Songs from Tales of the Trails

 


Oh, Susannah
(words and music by Stephen Foster, 1800’s)

Oh, I come from Alabama with my banjo on my knee
And I’m goin’ to Louisiana, my Susannah for to see
It rained all night the day I left; The weather, it was dry!
The sun so hot I froze to death. Susannah don’t you cry!

Oh, Susannah, oh don’t you cry for me!
For I come from Alabama with my banjo on my knee!

I had a dream the other night when everything was still
I thought I saw Susannah comin’ cross the hill
A buckwheat cake was in her mouth, a tear was in her eye
Says I, “I’m comin’ from the South! Susannah don’t you cry!”


Thread a Needle
words and music by Nancy Stewart

Thread a needle, pull it tight, stitching day and stitching night
We’re going to the promised land

Of sturdy canvas I will sew a cover for the wagon, oh
We’re going to the promised land
For me, a dress of calico, this quilt will be a piece of home

So thread a needle, pull it tight, stitching day and stitching night
We’re going to the promised land

We’ll need some sacks to carry grain, and tents to keep us from the rain
We’re going to the promised land
And every stitch is made with care in hopes we’ll make it safely there

When darkness falls we still can see, by candlelight you can read to me
We’re going to the promised land

So thread a needle, pull it tight, stitching day and stitching night
We’re going to the promised land
We’re going to the promised land
 

Headin’ West in the Wagon
words and music by Nancy Stewart

Load up all the food and clothes, we’re headin’ west in the wagon
Everybody’s ready, come on let’s go
We’re headin’ west in the wagon

With a bumpin’ to the left and a bumpin’ to the right
We’re headin’ west. Wagons Ho! (repeat)

The oxen are strong and the weather’s fine
We’re headin’ west in the wagon
We’ll be there next year this time
Headin’ west in the wagon (chorus)

Jump down, pick up a buffalo chip
We’re headin’ west in the wagon
Careful in the mud, don’t slip
We’re headin’ west in the wagon (chorus)

What’ll we do at the trails end
Headin’ west in the wagon
Put down roots and make new friends
We’re headin’ west in the wagon (chorus)

My Darlin’ Clementine
(traditional)

In a cavern in a canyon excavating for a mine
Lived a miner, a forty-niner, and his daughter Clementine

Oh, my darlin’, oh, my darlin’, oh, my darlin’ Clementine!
You were lost and gone forever! Dreadful sorry Clementine!

Light she was and like a fairy and her shoes were number nine
Herring boxes without topses, sandals were for Clementine

Drove she ducklings to the water every morning just at nine
Hit her foot against a splinter, fell in to the foamin’ brine

Ruby lips above the water blowing bubbles soft and fine
But, alas, she was no swimmer, so he lost his Clementine!

Then the miner, the forty-niner, soon began to pike and pine

Thought he ought-er join his daughter now he’s with his Clementine


Jenny Jenkins
(traditional)

Will you wear red, oh, my dear, oh, my dear?
Will you wear red Jenny Jenkins?
No, I won’t red till it’s time to go to bed
I’ll buy me a fildee, falldee, tildee, talldee,
Rildee, ralldee roll! Jenny Jenkins roll!

Will you wear pink, oh, my dear, oh, my dear?
Will you wear pink Jenny Jenkins?
No, I won’t pink cause I think pink stinks!
I’ll buy me a fildee, falldee, tildee, talldee,
Rildee, ralldee roll! Jenny Jenkins roll!

What will you wear oh my dear, oh, my dear
What will you wear Jenny Jenkins?
I got nothin’ to wear so I’ll just go bare!
I’ll buy me a fildee, falldee, tildee, talldee,
Rildee, ralldee roll! Jenny Jenkins roll!


Buffalo Gals
(traditional 1800’s)

Buffalo gals won’t you come out tonight?
Come out tonight, come out tonight?
Buffalo gals won’t you come out tonight?
And dance by the light of the moon?

As I was walkin’ down the street
Down the street, down the street
A pretty little girl I chanced to meet
And we danced by the light of the moon!

I danced with the dolly with the hole in her stockin’
And her knees kept a knockin’, and her toes kept a’rockin’
I dance with the dolly with the hole in her stockin’
And we danced by the light of the moon!


Navajo Night Chant

(traditional)

May it be beautiful before me!
May it be beautiful behind me!
May it be beautiful below me!
May it be beautiful all around me!


Sacajewea
(words and music by Nancy Stewart)

She was only ten years old when she was taken from her family
Her mother and father no more would she see
She was sold to a man who made her his wife
And she had a little baby, and she had a new life
Sacajewea

And the white men named Lewis and Clark asked her to be
Their way to the new land, and a voice who would speak
Sacajewea

So she packed up her baby and she packed up his things
With a board on her back, she would do everything
With her baby on her back.-Sacajewea


Through the sun and snow she did lead these white strangers
And she found them food to eat, and she kept them from danger
With her baby on her back.-Sacajewea

And the wind it blew hard on the water that day
And the wind swept their books and their food all away
Into the cold running water this brave woman did go
And she brought back their books and their food and their clothes
With her baby on her back- Sacajewea

Now if you should travel to where they once stayed
You’ll see the statue of the woman who showed them the way
Through the sun and the snow and the rain
With her baby on her back- Sacajewea



Make a Bit O’Butter
(words and music by Nancy Stewart

Chorus:

Make a bit of butter for our biscuits, Betty
Make a bit of butter and we’ll have it tonight
Make a bit of butter for out biscuits, Betty
Make a bit of butter and we’ll have it tonight

Milk the cows in the morning, Betty (pretend to milk a cow)
Milk ‘em in the morning for butter tonight
Milk the cows in the morning, Betty
Milk ‘em in the morning for butter tonight (chorus)

Bumpin’ up and down making butter in the wagon, (Move up and down as if bumping)
Bumpin’ up and down a little butter tonight
Bumpin’ up and down making butter in the wagon,
Bumpin’ up and down a little butter tonight (chorus)



She’ll Be Comin’ Round the Mountain
(traditional)

She’ll be comin’ round the mountain when she comes!
She’ll be comin’ round the mountain when she comes!
She’ll be comin’ round the mountain. She’ll be comin’ round the mountain.
She’ll be comin’ round the mountain when she comes!

She’ll be drivin’ six white horses…
Oh, we’ll all have chicken and dumplings…
And we’ll have to sleep with grandma….

Sweet Betsy From Pike
(traditional)

Oh, don’t you remember sweet Betsy from Pike,
Who crossed the wide prairie with her lover, Ike?
With two yoke of oxen and an old yellow dog,
A tall Shanghai rooster and one spotted hog
Singin’ “Too-ra-lai, oo-ra-lai, oo-ra-lai-ay!

Long Ike and sweet Betsy attended a dance
And Ike wore a pair of his Pike County pants.
Sweet Betsy was dressed up in ribbons and rings!
Says Ike, “You’re and angel, but where are your wings?”
Singin’ “Too-ra-lai, oo-ra-lai, oo-ra-lai-ay!

The Shanghai ran off and the cattle all died!
That mornin’ the last piece of bacon was fried!

Poor Ike got discouraged and Betsy got mad!
The dog drooped his tail and looked wondrously sad!
Singin’ “Too-ra-lai, oo-ra-lai, oo-ra-lai-ay!

They soon reached the desert where Betsy gave out—
And down in the sand she lay rollin’ about.
While Ike, half distracted, looked on in surprise
Sayin’, “Betsy, get up! You’ll get sand in your eyes!”
Singin’ “Too-ra-lai, oo-ra-lai, oo-ra-lai-ay!

Sweet Betsy got up in a great deal of pain.
Declared she’d go back to Pike County again!
But Ike gave a sigh and they fondly embraced,
And they traveled along with his arm round her waste.
Singin’ “Too-ra-lai, oo-ra-lai, oo-ra-lai-ay!



Home On The Range
(Probable authors: Brewster Higley and Dan Kelly - 1800’s)

Oh, give me a home where the buffalo roam,
Where the deer and the antelope play!
Where seldom is hear a discouraging word,
And the skies are not cloudy all day!

Home, home on the range!
Where the deer and the antelope play!
Where seldom is hear a discouraging word,
And the skies are not cloudy all day!

How often at night when the heavens are bright
With the light of the glittering stars
Have I stood there amazed and asked as I gazed
If their beauty exceeds that of ours!


Where the air is so pure, the zephyrs so free
The breezes so balmy and light
That I would not exchange my home on the range
For all of their cities so bright!


Jump Down, Turn Around, Get A Gold Nugget
(traditional, adapted by MaryLee Sunseri)

Jump down, turn around, get a gold nugget
Jump down, turn around, get a nugget now
Jump down turn around, get a gold nugget
Jump down, turn around, get a nugget now!

Gold nuggets! Nuggets in my pockets!
Gold nuggets! Nuggets in the pan!
Gold nuggets! Nuggets in my pockets!
Gold nuggets! Nuggets in the pan!


Hee Naa: Maidu Hand Game Chant
(traditional)
This is a “hide and seek” game played
by the Maidu Indians of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
One player would hide a gold nugget in his hands behind
his back. The other players would chant the song and try to
guess which hand held the gold nugget.

Chant: Hee naa, hee naa...



B-I-N-G-O
(traditional)
Another game song. Children clap the first letter
instead of singing the letter. Progressively, each
letter is left off until all the letters are clapped.

There was a farmer had a dog
And Bingo was his name-o!
B-I-N-G-O, B-I-N-G-O, B-I-N-G-O
And Bingo was his name-o!

There was a farmer had a dog
And Bingo was his name-o!
(clap)-I-N-G-O, (clap)-I-N-G-O, (clap)-I-N-G-O
And Bingo was his name-o!


Skip To My Lou
(traditional)

Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou! Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou!
Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou! Skip to my Lou my Darlin!

1.) Lost my partner, what’ll I do?
2.) I’ll get another one, prettier ‘n you!
3.) Flies in the buttermilk, shoo, fly, shoo!
4.) Little red wagon painted blue…
5.) Gone again, skip to my Lou…


I Am A Cowboy
(words and music by MaryLee Sunseri)

I am a cowboy! Got my hat and my rope!
I ride a pony; we gallop and lope!
Yippeeay-ooooh-yip hah!

I am a cowboy! I throw my lasso;
I tie up those doggies and brand them just so!
Yippeeay-ooooh-yip hah!

I am a cowboy! My chaps are of leather;
My spurs jingle, jingle. I live out in the weather!
Yippeeay-ooooh-yip hah!

I am a cowboy! I ride on the plains;
I drink lots of coffee. I eat lots of beans.
Yippeeay-ooooh-yip hah!



I am a cowboy! I sing a cowboy songs!
I wear a bandana out in the dust all day long!

I am a cowboy! My saddle is my pillow;
My blanket is the sky. I dream of rodeo!
Yippeeay-ooooh-yip hah!

I am a cowboy! Got my hat and my rope!
I whistle and sing! I holler and whoop!
Yippeeay-ooooh-yip hah!
Yippeeay-ooooh-yip hah!


I’ve Been Workin’ On The Railroad
(first appeared in print in Carmina Princetonia 1894)

I’ve been workin’ on the railroad all the live-long day!
I’ve been workin’ on the railroad just to pass the time away!
Can’t you hear the whistle blowin’? Rise up so early in the morn!
Can’t you hear the captain shouting, “Dinah, blow your horn!”

Dinah won’t you blow! Dinah won’t you blow!
Dinah won’t you blow your horn?
Dinah won’t you blow! Dinah won’t you blow!
Dinah won’t you blow your horn?

Someone’s in the kitchen with Dinah!
Someone’s in the kitchen I know!
Someone’s in the kitchen with Dinah!
Strummin’ on the old banjo! And singin’:
Fee-fi-fiddley-i-oh! Fee-fi-fiddley-i-oh-oh-oh-oh
Fee-fi-fiddley-i-oh! Strummin’ on the old banjo!



Down In The Valley
(traditional)

Down in the valley, valley so low
Hang your head over, hear the wind blow!
Hear the wind blow, dear, hear the wind blow!
Hang your head over, hear the wind blow!

Roses love sunshine, violets love dew.
Angels in heaven know I love you!
Know I love you dear, know I love you!
Angels in heaven know I love you!