We’ll Camp a Little While in the Wilderness
Appalachian trad.
arr. Ian A. Cook
We’ll camp a little while in the wilderness,
in the wilderness, in the wilderness,
we’ll camp a little while in the wilderness,
then we’re all going home.
CHORUS
We’re all going home,
we’re all going home,
we’ll camp a little while in the wilderness,
then we’re all going home.
Oh, mothers (/fathers/brothers/sisters), are you ready,
ready, oh, ready?
Oh, mothers (/fathers/brothers/sisters), are you ready?
Then we’re all going home.
Brown Eyed Girl
Van Morrison
arr. Ian A. Cook
Hey, where did we go?
Days when the rains came
Down in the hollow
Playin’ a new game
Laughin’ and a-runnin’, hey, hey
Skippin’ and a jumpin’
In the misty morning fog with
Our, our hearts a thumpin'
And you, my brown-eyed girl
You, my brown-eyed girl
Whatever happened
To Tuesday and so slow?
Going down the old mine
With a transistor radio
Standing in the sunlight laughing
Hiding behind a rainbow’s wall
Slipping and sliding
All along the waterfall
With you, my brown-eyed girl
You, my brown-eyed girl
Do you remember when we used to sing
Sha-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-tee-da?
Sha-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-tee-da
La-tee-da
So hard to find my way
Now that I’m all on my own
I saw you just the other day
My, how you have grown
Cast my memory back there, Lord
Sometimes I’m overcome thinking about
Making love in the green grass
Behind the stadium
With you, my brown-eyed girl
You, my brown-eyed girl
Do you remember when we used to sing
Sha-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-tee-da?
Sha-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-tee-da
La-tee-da
The River Driver
Canadian traditional
arr. Great Big Sea & Ian A. Cook
I was just the age of sixteen
when I first went on the drive.
After six months hard labour,
At home I did arrive,
And courted with a pretty girl;
’Twas her caused me to roam.
Now I’m a river driver
And I’m far away from home.
CHORUS
I’ll eat when I am hungry
And I’ll drink when I am dry.
Get drunk whenever I’m ready,
Get sober by and by.
And if the river don’t drown me,
It’s down I’ll need to roam.
For I’m a river driver,
And I’m far away from home.
I’ll build a lonesome castle
Upon some mountain high
Where she can sit and view me
As I go passin’ by,
Where she can sit and view me
As I go marching on.
For I’m a river driver
And I’m far away from home.
When I am old and feeble
And in my sickness lie,
just wrap me up in a blanket
And lay me down to die.
Just get a little blue bird
To sing for me alone.
For I’m a river driver
And I’m far away from home.
Woodsmoke and Oranges
Ian Tamblyn
arr. Rebecca Campbell
By woodsmoke and oranges, path of old canoe,
I would course the inland ocean to be back to you.
No matter where I go to, it’s always home again
To the rugged northern shore and the days of sun and wind.
We nosed her in by Pukaskwa, out for fifteen days,
To put paddle and the spirit at the mercy of the waves.
The wanigans were loaded down and a gift left on the shore,
For it’s best if we surrender to the rugged northern shore.
In the land of the silver birch, cry of the loon,
There’s something in this country that’s a part of me and you.
The waves smashed the smoky cliffs of Old Woman Bay,
Where we fought against the backswell and then were on our way.
I could speak to you of spirit – by the vision pits we saw them
Walk the agate beaches of the mighty Gargantua.
I have turned my back upon these things, tried to deny
The coastline of my dreams, but it turns me by and by.
It tossed the mighty ship around, smashed the lighthouse door,
Sends a shiver up my spine, oh the rugged northern shore.
In the land of the silver birch, cry of the loon
There’s something ’bout this country that’s a part of me and you.
Up on the Roof
Gerry Goffin and Carole King
arr. Deke Sharon and Anne Raugh
When this old world starts getting me down
and people are just too much for me to face,
I climb way up to the top of the stairs,
and all my cares just drift right into space.
On the roof’s the only place I know
where you just have to wish to make it so.
Oh, let’s go up on the roof.
When I come home feeling tired and beat,
I go up where the air is fresh and sweet.
I get away from that hustling crowd
and all that rat race noise down in the street.
At night the stars put on a show for free.
And, darling, you can share it all with me.
I keep telling you that
Right smack-dab in the middle of town,
I found a paradise that’s trouble proof.
And if this old world starts getting you down,
there’s room enough for two up on the roof.
Come on!
Come on, babe.
Up on the roof.
Earth Song
Frank Ticheli
Sing, be, live, see.
This dark stormy hour,
The wind, it stirs,
The scorched earth cries out in vain:
O war and power,
you blind and blur.
The torn heart cries out in pain.
But music and singing
have been my refuge,
and music and singing
shall be my light.
A light of song, shining strong:
Alleluia! Alleluia.
Through darkness and pain and strife,
I’ll sing, I’ll be, I’ll live, see…
Peace.
True Colors
Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly
arr. Ian A. Cook
You with the sad eyes,
don’t be discouraged.
Oh, I realize,
it’s hard to take courage
in a world full of people,
you can lose sight of it all,
and the darkness inside you
can make you feel so small.
Show me a smile, then.
Don’t be unhappy.
Can’t remember when
I last saw you laughing.
When the world makes you crazy,
and you’ve taken all you can bear,
you call me up
’cause you know I’ll be there.
CHORUS
And I see your true colors
shining through.
I see your true colors,
that’s why I love you.
So don’t be afraid
to let them show.
Your true colors,
true colors
are beautiful
like a rainbow.
Show me a smile, then.
Don’t be unhappy.
Can’t remember when
I last saw you laughing.
When the world makes you crazy,
and you’ve taken all you can bear,
just call me up
and you know I’ll be there.
Što mi e milo
Macedonian trad.
arr. Daniel Hughes
(Sung in Macedonian)
How nice it would be for me
to have a shop in the town of Struga.
Hurry young Kalina…
To sit by the door and
watch the young girls go by.
Hurry young Kalina…
As they go to fetch water
with their colorful jugs.
Hurry young Kalina…
To the spring, where they
meet with their friends.
Hurry young Kalina…
The Mirthful Heart
Abbie Betinis
text by Grace Fallow Norton
Without, a city’s whirling dust,
Without, a city’s alley-wall;
Without, a bleak, pale strip of sky.
Within, high festival.
Without, no greeting on the street,
From the hurrying crowd no smile.
Within, my heart’s bold pageant moves
In glorious solemn file.
REFRAIN
Noel, noel, noel, noel,
Noel, noel…
There was no call for revel. Day,
Who summons us each morn,
Came forth in dreariest garb and blew
No gala herald-horn.
But slave of day I am not — nay,
Her mistress still, I wield
The crystal sceptre of my mood,
Bearing my dream’s white shield.
Exultant, rapture-flooded, mad
With mystic inner mirth,
My heart holds her strange carnival
Unseen of all the earth.
To See It
Ian A. Cook
text by Laura Foley
We need to separate
to see the life we’ve made,
to leave our house
where someone waits, patiently,
warm beneath the sheets;
to don layers of armor,
sweater, coat, mittens, scarf,
to stride down the frozen road,
putting distance between us,
this cold winter morning,
to look back and see,
on the hilltop, our life,
lit from inside.
The Lion Sleeps Tonight
George David Weiss, Luigi Creatore, & Hugo Peretti
arr. Jon Nicholas
In the jungle, the mighty jungle,
The lion sleeps tonight.
In the jungle, the quiet jungle,
The lion sleeps tonight.
In the village, the peaceful village,
The lion sleeps tonight.
In the village, the quiet village,
The lion sleeps tonight.
Hush, my darling, don’t fear, my darling,
The lion sleeps tonight.
Hush, my darling, don’t fear, my darling,
The lion sleeps tonight.
The Steady Light
Reginald Unterseher
text by Sheila Dunlop
Let my footfall
on this sacred earth
tread lightly as a falling leaf.
Let my shadow
from this blessed sun
shut no one from the light.
Let my dance
beneath these holy stars
grow stronger with the years.
Let my heart expand
with sky-wide love.
Those who go before
hold high the steady light
that shows me where I am.
Good Old Acapella
L. Carter and O. Nevada
arr. Deke Sharon and Anne Raugh
Well there’s a light coming from the window
And it shines down on the street
There’s some guys standing on the corner
Singin’ that good old harmony
And the light coming from the window
Shines on a street corner symphony
Let ’em laugh, let ’em sing
Makin’ that good old harmony
Soul to soul
Brother to brother
A cappella
Sounds good to me
I just want it understood
The boys brought boogey to the neighbourhood
And they’re standing under the light
Singing tonight
Singing that good old a cappella
Sound that sounds so sweet
Light, let ’em sing
Makin’ that good old harmony
Soul to soul
Brother to brother
A cappella
Sounds good to me
When I turn out the light
Say goodbye to another night
I’m gonna rest my weary head
Put my bones away to bed
I’m gonna get on my knees and pray to the Lord
To give me just one more day
Oh Lord, hear my plea
This music means so much to me
Soul to soul
Brother to brother
A cappella
Sounds good to me