Giggle, Dance and Cuddle Songs for the Very Young (MDC03, 2003) | ORDER NOW | Includes 26 tracks and forty minutes of music for the very young. Songs and tunes are traditional and original – including themes such as animals, playtime, things in the house and the night-time sky. The CD comes with a booklet of lyrics and actions. Ken Whiteley, with his brilliant arrangements, immerses the collection in the influences of folk, gospel, blues, Cajun, olde-tyme, Celtic and world music. The result is a toe-tapping, sing-along, rockabye collection which is beautifully childlike, and which will be enjoyed by the very young and their grownups alike.

The recording features Debbie Carroll on vocals, Celtic harp, piano, and fretted dulcimer, along with musicians Kirk Elliott, Eve Goldberg, Ben Grossman, Jeff Morrison, Arnie Naiman, Kathy Reid-Naiman, Ernie Tollar and Ken Whiteley. Produced and arranged by Ken Whiteley. Executive producer Kathy Reid-Naiman, Merriweather Records Ltd.

2003 Parents’ Choice Award2003 Children’s Music Web Award: Best Recording for Toddlers
2004 Canadian Independent Music Awards Nominee: Best Children’s Performer or Group

“One of the most difficult challenges in songwriting is to create a new song that has that feeling of well-worn and comfortable familiarity that so many old folk songs possess. This wonderful collection of old and old-feeling new songs is perfect for young children and their families. Debbie Carroll and her musical friends have created a thoroughly charming listening experience featuring clear and sweet singing in the best folk tradition, with an engaging variety of instrumental accompaniments produced by the versatile Ken Whiteley. Up and Over the Moon! clearly belongs in the company of the finest folk recordings for young children in North America.” Bram Morrison of Sharon, Bram and Friends

Tracklist

Click on the audio icon to listen to samples. Lyrics are below.

1. Up And Over The Moon!
2. It’s A Dancing Day
3. Can You Hop Like A Bunny?
4. This Little Cow Eats Grass
5. Little Tommy Tinker
6. Early In The Morning / Rattle On The Stovepipe
7. Chatter With The Angels
8. Flying / Touch The Branches
9. Here’s A Pot Of Tea
10. Shortnin’ Bread
11. Crawdad Hole
12. The Tickle Person / Tickly
13. Nelly Go ‘Cross The Ocean
14. This is the Way the Ladies Ride
15. Up The Tall White Candlestick
16. In A Dark Little Town
17. Shoofly
18. If I Could Have A Windmill
19. Diddley Diddley Dumpty
20. The Cat And The Drum / Elephants Marching
21. Take The Seed
22. Far In The Wood
23. The Meadow-Bout Fields
24. I’m Sittin’ In A Boat
25. Mama Bring Me A China Doll
26. Jessica’s Flowers / Hush Little Rooster / Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

Lyrics

1. UP AND OVER THE MOON!

We walk along a country road
After the sun goes down
The Milky Way above our heads
Up and over the moon!

Up and over the moon, children
Up and over the moon
Count the planets, touch the stars
Up and over the moon

If we’re in the city after dark
I look at the sky with you
The Great Big Dipper shining bright
Up and over the moon!

Up and over the moon, children
Up and over the moon
Count the planets, touch the stars
Up and over the moon

There’s a window near your bed
Close the curtains soon
And dream a dream of far away
And up and over the moon!

Up and over the moon, children
Up and over the moon
Count the planets, touch the stars
Up and over the moon

Debbie Carroll © SOCAN

2. IT’S A DANCING DAY

It’s a dance, it’s a dance, it’s a dancing day
It’s a dance, it’s a dance, it’s a dancing day
Follow your dreams and find your own way
It’s a dance, it’s a dance, it’s a dancing day

It’s swinging day…
It’s a twirling day…

Debbie Carroll © SOCAN

3. CAN YOU HOP LIKE A BUNNY?

Can you hop, hop, hop like a bunny
And run, run, run like a dog?
Can you walk, walk walk like an elephant
And jump, jump, jump like a frog?
can you swim, swim, swim like a goldfish
And fly, fly, fly like a bird?
Can you sit right here like a quiet mouse
And not say a single word? Shhhhhhh!

Music: Debbie Carroll © SOCAN

4. THIS LITTLE COW EATS GRASS

This little cow eats grass (wiggle baby finger)
This little cow eats hay (wiggle ring finger)
This little cow drinks water (wiggle middle finger)
And this little cow runs away (wiggle pointer finger)
But this little cow does nothing at all
She just lies around all day (thumb lies on palm, covered by a ‘blanket’ of fingers)
We’ll chase her, we’ll chase her
We’ll chase her away! (tickle all over)

Music: Debbie Carroll © SOCAN

5. LITTLE TOMMY TINKER

Little Tommy Tinker sat upon a clinker
And he began to cry
“Oh Ma! Oh Ma!”
Poor little innocent guy

6. EARLY IN THE MORNING / RATTLE ON THE STOVEPIPE

Early in the morning at eight o’clock
You can hear a “Knock, Knock, Knock”
Jump up Josie, Open up the door
One letter, two letters, three letters, four
Make a knocking sound with sticks, stamp your feet, or tap on your own front door

7. CHATTER WITH THE ANGELS

Chatter with the angels, soon in the mornin’
Chatter with the angels, in that land!
Chatter with the angels, soon in the mornin’
Chatter with the angels, join that band!
I hope to join that band
And chatter with the angels all day long!

Sing with the angels…
Dance with the angels…
Fly with the angels…

8. FLYING / TOUCH THE BRANCHES

“Flying, flying, up in the sky
Where are you going, flying so high?”
“Over the mountains, over the sea
Will you fly away with me?”

Lyrics: Anonymous, adapted
Music: Debbie Carroll © SOCAN

9. HERE’S A POT OF TEA

Here’s a cup (make a cup with one fist)
And here’s a cup (make a cup with another fist)
And here’s a pot of tea (make a fist teapot with a thumb spout)
Pour a cup and pour a cup (pour tea into each of the teacups)
And drink it up with me (slurp)
And drink it up with me (slurp)

Music: Debbie Carroll © SOCAN

10. SHORTNIN’ BREAD

For those you can’t sit still when they hear a bouncy rhythm,
Ken Whiteley and I added a ‘shake and dance‘ verse to this familar song.

Mama’s little baby loves shortnin’, shortnin’
Mama’s little baby loves shortnin’ bread

Put on the skillet (one hand out flat, palm up)
Put on the lid (other hand covers the skillet)
Mama’s gonna make a little shortnin’ bread
That ain’t all she’s a-gonna do (wave pointer finger back and forth)
Mama’s gonna make a little coffee too (a fist for a cup)

Mama’s little baby loves shortnin’, shortnin’
Mama’s little baby loves shortnin’ bread

Shake it to the left, shake it to the right
Shake it all over, gonna feel alright
Lean to the left, lean to the right
And dance that baby on a Saturday night

Mama’s little baby loves shortnin’, shortnin’
Mama’s little baby loves shortnin’ bread

11. CRAWDAD HOLE

You get a line and I’ll get a pole, honey (join hands and circle round)
You get a line and I’ll get a pole, baby
you get a line and I’ll get a pole
We’ll go down to the crawdad hole
Honey, baby mine!
Na na na na na…
(into the middle and back again – repeat)

12. THE TICKLE PERSON / TICKLY

Whatcha gonna do when the Tickle Person comes?
Are you going to scream
Or are you going giggle?
Whatcha gonna do when the Tickle Person comes?
Well, you better decide right now!
(When you know this song well, add some suspense by hesitating between the words ‘right’ and ‘now’)

Tickly, tickly on your knee
If you smile you do love me
Tickly, tickly on your shoe
If you smile I do love you!

Debbie Carroll © SOCAN / Traditional, adapted
Lyrics & Musifc: Debbie Carroll © SOCAN

13. NELLY GO ‘CROSS THE OCEAN

Nelly go ‘cross the ocean
Nelly go ‘cross the sea
Nelly go ‘cross the mountain top
But then come back to me
Nelly go ‘cross the prairie
Nelly go ‘cross the plain
Nelly go ‘cross the desert sands
And then come back again

Chorus:
Nelly jump up and down now
Nelly jump up and down
Nelly turn round and round and round
And round and round and round (repeat)

Kathy Reid-Naiman © SOCAN

14. THIS IS THE WAY THE LADIES RIDE

This is the way the ladies ride -
Nim, nim, nim (child sits on lap facing sideways, ’side-saddle’, and is bounced gently)

This is the way the gentlemen ride -
Trim, trim, trim (child turns forward, and is bounced firmly)

This is the way the farmers ride -
Hobblety Hoy! Hobblety Hoy! (child is vigorously bounced from side to side)

Until the work is over (pause)
Then they gallop and gallop away
Gallop and gallop away… (fast bounces)

Music: Debbie Carroll © SOCAN

15. UP THE TALL WHITE CANDLESTICK

Up the tall white candlestick
Crept little Mousie Brown (child on lap, going up)
RIght to the top (child perched high on knees)
But he couldn’t get down (drop child suddenly to ground)
So he called to his Grandma
“Grandma! Grandma!” (bounce up each time)
But Grandma was in town
So he curled himself into a ball
And rolled himself down! (both of you curl into a ball and roll over)

Music: Moyra Walker © 1987

16. IN A DARK LITTLE TOWN

In a dark little town there was a dark little house
In a dark little house there was a dark little room
In a dark little room there was a warm little bed
In the warm little bed there was you
Lai, lai,lai…

Music: Debbie Carroll © SOCAN

17. SHOOFLY

Shoofly, don’t bother me
Shoofly, don’t b ohter me
Shoofly, don’t b other me
‘Cause I belong to somebody

I feel, I feel, I feel like a morning star
I feel, I feel, I feel like a morning star
I feel, I feel, I feel like a morning star
I feel, I feel, I feel like a morning star

18. IF I COULD HAVE A WINDMILL

If I could have a windmill
A windmill, a windmill (arms overhead from side to side)
If I could have a windmill
I know what I would do

I’d have it pump some water
Some water, some water (pump arms or legs up and down)
I’d have it pump some water
All up from the river below

And then I’d have a duck pond
A duck pond, a duck pond (hands make wavy patterns)
And then I’d have a duck pond
For ducks and geese to swim

The ducks would make their wings flap
Their wings flap, their wings flap (flap arms up and down)
The ducks would make their wings flap
And then they would say ‘Quack Quack’

The geese would stretch their long necks
Their long necks, their long necks (arms from elbow to wrist are goose necks)
The geese would stretch their long necks
And then they would answer ‘Hissss!’ (fingers and thumbs are the snapping beaks)

19. DIDDLEY DIDDLEY DUMPTY

Diddley Diddley Dumpty (bounce)
The cat ran up the plum tree (child goes up o your knees)
Give her a plum and down she’ll come (child goes down on your knees)
Diddley Diddley Dumpty (bounce)

20. THE CAT AND THE DRUM / ELEPHANTS MARCHING

Tromm, Tromm, Tromm
The cat is playing the drum (tap the beat)
The little mice are dashing around (tickle all over)
Trying to find a hole in the ground (tickle feet)
Tromm, Tromm, Tromm
The cat is playing the drum (tap the beat)

Elephants marching one by one (march around in a circle)
Some from the moon and some from the sun
Elephants marching one by one
Some from the moon and some from the sun

Chorus:
I-O-I-O-I-O-I-O, I-O-I-O-I-O-I-O
I-O-I-O-I-O-I-O, I-O-I-O-I-O-I-O
(hold hands and march into the centre of the circle and then back out again … repeat)

Elephants marching two by two
Some for me and some for you

Chorus

Elephants marching three by three
Some from land and some from sea

Chorus

The Cat and the Drum adapted from Tromm, Tromm, Tromm, written by Birthe Kulich,
published by The Empire Music Co. Ltd., and used with permission / Anonymous

21. TAKE THE SEED

Take the seed that you have and plant it here
Give it water and time for a day or a year
Take the seed that you have and plant it here
Give it love, give it love

Take the dream that you have and dream it here
Give it courage and time for a day or a year
Take the dream that you have and dream it here
Give it love, give it love

Chorus: Give it love, give it love…

Take the song that you have and sing it here
Give it strength and time for a day or a year
Take the song that you have and sing it here
Give it love, give it love

Chorus: Give it love, give it love…

© Sandy Opatow, Moving Forward Music, BMI

22. FAR IN THE WOOD

Far in the wood you’ll find a well
With water deep and clear
Whoever drinks by moonlight bright
Will live a thousand years
Will live a thousand years

And all around the little well
Are seven lovely trees
They rock and sway and sing a song
And whisper in the breeze
And whisper in the breeze

And through the seven little trees
The evening wind will blow
And down fall seven little dreams
My baby all for you
My baby all for you

Music: Debbie Carroll © SOCAN

23. THE MEADOW-BOUT FIELDS

Oh, I have been to the meadow-bout fields
And I have been to the gorses
Oh, I have been to the meadow-bout fields
To seek my master’s horses

And I got wet and very, very wet
And I got wet and weary
And I got wet and very, very wet
When I came home to Mary

Oh, I have been to the meadow-bout fields
And through the grasses creeping
Oh, I have been to the meadow-bout fields
And found those horses sleeping

And I got wet and very, very wet
And I got wet and weary
And I got wet and very, very wet
When I came home to Mary

Lyrics: Traditional, Ken Whiteley: verse two
Music: Debbie Carroll © SOCAN

24. I’M SITTIN’ IN A BOAT

I’m sittin’ in a boat
And the boat is rocking, rocking, rocking
I’m sittin’ in a boat
And the boat is rocking, rocking, rocking
I’m sittin’ in a boat
And the waves are oh, so high
Oh, so high in the mornin’
Lord, Lord, Lord!
(Sit on the floor, facing your child, join hands and rock back and forth.
Or stand up and walk with big gliding steps; then put your baby up in the air on the words ‘Oh, so high.’)

Debbie Carroll © SOCAN

25. MAMA BRING ME A CHINA DOLL

Mama bring me a china doll
Mama bring me a china doll
Mama bring me a china doll
Please Mama, do

Papa bring me a starry sky…

Sister bring me a blanket of wool…

Brother bring me a sailing ship…

26. JESSICA’S FLOWERS / HUSH LITTLE ROOSTER / TWINKLE, TWINKLE LITTLE STAR

Hush little rooster with your cock-a-doodle-doo
Hush little kitten with your mew, mew, mew
Hush puppy dog with your bow, wow, wow
Please don’t moo-moo, Mrs. Cow
Hush, hush, hush, I am going to sleep right now
Hush, hush, hush, I am going to sleep right now

Debbie Carroll © SOCAN / Anonymous / Traditional

All material on this recording, unless otherwise noted, is traditional or anonymous.
Every effort has been made to identify and credit the authors; if an omission has occurred please contact us to correct it.