door, Richard"; "You Can't Do That There 'Ere".

She also used to sing "Teddy Bear's Picnic" to our Corgi, which used to drive him crazy.

There was also "What Noise Annoys a Noisy Oyster" and any number of other old Music Hall songs.

My earliest memory is a lullaby she used to sing me in my cot; it was guaranteed to send me to sleep happy. She passed away nearly two years ago aged 83.

Happily I only have to sing one of her songs, and she's right back with me. And I don't think she's ever too far away, anyway!

Alex, thanks for this thread.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: tiggerdooley
Date: 15 Apr 01 - 04:37 AM

My Dad used to sing 'Young at Heart' by Frank Sinatra (bit of a crooner, my Dad). But when I couldn't sleep, my Mum used to send him in with his guitar and he'd do 'Hey Jude' at the end of my bed. I'd just be dropping off and it'd get to the 'nanananaaaaaaah' bit.......

I also got (from my Mum and my Nana) 'Oh, Oh, Antonio'. Does any one know this? It went something like:
Oh, oh, Antonio, he's gone away
Left me on my ownio, all all alonio
I'd like to meet him with his new sweetheart
And off we'll go, Antonio, in his ice-cream cart.

It's got a realy sweet tune. Makes me cry. Where does it come from? I'd love to know.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Apr 01 - 04:52 AM

Oh! Oh! Antonio
Words and Music by CW Murphy and Dan Lipton, 1908

Chorus: Oh! Oh! Antonio
He's gone away,
Left me aloneio,
All on my ownio.
I want to meet him,
With his new sweetheart,
Then up will go Antonio
And his ice cream cart!

The verses are not terribly interesting, but tell the tale of an Italian maid searching the streets for her lover. She pines away, but her ghost still walks the streets. Sort of an Italian Molly Malone.

LFF

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Joe Offer
Date: 15 Apr 01 - 04:55 AM

My mom doesn't sing, and never did - but my father sang copnstantly, mostly all the old vocals hits of the 30's and 40's. He's 82 now, and his voice is still pretty darn good. I love to stand next to him in church and sing.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: tiggerdooley
Date: 15 Apr 01 - 05:21 AM

GUEST, thanks for the info, but could you tell me where I could get all of the lyrics, maybe a website? Is there a particular singer who made it popular? Can I hear it??

Tigger

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Long Firm Freddie
Date: 15 Apr 01 - 06:05 AM

Tiggerdooley, GUEST was me with a crumbled cookie! Oh Oh Antonio was sung by Florrie Forde, of "Old Bull and Bush" fame.

I've had a look on Google, but I couldn't find the lyrics or the tune.

I've got the sheet music though, so watch this space and when I get a little more time I'll post the lyrics. Alternatively, I can send you a scan.

LFF

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: GUEST,CeCe
Date: 15 Apr 01 - 04:21 PM

My mother sang Cha Baba, Hut Sut Song, Sleepy Lagoon, Isle of Capri, Brahms Lullaby and Inkspot songs.... Since I am the oldest of six... I heard these songs for the next 14 years... and then I sang them to my children in the early 60's... along with a lot of Buddy Holly, Penguins, Elegants, Everly Brothers and other groups from the late 50's. (Not too much Elvis, tho)

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie)
Date: 15 Apr 01 - 05:01 PM

Tellin my age and place now... I was rocked to the tunes of, House Carpenter, Lyttle Musgrave (heads get chopped off in the end), The Merry Golden Tree. Maybe because old ballads have such a good rocking rhythm. Real,"children's songs," like Dance to your Daddie, Swapping Song, etc., were bouncing or dancing songs for us. Anyway- don't get me started! Jean

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: jcdevildog
Date: 15 Apr 01 - 07:12 PM

My mom sang gospel songs while she did her housework, but my dad was the bedtime singer and storyteller. He sang quite a variety, including children's songs like "Animal Fair", "The Old Woman & Her Pig" and "Go Tell Aunt Patsy" (same as "Aunt Rhody" except for the name); cowboy ballads like "Jesse James", "Billy the Kid" and "Utah Carroll"; and parlor songs like "Beautiful Brown Eyes", "Over the Hill to the Poorhouse" and "Forsaken Love". "Dead baby" songs were not omitted from the repertoire: if you think the song about the little lost monkey was disturbing, think about going to sleep listening to "Put My Little Shoes Away"--no wonder I'm warped!

Fortunately I've always had a good memory for lyrics, so I can still remember a lot of those songs; and I'm working on finding some of the ones that I remember only in part. I recently found the full lyrics to "Over the Hill to the Poorhouse" on a website, and a songbook with the missing fifth verse to "The Prisoner at the Bar". Singing them is a real connection to my parents, both of whom have passed on.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Peg
Date: 15 Apr 01 - 07:54 PM

Mom had a Kimball organ and played lots of wonderful old sonsg; from musicals, Cole Porter, classics sung by the likes of Dean Martin and Doris Day...I know my love of old songs comes from this.

She did not sing much but one of my favorites she liked to sing to us:

"Leprosy is getting the best of me
There goes my ear dear into your beer, dear
Kiss me quick, there goes my upper lip
There goes my eyeball into your highball"

etc.

Can't remember much more except, "There goes my fingernail into your ginger ale..."

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 15 Apr 01 - 09:18 PM

My mother loved musicals, and she used to sing Fred Astaire songs to me. Specifically, "Cheek to Cheek" and a song I remember (I think it was an Astaire song) that had a line that went something like this: In Si-be-ri-AH! Where the snow is so su-pe-RIOR! I can't find any references to this song, although it's pretty distinctive. If anyone's heard of it, I'd like to know... Please... She also sang Dean Martin songs and the entire soundtrack from Guys and Dolls (movie version). Her traditional repotoire (sp?) was pretty much limited to 'Billy Boy' and 'Waltzing Matilda.'

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: GUEST,Joe Fineman
Date: 15 Apr 01 - 09:52 PM

Margo:

I regret to inform you that the song you inquired about was called "The Darky Sunday School" and that the chorus originally went:

Young folks, old folks, everybody come.
Join the darky Sunday School and make yourself at home.
Please to check your chewing gum and razors at the door.
We'll tell you bible stories that you never heard before.

My mother did not sing that one to me. I learned it in high school about 1952, from a teacher who was black and a former minister. It is in _The New Song Fest_. Some stanzas I remember are:

Jonah was an immigrant, so runs the bible tale.
He booked a steerage passage in a transAtlantic whale.
Now Jonah in the belly of the whale was quite compressed,
So Jonah pushed the button, and the whale he did the rest.

Salome was a dancer, she danced before the king.
She wriggled and she waggled and she shook most everything.
"How now!" said the king, "We'll have no scandal here."
"The hell we won't!" Salome said, and kicked the chandelier.

As to what my mother sang me, there was "Rozhenkes mit Mandeln", which has a thread of its own. There were two songs, "There's a Ship Sails Away" & "Sail, Baby, Sail", that compared sleeping to going to sea. And there were --well, here is the list from my baby book of the songs I had learned when I was 2 1/2: Lead Kindly Light, Jesus Bids Us Shine, Blessed Jesus, Silent Night, Frere Jacques, Au Clair de la Lune, Aupres de ma Blonde, Kommt a Vogel, Muss i Denn, Ah wie ist's moeglich, Von Meinem Bergli, Guten Abend Gute Nacht, Oyfn Pripichuk, Rozhinkes mit Mandeln, Come Let's Play We're Indians, Here Comes the Sandman, Lovely May, and "about 25 nursery rhymes".

[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Kaleea
Date: 15 Apr 01 - 11:53 PM

My family pastime was singing around the piano. My mother sang all the time. Early childhood songs were such as: Way down yonder in the Paw Paw Patch. (there really is such a thing as a Paw Paw!) It goes like this: Verse: Where oh where is dear little (any 2 syllable girl's name) Where oh where is dear little Mary Where oh where is dear little Mary Way down yonder in the Paw Paw Patch.

Chorus: Pickin' up Paw Paw's Puttin' 'em in a basket (3X) Way down yonder in the Paw Paw Patch.

Verse: Come on, boys, let's go find her 3X Way down yonder in the Paw Paw patch.

Chorus

Also, Fairest Lord Jesus (the first song I had to sing to company) and lots of other hymns. She did not approve of my father teaching us songs or such things as:

(tune of My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean) My Bonnie leaned over the gas tank more clearly it's contents to see I lighted a match to assist her Oh bring back my Bonnie to me!

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: DougR
Date: 16 Apr 01 - 01:08 AM

The earliest I remember was "Where The River Shannon Flows."

DougR

Subject: Lyr Add: OH! OH! ANTONIO
From: Long Firm Freddie
Date: 16 Apr 01 - 03:48 PM

For Tiggerdooley, as promised:

OH! OH! ANTONIO

1. In quaint native dress
An Italian maid
Was deep in distress
As the streets she strayed,
Searching in ev'ry part
For her false sweetheart
And his ice cream cart
Her English was bad,
It cannot be denied,
And so to herself in Italian she cried:

CHORUS: Oh! Oh! Antonio
He's gone away,
Left me all aloneio,
All on my ownio.
I want to meet him with
His new sweetheart
Then up will go Antonio
And his icecream cart.

2. So sad grew the plight
Of this fair young lass,
She'd faint at the sight
Of an ice cream glass.
She'd dream nigh ev'ry day
He'd come back to stay,
But he'd fade away.
Her old hurdy gurdy
All day she'd parade,
And this she would sing to each tune that it played:

(CHORUS)

3. She sought in despair
For Antonio,
And looked ev'rywhere
That she thought he'd go.
Soon she to pine began
As each face she'd scan
For her ice cream man.
She faded away,
But they say in the streets
The ghost of that girl in Italian, repeats:

(CHORUS)

LFF

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Caitrin
Date: 16 Apr 01 - 04:05 PM

I remember Mum singing "Song To Celia" and lots of Simon and Garfunkel. She was also fond of one that I don't know the title to...
"Today while the blossom
still clings to the vine
I'll taste your strawberries
I'll drink your sweet wine"

Can't remember any more of it than that off the top of my head.
I also recall singing "Misty Moisty Morning" with Mum in the car--it was -years- before I realized it wasn't a typical children's song in this century. *grins*
Dad used to sing mostly "southern rock" stuff and play his guitar for me when I was little. This resulted in some amusing moments, like my translation of the Grateful Dead as "Ridin' that train, Hi I'm okay."

Subject: Lyr Add: TODAY (while the blossoms still cling to.
From: mousethief
Date: 16 Apr 01 - 04:23 PM

Today, while the blossom

Today, while the blossom still clings to the vine,
I'll taste your strawberries, I'll drink your sweet wine.
A million tomorrows shall pass away,
'ere I forget all the joy that is mine, Today.

I'll be a dandy and I'll be a rover.
You'll know who I am by the songs that I sing.
I'll feast at your table, I'll sleep in your clover,
who cares what the morrow shall bring?

I can't be contented with yesterday's glory
I can't live on promises, winter to spring,
today is my moment, now is my story,
I'll laugh, I'll cry and I'll sing.

-----

From my search on the web, this may or may not be by Rod McKuen.

Alex

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: celticblues5
Date: 16 Apr 01 - 10:15 PM

My mother was like some others mentioned here - couldn't sing for anything - her forte was drawing & painting; but she loved to recite poems like "Winkyn, Blinkyn, & Nod" to us.
Dad was the singer - mostly pop songs - Nat King Cole, Ella's "A-Tisket, A-Tasket," etc. The one I remember most, because he always picked me up to dance for it had a lyric that included, "Gonna dance with the dolly with the hole in her stockin', hole in her stockin', hole in her stockin'; gonna dance with the dolly with the hole in her stockin', dance by the light of the moon."
His family had singing sessions whenever they would get together (I thought that's what families DID - when I went to holidays at my husband's & found out they went out and played football instead, I was totally dismayed).
A couple of my great-aunts were in vaudeville, so everyone knew a lot of the old songs from that era too.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: celticblues5
Date: 16 Apr 01 - 10:40 PM

Oops - forgot my other favorite -

Down by the meadow in the iddy biddy pool
Swam three little fishies and a momma fishie too
"Swim," said the momma fishie, "Swim if you can,"
So they swam and they swam, right over the dam.

Boop, boop, diddum, daddum, waddum, choo!
Boop, boop, diddum, daddum, waddum, choo!
Boop, boop, diddum, daddum, waddum, choo, and they swam and they swam right over the dam

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: CRANKY YANKEE
Date: 17 Apr 01 - 01:04 AM

My Dad was a great " stride" piano player (Rqgtime-barrelhouse) and he also played a banjo-mandolin that he called his "DROOBLE" (because it went "drooble - drooble") We didn't have a piano but some of my aunts and uncles did. Whenever we visited one, He' liven things up considerably. On Sunday afternoon Dad, his "drooble", my sister and I would sit around and sing songs. When I started playing guitar, it got even better., Dad taught us about harmony so the three of us would sing 3 part harmony. Some of the songs we sang were really funny, like," Dum dum deedle deedle dum dum dum. One verse and chorusfollows,

I I went one night my girl to see,
at the door, her mother greeted me
She's upstairs taking a bath, said she
Dum. dum, deedle, eedle, dum, dum,dum
Then she said, "Oh, daughter fair,"
slip on something and come down stair
She slipped on the top stair and came down bare
dum, dum, deedle, eedle, dum, dum, dum.

(Heck I might as well write the whole song)

II
Then to a funeral we did go,
We followed the hearse with our heads bowed low
We marched around in the ice and snow
Dum, dum, deedle,eedle, dum,dum, dum
Then an awful smell made me raise my head
I found we weren't following the dead,
We were following the garbage wagon insted
Dum, dum, deedle,eedle, dum dum dum.

And then there was ,"Well it looks like rain", AKA "Giddyap I'm goin' home"

I
Well I never was madder had a job on a ladder
carryin' mortar up and down outside.
Took a step I hadn't ought'er fell into a mess of mortar
, well I never was so "mortar- fied"

(refrain) Well, it looks like rain, giddyap, I'm goin' home
" " " " " " " " "

II
Billy bloke, he had a bill goat,
and the billy goat's name was "nell"
Well a mowin' machine took 'is nose off clean,
how did the billy goat smell
(spoken ) TERRIBLE!!
(repeat refrain)

III
Billy Kramer says he's a lion tamer,
over in the animal school.
But Charlie Griever says he's no such neither>BR>, He's a God Damned LION FOOL, (spoken) YESSIR.

(REPEAT REFRAIN)

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: CRANKY YANKEE
Date: 17 Apr 01 - 01:25 AM

My dd had a million of them

My mom never did get into the sunday afternoon song fest, she was usually visiting aunts, uncles, grandma, etc.

One day,I got out of school early (don't remember why).Mom, (obviously) didn't realize that I came in the door, and, while she was vacuuming the living room carpet, she was singing, "BARNACLE BILL THE SAILOR" , and, it was one of the raunchiest verses. I stood in the doorway, shocked and struck dumb. Just as she started to sing another verse, I found my voice and screamed, M O T H E R . She turned and looked at me as if to say,"So What" and went back to vacuuming. This shattered all of my 15 year old illusions about the sanctity of Motherhood, I've never been able to learn that old Pump Chantey.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: GUEST,SusanGoo
Date: 17 Apr 01 - 04:33 AM

Mom left when I was 3 or so, so Daddy raised me. He couldn't carry a tune, but we didn't have a radio in the old truck, so he sang. I remember

"Skinny marink a dink a dink, Skinny marink a doo I love you (boomp boomp) (he always added that) I love you in the morning and I love you in the night I love you in the evening when the stars are shining bright, Oh, skinny marink a dink a dink, Skinny marink a doo I love YOU!"

I sing it to my daughter, along with "Bill Grogan's Goat" and the Billboard song. When I finally learned Christmas carols, I sang them with and to him - Christmas carols all year round. I'd sure love to have him "harmonizing" on "Little Town of Bethelehem" again.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Apr 01 - 02:44 AM

I can remember "Buffalo Gal" and "Three Little Fishes" and "Can I sleep in your barn tonight, Mr." Also I am a little orphan My mother she is dead My daddy is a poor man and he can't buy no bread

I sit by the window and hear the organ play I seem to see my mother But she is far away.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: GUEST
Date: 18 Apr 01 - 07:13 PM

Guest, My Mum's version was
oh Jemima, look at your Uncle Jim
He's in the duck pond learning how to swim
First he did the breast stroke, then he did the side
Now he's in the waterswimming against the tide

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: GUEST,2feathers (for Mrs. Duck and for Caitrin)
Date: 18 Apr 01 - 11:09 PM

Hi, Mrs.Duck, My mother also sang the same song and the words go: Hush my babby, my curly headed babby Just rest your head on Mommy's breast while she sings a lullaby, -y -y. Hush my babby, my darling little babby The yellow sun has gone to rest and the stars are in the sky - y - y Does you want the moon to play with? Or the stars to run away with? They's come if you don't cry So lula, lula, lula, lula bye-bye In mommy's arms you're creepin' And soon you'll be a-sleepin' so-o Lula, lula, lula, lula bye.

And Caitrin, here's a bit more of the chorus of "TODAY" Today while the blossoms still cling to the vine, I'll eat your strawberries and drink your sweet wine, a million tomorrows will all pass away, ere I forget all the joy that is mine today." I can hum the intro line, but can't remember another word tonight!

My mom sang all the time. I remember asking for the funny sounding ones like "Jada, jada, jing jing jing" and (can you believe another song with the same silly jada jada wrods?) "In the land of San Domingo, lived a girl called Oh, By Jingo, Ja Da Jada Jada jing, jing, jing. From the fields and from the marshes, came the young and old by goshes, Ja Da, Jada, jada jing,jing jing. They all spoke a diffeent lingo, but they all loved Oh, By Jingo, and every night, they'd sing in the pale moonlight: Oh, By Jingo won't you be our love?, Oh, by jingo be our turtle dove We will build for you a hut You will be our favorite nut We'll raise a lot of little Oh By Gollies And we'll put them in the follies! By jingo said by gosh by gum by gee Oh, by jiminy please don't bother me So the all went away saying oh by gosh by gum by jimminy By Gee You're the only gal for me.

The next verse began Oh, by jingo had a lover He was always undercover Ja Da jada jada jing jing jing.... And then my mind cuts out! Of course, I could ask my mom to sing it now. She is 99 years old, but remembers every song she ever learned - possisbly thousands and thousands of them!

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: DougR
Date: 19 Apr 01 - 01:35 AM

Guest SusanGoo: "Bill Grogan's Goat." I hadn't thought about that song in years until now. I sang in a Barbershop Quartet in college, and that was one of the songs we sang. Thanks for reminding me!

DougR

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: GUEST,JohnB
Date: 19 Apr 01 - 12:44 PM

One song previously mentioned which my mother sang was Oh! Oh! Antonio, although I do not recollect any of the verses. She sang quite a lot of songs. When I came to Canada I left her a cassette recorder. We swapped a few tapes here and there. I still have th one on which she sang about an hours worth of her songs for my kids to listen to. It is a pretty lousy quality recording but worth it's weight in Gold to me now. I will have to go home and dig it out. If you can get your mothers to sing onto tape, do it now, while you can. JohnB

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: NightWing
Date: 19 Apr 01 - 11:53 PM

Mom tells me every now and then that when I was little my favorite song was "Widdecombe Fair"

Tom Pierce, Tom Pierce, lend me your grey mare
All along, down along, out along lee
For I want for to go to Widdecombe Fair
With Bill Brewer, Jan Stewer, Peter Gurney, Peter Davy
Dan'l Widden, Harry Hall, Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all
Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all

For me it was always Mom who sang and played; Dad can't carry a tune in a bucket. I've invited her in here, but she's never showed (so far as I know).

BB,
NightWing

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: gaelicconquest
Date: 03 Jul 01 - 06:45 PM

Can you give the tune to this??I think it is wonderful

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Snuffy
Date: 03 Jul 01 - 07:42 PM

Widdecombe Fair is in the DT with the tune, but the words Nightwing posted above are more common. (the DT version keeps making the mare male!!)

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Amos
Date: 03 Jul 01 - 07:59 PM

My ma sang all sorts, mostly learned from her father, including drinking songs (Glorious, Glorious, One Keg o Beer for the Four of Us), "The King of the Cannibal Islands", a couple of very sweet but politically incorrect Rastus lullabies which can be found in the 1900's sheet music available on the web ("I'se a Lil Alabammy Coon" and "Now I'se Gettin' Ol' an' Weary") plus some old standards like "White Wings", "Hush Lil Baby" , "His Eye is On The Sparrow", and a few rousing things like "A Sergeant in the Aaarmy". Don't recall them all now but she taught us to sing along with her and do basic three part harmony which I always appreciated.

A

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Eluned
Date: 04 Jul 01 - 04:58 AM

I must be the wierd one here. Neither my mother nor my father sang to or with me, while I was a child. However, sometimes my brother, sister and I sang rounds on one of the many long family car-trips - the usual ones for kids - and my sister and I had a radio in our room. Since the first ten years of my life were in the 60's, and we moved to a backwater for several more years where the music was not the "latest", I was fortunate enough to be serenaded by folk-music.
But I think what I remember most vividly of childhood music, and this may seem odd, was sitting outside a door every sunday listening to a neighbor practice on his bagpipes. I think he must have been very good. I really like celtic music.
Eluned

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: mytoycar
Date: 04 Jul 01 - 12:19 PM

I dont think my mother used to sing to use that often, she did a little when me and my brother used to share a room but after that she never bothered

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Eluned
Date: 05 Jul 01 - 05:50 AM

Hey, prew; Why only when you and your bro shared a room? And do you remember what she sang? Eluned

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Angie
Date: 05 Jul 01 - 06:34 AM

my dad used to entertain us with tunes like the old lady who swallowed a fly, ally bally and i think i'll go and eat worms. he also told this little poem; little bird with broken wing cannot whistle, cannot sing. what shall we do with the poor little thing....... chop it's stupid head off! my mother sang a lot of barry manilow songs so we kept out of her way.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: GUEST,A DAM GOOD ALE
Date: 09 Sep 08 - 10:29 PM

MY MOTHER, SANG THIS SONG WITH LOVE AND A PROTECTVE TENDERNESS BEFOR WE WOULD GO TO SLEEP,,, NIW SHE IS DIEING U=IN A NURSING HOME ALONE IN CALIFORNIA,, BUT THE SONG I TAUGHT IT TO MY DAUGHTE AND NOW SHE SINGS IT TO ME SOMETIMES....HERE IT IS--I wont to have it on her headstone:

"Pretty little bluebird, where do you go?
come back, come back, to me...
I go said the bird, as She flew out of sight,
to see if my color, matches the sky...."

"I love you, I love you, go to sleep...go to sleep...
I love you, I love you, go to sleep..."

adam
[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Tails
Date: 04 Jan 09 - 08:12 AM

I've been searching for this song as long as you have, and at last I have it... not 100% as I remember but close enough

There was a mother monkey.
She lived in a tall gum tree.
She lived with father monkey
just as happy as can be.
They had a little monkey boy.
He was their pride and joy.
Now listen while I tell you bout that little monkey boy!
He was such a little monkey
with such a curly tail
He went out for a walk one day
and fell into a pail.
When mother monkey found him
she cried and cried and cried.
She quickly fished him out again
But, quietly he died!
Now poor old mother monkey she was so very sad,
she'd lost her little monkey boy,
the only one she had.
So putting on her bonnet she hurried to the store
and bought another monkey boy exactly like before.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: GUEST,john h
Date: 04 Jan 09 - 11:28 AM

Sung to me by my mother in the 1940s to the well-known tune

we've got some chickens in our back yard,
we feed them on Indian corn,
And some lay eggs and some lay bricks
And some lay nothing at all.

Yankee Doodle, yankee doodle,
I lost the leg o' my drawers;
Yankee doodle, yankee doodle,
Will you lend me yours.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Charmion
Date: 04 Jan 09 - 11:38 AM

Ah, memory ...

I learned something like that from my Dad, sung (or the thing that he did that approximated singing) to the pipe tune "Cock o the North":

Chase me, Charlie, chase me, Charlie,
Lost the leg o' me drawers;
If you find it, wash and iron it,
Then you can call it yours.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 04 Jan 09 - 08:47 PM

If Caitrin is still out there this may be of interest. Catherine Mc Kinnon singing "Today"

Today

My mother used to sing me songs of train disasters.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 04 Jan 09 - 10:28 PM

Didn't see this thread when it first went around as I wasn't a Mudcatter, yet. One thing that struck me immediately. Most of the names of the folks who responded are unfamiliar to me, and I've been on here three or four years. They come and they go.

My mother was the singer in our family. Myt father rarely sang, although he surprised me when he was in his eighties by suddenly launching into Softly and Tenderly (which I'd never heard him or my mother sing.) Mom mostly sang hymns and turn of the century popular songs, with a liberal sprinkling of the current hits of the 40's, which we all sang. Some of the most frequently sung hymns were In the Garden, Jesus Loves Me, The Little Brown Church in the Dell (which I visited once as an adult) and all the Christmas carols. Her tour de force was Stay In Your Own Back Yard, which now is politically incorrect. It was our favorite song because we could identify with the little black child who was taunted by the white kids in the neighborhood. We weren't black but we all knew tormented.
Turn of the century songs were sung throughout our neighborhood around pianos: And the Band Played On, K-K-K-K-Katie, The Man On the Flying Trapeze, A Bicycle Built For Two, In the Good Old Summertime, and on and on.

Those may not have been "the" days my friend, but they'll pass for them.

Jerry

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: GUEST,GUEST
Date: 08 Jul 09 - 10:33 AM

My mom taught this song to me that she learned in school. She was born
in 1923 and was raised in Maine.

Robin dear I love you so.
I really wonder if you know
where the little flowers sleep
hidden deep beneath the snow.

I have waited for your coming Robin dear.
And I hear you singing singing Spring is here.
All the world is fresh and sweet
flowers blossom at your feet.
Life is joyous quite complete
Robin dear.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Jan 10 - 12:19 AM

Heres a song that used to be sung on the radio of a morning,
Top of the morning dont forget to sing a song , eggs are easy they help the day along,
i dont remember the rest but this wont leave my head, has anyone else heard this and know all of it?

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Gweltas
Date: 17 Jan 10 - 02:32 AM

When ever we went anywhere further than a couple of miles in a car as kids, my sisters and I used to get very "car sick". Unfortunately , my mother was also a very poor traveller, so all kinds of (mostly ineffective!) travel sickness "remedies" were tried in order to get us to and from various places without spending more time stopped at the side of the road while some kid, or my mother, was being dreadfully sick than actually making any forward progress! It must have been a nightmare for my poor father. My mother finally hit on a mostly effective solution to the problem by encouraging us all to sing !! So, every time we travelled by car, we sang all the way there and all the way back. We sang songs we'd learned in school, songs we'd heard on the radio, songs my mother taught us in an effort to expand the repertoir for long journeys, advertising jingles, hymns, Christmas songs, nursery rhyme songs...in fact anything that COULD be sung !! So to try and list them all now would take forever!! Suffice it to say that we grew out of our car sickness tendencies as time moved on and the singing helped enormously, but my poor mother remained a life long "bad traveller".

She had a lovely singing voice, in contrast with my father who couldn't hold a note, much less a tune ! However, he was a wonderful story teller, but the only time he told stories outside of our immediate family was on Hallow Eve, when the neighbouring kids would all gather in to hear his scarey stories ! This often resulted in me having to escort spooked kids back to their houses at the end of the night, 'cos they were too scared to go the short distance home in the dark on their own.

Looking back on the songs my mother used to sing, they were a delightful mixture of traditional Irish songs (in English and Irish), and songs off the radio such as "Mack The Knife", Green Door", "High Hopes", calypsos like "Island in the Sun" and "Stone Cold Dead in De Market", Gilbert and Sullivan light operatic songs, Burl Ives' songs, and even some simple French language songs she'd remembered from her own schooldays.

Thanks for starting this tread, mousethief. It has revived long forgotten but very pleasant memories for me of all those happy car journeys, singing all the way.
Anne XX.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 17 Jan 10 - 03:02 AM

When I was v small [about 1933-6] my mother [b Hoxton, E London, 1909] would sing me eclectic mix of old music-hall [Two Little Girls In Blue], current pop from then prominent singers [Shirley Temple's Good Ship Lollipop, Gracie Fields' Isle of Capri]; WWi [K K K Katie]; G&S [I Have A Song To Sing-O from Yeomen Of The Guard]. Also whenever the Westminster chimes came on wireless, she would sing along with them 'Poor old Millwall, Can't play football', which she had learned at school, Millwall FC, based near London Docks on Isle Of Dogs, being the local football [soccer] team in her childhood:— I gave this jingle to the Opies in the 70s as they had not previously come across it; not sure if they ever published it anywhere; I still can't hear Big Ben chiming without singing those words in my head.

Like most children I would watch my father (b 1901) shaving. While doing so, he would sing me from side of mouth 'When I am dead don't bury me at all, Just pickle my bones in alcohol, ...'; 'Gaudeamus igitur'; Dibdin's 'Right Little, Tight Little Island'; & loved also to la-la-la the Coldstream Guards regimental march version [which he had marched to in his school cadet days in Hackney Downs, London] of Mozart's Non Piu Andrai from Marriage Of Figaro.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 17 Jan 10 - 09:07 AM

Wonderful that his beautiful thread has been refreshed so that we newbies can join in. No-one has identified the fragment in the very OP: 'Mama done told me when I was in pigtails, a man is a two-face' [male version, I recall, was 'when I was in kneepants, woman's a two-face']. I remember it was a 40s song called Blues In The Night - hang on while I google: - here I am back: Harold Arlen & Johnny Mercer - who better! - 1941.

Should add that when I lived at my sister's for a bit in 1950s, she once asked me if I would tell my nephews a bedtime story - I replied I'd rather take my guitar up & sing to them; which then became a nightly ritual (It is no longer, as they are now 60 & 57!). They are now both folkies - one of them started Israel's first folk club 30+ years ago, called Jacob's Ladder in Kibbutz Machenayim. Tho he is now living in Devon, the younger one still out there producing tv films. Anyway, their fave songs, I recall from about 1956-7, were Jesse James, Widdecombe Fair, Old Woman Who Swallowed A Fly, Big Rock Candy Mountain, Blue Tail Fly, &, for some reason, the older reminds me (I just called him to check what he remembered as I was typing this), Chevaliers de la Table Ronde ...

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 17 Jan 10 - 09:23 AM

... oh, & Aunt Rhody, Fox Went Out On A Chilly Night, Down In The Valley, Streets Of Laredo ... Something tells me I might just have had a copy of THE BURL IVES SONG BOOK AT THE TIME — LET'S HAVE A LOOK ON MY FOLK BOOKS SHELF — yep, still there, tho falling to pieces a little bit maybe.
[Sorry about caps — not shouting, just clumsy Cap-Locking].

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Charmion
Date: 17 Jan 10 - 10:52 AM

My mother used to sing at the table. Our favourites were Tom Lehrer's "Irish Ballad" and a wonderful but unfortunately no longer funny ditty called "It's Sister Jenny's Turn to Throw the Bomb". Childrena are such bloody-minded little beasts.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: mousethief
Date: 18 Jan 10 - 01:41 AM

No-one has identified the fragment in the very OP: 'Mama done told me when I was in pigtails, a man is a two-face' [male version, I recall, was 'when I was in kneepants, woman's a two-face']. I remember it was a 40s song called Blues In The Night - hang on while I google: - here I am back: Harold Arlen & Johnny Mercer - who better! - 1941.

I just heard a remake of this on the local jazz station! It was by Eva Cassidy, who apparently passed away in 1996.

O..O
=o=

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Snuffy
Date: 18 Jan 10 - 08:39 AM

I learned 'Poor old Millwall, Can't play football' in 1954 or 55, but not from my mother. From other kids as we queued to go into Sunday School at Hazel Grove, Cheshire (nowhere near Millwall!)

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 18 Jan 10 - 09:15 AM

Snuffy - Thank you so much — only time I have come across it anywhere else; even the Opies didn't know it, as I said. & it was local to my mother's district about 1915 - 20. Where had it been between then & 50s in Cheshire! really fascinated!

- Michael

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 18 Jan 10 - 02:06 PM

loads of stuff... she is always singing...

I remember from very little 3 - 5 years old.

TURN AROUND
(Malvina Reynolds, Alan Greene and Harry Belafonte)

THREE LITTLE FISHES
(Saxie Dowell)

WITCHES ON BROOMSTICKS
(Lillian Mohr)

And of course

TAMMY'S IN LOVE
(Jay Livingston and Ray Evans)

And why shouldn't she since she named me after the character in the film.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: GUEST,Neil
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 09:18 AM

There was a mother monkey who lived in a big tall tree
There was a daddy monkey, as happy as can be
They had a baby monkey, he was their joy and pride
Now listen while I tell you, the baby monkey died

He was such a tiny monkey, who had such a curly tail
and walking in the woods one day he fell into a pail
his mother when she found him, she cried and cried and cried
and then she fished him out again and quietly he died

pause

Now putting on her bonnet she ran to the shops so fast
and bought another monkey boy exactly like the last

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: SuperKrone
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 12:22 PM

From my Father's mother (who had her last child in 1914): Stephen Foster "Skeeters am a humming in the honeysuckle vine, sleep Kentucky Baby" "Don't know what they call him, but he's mighty like a rose", "I dream of Jeanie with the light brown hair", and "Das Lorilei", in English and German.

From my Mother's older sister (second generation Czech immigrants): "The Blueskirt Waltz", "Annie goes to the cabbage patch", and "Johnie Verbeck", who made cats and dogs into sausages, until he was accidetly made into sausage himself,

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 12:35 PM

Sorry ~ someone trying to put me down on another message-board site remarked that "MtheGM's pedantry is legendary": meant as a put-down, I think, but I took it as a great compliment ~

all this as prelim to saying, "Sorry SuperKrone; but 'DIE LorElei'."

Hasty exit...

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: SuperKrone
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 02:38 PM

MtheGM: No need to say sorry--- I never saw it in writing, and don't know German. I doubt if my Granma Collett knew the language either. I suspect she just knew this one song, sort of like lots of people know a few Frech songs, but not French.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 03:10 PM

Many thanks, SuperKrone. Did you notice a quite recent thread about Die Lorelei and supposed similarities of its tune to the song in Cabaret, Tomorrow belongs To Me. Tho I pointed out that the cabaret song even more resembles Rout Of the Blues. In vase you missed it, I will refresh that thread,

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 23 Feb 10 - 03:19 PM

I think I put this on a lullaby thread somewhere. Our family lullaby going back 4 generations or so is related to an earlier fragment here which I haven't yet identified.
It is in two parts to 2 tunes so may have been part of a medley.
First bit is a remnant of a 19thc broadside 'The Soldier's Poor Little Boy'

Early pearly snow on the ground
The wind was bitter and cold,
When a poor little beggar boy out in the snow,
Came up to a rich lady's door.

the lady sat in the window so high
And loudly she did call,
Come in, come in, you poor little boy
And you shall have a warm.

Spoken--And this is the story he told
(What follows is related to the bit back up the thread and is sung to 'Home Sweet Home')

I am a poor little beggar boy
My mother she is dead
My father is a drunkard
And will not give me bread.

I sit beside the window
to hear the organ play,
god bless my dear old mother
Who's dead and far away.

Apart from that my mother sang us 'Still I love him', 'I wish I was single again', 'Toora loora loora', 'Any umberellas', Three little fishies', 'Go to sleep my baby' and lots lots more.
You can hear her singing 'Still I love him' and 'Early pearly' on the Yorkshire Garland Website www.yorkshirefolksong.net There's also a longer version of 'Early pearly' on there.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: GUEST,Dave Thomas Indianapolis
Date: 17 Jun 10 - 02:17 PM

O by jingle had a lover,
he was always undercover
do de dodedodedolu um bop um bop um bop.

They all sang a different lingo
but they all loved o by jingle
so every night they would sing by the pale blue night
oh by de by gee by gosh by gum by jew by giminy
please dont bother me

so they all went away singing
ob gosh by gum by jingle your the only girl for me.

Second verse:

From the fields and from the marshes..........??

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Tannywheeler
Date: 17 Jun 10 - 10:10 PM

Oi! A list like you wouldn't believe.
Ballads: 2 versions of The 4 Marys, Barbra Ellen, Omy Wise, Poor Ellen Smith, Pretty Polly, Lord Bateman, Frankie & Johnny, as a partial list.
Rounds: Dona Nobis Pacem, O Wie Wohl ist Mir am Abends, a French one about a cat getting the cream, White Coral Bells, On Yonder Hill There Stands a Maiden, again a partial list.
Other Stuff: I Ride An Old Paint, Hush Little Baby(...Mocking Bird), Go To Sleepy Little Baby(2 versions),Santa Clause Blues, Go Down Ol' Hannah, What Month Was Jesus Born In, No Room at the Inn, & at 1 point she began singing parts of Tam Lin, another partial list.
She loved Danny Kaye & sometimes got to see him in clubs in NYC. She sometimes sang fragments of his material as she remembered them. Not the cleaned-up versions from his movies...Many years ago, as the crow flies, she would come visit us in So. Austin when tmy kids were little & she'd do Anatole of Paris. We were all mesmerized...Tw

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: LadyJean
Date: 18 Jun 10 - 12:30 AM

Dad used to sing to me "Your Feets Too Big". And: "Lord Jeffrey Amherst was a soldier of the king, and he didn't like Indians not much. He fought all the Indians that ever he could see, and he looked around for more when he was through." Which is odd, because dad was sympathetc towards Native Americans, and he went to Princeton.

Mom knew every show tune ever written, not to metnion a fair chunk of Harry Lauder's songs.

And then there were here collection of naughty songs. I sang "Sister Lucy Had a Low Necked Dress, There's No Hiding Place Down There" to another catter. While I was at it, I recorded a couple of others, including "Around a corner, and under a tree, a sergeant major, made love to me." Mom sang the unexpurgated version of "Bell Bottom Trousers" and the sanitized version of "Gay Caballero from Rio Janero" (Which I think is funnier than the dirty one.) I ended my recording session with JohnEdward by singing an old favorite of Mom's, "Oh Dear What Can the Matter Be 3 Old Ladies Were Locked In a Lavatory". After I sang about Harriet Bender (Who came in to fix a suspender (( garter in British)) which flew up and hit her feminine gender.) he paused, briefly and said, "She taught you that?!"
Yeah, she did.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Neighmond
Date: 18 Jun 10 - 05:03 AM

This came along at a good time-my Ma will be gone a year on the 17th of July.

Mammie sang "you are My Sunshine" and a little old gospel. I think she sang us "Shine on Harvest Moon" once or twice.

My Grannie used to sing "A Bushel and a peck" (and a hug around the neck)

Dad had one:

Well, I knew an old bum and he had a wooden leg,
and he never had tobacco so he always had to beg
'nother old bum, just as sly as any fox,
and he always had tobacco in hos old tobacco box!
Says the first old bum, "Won't you let me have a chew?"
Says the second old bum "Be damnded (darned) if you do!
If you save all your money and you save all your rocks
You'd always have tobacco in your old tobacco box!"

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: LadyJean
Date: 19 Jun 10 - 12:37 AM

And Dad sang; This is the way the ladies ride (Bounce the child on knees sedately) ladies ride ladies ride. This is the way the ladies ride, so early in the morning.
This is the way the gentlemen ride (Bounce the child less sedately on knees.)
This is the way the farmer boy rides. (Slide the child from side to side on knees, since the farmer boy can't sit a horse.)
This is the way the robbers ride. (Bounce rapidly, since, as a young lady of 4 told me once, the robbers are riding fast to get away from the police.)
The tune is This is the Way We Wash Our Clothes.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You - So close!
From: GUEST,grew up with this song - it goes EXACTLY as
Date: 25 Jun 10 - 12:53 PM

There once was a mother monkey
who lived in a tall tall tree
She lived with daddy monkey as happy as can be
They had a little monkey boy who was their joy an pride
Now listen and I'll tell you, how Tommy monkey died

He was such a tiny monkey, with such a curly tail
He went out for a walk one day and fell into a pail

When mother monkey saw him, she cried and cried and cried
She tried to fetch him out again but quietly he died

Now poor old mother monkey, she was so very sad
She had lost her monkey boy, the only one she had

So putting on her bonnet. she ran to the shops so fast
And bought another monkey boy exactly like the last!

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: GUEST,Liz
Date: 14 Sep 10 - 01:47 PM

this is to Sarah the flute I sing the monkey song at the nursery I work in along with lots of old ones and the children all love it probably because he DIED

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: GUEST,Patsy
Date: 15 Sep 10 - 04:38 AM

What are little girls made of?
What are little girls made of?
Sugar and Spice and everything nice,
That's what little girls are made of.

What are little boys made of?
What are little boys made of?
Snips and snails and puppy dogs tails,
That's what little boys are made of.

What are ladies made of?
What are ladies made of?
Silk and laces and sweet pretty faces,
That's what ladies are made of.

I don't remember if there is any more to this song but she would sing this to me all the time. A song that was popular in our house was Maurice Chavalier's 'Thank Heaven for Little Girls' which my aunt would sing to me when she took turns to take me up to bed to give my mum a rest.
Songs like 'This is the way the ladies ride, and Ride a Cock Horse' was regularly listened to on a children's radio program 'Listen with Mother' I never missed one. The narrator would ask if we were all sitting comfortably, and began with a story and sure enough we were sat cross legged and ready. The innocence of that time!

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Desi C
Date: 15 Sep 10 - 08:00 AM

it was my Gran who I remember singing to me, she was a multi instrumental Trad Irish player. But she loved old American songs, 'Tom Dooley' was a fav and 'How Much Is That Doggie' 'Campdown Races' 'Old Folks at Home' and an Irish song I do now myself 'The Spinning wheel' Great Memories

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 15 Sep 10 - 08:11 AM

Hi Ho Silver Lining ?

100

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: ragdall
Date: 15 Sep 10 - 08:43 AM

My mother sang hymns to me, sometimes in Swedish. When I was very young I remember my mother singing "The Old Rugged Cross", "Jesus Loves me", Jesus loves the Little Children" and others. She sang "Flow Gently Sweet Afton" to me as a lullaby.
My father would play his harmonica or sing "popular" songs, but he didn't know many of the words and he'd make up silly lines instead of the real ones. Some of his favourites were "The Old Grey Mare", "Old Dan Tucker", "Good Night Irene", "Oh Susannah", "Danny Boy", "Old Man River", "Camptown Races".

rags

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Joe_F
Date: 15 Sep 10 - 05:56 PM

As recorded in my baby book, I had learned the following from her by age 2 1/2: Lead Kindly Light, Jesus Bids Us Shine, Blessed Jesus, Silent Night, Frere Jacques, Au Clair de la Lune, Aupres de ma Blonde, Kommt a Vogel, Muss i Denn, Ah Wie ist's Moglich, Von Meinem Bergli, Guten Abend Gute Nacht, Oyfn Pripichook, Rozhinkas mit Mandeln, Come Let's Play We're Indians, Here Comes the Sandman, Lovely May, and a couple of dozen Mother Goose.

I have forgotten most of them.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: kendall
Date: 15 Sep 10 - 07:48 PM

The Gypsy's Warning.
The Gangster's Warning.
We are just plain folks.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Nick E
Date: 15 Sep 10 - 08:13 PM

Sad but sweet. It was "Don't you walk on my clean floor."

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: GUEST
Date: 15 Sep 10 - 08:55 PM

More than I can possibly list here! Some beautiful & haunting, many just plain silly. Dad, too.
Thanks, mama!

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: blinddrunkal
Date: 19 Sep 10 - 07:49 AM

My mother would sing me to sleep with "The Wearing of The Green" - "Oh they're hanging men and women...." cheery stuff! She also loved to sing "chick chick chick chick chicken lay a little egg for me.....I haven't had an egg since Easter and now it's half past three, so chick chick....."

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Crowhugger
Date: 21 Oct 10 - 03:50 PM

At our place, lullabies were sung to us at bedtime and everything else was taught to us. The lullies were:
-Hush Little Baby Don't Say a Word
-Say Goodnight Little One
-You Will Wear Velvet
-Scarlet Ribbons (she used it as a lullaby)

Songs she sang to to us till we were able to sing them with her:

-rounds like Frere Jacques, Row Row Row Your Boat, Fire's Burning.
-The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night
-Big Rock Candy Mountain
-The Gospel Train (she altered the tempo according to what the train was doing, totally a favourite as a child)
-The Sloop John B.
-Git Along Home Cindy, Cindy
-Uncle Reuben Caught a Coon
-Skip to My Lou
-Vive La Canadienne
-Hey-up! Judy Drownded
-Darling Clementine
-Guantanamera
-Un Canadien Errant
-Farm Out West
-Buckeyed Jim (another fave due to syncopation)
-Old Dan Tucker
-900 Miles
-J'Entends le Moulin Tique Tique Taque
-St. Louis Blues
-Why and Why
-something about "en revenant de ma jolie Rochelle..."
-Old Grandmere (which is about a town, not a person)
-Gently, Johnny My Jingalo
-Vatican Rag
-There Was an Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly
-Spanish Is the Loving Tongue
-Linstead Market
-The Keeper Did A-Hunting Go
-What Color [sic] is a Man? (Bobby Vinton)
-one that starts "I met her in Venezu-e-e-e-e-e-e-ela...
-Skinny Man (a Fifth Dimension song in 7/8 time)
-Streets of Laredo
-Red River Valley (which we kids always thought was the one in Manitoba)
-Mississippi Mud (which we kids always thought was about the river some 30-40 minutes west of Ottawa)

And there was kids' song I loved with a first verse something like:
There's a little white duck swimming in the water,
A little white duck doing what he ought-er
He saw a from on the lily pad,
Took one look and he said I'm glad
That I'm a little white duck swimming in the water,
Quack, quack, quack.

That's the main bunch I can remember. There are probably a few more.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Crowhugger
Date: 21 Oct 10 - 03:53 PM

ooops, that would be a "frog" on a lily pad...

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: GUEST,Jean
Date: 20 Jan 11 - 11:18 PM

Oh, lovely memories! The 'Mother Monkey' song I remember went like this:

There was a mother monkey.
She lived in a big tall tree.
She lived with daddy monkey
as happy as could be.
They had a baby monkey.
Who was their joy and pride
Now listen while I tell you how Tommy monkey died.
He was such a little monkey
with such a curly tail
He went out for a walk one day
and fell into a pail.
When mother monkey saw him
she cried and cried and cried.
Then quickly she fished him out again
But, quietly he died.
Now poor old mother monkey she was so very sad,
she'd lost her little monkey boy,
the only one she had.
So putting on her bonnet she hurried to the shop so fast
and bought another monkey boy exactly like the last.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 25 Jan 11 - 03:58 PM

My mother used to sing "Close the door, they're coming in the window!" which even at that tender age seemed rather illogical to me. Also a song which went "Look at the coffin, bloomin' great 'andles, Oh aint it grand to be blooming well dead. Look at the 'orses, blooming well fed up" etc. Rather morbid for a three year-old, but I loved it!

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: kendall
Date: 25 Jan 11 - 04:20 PM

A bit more of the Darkie's Sunday school:

Adam was the first man to ever be invented
He lived all alone but never was contend

.....lost it....


Along came Noah stumbling in the dark
He picked up a hammer and he built himself an ark
For forty days and forty nights he sailed upon the foam
And he kicked out a Lion just because she was a blond.

and

Along came Eve looking for a battle
She climbed up a tree and shook down an apple
She shook down two and they each had one
And that is where all our troubles begun.

Along comes Daniel he was an onery cuss
The king said he wouldn't have no such fuss
He threw him in the Lion's den way down deep
But Daniel was a dentist so he pulled the Lion's teeth.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: RTim
Date: 25 Jan 11 - 05:27 PM

The songs my mother sang to me were always too fast, out of tune and badly scanned!
I am glad my father was a great singer....

Tim Radford

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: GUEST,Alan Whittle
Date: 25 Jan 11 - 06:11 PM

I seem to be unique in that my wonderful Mum used to sing me rude songs:-

Oh what fun
oh what fun
Shooting peas up a nanny goats bum

Gemima Jones and me
we both sat up a tree
We had no shimmies
to cover our jimmies
Gemima Jones and me!

Mrs McGuire
weed on the fire
the fire was too hot
she weed in the pot
the pot was too round
she weed on the ground
the ground was too flat
she weed on the cat
And the cat ran away
with the wee on its back!

The corporation muck cart
was full up to the brim
The driver over toppled
And then he fell right in!

Quakers meeting has begun
Sing, dance fart or run
Show your teeth
Or whistle!

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: GUEST,Seonaid
Date: 01 Mar 11 - 01:00 PM

My mother had trouble holding onto a tune -- she would easily wander from one to another, especially if they were similar. I remember hearing "Goldfinger, wider than a mile..." coming from the kitchen one day.
Our young years were full of poetry: Rudyard Kipling, Mildred Plew Meigs, Ogden Nash, and so on and on. But once in a while we'd get a song: "Peek-a-boo, I See You"; "The Animal Fair"; "Mairsie Doats"; "The Keeper Would A-Hunting Go"; "Looking Through a Window, A Second-Story Window".
When we got older we were treated to a few special verses from Mom's Navy days, such as this spoof sung to the first lines of "Pretty Baby": "If you're nervous in the service and you don't know what to do, have a baby, have a baby...."

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 05 Mar 11 - 04:01 PM

Driving home from Cambridge today, a train of thought led me to singing to my wife Fred Astaire's We Joined The Navy To See The World ("and what did we see? We saw the sea!") from Follow The Fleet ~~ which I have unaccountably omitted above from the songs my mother sang me ~~ which was, of course, when the film was new ~ 1936 when I was 4.

So I hasten to record this world-shatteringly important fact here so that it shall not be lost to posterity.

♫ LoL ~Michael~ LoL ♫

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Richard from Liverpool
Date: 18 Apr 11 - 05:03 PM

Songs I remember my family singing to me as a very young child:

From my mother - Trasna na dTonnta
From my father - Poverty Knock
From my uncle - Coulter's Candy and Ye Cannae Shove Your Granny Off A Bus

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Dec 12 - 02:00 PM

There was a mother monkey who lived in In a big tall tree
she had a little monkey boy as happy as could be
Now listen as I tell you how baby monkey died.
He was such a tiny monkey
With such a curly tail
He went out for a walk one day and fell into a pail
When mother monkey found him, she cried and cried and cried
And as she pulled him out again, quietly he died.

Now poor old mother monkey
She was so very sad
She had lost her monkey boy
The only one she had
BUT putting on her bonnet
She ran to the shops so fast
And bought another monkey boy exactly like the last!

This song was also sung to us by my mother when we were young, the expressions and hand movements were wonderful. The little monkey was only about three inches high when she explained hi. The fingers showed the curly tail etc. we would do the movements with her.
I am 63 years old now and I can still remember the wors as if it was yesterday.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Joybell
Date: 10 Dec 12 - 03:41 PM

My father's family all sang. Songs were part of me from birth. My mother had a terrible voice, however, and sang out of tune. I remember holding my hands over my ears, at the age of two, and screaming, "Don't sing Dottie! Don't sing Dottie!" Later we joked about that and it became a family story.
My mother always said she'd come back and haunt me with her singing.
I was 31 when she died and when I sorted her things I found an old cassette tape without a lable. I put it on the player and my mother's voice warbled out in a cracked and horrible out-of-tune version of "The Lord's Prayer."
Gave me a start.
Makes me sad now because we couldn't share the joke. We never did get along, really. We would have if she'd lived a bit longer I think.
66 years since I was two.
Oh! and it was "Rings on my Fingers" and "Pop! Goes the Weasel" that she sang then.
Joy

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: GUEST,Bruce B
Date: 13 Jun 13 - 06:15 PM

My mother used to sing the mother monkey song and here it is:
There was a mother monkey
who lived in a big tall tree
She lived with daddy monkey
was as happy as could be
they had a little monkey boy who was their joy and pride
now listen while I tell you how tommy monkey died

He was a little monkey boy
with such a tiny tail
he went out for a walk one day and fell into a pail
when mother monkey found him
she cried and cried and cried
and quickly hooked him out again but quietly he died

She put on her little bonnet
and ran to the shop so fast
and bought another monkey boy
exactly like the last.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: GUEST,Doggie grannie
Date: 23 Jun 15 - 08:10 AM

Mother to two who are now 46 and 44! They remember this song so well

I think I can add to this song:

There was a Mummy monkey, lived up in a big tall tree.
She lived with Daddy monkey, as happy as could be.
They had a baby monkey boy who was their joy and pride;
Now listen while I tell you how baby monkey died.

He was a little monkey boy, with a great long curly tail;
He went out for a walk one day and fell into a pail.
When Mummy monkey found him, she cried and cried and cried,
But when she fished him out again, quietly he died.

Now poor old Mummy monkey, she was so very sad,
She'd lost her little monkey boy, the only one she had.
So tying on her bonnet, she ran to the store so fast -
And bought another monkey boy, exactly like the last!

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Mo the caller
Date: 24 Jun 15 - 04:52 AM

My mother sang all the time. Even walking down the street (to our embarrassment). Little snatches of song that seemed to fit the occasion.
Put your shoes on Lucy - that must have been in 1949 because I remember the garden I played barefoot in.
If I were a Blackbird.
Here we come a Wassailing.

Then we'd sing round the piano from a book of children's hymns (the green one with a picture of a baby playing the piano on the front, or the little hard-cover one with angels on).

And at the Christmas dinner table we'd go round and sing a song about the name of each family member. Hers was either
I'll take you home again Kathleen, or K K K Katy.
And for Auntie Vera - The great big saw (came nearer and nearer poor Vera).

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: 4ADiva
Date: 24 Jun 15 - 01:00 PM

My mother did not sing to me, nor did my father.

However, I sang for my son from before he was born.

When he was very small and couldn't understand lyrics, I often sang him Trevor Midgley's Roses of Eyam, just because it has a lot of verses and it's quiet and understated--perfect for sending a child to sleep. I guess it fits into that category of songs for children that actually have terrible stories/lyrics!

Later, I sang him The Rattlin Bog and Malvina Reynolds' Morningtown Train, which he renamed Train Whistle Blowing. Here in our local folk group, it seems everyone sang that one to their children and everyone changes the names in the song to fit the names of the child, parents, siblings, whatever. E.g.,

Bryn is at the engine, Mommy rings the bell
Daddy swings the lantern, to show that all is well

I even wrote him his own verse:

Freight train's a-coming, down the endless track
Engine keeps on pulling, never looking back
Box cars full of cartons, hoppers full of clay
All bound for Morningtown, many miles away

This tickled him to no end, because he was really into trains at that time and this gave him his very own verse in a train song! Also he loved using those special "train words" like "hoppers and "box cars."

He's graduating from high school next year and I hope he'll always carry with him the memory of me singing to him.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: GUEST,Sol
Date: 24 Jun 15 - 06:00 PM

"Mairzy Doats"

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 24 Jun 15 - 07:44 PM

So lulla lulla lulla lulla bye bye
Do you want the stars to play with
Or the moon to run away with?
They'll come if you don't cry.
So lulla lulla lulla lulla bye bye
In your mammy's arms a'creepin'
Soon you'll be a-sleepin'
Singing lulla lulla lulla lulla bye.

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: GUEST,Lucky
Date: 06 Jul 16 - 11:56 AM

Gonna dance with the dolly with the hole in her stocking
While her knees keep a knocki and her toes keep a rockin
Gonna dance with the dolly with the holes in her stocking
Gonna dance by te light of the moon

Subject: RE: Songs Your Mother Sang to You
From: GUEST
Date: 16 Dec 21 - 11:15 AM

This is the closest version of the baby monkey song which my mother sang to us as children in the early sixties.Apparently her father sang the same childrens song to her as a young child. It is terribly sad