Here's a PDF of Our Simple Gifts Songbook

Simple Gi!s

Song Book We gather every Friday as a community to sing and dance. Our ceremony gives everyone (children, parents and staff) a positive sense of belonging through ritual, music and dance and is the heart and soul of our community. Thank you for joining us and please sing a long!

Sincerely,

Joe and Claire

Table of Contents

Simple Gifts!!!!2 Buffalo Gal!! ! ! ! 3 We’re Going to be Friends!!20 Birds They Sing!!!!3 Home on the Range!!!21 Paw-Paw Patch!!!!4 Chlorophyll!! ! ! ! 22 Fireﬂy!!!!!4 Fishin’ Blues!!!!23 We Shall Overcome!!!5 Down in the Meadows!!!24 Accentuate the Positive!!6 Sunset on the Sage!!!25 Leaving Old Texas!!!7 The Swing!!!!!26 Defying Gravity!!!!7 Space is Dark!!!!8 De Colores!! ! ! ! 9 Walking in the Woods!!!10 Danger Down the Road!!11 Paradise!!!!!12 Little Buddy!!!!13 Follow the Drinking Gourd!!14 My Dad the Bridge Tender!!15 Las Mañanitas!!!!16 Watch the Stars!!!!16 Sixteen Tons!!!!17 With My Own Two Hands!!18 Froggy Went a Courtin!! ! 19

1 Simple Gifts Shaker Elder Joseph Brackett, 1848, and later others added verses

Tis the gift to be simple, ‘Tis the gift to be free, ‘Tis the gift to come down where we want to be, And when we ﬁnd ourselves in a place just right, We’ll be in the valley of love and delight.

(CHORUS) When true simplicity is gained, To bow and bend we will not be ashamed, To turn, to turn, will be our delight, And by turning, turning, we’ll come ‘round right.

‘Tis the gift to be gentle, ‘Tis the gift to be fair, ‘Tis the gift to wake and breathe the morning air, To walk every day in the path that we choose, ‘Tis a gift we pray we may never, never lose.

(REPEAT CHORUS)

‘Tis the gift to be knowing, ‘Tis the gift to be kind, ‘Tis the gift to wait to hear another’s mind, That when we speak our feelings we might come out true, ‘Tis the gift for me and the gift for you.

(REPEAT CHORUS)

‘Tis the gift to be loving, ‘Tis the best gift of all, Like a warm spring rain bringing beauty when it falls, And as we use this gift we may come to believe, It is better to give than it is to receive.

(REPEAT CHORUS)

2 Buffalo Gal Cool White (John Hodges), 1844

As I was walking down the street Down the street, down the street A pretty little gal I chanced to meet And we danced by the light of the moon

(CHORUS) Buffalo gal won’t you come out tonight Come out tonight, come out tonight Buffalo gal won’t you come out tonight And we’ll dance by the light of the moon

I danced with a gal with a hole in her stockings And her knees was a knockin’ and her toes was a rockin’ I danced with a gal with a hole in her stocking And we danced by the light of the moon

(CHORUS) Birds They Sing Joe Bruno, Summer of 2000

Birds they sing Make the bells to ring It’s the dawning of the day Morning sun shines on everyone As we walk along on our way ha la la . . la la la la la la (X2)

3 Paw-Paw Patch Traditional

Where, oh where, oh where is little Susie? Where, oh where, oh where is little Susie? Where, oh where, oh where is little Susie? Way down yonder in the paw-paw patch.

Come on, boys, and let’s go find her. Come on, boys, and let’s go find her. Come on, boys, and let’s go find her. Way down yonder in the paw-paw patch.

(CHORUS) Picking up paw-paws; put ‘em in your pocket. Picking up paw-paws; put ‘em in your pocket. Picking up paw-paws; put ‘em in your pocket. Way down yonder in the paw-paw patch.

Note: A paw-paw is a subtropical fruit (asiminia triloba). It grows on a small tree/shrub as a wild plant. The fruit are small, oblong to pear-shaped with the ﬂavor resembling both apple and banana. Fireﬂy Joe Bruno and class, 3rd year spring camp out at Pedernales Falls 1998

The dipper’s hanging in the sky I can see it through the fireflies. The stars are pouring from the cup as my friends and I keep looking up – I wish I could be a firefly.

The moon is riding round the earth. The fireflies are giving birth. The light bursts out, I see the flame It’s all a pattern in the game – I wish I could be a firefly.

4 We Shall Overcome Charles Tindley, and later Guy Carawan, Candy Carawan, and others associated with the Highlander Research and Education Center, 1900

We shall overcome We are not afraid We shall overcome We are not afraid We shall overcome We are not afraid Some day Today For deep in my heart For deep in my heart I do believe I do believe We shall overcome We shall overcome Some day Some day

We’ll walk hand in hand The whole wide world around We’ll walk hand in hand The whole wide world around We’ll walk hand in hand The whole wide world around Today Today For deep in my heart For deep in my heart I do believe I do believe We shall overcome We shall overcome Some day Some day

We will live in Peace We will live in Peace We will live in Peace Today

For deep in my heart I do believe We shall overcome Some day

5 Accentuate the Positive Johnny Mercer

You’ve got to accentuate the positive Eliminate the negative Latch on to the afﬁrmative Don’t mess with Mister In-Between

You’ve got to spread joy up to the maximum Bring gloom down to the minimum Have faith or pandemonium’s Liable to walk upon the scene

To illustrate my last remark Jonah in the whale, Noah in the dark What did they do When everything looked so dark

(CHORUS) Man, they said we gotta Accentuate the positive Eliminate the negative Latch on to the afﬁrmative Don’t mess with Mister In-Between

You’ve got to spread joy up to the maximum Bring gloom down to the minimum Have faith or pandemonium’s Liable to walk upon the scene

To illustrate my last remark Jonah in the whale, Noah in the dark What did they do When everything looked so dark

(CHORUS)

6 Leaving Old Texas (The Cowman’s Lament) Traditional

I’m bound to leave old Texas now They’ve got no use for the long-horn cow They’ve plowed and fenced my cattle range And the people there are all so strange

I’ll take my horse, I’ll take my rope And hi the trail upon a lope Say adios to the Alamo And turn your head toward Mexico

Defying Gravity Jesse Winchester, 1972

We live on a big round ball I never do dream I may fall And even one day if I do I’ll jump off and smile back at your

I don’t even know where we are They tell you we’re circling a star Well, I’ll take their word, I don’t know But I’m dizzy so it may be so

We’re riding a big round ball I never do dream I may fall And even one day if I do I’ll jump off and smile back at you

7 Space is Dark Joe Bruno and class, 1979

Space is dark there’s no gravity Floating around my friends and me The planets are orbiting around the sun When we go to the moon we have so much fun The view from the moon is a sight to see The colors of earth are so pretty The people down there I can hardly see But I hope that they are as happy as Me…..e…..e

La…..a…..a La…..a…..a La…..a…..a

Space is dark, there’s no gravity

8 De Colores Traditional

Spanish English

De Colores, De Colores, de Colores se visten los campos bright with colors the mountain and en la primavera. valleys, dress up in the springtime. De Colores, De Colores, de Colores son los pajaritos que bright with colors all the little birds, ﬁll vienen de afuera. the skies in the daytime. De Colores De Colores, de Colores es el arco iris que vemos bright with colors the rainbow brings lucir. joy with the glory of spring.

(CORO) (CHORUS) Y por eso los grandes amores And a bright love with colors has de muchos colors me gustan a mi. found us with peace all around us (Cantar Dos Veces) that makes our hearts sing. (sing twice) Canta el gallo, Canta el gallo con el kiri kiri kiri kiri Hear the rooster, kiri. hear the rooster singing with his kiri kiri kiri kiri kiri. La gallina, la gallina con el cara cara cara cara In the morning, cara. in the morning the hen sings her cara cara cara cara cara. Los pollitos, los pollitos con el pio pio pio pio pi. All day singing, baby chicks all day sing pio pio pio pio (CORO) pi.

(CHORUS)

9 Walking in the Woods Joe Bruno, 1973

The sunrise ain’t so far away I can see through the trees and hear the whisper of a lark ﬂoating on the breeze.

There’s nothing like the break of dawn to make my soul feel good I’m glad that I can see it all walking through the woods.

The clouds they ain’t so far away I can touch them with my heart and see them through a spider’s web as they slowly drift apart.

There’s nothing like a summer’s day to make my soul feel good I’m glad that I can see it all walking through the woods.

The river ain’t so far away It’s ﬂowing through our minds and the lark he sings a song of love cause he knows no other kind.

There’s nothing like a look at life to make my soul feel good and I’m glad that I can see it all walking through the woods.

10 Danger Down the Road Joe Bruno, Summer of 2000

Danger down the road Danger down the road Danger down the road

We will ﬁnd a way to protect our souls; We’ll ﬁnd a way as we’re growing old. Every time they try to do us in, That is when the good times will begin.

Teach the children how Teach the children now Teach the children how.

How to love the land – How to hold a hand How to take a stand Don’t you know we can.

Danger down the road Danger down the road Danger down the road

11 Paradise John Prine

When I was a child, my family would travel To western Kentucky, where my parents were born There’s a backward old town that’s often remembered So many times that my memories are worn

(CHORUS) And daddy won’t you take me back to Mulenberg county Down by the Green River, where Paradise lay I’m sorry my son, but you’re too late as askin’ Mr. Peabody’s coal train has hauled it away

Sometimes we’d travel right down to the Green River To the abandoned old prison down by Avery Hill Where the air smelled like snakes, we’d shot with our pistols But empty pop bottles was all we could kill

(CHORUS) Then the coal company came, with the world’s largest shovel And they tortured the timber and stripped all the land They dug for the coal till the land was forsaken Then they wrote it all down as the progress of man

(CHORUS)

When I die let my ashes ﬂow down the Green River Let my soul roll on up to the Rochester dam I’ll be halfway to Heaven with Paradise waitin’ Just ﬁve miles away from where I am

(CHORUS)

12 Little Buddy Joe Bruno

You’re my little buddy, ﬂying ‘round the house. Zig and zagging up and down and landing Right on top of the couch.

You’re my little buddy, swimming in the pool. Hanging on to mama jumping up and down And feeling cool.

(CHORUS) Every time I see you makes me jump for joy. You’re my living jewel much better than a toy. Your feathers and your charm make you a colorful boy. YOU ARE MY ANGELO…

You’re my little buddy, swinging is your thing. I love to see you dance It really makes me want to laugh and sing.

Hoo be doo be doo bop Hoo be doo be da

Hoo be doo be doo bop Hoo be doo be doo be da do

(CHORUS)

You’re my little buddy, ﬂying ‘round the house. Zig and zagging up and down and landing Right on top of the couch. Zig and zagging up and down and landing Right on top of the couch.

13 Follow the Drinking Gourd A Map and timetable for the underground Railway; Follow the Big Dipper; it points to the North Star- and freedom.

When the sun goes down and the ﬁrst quail calls, Follow the drinking gourd. The old man is a-wait-in’ for to carry you to freedom, Follow the drinking gourd.

(CHORUS) Follow the drinking gourd, Follow the drinking gourd, Follow the drinking gourd, For the old man is a-wait-in’ For to carry you to freedom, Follow the drinking gourd.

Now the river bank’ll make you a might good road, The dead trees will show you the way. Left foot, peg foot, traveling in on Follow the drinking gourd.

(CHORUS)

Now the river ends between two hills, Follow the drinking gourd, There’s another river on the other side, Follow the drinking gourd.

(CHORUS)

When the little river meets the great big river Follow the drinking gourd For the old man is waiting for to carry you to freedom Follow the drinking gourd.

(CHORUS)

14 My Dad the Bridge Tender Joe Bruno

My dad the bridge tender, is a mighty mighty man He blows that horn and stop the trafﬁc Cycles, cars and vans Lights a ﬂashin’, children dashin’, stopping all those wheels The man up in the tower liftin’ 40 tons of steel

(CHORUS) Papa he’s a big man People come from miles around Boats they blow their air horns Don’t you know their southern-bound

The snow birds cruise the coastal from Canada to Maine Cruisin’ down the water way to see that man of fame The bridge goes up the bridge goes down Guiseppe’s in control The barge is moving swiftly now she’s really on a roll

(CHORUS)

Pauline is his sweetheart They’ve been married 50 years She calls him every hour Sweet music to his hears Lights a ﬂashin’, children dashin’, stopping all those wheels The man up in the tower liftin’ 40 tons of steel

(CHORUS)

Lights a ﬂashin’, children dashin’, stopping all those wheels The man up in the tower liftin’ 40 tons of steel

The man up in the tower liftin’ 40 tons of steel

15 Las Mañanitas Traditional Mexican Birthday Song

Estas son las mañanitas, que cantaba el Rey David Hoy por ser día de tu santo, te las cantamos a ti Despierta mi bien despierta mira que ya amaneció Ya los pajaritos cantan. La luna ya se metió Que linda está la mañana en que vengo a saludarte Venimos todos con gusto y placer a felicitarte Ya viene amaneciendo Ya la luz del día nos dio Levántate de mañana. Mira que ya amaneció

Watch the Stars Pentangle

Watch the stars, see how they run Watch the stars, see how they run You know the stars run down to the setting of the sun Watch the stars, see how they run.

Watch the moon, see how it glows Watch the moon, see how it glows You know the moon’s gonna glow When the sun goes down Watch the moon, see how it glows.

Watch the wind, see how it blows Watch the wind, see how it blows You know the wind’s gonna blow When the sun goes down Watch the wind, see how it blows.

16 Sixteen Tons Made popular by Tennessee Ernie Ford, 1946

Some people say a man is made outta mud A poor man's made outta muscle and blood Muscle and blood and skin and bones A mind that's a-weak and a back that's strong

You load sixteen tons, what do you get Another day older and deeper in debt Saint Peter don't you call me 'cause I can't go I owe my soul to the company store

I was born one mornin' when the sun didn't shine I picked up my shovel and I walked to the mine I loaded sixteen tons of number nine coal And the straw boss said "Well, a-bless my soul"

You load sixteen tons, what do you get Another day older and deeper in debt Saint Peter don't you call me 'cause I can't go I owe my soul to the company store

If you see me comin', better step aside A lotta men didn't, a lotta men died One ﬁst of iron, the other of steel If the right one don't a-get you Then the left one will

You load sixteen tons, what do you get Another day older and deeper in debt Saint Peter don't you call me 'cause I can't go I owe my soul to the company store

17 With My Own Two Hands Ben Harper

I can change the world I'm going to make it a safer place With my own two hands With my own two hands Make it a better place With my own two hands I'm going to help the human race With my own two hands Make it a kinder place With my own With my own two hands With my own two hands With my own With my own two hands I can hold you With my own two hands I can make peace on earth I can comfort you With my own two hands With my own two hands I can clean up the earth With my own two hands But you've got to use Use your own two hands I can reach out to you Use your own With my own two hands Use your own two hands With my own With my own two hands With our own With our own two hands I'm going to make it a brighter place With my own With my own two hands With my own two hands

18 Froggy Went a Courtin’ Unknown

Froggie went a courtin’ and he did A-huh, A-huh. ride, A-huh, A-huh, Where will the wedding supper be, Froggie went a courtin’ and he did A-huh, A-huh, ride, Where will the wedding supper be, Sword and pistol right by his side, Way down yonder in a hollow tree, A-huh, A-huh. A-huh, A-huh.

He rode right up to Miss Mouse’s What will the wedding supper be, door, A-huh, A-huh, A-huh, A-huh, What will the wedding supper be, He rode right up to Miss Mouse’s A fried mosquito and a roasted flea, door, A-huh, A-huh. Where he had often been before, A-huh, A-huh. The first to come in were two little ants, He took Miss Mousy right on his knee, A-huh, A-huh, A-huh, A-huh, The first to come in were two little He took Miss Mousy right on his knee, ants, Said “Miss Mousy will you marry me?” Fixin’ around to have a dance, A-huh, A-huh. A-huh, A-huh.

“I’ll have to ask my uncle Rat,” Next to come in was a bumble bee, A-huh, A-huh, A-huh, A-huh, “I’ll have to ask my uncle Rat, Next to come in was a bumble bee, See what he will say to that,” Bouncing a ﬁddle right on his knee, A-huh, A-huh. A-huh, A-huh.

Uncle Rat laughed and shook his fat The last one in was a big old snake, sides, A-huh, A-huh, A-huh, A-huh, The last one in was a big old snake, Uncle Rat laughed and shook his fat Chased that party right into the lake, sides, A-huh, A-huh. To think his niece would be a bride,

19 We’re Going to be Friends The White Stripes

Fall is here, hear the yell And we don't notice any time pass Back to school, ring the bell We don't notice anything Brand new shoes, walking blues We sit side by side in every class Climb the fence, books and pens Teacher thinks that I sound funny I can tell that we are gonna' be friends But she likes the way you sing I can tell that we are gonna' be friends Tonight I'll dream while I'm in bed Walk with me, Susie Lee When silly thoughts go through my Through the park and by the tree head We will rest upon the ground Of the bugs and alphabet And look at all the bugs we've found And when I wake tomorrow I'll bet Safely walk to school without a sound That you and I will walk together again Safely walk to school without a sound I can tell that we are gonna' be friends Here we are, no one else I can tell that we are gonna' be friends We walk to school all by ourselves There's dirt on our uniforms From chasing all the ants and worms We clean up and now it's time to learn We clean up and now it's time to learn

Numbers letters learn to spell Nouns and books and show and tell Play time we will throw the ball Back to class, through the hall Teacher marks our height against the wall Teacher marks our height against the wall

20 Home on the Range Traditional American Folk Song

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 skies are not cloudy all day.

(CHORUS) Home, home on the range, Where the deer and the antelope play, Where seldom is heard a discouraging word, And the skies are not cloudy all day.

Where the air is so pure and the zephyr’s so free, Where the breezes are balmy and light, I would not exchange my home on the range, For all the cities so bright

(CHORUS)

I love the wild ﬂowers in the bright land of ours, I love the wild curlew’s shrill scream, The bluffs and white rocks and the antelope ﬂocks, That graze on the mountain so green.

(CHORUS)

21 Chlorophyll Joe Bruno

Chlorophyll – the chemical that gives us food. Chlorophyll – it puts us in a happy mood. Chlorophyll – makes oxygen for the air. Chlorophyll – green colors everywhere.

(CHORUS) Photosynthesis, you know, always keeps us on the go. Changing sunlight, water, and the air, into everything we share.

Chlorophyll – the forest full of trees. Chlorophyll – it’s working in the leaves. Chlorophyll – makes pollen for the bees. Chlorophyll – it sometimes makes us sneeze.

(REPEAT FROM BEGINNING) Fishin’ Blues Written in Beaumont, TX

Betcha goin’ fishin’ all the time Baby’s goin’ fishin’ too Bet your life that your lovin’ wife is Gonna catch more fish than you.

(CHORUS) Many fish’ll bite if you got good bait Here’s a little something I would like to relate Many fish’ll bite if you got good bait I’m a goin’ fishin’, yes I’m a goin’ fishin’ And my baby’s goin’ fishin’ too.

I went on down to my favorite ﬁshin’ hole And I grabbed me a pole and a line Put my pole on in, caught a nine pound catﬁsh, Took it home for suppertime. 22 (CHORUS)

Baby brothers ‘bout to run me outta my mind Sayin’ can I go ﬁshin’ with you? So I took him on down to the ﬁshin’ hole And what’ya think that he did do?

He pulled a great big ﬁsh from The bottom of the pond He laughed and he joked ‘cause he was Real gone.

(CHORUS)

Put ’em in the pot, put ’em in the pan Cook ’em ‘til it’s nice and brown Then you make a batch of buttermilk hoe cakes mama Chew them things and chomp ’em all down.

(CHORUS)

23 Down in the Meadows 1930’s American Song

Down in the meadow, in an itty bitty pool Swam three little fishes, and the Mamma fish too “Swim,” said the Mamma fish, “Swim if you can,” And they swam, and they swam all over the dam.

(CHORUS) A boop boop diddum dadum wada-ma-choo A boop boop diddum dadum wada-ma-choo A boop boop diddum dadum wada-ma-choo And they swam, and they swam, all over the dam.

“Stop!” cried the Mamma fish, “or you’ll get lost!” But the three little fishies didn’t wanna be bossed The three little fishies went out on a spree And they swam, and they swam right out to the sea.

(CHORUS)

"Whee!" yelled the little ﬁshies, "Here's a lot of fun We'll swim in the sea till the day is done" They swam and they swam, and it was a lark Till all of a sudden they saw a shark!

(CHORUS)

"Help!" cried the little ﬁshies, "Gee! look at all the whales!" And quick as they could, they turned on their tails And back to the pool in the meadow they swam And they swam and they swam back over the dam

24 Sunset on the Sage Commander Cody

When the sun sets on the sage I’ll say, “How do you do?” That’s when cowboys go to sleep “Olee olee ay ee ooo.”

And the cattle they are lowin’ Going home to rest Say “A-di-os”, when the sun sets On the sage.

Fare thee well, oh fare thee well I’ll say goodbye to you Supper’s waitin’ on the table “Olee olee ay ee ooo.”

And my pony he is waitin’ in the Dust for me Say “A-di-os” when the sun sets On the sage.

The sky is all aglow The shadows are falling It’s high time to go Can’t you hear the voices calling?

No more weepin’, no more tears I want a smile from you We’ll be parting for a while “Olee olee ay ee ooo.”

But our hearts will still remember That our love was true Say “A-di-os” When the sun sets on the sage.

25 The Swing Poem by Robert Louis Stevenson Music by John Emery

How would you like to go up on a swing Up in the air so blue? Oh, I do think it’s the pleasantest thing Ever a child can do!

Up in the air and over the wall ‘Til I can see so wide Rivers and trees, cattle and all Over the countryside.

‘Til I look down on the garden green Down on the roof so brown Up in the air I go ﬂying again Up in the air and down!

How would you like to go up on a swing Up in the air so blue? Oh, I do think it’s the pleasantest thing Ever a child can do!

La La La La La La La La La…

‘Til I look down on the garden green Down on the roof so brown Up in the air I go ﬂying again Up in the air and down!

How would you like to go up on a swing Up in the air so blue? Oh, I do think it’s the pleasantest thing Ever a child can do! Oh, I do think it’s the pleasantest thing Ever a child can do!