Music at arbor: Sing, Say, Learn, and Play

Arbor students enjoy two or three music periods every week, as well as singing frequently in class groups and at school assemblies. You can find a few of our favorites below.

Now let me tell you a story 'bout a man named Charlie
On this tragic & fateful day:
He put 10 cents in his pocket, kissed his wife & family
Went to ride on the MTA.

CHORUS:
But did he ever return? No, he never returned
And his fate is still unlearned (Poor Charlie!)
He may ride forever 'neath the streets of Boston
He's the man who never returned.

Charlie handed in his dime at the Kendall Square Station
And he changed for Jamaica Plain.
When he got there the conductor told him "One more nickel!"
Charlie couldn't get off that train.

[CHORUS]

Don't worry about a thing
'Cause every little thing gonna be alright
Singing' don't worry about a thing
'Cause every little thing gonna be alright

Rise up this mornin'
Smiled with the risin' sun
Three little birds
Pitch by my doorstep
Singin' sweet songs
Of melodies pure and true
Saying', (this is my message to you)

Cold wind on the harbor and rain on the road
Wet promise of Winter brings recourse to coal
There's fire in the blood and a fog on the shore
The giant will rise with the moon

CHORUS:
So, crash the glass down!
Move with the tide
Young friends and old stories are burning inside
Crash the glass down!
Fingal will rise - with the moon. 
With the moon.

Oh, Señor Don Gato was a cat.
On a high red roof, Don Gato sat.
He went there to read a letter
Where the reading light was better.
'Twas a love note for Don Gato!

Oh, the note was from a feline fair
Who was so divine, with fluffy hair.
There was not a sweeter kitty,
(Meow, meow, meow)
In the country or the city,
(Meow, meow, meow)
And she said she'd wed Don Gato.

Oh, Don Gato jumped so happily
He fell off the roof and broke his knee.
Broke his knee and all his whiskers,
(Meow, meow, meow)
And his little solar plexus.
(Ow, ow, ow)
"¡Ay, caramba!" cried Don Gato.

*Maw deh reen a rua, rua, rua, rua, rua
Maw deh reen a rua thaw grawn yah.
Maw deh reen a rua in a lee saw loo,
Is bor a kluish in ord ya.

“Good morrow, fox!”
“Good morrow, sir!” 
“Pray what is that you’re ‘ating?”
“A fine fat goose I stole from you, and
Will you come and taste it?”
“Oh no indeed, I do not want it,
I would not taste a pick of it! But I
Vow and swear that you’ll dearly pay
For that fine fat goose you’re ‘ating.”

“Hark hark Finder, Lily and Piper”,
Gather the dogs together.
“Hark, hark, Truman, youl lazy hound!
Bateman, you’re a good dog.
Tally ho on the scent, tally ho on the scent,
Tally ho on the scent little puppy.
Tally ho on the scent, tally ho on the scent.” And the top of his two ears pricking up.*

“A distressed and sort heart to you, you
Bad fox, that took away my lovely flock of geese. My fine fat rooster, my beautiful Hens, and the nicest ducks in the whole of Ireland.”
 

Oh see fleet-foot hosts of men
Who speed with faces wan.
From farmstead and from thresher’s cot
Along the banks of Ban.

They come with vengeance in their eyes, 
Too late, too late are they, as young
Roddy McCorley goes to die on the bridge
Of Toome today.

Up the narrow street he stepped, smiling proud and young.
About the hemp rope ‘round his neck, the golden ringlets clung.
There’s ne’er a tear in his blue eyes, both glad and bright are they,
As young Roddy McCorley goes to die on the bridge of Toome today.

When last he stepped up that street, his shining pike in hand,
Behind him marched in grim array a stalwart earnest band.
“For Antrim town! For Antrim town!” He led them to the fray,
As young Roddy McCorley goes to die on the bridge of Toome today.

There’s never a one of all your dead more bravely fell in fray
Then he who marches to his fate on the bridge of Toome today.
True to the last! True to the last! He treads the upward way, as young
Roddy McCorley goes to die on the bridge of Toome today. 
 

As I was goin’ over old Kilgarry Mountain,
I met with Captain Farrell and his money he was countin’
First I drew me pistols, then I rattled forth me saber
”Stand and deliver man, I am your bold receiver!”

Chorus:
Musha ringam duran da;
Whack fol de daddeo
Whack fol de daddeo, there’s whiskey in the jar.

He counted out his money and it made a pretty penny;
I took the money home and I gave it to me Jenny;
She sighed and she said that she never would deceive me,
But the devil’s in the women and I never will be easy.

[CHORUS]

Early in the mornin, ‘tween the hours of six and seven,
The guards were standin’ round me in numbers odd and even;
I flew to me pistols but alas I was mistaken,
For Jenny’d wet the powder and a prisoner I was taken.

[CHORUS]

I think I’ll find me brother, the one who’s in the army,I don’t know where he stationed, is it Cork or in Kilarney;Together we’ll go roamin’ through the mountains of Kilkenny;And I dare he’ll treat me fairer than me darlin’ sportin’ Jenny.

[CHORUS]

Some take delight in fishin’ and a fowlin’ While others take delight in the carriages a rollin’I take delight in the juice of the barley,A’ courtin’ pretty women in the morning so early!

[CHORUS]

Now all night long Charlie rides through the tunnel
Saying, "What will become of me?
How can I afford to see my sister in Chelsea
Or my cousin in Roxbury?"

[CHORUS]

Charlie's wife goes down to the Scollay Square Station
Every day at a quarter past two
And thru the open window she hands Charlie a sandwich
As the train comes rumblin' through.

[CHORUS]

Now you citizens of Boston, don't you think it is a scandal
That the people have to pay & pay?
Fight the fare increase, vote for Walter O'Brien
And get Charlie off the MTA!

©  Jacqueline Steiner and Bess Lomax Hawes

Singing' don't worry 'bout a thing
'Cause every little thing gonna be alright
Singing' don't worry (don't worry) 'bout a thing
'Cause every little thing gonna be alright

Rise up this mornin'
Smiled with the risin' sun
Three little birds
Pitch by my doorstep
Singin' sweet songs
Of melodies pure and true
Sayin', this is my message to you

Singin' don't worry about a thing, worry about a thing, oh
Every little thing gonna be alright, don't worry
Singin'…

In inclement weather the people are fey
Three thousand year stories as night slips away
Remembering Fingal feels not far away
The giant will rise with the moon.

[CHORUS}

The wind's in the North, there'll be new moon tonight
And we'll make a circle to dance in its sight.
Come, light all the torches and build fires bright
The giant will rise with the moon.

[CHORUS]

Oh, the doctors all came on the run,
Just to see if something could be done.
And they held a consultation
(Meow, meow, meow)
About how to save their patient,
(Meow, meow, meow)
How to save Señor Don Gato.

But, in spite of everything they tried,
Poor Señor Don Gato gave up and died.
And it wasn't very merry
(Meow, meow, meow)
Going to the cemetery
(Meow, meow, meow)
For the ending of Don Gato.

As the funeral passed the market square,
Such a smell of fish was in the air.
Though his burial was slated,
(Meow, meow, meow)
He became re-animated.
(Meow, meow, meow)
He came back to life, Don Gato!

The Gypsy Rover came over the hill,
Down by the river so shady.
He whistled and he sang ‘til the Greenwoods rang, and he won the heart of A lady.

*Ah dee doo, ah dee doo dah day
Ah dee doo, ah dee da-ay
He whistled and he sang ‘til the Greenwoods rang, and he won the heart of
A lady.

She left her father’s castle gates, 
She left her own fond lover,
She left her servants and her estate
To follow the Gypsy Rover.

Her father saddled his fastest steed,
And searched these hills all over
For his daughter at great speed
And the whistling Gypsy Rover.

He came at last to a mansion fine,
Down by the river so shady
And there was music and there was
Wine for the Gypsy and his lady.

“ He is no gypsy, my father,” she said,
“But a lord of these lands all over, and I
Will stay ‘til my dyin’ day with the whistling
Gypsy Rover.
 

O the summertime is coming and the trees are sweetly blooming
And the wild mountain thyme grows around the purple heather

Chorus:
Will you go, lassie go and we’ll all together
To pluck wild mountain thyme all around the purple heather
Will you go lassie go?

I will build my love a bower by yon crystal flowing fountain
And on it I will pile all the flowers of the mountain

[CHORUS}

If my true love will not go, I can surely find another
Where the wild mountain thyme grows around the purple heather

[CHORUS]

I will build my love a shelter on yon high mountain green
And my love shall be the fairest that the summer sun has seen

[CHORUS}