This is where I Polly wolly doodle all the day.
Speaking of Polly Wolly Doodle....do you remember the song or are you so young that you have no idea what I'm talking about? As my children were growing up and now my grandchildren, I've noticed that they no longer learn the old elementary music class staples. Songs like:
Mary Had a Little Lamb
You Are My Sunshine
The Farmer in the Dell
Oh, Susanna
Bingo (was his name O)
Ring Around the Rosies
Hickory Dickory Dock
If You're Happy and You Know It
Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush
I remember singing Home On the Range, I've Been Working on the Railroad, Shenandoah, The Streets of Laredo, Billy Boy, Dixie, When Johnny Comes Marching Home, The Marine's Hymn, America The Beautiful and The Battle Hymn of the Republic as well as the National Anthem twice a week in music class all through my elementary years.
My mother taught all my children a nonsense song her older brother made up when he was a teenager. The story goes that the family was driving to Florida for the annual family vacation. The kids were bored as all kids get on long road trips. There was one apple and five children. It was offered to the one who made up the best song. My uncle won. His song is meant to be sung to the tune of Turkey in the Straw. It goes something like this....Hummm da duh ve vada moon da duh a da duh hip pat tata da duh moon ..... well you get the point you sing it fast. It has always been a tongue twister for me. My kids and now my grandkids can sing it better than I've ever been able too.
The point of this rambling rant about folk songs is that I hope they don't die out with our generation. They are a wonderful reminder of the musical history of this country as well as just being fun to sing. So sing one of these tunes to a little one in your life this week. Pass them on.
(I feel like a granny saying "I hope this music doesn't die out with our generation." It is scary to realize that I am old enough to start thinking thoughts like this. Yikes!)
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