Lyr Req: Here I Sit and Wait for You (scout song?)

Subject: Need Canadian Folk Song Help
From:
Date: 20 Feb 97 - 02:44 AM

I had a teacher from Quebec who taught me a little Canadian song with a haunting melody. Time has made me forget the name of the song and the 1st verse chorus - which is different from the second.

Here I sit and wait for you
'Neath the Spreading Branches
Cool the grass with shade and dew
Sunlight 'round me dances

(missing chorus)

Fall is in the air today
Hear the wild goose calling
Don't delay come out and play
Snow will soon be falling

(second verse chorus)
Hi lee lee-a-lee-a lye
Now my voice is ringing
Hi lee lee-a-lee a lye
Songs to you I'm singing

Subject: ADD: Here I Sit - Girl Scout Song? ^^
From: rabbitrunning
Date: 30 Aug 00 - 01:11 AM

I learned this as yet another girl scout song from Colorado, late sixties. We sang the chorus the same both times, though, and there were minor word differences.

We sang it in two parts, the second part coming in "and wait" in the first line like an echo. The only title I've ever known for the song is "Here I Sit." (Not to be confused with "Buttermilk Hill" in the DT.)

Here it is as we sang it, with line breaks:

HERE I SIT

Here I sit and wait for you,
Neath the spreading branches.
Cool the grass with shade and dew
Sunlight on me dances.

Ai lee leeha leehi ly
Now my voice is ringing
Ai lee leeha leehi ly
Songs to you I'm singing

Fall is in the air today
Hear the wild geese crying
Don't delay come out and play
Snow will soon be flying.

Chorus

CD ^^

---

Hey, can you believe we finally got an answer to a 1997 lyrics request? Look at the thread number, 826 - this is early Mudcat History, and may well be a record for the answered request that had to wait longest to get an answer. Golly, what a momentous occasion!
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Need Canadian Folk Song Help
From: Willie-O
Date: 30 Aug 00 - 11:25 AM

That's pretty cool and worth refreshing. I don't recognize it as a Canadian song, although it does have the obligatory reference to wild (Canada) geese and snow.

Yea old music threads!

Willie-O

Subject: RE: Need Canadian Folk Song Help
From: rabbitrunning
Date: 31 Aug 00 - 02:12 PM

Well, you did say to try to put songs into the threads where they fit, Joe. So I'm trying!

;D

The tune to this one is very minor and pretty, which is why I loved it so much as a child. Wish I'd learn to write down music as well as read it, though! I'm finding it very difficult to transcribe melodies. Someone mentioned a "midi keyboard" on another thread, though, so maybe there is still help out there.

Subject: RE: Need Canadian Folk Song Help
From: Joe Offer
Date: 01 Sep 00 - 01:41 AM

Well, yes, Rabbitrunning, and I'm very proud of you. If more people would stop to check for related threads, Old Joe would be a lot happier...

Subject: RE: Need Canadian Folk Song Helpp
From:
Date: 01 Sep 00 - 06:58 PM

Just out of curiosity. Has anyone contacted the originator of the thread? I see that they left their e-mail address. If not, I can do it later.

Subject: RE: Need Canadian Folk Song Help
From: GUEST,Julia
Date: 10 Oct 08 - 02:16 PM

My mother learned this as a Girl Scout in Kansas in the late 60s, early 70s. She taught it to me and called it Hi lee lee hi lo. It seems to have very few differences.

Here I sit and wait for you
'neath the spreading branches
cool the grass with shade and dew
sunlight round me dances

Hi lee lee hi lee hi lo
Now my voice is singing
Hi lee lee hi lee hi lo
Songs to you I'm brining

Fall is in the air today
Here the wild geese calling
Don't delay-come out today
Snow will soon be falling

Hi lee lee hi lee hi lo
Now my voice is singing
Hi lee lee hi lee hi lo
Songs to you I'm brining

Subject: RE: Need Canadian Folk Song Help
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 10 Oct 08 - 05:24 PM

Joe: if you wait for that to happen, Old Joe will be a lot older.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Here I Sit and Wait for You (scout song?)
From: GUEST,Namaqua
Date: 25 Jun 14 - 02:17 AM

This song came to mind again for me tonight, and I started singing it. I learned this song in 1970 in Loveland, CO. I searched for the lyrics by typing in the first line. I was delighted to find this thread, and the lyrics that people had contributed. It was a beautiful, haunting little song, and we sang it in rounds.
Then, I recognized the email address of the originator of the thread - It was me! - way back in 1997! How funny! I had forgotten all about it! I haven't had that e-mail address or ISP since the '90s.
It was good to finally know the lyrics, now, in 2014! Thanks to everyone who responded!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Here I Sit and Wait for You (scout song?)
From: Joe Offer
Date: 25 Jun 14 - 03:15 AM

This has to be some sort of record. Original post in 1997, thread originator comes back to thread and sees the answer in 2014. There's a YouTube video of the song here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxFHAuRbCdo

The singer calls it "Autumn Roundelay."

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Here I Sit and Wait for You (scout song?)
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 25 Jun 14 - 04:16 AM

Very haunting and poignant. The melody has elements of Tudor music - I wonder if its origins are in the sixteenth century? It also sounds a bit like Eastern European songs, maybe Lithuanian or even Russian. Any ideas anyone about the origins of the tune?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Here I Sit and Wait for You (scout song?)
From: GUEST,Namaqua
Date: 26 Jun 14 - 07:45 PM

"Autumn Roundelay" - I couldn't remember that name!!! Thanks!

The woman in the video sings it a lot slower than we did, and it sounds more like a dirge at that speed. When sung faster, it sounds more jaunty and a lot happier - more childlike ...sunlight dancing, singing, come out and play...

I remember watching a documentary about Irish music in America. They showed that when you slow down "The Irish Washerwoman" enough, you end up with "Rock-A-My Soul"(in the Bosom of Abraham)