...or, if you wish, Throwback Thursday on a sunny Saturday morning.
Below is a song you probably haven't heard or sung in years and years. It occurs to me that if you were not brought up in the U.S. you may not have sung it at all. But no matter. Now is the perfect time to do it. It sprang to life in my brain today, unbidden, full-grown, just like Athena purportedly did from the forehead of Zeus. (Truth in blogging: I do not accept as true any so-called facts recorded in ancient Greek myths. Be that as it may, enjoy!):
"She'll Be Coming 'Round The Mountain"
She'll be coming round the mountain when she comes (toot, toot!)
She'll be coming round the mountain when she comes (toot, toot!)
She'll be coming round the mountain, she'll be coming round the mountain,
She'll be coming round the mountain when she comes (toot, toot!)
She'll be driving six white horses when she comes (whoa, back!)
She'll be driving six white horses when she comes (whoa, back!)
She'll be driving six white horses, she'll be driving six white horses,
She'll be driving six white horses when she comes (whoa, back!)
Oh, we'll all go out to meet her when she comes (hi, babe!)
Oh, we'll all go out to meet her when she comes (hi, babe!)
Oh, we'll all go out to meet her, we'll all go out to meet her,
We'll all go out to meet her when she comes (hi, babe!)
She'll be wearing red pajamas when she comes (scratch, scratch)
She'll be wearing red pajamas when she comes (scratch, scratch)
She'll be wearing red pajamas, she'll be wearing red pajamas,
She'll be wearing red pajamas when she comes (scratch, scratch)
Oh, she'll have to sleep with Grandma when she comes (snore, snore)
Oh, she'll have to sleep with Grandma when she comes (snore, snore)
Oh, she'll have to sleep with Grandma, she'll have to sleep with Grandma,
Oh, she'll have to sleep with Grandma when she comes (snore, snore)
(source: https://www.lyricsondemand.com/miscellaneouslyrics/childsongslyrics/shellbecomingroundthemountainlyrics.html)
As if that weren't enough, I know two more verses that the cited source does not include. They should be inserted just before the final verse:
Oh, we'll all have chicken and dumplings when she comes (yum, yum)
Oh, we'll all have chicken and dumplings when she comes (yum, yum)
Oh, we'll all have chicken and dumplings, Oh, we'll all have chicken and dumplings,
Oh, we'll all have chicken and dumplings when she comes (yum, yum)
Oh, we'll all have biscuits and gravy when she comes (slurp, slurp)
Oh, we'll all have biscuits and gravy when she comes (slurp, slurp)
Oh, we'll all have biscuits and gravy, Oh, we'll all have biscuits and gravy,
Oh, we'll all have biscuits and gravy when she comes (slurp, slurp)
So there are seven verses in all. Now go back and sing that song over again, this time inserting the additional verses.
I'll wait now while you do it. Return to the next paragraph when you are finished.
Surprise, you are not finished! To sing the song the way we used to sing it, build upon the previous parenthesized stuff in the last line of each verse. That is, the last line of the second verse is "toot, toot! whoa, back!"; the last line of the third verse is "toot, toot! whoa, back! hi, babe!" and so on through all seven verses. For the cherry on top, don't just say "snore, snore" at the end of the seventh verse; make actual snoring sounds instead.
Now go back and re-live your childhooe, I mean my childhood.
You have just wasted valuable time that you will never regain, but wasn't it a lot of fun?
The world may well be going to Hell in a handbasket but I'm definitely in my second (or third or fourth) childhood. I've reached the age (or mental state) where I sometimes don't care any more. Well, I do care, but that is a post for another day.
I'm riding in the handbasket too. I don't remember doing Hi Babe but we definitely sang (yelled) Whoa Back. We knew how to have fun for free.
ReplyDeleteIf it weren’t for you continuing to leave comments on my blog during your couple of weeks vacation from your own blog, there wouldn’t be any comments at all on my blog lately. It’s sad but unfortunately true. Thank you, Emma!
DeleteThat song was sung here often and well liked. I think sometimes the verses were made up as they sang.
ReplyDeleteDo you know any additional verses Canadians included that I omitted? The song was popular on long trips in school buses, along with such other unforgettable ones as “Ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall.” Thank you, Red.
DeleteWe used to sing the song too. Not at school but at home. We sang 10 green bottles on school trips. Rachel
ReplyDeleteObservation re 10 green bottles versus 99 bottles, your bus drivers were not as patient/indulgent/dumb as our buss drivers. We also sang "Home On The Range" and "My Darling Clementine" and "B-I-N-G-O" on school trips. Those were the days. Not a care in the world. Thank you, Rachel.
Deletebus drivers, not buss drivers.
DeleteAnother popular one on school outings on the bus was 10 in the Bed, Roll Over. I am not sure if that is the exact title but it was a counting song. I had forgotten it until just now when I read your reply to my comment. By the way, I like your hymn of the previous post but I never got around to commenting. It made me think of God's omnipresence when I was reading it.
DeleteI don’t know “10 in the morning Bed, Roll Over” but it sounds like a rouser. I appreciate, too, your mentioning the previous post as well. Thank you, Rachel.
DeleteOnce again the technology had a mind of its own. “Morning Bed”? No, no, no. I should be checking the predictive text constantly!
DeleteI used to sing this, but without the attendant sound effects.
ReplyDeleteI like the song both ways. I call your way the “plain vanilla” version. Thank you, Janice!
DeleteI learnt this song but I dont think it was at school. Church girls group maybe? I wont thank you for the ear worm!
ReplyDeleteEar worms are independent entities with agendas if their own. They show up unbidden without help from thoughtless bloggers like me. Since you withheld a thank you, I withhold a you’re welcome. But I do thank you for commenting, kylie!
ReplyDeleteThe best way to rid yourself of an ear worm is to sing it to someone else. It is transferred to that person. Works every time.
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