Friday, February 19, 2010

Childhood Songs Like "The Cannibal King"

Steviewren was talking about all the songs we used to learn as children and wondering whether anyone still taught them to the new generation of children. That got me thinking about the songs I loved (and learned from) when I was young.

Songs are such a wonderful way to teach things, all kinds of things. I was taught the books of the Bible with a song, and I still sing it when I am looking for chapter and verse. I learned scripture to song, like 1 John 7 & 8, and I learned Bible stories too. Teaching phonics to my youngest son was so easy once I found "Sing, Spell, Read and Write" by Sue Dickson. I can't recommend it highly enough, even if you only use it to teach the sounds of the letters to your child. My older sons loved the Rappin Rabbit's Safety Habits tape, and learned ways to handle scary situations.

But some songs are just for fun. Did anyone else sing "Kookaburra" or the one about the "little green frog, doing what he oughter"? My sister always liked the Prune song ("No matter how young a prune may be, they're always full of wrinkles..."). Two of my favorites were
"The Cannibal King" and "The Crocodile Song." For your amusement, the lyrics are below. Now,Steviewren, what's this about the Abba Dabba Monkey?


The Cannibal King
With the Brass Nose Ring
Fell in love with the dusky da-a-ame
And every night
By the pale moonlight
Across the lake he ca-a-ame
He hugged and kissed
His pretty little Miss
By the shade of the bamboo tre-e-ee
And every night
By the pale moonlight
It sounded like this to me-e-ee
Harrumph, (smooch, smooch)*
Harrumph, (smooch, smooch)
Harrumph Diddily I E A A A**
Harrumph, (smooch, smooch)
Harrumph, (smooch, smooch)
Harrumph Diddily I E A
Bump Diddily A A
(SMOOCH, SMOOCH)

*make smoochy, kissing noises
** pronounce each letter separately

The second song is called "The Crocodile Song"


One fine summer day
A lady sailed away
On the back of a crocodile
"You see," said she, "he's as tame as tame can be,
I'll ride him down the Nile."
The croc winked his eye
As she bade them all goodbye
Wearing a happy smile
By the end of the ride
The lady was inside
And the smile on the crocodile!

What songs do you remember?

8 comments:

Zuzana said...

My mom tells me that I used to love singing children songs and asked her to sing for me often.
Today of course I recall a few only and the fact that I grew up in a foreign country and live my life in yet another, I am very removed from the songs of my childhood.;)
I know none of these you list here, but of course, that is only to be expected.;)
Have a lovely weekend,
xo
Zuzana

Connie said...

You are my Sunshine, Make New Friend, but keep the Old and so many others I also remember Mein Hut der hat drei ecken or something like that My hat is has three corners :)

dragonwithin said...

The lyrics of these songs are amusing and a bit dark, if I may say so myself. As a child I was particularly fond of these rhyming songs. I remember kookabura very well with "merry-merrying in the bush is he" as the 2nd line of the song. Recalling these songs brings a smile to my face. They remind me of those innocent childhood days.

CB said...

I also love all those great old songs and I did teach them to my children. Wee Sing had them all on cassette tapes (yes I am old - ha ha) when my kids were little and we would sing away in the car!!

I also learned the books of the Bible in a song - So great!!

Thanks for the great memories :D

Cherdecor said...

Those songs make me laugh! I never heard of any of them but they sure are cute.

The only songs I sang as a child were
Jesus Love Me
Jesus Wants Me For a Sunbeam
Deep and Wide
The B-I-B-L-E
He's got the whole world in his hands.

My children sang
Our God is so BIG
If I Were a Butterfly
My Dog named Germ
Who is that in that Highchair.

Many others I cannot think of at the moment.

this is my patch said...

I don't recognise your songs, but I do know some others from my childhood! Maybe I shall share them on my blog someday? x

daffy said...

THis is wonderful! Now I'm singing all my childhood ditties!
I remember one...

Have you got the sunshine smile

Makes me smile just thinking of it!
x

Beverlydru said...

I am so delighted to hear about the little one due on July. Our Rosebud will be 1 on July 11! What a gift grandchildren are! Glad you are polishing up on silly songs. I ADORE silly songs and am doing my part to pass them along. I don't know the two you posted but assuredly know AbbaDabba Monkey, Kookaburra and countless others. I understand I need to learn VeggieTales songs. It will be a pleasure!

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