Song Book

Words for 100 Popular Songs

Ffion Mercer, Speechmark Speechmark, Speechmark

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2017
• Print ISBN:
  9780863884115
• eBook ISBN:
  9781351700641
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: Folk Music

Featuring large clear print, the "Song Book" contains the words to 100 popular songs that are ideal for group sing-along sessions. The book is divided into six sections: traditional folk songs, choruses from old time variety, songs from World War II, post-war evergreens, hymns, and Christmas songs.

Traditional Folk Songs

1 The ash grove

1 Down yonder green valley where streamlets meander,
When twilight is fading I pensively rove,
Or at the bright noontide in solitude wander
Amid the dark shades of the lonely ash grove;
Twas there, while the blackbird was cheerfully singing,
I first met that dear one, the joy of my heart.
Around us for gladness the bluebells were springing,
Ah! then little thought I how soon we should part.

2 Still glows the bright sunshine o’er valley and mountain,
Still warbles the blackbird its note from the tree,
Still trembles the moonbeam on streamlet and fountain,
But what are the beauties of nature to me?
With sorrow, deep sorrow, my bosom is laden,
All day I go mourning in search of my love.
Ye echoes, oh! tell me, where is the sweet maiden?
She sleeps ’neath the green turf down by the ash grove.

2 Oh dear! What can the matter be?

Refrain: O dear! what can the matter be?
Dear, dear! what can the matter be?
O dear! what can the matter be?
Johnny’s so long at the fair.

1 He promised to buy me a bunch of blue ribbons,
He promised to buy me a bunch of blue ribbons,
He promised to buy me a bunch of blue ribbons
To tie up my bonny brown hair.

2 He promised he’d bring me a basket of posies,
A garland of lilies, a garland of roses,
A little straw hat, to set off the blue ribbons,
That tie up my bonny brown hair.

3 John Brown’s body

1 John Brown’s body lies a-mould’ring in the grave,
John Brown’s body lies a-mould’ring in the grave,
John Brown’s body lies a-mould’ring in the grave,
His soul is marching on.

Chorus: Glory! glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! glory! Hallelujah!
Glory! glory! Hallelujah!
His soul is marching on!

2 He’s gone to be a soldier in the army of the Lord,
He’s gone to be a soldier in the army of the Lord,
He’s gone to be a soldier in the army of the Lord,
His soul is marching on.

3 John Brown’s knapsack is strapp’d upon his back,
John Brown’s knapsack is strapp’d upon his back,
John Brown’s knapsack is strapp’d upon his back,
His soul is marching on.

4 We’ll hang Jeff Davis on a sour apple tree,
We’ll hang Jeff Davis on a sour apple tree,
We’ll hang Jeff Davis on a sour apple tree,
As we go marching on.

4 She’ll be coming round the mountain

1 She’ll be coming round the mountain when she comes,
She’ll be coming round the mountain when she comes,
She’ll be coming round the mountain,
She’ll be coming round the mountain,
She’ll be coming round the mountain when she comes.

2 She’ll be driving six white horses when she comes…

3 O we’ll all go out to meet her when she comes…

4 We will kill the old red rooster when she comes…

5 And we’ll all have chicken an’ dumpling when she comes…

5 John Peel

1 Do ye ken John Peel with his coat so gay,
Do ye ken John Peel at the break of the day,
Do ye ken John Peel when he’s far, far away,
With his hounds and his horn in the morning?

Chorus: For the sound of his horn brought me from my bed,
And the cry of his hounds which he oft times led;
Peel’s tally ho would awaken the dead,
Or the fox from his lair in the morning.

2 Yes I ken John Peel and Ruby too,
Ranter and Ringwood, Bellman and True,
From a find to a check, from a check to a view,
From a view to a death in the morning.

3 Do ye ken John Peel with his coat so gay?
He lived at Troutbeck once on a day,
Now he has gone far, far, far away
We shall ne’er hear his voice in the morning.

6 There’s a hole in my bucket

1. There’s a hole in my bucket dear Liza, dear Liza,
   There’s a hole in my bucket dear Liza, a hole.
2. Then mend it dear Georgie, dear Georgie, dear Georgie,
   Then mend it dear Georgie, dear Georgie, mend it.
3. With what shall I mend it………………………………… with what?
4. With a straw ……………………………………………………… a straw.
5. The straw is too long ………………………………………… too long.
6. Then cut it ……………………………………………………………. cut it.
7. With what shall I cut it …………………………………….. with what?
8. With a knife ……………………………………………………….. a knife.
9. The knife is too blunt ……………………………………….. too blunt.
10. Then sharpen it ………………………………………………. sharpen it.
11. With what shall I sharpen it …………………………….. with what?
12. With a stone……………………………………………………… a stone.
13. The stone is too dry……………………………………………… too dry.
14. Then wet it ………………………………………………………….. wet it.
15. With what shall I wet it…………………………………….. with what?
16. With water…………………………………………………….. with water.
17. In what shall I get it ……………………………………………. in what?
18. In a bucket …………………………………………………… in a bucket.
19. There’s a hole in my bucket………………………………….. a hole.

7 Cockles and mussels

1 In Dublin’s fair city, where the girls are so pretty,
I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone,
As she wheeled her wheelbarrow thro’ streets broad and narrow
Crying ‘Cockles and mussels! alive, alive, O!’
Alive, alive, O! alive, alive, O!
Crying ‘Cockles and mussels! alive, alive, O!’

2 She was a fishmonger, but sure ’twas no wonder,
For so were her father and mother before,
And they each wheeled their barrow thro’ streets broad and narrow
Crying ‘Cockles and mussels! alive, alive, O!’
Alive, alive, O! alive, aliv...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Introduction
• CONTENTS
• Traditional folk songs
• Choruses from old time variety
• Songs from World War II
• Post-war evergreens
• Hymns
• Christmas songs
• Acknowledgments
• Alphabetical index