The warmth of flame on sun-drenched skin,
the crackle and sizzle of burning logs and marshmallows,
and the sweet melody of voices rising up into a star-bright sky
. . . the fireside sing-along marks the end of a perfect  day!

For many of us the tune is unforgettable,
but the words may fade with time.

We hope this collection of old favourites
will help spark some happy memories for you.
Be Kind To Your Web-footed Friends
[to the tune of "Stars and Stripes"]

Be kind to your web-footed friends
For that duck may be somebody's mother,
She lives on the edge of a swamp
Where the weather is always damp.

You may think that this is the end,
Well it is but to prove that you're all liars,
We're going to sing it again,
But only this time we will sing a little higher.



Clementine

In a cavern, in a canyon,
Excavating for a mine,
Lived a miner, forty-niner,
And his daughter Clementine.

Chorus
Oh my darling, oh my darling,
Oh my darling Clementine
You are lost and gone forever,
Dreadful sorry, Clementine.

Light she was, and like a fairy,
And her shoes were number nine,
Herring boxes without topses,
Sandals were for Clementine. [Chorus]

Drove she ducklings to the water
Every morning just at nine,
Hit her foot against a splinter,
Fell into the foaming brine. [Chorus]

Ruby lips above the water,
Blowing bubbles soft and fine,
But alas, I was no swimmer,
So I lost my Clementine. [Chorus]

In a churchyard near the canyon,
Where the myrtle doth entwine,
There grow roses and other posies,
Fertilized by Clementine. [Chorus]

Then, the miner, forty-niner,
Soon began to peak and pine,
Though in life I used to hug her,
Now she's dead I draw the line. [Chorus]

In my dreams she still doth haunt me,
Robed in garments soaked with brine,
Though in life I used to hug her,
Now she's dead I draw the line. [Chorus]

Listen fellers, heed the warning
Of this tragic tale of mine,
Artificial respiration
Could have saved my Clementine. [Chorus]

How I missed her, how I missed her,
How I missed my Clementine,
Till I kissed her little sister,
And forgot my Clementine. [Chorus]




Cockles and Mussels

In Dublin's fair city where girls are so pretty
I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone,
As she wheeled her wheelbarrow
Through streets broad and narrow

Refrain
Crying cockles and mussels
Alive, alive oh!
Alive, alive oh! Alive, alive oh!
Crying cockles and mussels
Alive, alive oh!

She was a fishmonger, but sure 'twas no wonder
For so were her father and mother before her,
And they each wheeled their barrow
Through streets broad and narrow

Refrain

She died of a fever, and no one could save her,
And that was the end of sweet Molly Malone,
Now her ghost wheels her barrow
Through streets broad and narrow

Refrain




Down in the Valley

Down in the valley, the valley so low,
Hang you head over, hear the wind blow,
Hear the wind blow, dear, hear the wind blow,
Hang your head over, hear the wind blow.

Roses love sunshine, violets love dew,
Angels in heaven know I love you,
Know I love you dear, know I love you,
Angels in heaven know I love you.

Build me a castle forty feet high,
So I can see him as he rides by.
As he rides by, dear, as he rides by,
So I can see him as he rides by.

Write me a letter containing these lines,
Answer my question, will you be mine?
Will you be mine, dear, will you be mine?
Answer my question, will you be mine?

If you don't love me, love whom you please.
Throw your arms round me, give my heart ease.
Give my heart ease, dear, give my heart ease,
Throw you arms round me, give my heart ease.



Ezekiel's Wheel

Ezekiel saw a wheel a-turning, way in the middle of the air,
A wheel within a wheel a-turning, way in the middle of the air,
And the little wheel turned by faith,
And the big wheel turned by the grace of God,
Ezekiel saw a wheel a turning, way in the middle of the air.

Ezekiel saw a flame a-burning, way in the middle of the air,
A flame within a flame a-burning, way in the middle of the air,
And the little flame burned by faith,
And the big flame burned by the grace of God,
Ezekiel saw a flame a-burning,
Way in the middle of the air.




The Happy Wanderer

I love to go a-wandering along the mountain track
And as I go, I love to sing, my knapsack on my back.

Refrain
Fal de ri, Fal de ra, Fal de ri, Fal de ra ha ha ha ha ha
Fal de ri, Fal de ra, My knapsack on my back.

I love to wander by the stream that dances in the sun,
so joyously it calls to me, come join my happy song.

Refrain

I wave my hat to all I see, and they wave back to me
And blackbirds all so loud and sweet from every greenwood tree.

Refrain

O may I go a-wandering until the day I die,
O may I always laugh and sing beneath God's clear blue sky.

Refrain




He's Got the Whole World

CHORUS
He's got the whole world
In his hands,
He's got the whole wide world
In his hands,
He's got the whole world
In his hands,
He's got the whole world in his hands.

He's got the little bitty baby
In his hands,
(3 times)

He's got you and me, brother,
In his hands,
(3 times)

He's got you and me, sister,
In his hands,
(3 times)



Home, Home On the Range

Oh, give me a home where the buffalo roam,
Where the deer and the antelope play,
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word
And the sky is not cloudy or grey.

REFRAIN
Home, home on the range!
Where the deer and the anteloupe play,
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word,
And the sky is not cloudy or grey.

Oh, give me a gale in some southern Southern vale,
Where the stream of life joyfully flows,
On the banks of the river, where seldom if ever,
Any poisonous herb-i-age grows.

Refrain

Oh, give me a land where the bright diamond sands
Lie awash in the glittering stream,
Where days glide along in pleasure and song,
And afternoons pass as a dream.

Refrain





Kum ba yah

Kum ba yah, my Lord, Kum ba yah,
Kum ba yah, my Lord, Kum ba yah
Kum ba yah, my Lord, Kum ba yah
Oh Lord, Kum ba yah.

People singing Lord, Kum ba yah,
People singing Lord, Kum ba yah
People singing Lord, Kum ba yah
Oh Lord, Kum ba yah.

We are happy Lord, Kum ba yah...

Children playing Lord, Kum ba yah...

Nations fighting Lord, Kum ba yah...

Mothers weeping Lord, Kum ba yah...

Families mourning Lord, Kum ba yah..
.
Why this fighting Lord, Kum ba yah...

Peace in our time Lord, Kum ba yah...

So we're praying Lord, Kum ba yah...




Old Smokey

On top of old Smokey all covered with snow,
I lost my true lover through courting too slow.

Now courting's a pleasure and parting is grief,
But a false hearted lover is worse than a thief.

A thief will just rob you and take all you save,
But a false hearted lover drive you to your grave.

And the grave will just rot you and turn you to dust,
Not a boy in ten million a poor girl can trust.

They'll hug you and kiss you and tell you more lies
Than the cross-ties on a rail road or stars in skies.

They tell you they love you to give your heart ease,
But the moment your back is turned they court who they please.

So come all you young maidens and listen to me,
Never hang your affections on a green willow tree.

For the leaves they will perish and the leaves they will die,
And you'll be forsaken and you'll never know why.





This page was last updated on: 8/24/2006
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