Lyr Req: Over the River and through the Woods

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Over the River and through the Woods
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 17 Nov 12 - 09:11 AM

Thanks for posting all the verses, e masciale. And for dispelling the awful thought that my favorite Thanksgiving song was originally a Christmas song.

Poor Grandfather! The folk process banished him very effectively in favor of Grandmother, didn't it?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Over the River and through the Woods
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Nov 12 - 03:26 AM

Slightly modified location ... for " behind an ode."

mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=53904

We have all been slightly modified over the past decade.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Over the River and through the Woods
From: GUEST,e masciale
Date: 17 Nov 12 - 01:12 AM

Over the river, and through the wood,
to Grandfather's house we go;
the horse knows the way to carry the sleigh
through the white and drifted snow.

Over the river, and through the wood,
to Grandfather's house away!
We would not stop for doll or top,
for 'tis Thanksgiving Day.

Over the river, and through the wood-
oh, how the wind does blow!
It stings the toes and bites the nose,
as over the ground we go.

Over the river, and through the wood.
with a clear blue winter sky,
The dogs do bark and the children hark,
as we go jingling by.

Over the river, and through the wood,
to have a first-rate play.
Hear the bells ring, "Ting a ling ding!"
Hurray for Thanskgiving Day!

Over the river, and through the wood-
no matter for winds that blow;
Or if we get the sleigh upset
into a bank of snow.

Over the river, and through the wood,
to see little John and Ann;
We will kiss them all, and play snowball
and stay as long as we can.

Over the river, and through the wood,
trot fast my dapple gray!
Spring over the ground like a hunting-hound!
For 'tis Thanksgiving Day.

Over the river, and through the wood
and straight through the barnyard gate.
We seem to go extremely slow-
it is so hard to wait!

Over the river, and through the wood-
Old Jowler hears our bells;
He shakes his paw with a loud bow-wow,
and thus the news he tells.

Over the river, and through the wood-
when Grandmother sees us come,
She will say, "O, dear, the children are here,
bring pie for everyone."

Over the river, and through the wood-
now Grandmothers cap I spy!
Hurrah for the fun! Is the pudding done?
Hurrah for the pumpkin pie!

From Flowers for Children, Vol 2, by Lydia Child

Subject: RE: Over the River and Through the Woods
From: katlaughing
Date: 28 Nov 02 - 07:29 PM

Hi, Joe, sounds like you probably had a great day!

Gargoyle recently posted a thread which tells of the woman who wrote this poem and the poem. According to it there are TWELVE verses!

She was quite a courageous woman writing against slavery way back in 1833. Here's the thread: Behind a Thanksgiving Ode. Enjoy!

Subject: RE: Over the River and Through the Woods
From: Joe Offer
Date: 28 Nov 02 - 03:33 PM

My wife and mother-in-law both sang this song for me today, and wondered if there were more than one verse. I guess I should point them to the Digital Tradition. I'm especially thankful for a wife, a mother-in-law, and a stepson I didn't have last year.

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Grandmother's house
From: gatyam gal
Date: 04 May 98 - 06:15 AM

I found a site that has both the words and music for the song "Over the River and Through the Woods"

http://www.night.net/thanksgiving/s-over-river.html-ssi

Subject: Grandmother's house
From:
Date: 03 May 98 - 12:28 PM

I am looking for the lyrics to the children's soung that has the first line: "Over the river and through the woods, to grandmother's house we go"

If you can help, please e-mail at the above address.

Thanks in advance from my granddaughter

Subject: RE: Over the River and Through the Woods
From: Bobby O'Brien
Date: 05 Feb 97 - 09:29 AM

This little ditty is located on the Chipmunks Christmas Volume 3. Although it's a Thanksgiving Day song, it was recorded by Alvin, Simon, and Theodore (hehe), and a lovely version they do, too.

(Capitol label CD or Cassette)

Subject: RE: Over the River and Through the Woods
From: Joe Offer
Date: 05 Feb 97 - 12:22 AM

Well, the Hall Leonard "Fake Book of Everybody's Favorite Songs" has the first and third verses the same as above, but the third verse thusly (?):

Over the river and through the woods
To have a first-rate play.
Oh, hear the bells ring, "ting-a-ling-ling,"
Hurrah for Thanksgiving Day!
Over the river and through the woods
Trot fast my dapple grey.
Spring o'er the ground like a hunting hound,
For this is Thanksgiving Day!

That's the way I learned it over 40 years ago in Detroit, not quite as long ago as Dick did, but long before Hal Leonard copyrighted it in 1990.

[e-mail]

Subject: RE: Over the River and Through the Woods
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 04 Feb 97 - 09:23 PM

Hi- For what it's worth, I learned it ca 1938 as a Thanksgiving song.

Subject: RE: Over the River and Through the Woods
From: Dick Wisn
Date: 04 Feb 97 - 01:38 AM

Hmmmm. I never heard know your "Over the river to Charlie's", but just a suspicion: could that be a variant of "Wheat in the Ear" aka "Weevily Wheat"? One version of that song has some lines:

I don't want your weevily wheat.
I don't want your barley.
I want some flour and half an hour
To bake a cake for Charley.

There are lots of verses and lots of variants. The chorus usually goes something like:

Wheat-in-the-ear, my true love's posy blowin.
Wheat-in-the-ear, I'm goin back to sea.
Wheat-in-the-ear, I left you fit for sowin'
When I come back, a loaf of bread you'll be.

Subject: RE: Over the River and Through the Woods
From:
Date: 31 Jan 97 - 10:28 PM

Don't know what this has to do with your request, but I recall the following verse from something:
Over the river and thru the woods
Over the river to charlie's
Over the river to feed the ducks
And gather in the Barley.

Subject: RE: Over the River and Through the Woods
From: Dick Wisan
Date: 31 Jan 97 - 08:43 PM

Well, now. I was taught it as a Thanksgiving Day song. Unfortunately, I can recite only the first verse, exactly as you have it, but somewhere in the second verse was:

Thanksgiving Day! Thanksgiving Day!

and I've always considered it an interesting comment on 19th Century weather --in the days when the big ice boats could race the N Y Central's express up the Hudson to Albany.

Does anyone else have Thanksgiving Day words to it?

Subject: ADD: Over the River and Through the Woods^^^
From: Kevin
Date: 31 Jan 97 - 01:46 PM

Hi Sally,

Over the river and through the woods
To Grandmother's house we go.
The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh
Through the white and drifted snow!
Over the river and through the woods
Oh, how the wind does blow!
It stings the toes and bites the nose
As over the ground we go.

Over the river and through the woods
To have a full day of play.
Oh, hear the bells ringing ting-a-ling-ling,
For it is Christmas Day.
Over the river and through the woods
Trot fast my dapple grey.
Spring o'er the ground just like a hound,
For this is Christmas Day!

Over the river and through the woods
And straight through the barnyard gate.
It seems we go so dreadfully slow;
It is so hard to wait.
Over the river and through the woods,
Now Grandmother's cap I spy.
Hurrah for the fun! The pudding's done!
Hurrah for the pumpkin pie.

Enjoy,
Kevin

Subject: Over the River and Through the Woods
From: Sally McQ
Date: 31 Jan 97 - 12:55 PM

This should be easy. I've searched everywhere on the net but can't find the words to Over the River and Through the Woods to Grandmother's House we go... Thanks!