Click HERE to hear a Real Audio file of the Austin Girls' Choir singing the first song, "The Orangutang":
(OR, just hear a MIDI file of it by clicking here)
1. The Orangutang
Orangutang-tang, Oringuting-ting, he set himself up to be king-a-ting-ting;
He called up the gibbons and decked them in ribbons,
And vowed he would teach them to sing-a-ting-ting!
Orangutang-tang, Orongutong-tong, said, "Someone must play for their song-a-tong-tong!"
He called the baboons and he gave them bassoons...
And told them to blow them along-a-tong-tong!
Orangutang-tang, Orungatung-tung, he called up the monkeys so young-a-tung-tung,
But when he said "Monkeys, I'll dress you as flunkeys,"
Away to the forest they sprung-a-tung-tung!
(Right here I put a cool middle sections where the piano part changes keys, while the kids improvise all kinds of monkey sounds... this always goes very well)
Oringuting-ting, Orangutang-tang, he bounced off his throne with a bang-a-tang-tang:
"I've had it with ruling, it's pesky and puling...
The kingdoms of earth can go hang-a-tang-tang-a-tang-tang-a-tang-tang-a-tang-tang!!!!
2. The Baby Goes To Boston
(hear a MIDI file of this song here; it is also on the home page)
What does the train say? Jiggle-joggle-jiggle-joggle
What does the train say? Jiggle-joggle-jee.
Will the little baby go riding with the locomo?
Loky-moky-poky-stoky-smoky-choky-chee!
Ding! Ding! The bells ring! Jiggle-joggle-jiggle-joggle
Ding! DIng! The bells ring! Jiggle-joggle-jee.
Ring for joy because we go riding with the locomo!
Loky-moky-poky-stoky-smoky-choky-chee!
Look how the trees run! Jiggle-joggle-jiggle-joggle
Look how the trees run! Jiggle-joggle-jee.
Are they running for to go riding with the locomo?
Loky-moky-poky-stoky-smoky-choky-chee!
Over the hills now, Jiggle-joggle-jiggle-joggle
Down thru the vale below, Jiggle-joggle-jee.
All the cows and horsies run, crying "Won't you take us on?"
Loky-moky-poky-stoky-smoky-choky-chee!
So, so the miles go! Jiggle-joggle-jiggle-joggle
Now we're fast and now we're slow, Jiggle-joggle-jee.
When we're at our journey's end, say goodbye to snorting friend...
Loky-moky-poky-stoky-smoky-choky-chee!!!!!!!
3. Eletelephony
Once there was an elephant who tried to use the telephant---
No, no, I mean an elephone who tried to use the telephone---
(Dear me! I am not certain quite that even now I've got it right!)
Anyway, he got his trunk entangled in the telephunk;
The more he tried to break it free, the louder rang the telephee...
(I think I'd better just drop this song of Elephop and Telephong.)
4. Harriet Hutch
Harriet Hutch, her conduct was such,
Her uncle remarked it would conquer the Dutch.
She boiled her bonnet, and she breakfasted on it,
Then she rode to the moon on her grandmother's crutch!
(Oh, she rode to the moon, yes she rode to the moon, and she rode to the moon on her grandmother's crutch.)
5. Nicholas Ned
Nicholas Ned, he lost his head (lost his head, lost his head)
And he put a turnip on instead;
But then--ah me!-- he could not see;
So he thought it was night and went to bed.
6. Tirra Lirra
Tirra Lirra, little John! Tirra Lirra, tiny Bill.
Take my hurdy-gurdy, lads; now turn it with a will!
In the sun and in the rain, sing and play and sing again.
Be you clown or be you king, still the singing is the thing.
Just be sure, my little boys, that you make a joyful noise!!!
These six poems are taken from the book "Tirra Lirra", Laura E. Richards' collection of what she refered to as "nonsense verse". Laura's mother by the way was Julia Ward Howe, who wrote the Battle Hymn of the Republic ("mine eyes have seen the glory...") Well, E-mail me, and dont forget to purchase this fine suite for your children's choir!