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Old childhood songs

(208 Posts)
Foxglove77 Wed 03-Jun-26 19:12:04

I came across an article remembering old songs we used to sing as children. Like Soldier, Soldier (will you marry me?) and What Shall we do with the Drunken Sailor. I was surprised how many of the words came back to me.
Happy memories, my dear Mum used to sing these to me.

WithNobsOnIt Fri 05-Jun-26 06:09:23

Little Dolly Dreams tried to ride a bit..

A bit naughty but fun

nanna8 Fri 05-Jun-26 00:39:32

Give me a home amongst the gum trees
With lots of plum trees was written in the 1970s and my kids used to sing it along with the kookaburras sits in the old gum trees.
I remember the Big ship sails on the Alley alley Oo, London 1950 s. Plus R Whites ginger beer goes off pop with a penny on the bottle when you take it to the shop - skipping game.

hollysteers Thu 04-Jun-26 22:52:00

Nannee49 Hear hear for Cecil Sharp, plus Vaughan Williams and Delius👍

Nannee49 Thu 04-Jun-26 21:43:04

We should really pay homage to Cecil Sharp and his passion for collecting a lot of the wonderful folk songs on this lovely thread.

I'm sure I'm not on my own remembering being in primary school in the 50s...out would come a big radio speaker, the song sheet booklets would be passed around the class and we'd have an hour singing our heads off to
Dashing away with the smoothing iron or The Lincolnshire Poacher or Soldier Soldier won't you marry me alongside many of the others mentioned. I seem to think it was broadcast on a Friday morning but not 100% sure.
Happy days!

MissAdventure Thu 04-Jun-26 21:12:52

It's beautiful, MusicGirl.
I'm sure i could fall asleep to it, it's so gentle. smile

rubysong Thu 04-Jun-26 21:05:58

Oreo Hey ho, away we go, donkey riding, donkey riding, hey ho, away we go, riding on a donkey.
Where you ever in Quebec, stowing timber on the deck.etc. etc. (Sorry, can't remember any more. )
What a lovely thread this is. My lifelong love of folk music dates from 'singing together ' at primary school.

Mollygo Thu 04-Jun-26 21:05:27

Old Zip Coon
There was once a man with a double chin
And he played all day on the violin
And he played all night and he played in tune,
But he wouldn’t play anything but . . .

Diplomat Thu 04-Jun-26 21:03:33

There was a little girl
Who had a little curl
Right in the middle of her forehead
and when she was good
She was very, very good
But when she was bad ,
She was horrid!

Mollygo Thu 04-Jun-26 21:03:24

When the sun is shining bright
Dispelling all the gloom of night
With Sam Brown belt and buttons bright
Behold the sergeant major!

Musicgirl Thu 04-Jun-26 20:55:00

MissAdventure

Musicgirl

Just thought of Morningtown Ride. Lovely song.

All aboard for morning town, many miles away.
Is that the one?
Rockin' rollin' ridin' all along the bay...

Yes it is.

bikergran Thu 04-Jun-26 20:46:18

There was a man called Michael Finiggan
he grew whiskers on his chin again.
The wind came past and blew then in again
Poor old Michael Finiggan

Grannynannywanny Thu 04-Jun-26 20:32:41

Autumncolours I can just about recall that from when I was a small child hearing it on the radio. It’s only making sense to me now when I saw the written version via your link 😄

HiPpyChick57 Thu 04-Jun-26 20:23:58

When I was in high school late 60’s we used to sing a song called “lovely Moon.”
It went like this.
Lovely moon my heart goes wandering to a dreamland far away, and I wish that I could follow you, to a dreamland far away, and I wish that, and I wish that, and I wish that I could follow you, to a dreamland far away.
It was beautiful but none of my friends can remember it.
I thought I was going mad for a while until I found it on YouTube under the title Guter Monde. It was a German song and very beautiful and poignant tune. I wonder if any of you gransnetters have heard it before.

GrandmaRosie Thu 04-Jun-26 20:13:45

Musicgirl

Just thought of Morningtown Ride. Lovely song.

Was it the Seekers?

MissAdventure Thu 04-Jun-26 20:12:55

There was I, waiting at the church waiting af the churxh, waifing at the church.
When i found he'd left me in the lurch, lord how it did upsef me!!

GrandmaRosie Thu 04-Jun-26 20:11:23

Elegran

LindaPat

grumppa - yes I do! We used to bounce the children on our knees to this one!

"Bumpity, bumpity,bumpity, bump.
As if I was riding my charger.
Bumpity, bumpity,bumpity, bump.
As proud as an Indian Rajah.
All the girls declare
That I'm a gay old stager.
Hey, hey, clear the way,
Here comes the galloping Major"

And "This is the way the ladies ride . . . "

Oh gosh, I’d completely forgotten about that one!
This thread is bringing back so many memories

GrandmaRosie Thu 04-Jun-26 20:08:19

OldFrill

Puff the Magic Dragon
So sad

This made me so sad. For some reason my mum always turned it up on the radio while I was trying to escape it upstairs

Oldnproud Thu 04-Jun-26 20:02:52

Diplomat

OldnProud I too remember my father reciting Albert and the Lion. It was Stanley Holloway who used to perform them 'Brown Boots' is another I remember,
Our Aunt Hanna’s passed away,
We ‘ad her funeral today,
And it was a posh affair,
Had to have two p’licemen there! The ‘earse was luv’ly, all plate glass,
And wot a corfin!… oak and brass!
We’d fah-sands weepin’, flahers galore,
But Jim, our cousin… what d’yer fink ‘e wore? Why, brahn boots!
I ask yer… brahn boots!
Fancy coming to a funeral
In brahn boots!

I've never heard 'Brown Boots' - or is it 'brahn' boots - , but having read the few lines you quoted, I shall look it up.

MissAdventure Thu 04-Jun-26 20:02:07

Musicgirl

Just thought of Morningtown Ride. Lovely song.

All aboard for morning town, many miles away.
Is that the one?
Rockin' rollin' ridin' all along the bay...

Autumncolours Thu 04-Jun-26 19:58:10

My mum and my granny used to sing ‘Mairzy doats’ (Mares eat oats) to us. We thought it was really funny. This rendition is by Tom Carradine.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Vqnym8Mhx8

Nannee49 Thu 04-Jun-26 19:55:47

Gran22boysgrin

Diplomat Thu 04-Jun-26 19:49:25

OldnProud I too remember my father reciting Albert and the Lion. It was Stanley Holloway who used to perform them 'Brown Boots' is another I remember,
Our Aunt Hanna’s passed away,
We ‘ad her funeral today,
And it was a posh affair,
Had to have two p’licemen there! The ‘earse was luv’ly, all plate glass,
And wot a corfin!… oak and brass!
We’d fah-sands weepin’, flahers galore,
But Jim, our cousin… what d’yer fink ‘e wore? Why, brahn boots!
I ask yer… brahn boots!
Fancy coming to a funeral
In brahn boots!

HiPpyChick57 Thu 04-Jun-26 19:46:06

Grannynannywanny

My favourite as a small child was listening to Danny Kaye singing Ugly Duckling on the wireless in the 1950’s.
youtu.be/nDZOJVR8e6M?si=pNS3AywSNlgUllqG

Aw I so loved Danny Kaye. He was my hero. A comic genius.
The Court Jester and Walter Mitty were my absolute favourites.
Just proves you don’t need to be smutty to be funny.

Musicgirl Thu 04-Jun-26 19:35:52

Just thought of Morningtown Ride. Lovely song.

Oreo Thu 04-Jun-26 19:35:40

Nan used to sing ( she had a wonderful voice) Don’t Sit Under The Apple Tree and a song about donkey riding?