Come sing some of the most famous American Folk Songs in history, plus a few new ones for you to enjoy that have been passed down in my family for generations. Great for starry nights around the campfire. Lyrics are provided so you can sing along!
Campfire Folk Songs
A chipmunk, chipmunk sitting on a limb
Oh a chipmunk, chipmunk sitting on a limb
And he winked at me and I at him
So I picked up a chip and I hit him on the chin
And he said: "Young man, don’t you try that again!"
Hey skip along, skip along a Josie
Hey skip along and a skip along a Joe
Hey skip along, skip along a Josie
Hey skip along and a skip along a Joe
Hush-a-bye, don’t you cry,
Go to sleepy my little baby,
When you awake, you shall have
And all the pretty little horses.
Black and bay, dapple and grey,
Coach and six-a little horses,
Hush-a-bye, don’t you cry,
Go to sleepy my little baby.
When you awake, you shall have
And all the pretty little horses.
Bicycle Built for Two
Daisy, Daisy
Give me your answer do
I’m half crazy
All for the love of you
It won’t be a stylish marriage
I can’t afford a carriage
But you’ll look sweet upon the seat
Of a bicycle built for two
Robert, Robert,
Here is my answer true.
You’re half crazy
If you think that will do.
If you can’t afford a carriage
There won’t be any marrige
‘Cause I’ll be switched
If I’ll be hitched
On a bicycle built for two
Black is the color of my true love’s hair
Black, black, black
is the color of my true love’s hair
Her lips are like a rose so fair
And the prettiest face and the neatest hands.
I love the grass whereon she stands
She with the wondrous hair.
Black, black, black
is the color of my true love’s hair
Her face is something truly rare.
Oh I do love my love and so well she knows
I love the ground whereon she goes.
She with the wondrous hair.
Black, black, black
is the color of my true love’s hair
Alone, my life would be so bare.
I would sigh, I would weep,
I would never fall asleep
My love is ‘way beyond compare
She with the wondrous hair.
Black, black, black
is the color of my true love’s hair.
Blow the Man Down
Come all ye young fellows that follow the sea,
to my way haye, blow the man down,
And pray pay attention and listen to me,
Give me some time to blow the man down.
I’m a deep water sailor just in from Hong Kong,
to my way haye, blow the man down,
if you’ll give me some grog, I’ll sing you a song,
Give me some time to blow the man down.
‘Twas on a Black Baller I first served my time,
to my way haye, blow the man down,
And on that Black Baller I wasted my prime,
Give me some time to blow the man down.
‘Tis larboard and starboard on the deck you will sprawl,
to my way haye, blow the man down,
For "Kicking Jack" Williams commands the Black Ball.
Give me some time to blow the man down.
Pay attention to order, now you one and all,
to my way haye, blow the man down,
For right there above you flies the Black Ball.
Give me some time to blow the man down.
Clementine
In a cavern, in a canyon, excavating for a mine,
Lived a miner, forty-niner, and his daughter Clementine.
Chorus
Oh my darling, Oh my darling, Oh my darling Clementine,
You are 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 into the foaming brine.
Ruby lips above the water, blowing bubbles soft and fine,
Alas for me! I was no swimmer, so I lost my Clementine.
In a churchyard near the canyon, where the myrtle doth entwine,
There grow roses and other posies, fertilized by Clementine.
Then the miner, forty-niner, soon began to peak and pine,
Thought he oughter join his daughter, now he’s with his Clementine.
In my dreams she still doth haunt me, robed in garments soaked in brine,
While in life I used to hug her, now she’s dead I draw the line.
Do Your Ears Hang Low?
[Tune: Turkey in the Straw, refrain]
Do your ears hang low, do they waggle to and fro?
Can you tie them in a knot, can you tie them is a bow?
Can you throw them o’re your shoulder like a continental soldier?
Do your ears hang low?
Do your ears stick out, can you waggle them about?
Can you flap them up and down as you fly around the town?
Can you shut them up for sure when you hear an awful bore?
Do your ears stick out?
Do your ears stand high, do they reach up to the sky?
Do they hang down when they’re wet, do they stand up when they’re dry?
Can you semaphore your neighbor with the minimum of labor?
Do your ears stand high?
Drunken Sailor
Chorus
Way, hay up she rises,
Way, hay, up she rises,
Way, hay, up she rises,
Earlye in the morning!
What will we do with the drunken sailor?
What will we do with the drunken sailor?
What will we do with the drunken sailor?
Earlye in the morning?
Chorus
Put him in the brig until he’s sober.
Put him in the brig until he’s sober.
Put him in the brig until he’s sober.
Earlye in the morning?
Chorus
Home on the Range
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.
Hot Time In the Old Town Tonight
One dark night when we were all in bed,
Mrs. O’Leary left her lantern in the shed.
Well, the cow kicked it over, and this is what they said:
"There’ll be a hot time in the old town tonight!"
(For dramatic effect, shout out "FIRE, FIRE, FIRE" at the end of the verse.
Repeat song, getting softer each time until you are humming the tune.
End each repetition by shouting "FIRE, FIRE, FIRE." )
I’m a Little Hunk of Tin
I’m a little hunk of tin, nobody knows what shape I’m in.
Got four wheels and a running board, I’m a four-door, I’m a Ford.
Honk-honk, rattle-rattle, don’t crash, beep-beep [repeat twice ]
Honk-honk, honk-honk, honk-honk.
Actions: honk-pull ears; rattle-shake head; crash-cover face with hands; beep-push on nose with flat of hand
I’ve been working on the railroad
I’ve been working on the railroad
All the livelong day
I’ve been working on the railroad
Just to pass the time away
Can’t you hear the whistle blowing
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
Di
nah, 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
Strumming on the old banjo, and singing
Fie, fi, fiddly i o
Fie, fi, fiddly i o
Fie, fi, fiddly i o
Strumming on the old banjo
Lavender’s blue, diddle diddle
Lavender’s blue, diddle diddle
Lavender’s green,
When I am king, diddle diddle
You shall be queen.
Lavender’s green, diddle diddle
Lavender’s blue,
You must love me, diddle diddle
‘Cause I love you.
I got a gal that I adore
Little Liza Jane
Way down south in Baltimore
Little Liza Jane
Chorus
Oh Eliza, Little Liza Jane
Oh Eliza, Little Liza Jane
Down where she lives the posies grow
Little Liza Jane
Chickens round the kitchen door
Little Liza Jane
(Repeat Chorus)
I don’t care how far we roam
Little Liza Jane
Where she’s at is home sweet home
Little Liza Jane
(Repeat Chorus)
Michael row the boat ashore, hallelujah
Michael row the boat ashore, hallelujah
Sister help to trim the sail, hallelujah
Sister help to trim the sail, hallelujah
My Bonnie lies over the ocean,
My Bonnie lies over the sea,
My Bonnie lies over the ocean,
O bring back my Bonnie to me.
Chorus:
Bring back, bring back,
O bring back my Bonnie to me, to me!
Bring back, bring back,
O bring back my Bonnie to me.
Oh Susannah
I come from Alabama with a banjo on my knee
I’m going to Louisiana, my true love 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.
Chorus:
Oh, Susannah, oh don’t you cry for me
For I come from Alabama with a banjo on my knee.
I had a dream the other night when everything was still
I dreamed I saw Susannah dear a-coming down the hill.
The buckwheat cake was in her mouth the tear was in her eye
Says I, “I’m coming from the south, Susannah, don’t you cry.”
Oh, I went down south for to see my Sal.
Singing Polly Wolly Doodle all the day.
My Sally is a spunky gal.
Singing Polly Wolly Doodle all the day.
Fare thee well, (clap, clap) Fare thee well, (clap, clap)
Fare thee well, my fairy fay.
For I’m goin’ to Lousiana, For to see my Susyanna.
Sing Polly Wolly Doodle all the day
My Sal, she is a maiden fair,
Singing Polly Wolly Doodle all the day.
With curly eyes and laughing hair,
Singing Polly Wolly Doodle all the day.
Fare thee well, (clap, clap) Fare thee well, (clap, clap)
Fare thee well, my fairy fay.
For I’m goin’ to Lousiana, For to see my Susyanna.
Singing Polly Wolly Doodle all the day
Where, oh where is pretty little Susie?
Where, oh where is pretty little Susie?
Where, oh where is pretty little Susie?
Way down yonder in the paw-paw patch.
Pickin’ up paw-paws, puttin’ ’em in her pocket,
Pickin’ up paw-paws, puttin’ ’em in her pocket,
Pickin’ up paw-paws, puttin’ ’em in her pocket,
Way down yonder in the paw-paw patch.
Red River Valley
From this valley they say you are going
We will miss your bright eyes and sweet smile
For they say you are taking the sunshine
That has brightened our path for a while
Come and sit by my side if you love me
Do not hasten to bid me adieu
But remember the Red River Valley
And the cowboy who loved you so true
Won’t you think of the valley you’re leaving
Oh how lonely, how sad it will be?
Oh think of the fond heart you’re breaking
And the grief you are causing to me
Come and sit by my side if you love me
Do not hasten to bid me adieu
But remember the Red River Valley
And the cowboy who loved you so true
Row, row, row your boat,
Gently down the stream.
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
Life is but a dream.
She’ll be coming round the mountain
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
She’ll be driving six white horses when she comes
She’ll be driving six white horses when she comes
She’ll be driving six white horses,
She’ll be driving six white horses,
She’ll be driving six white horses
When she comes
Oh, we’ll all go out to meet her when she comes
Oh, we’ll all go out to meet her when she comes
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
Shenandoah
Oh Shenandoah, I long to see you,
Far away you rolling river,
Oh Shenandoah, I long to see you,
Away, we’re bound away across the wide Missouri.
I long to see your smiling valley,
Far away you rolling river,
I long to see your smiling valley,
Far away you rolling river,
‘Tis seven long years since last I saw thee,
Far away you rolling river,
‘Tis seven long years since last I saw thee,
Far away you rolling river,
Lou, lou, skip to my Lou,
Lou, lou, skip to my Lou,
Lou, lou, skip to my Lou,
Skip to my Lou, my darlin’.
Choose your partner, skip to my Lou
Choose your partner, skip to my Lou
Choose your partner, skip to my Lou
Skip to my Lou, my darlin’.
Fly’s in the buttermilk, shoo, shoo, shoo,
Fly’s in the buttermilk, shoo, shoo, shoo,
Fly’s in the buttermilk, shoo, shoo, shoo,
Skip to my Lou, my darlin’.
Lost my partner, what’ll I do?
Lost my partner, what’ll I do?
Lost my partner, what’ll I do?
Skip to my Lou, my darlin’.
The train’s a-comin’ around the bend
Goodbye my lover, goodbye
The train’s a-comin’ around the bend
Goodbye my lover, goodbye
By baby by-oh, what makes you cry so
By baby by-oh, goodbye my lover goodbye.
Turkey in the Straw
As I was a-gwine down the road,
With a tired team and a heavy load,
I crack’d my whip and the leader sprung,
I says day-day to the wagon tongue.
Turkey in the straw, turkey in the hay,
Roll ’em up and twist ’em up a high tuckahaw
And twist ’em up a tune called Turkey in the Straw.
Went out to milk, and I didn’t know h
ow,
I milked the goat instead of the cow.
A monkey sittin’ on a pile of straw,
A-winkin’ at his mother-in-law.
Turkey in the straw, turkey in the hay,
Roll ’em up and twist ’em up a high tuckahaw
And twist ’em up a tune called Turkey in the Straw.
Met Mr. Catfish comin’ down stream.
Says Mr. Catfish, "What does you mean?"
Caught Mr. Catfish by the snout,
And turned Mr. Catfish wrong side out.
Turkey in the straw, turkey in the hay,
Roll ’em up and twist ’em up a high tuckahaw
And twist ’em up a tune called Turkey in the Straw.
Came to a river and I couldn’t get across,
Paid five dollars for a blind old hoss;
Wouldn’t go ahead, nor he wouldn’t stand still,
So he went up and down like an old saw mill.
Turkey in the straw, turkey in the hay,
Roll ’em up and twist ’em up a high tuckahaw
And twist ’em up a tune called Turkey in the Straw.
As I came down the new cut road,
Met Mr. Bullfrog, met Miss Toad
And every time Miss Toad would sing,
Old Bullfrog cut a pigeon wing.
Turkey in the straw, turkey in the hay,
Roll ’em up and twist ’em up a high tuckahaw
And twist ’em up a tune called Turkey in the Straw
Yankee Doodle
Father and I went down to camp
Along with Captain Gooding
And there we saw the men and boys
As thick as hasty pudding.
Chorus
Yankee doodle, keep it up
Yankee doodle dandy
Mind the music and the step
And with the girls be handy.
There was Captain Washington
Upon a slapping stallion
A-giving orders to his men
I guess there was a million.
Chorus
