A frog he would a-wooing go, Heigh-ho! Says Rowley, A frog he would a-wooing go, Whether his mother would let him or no. With a Rowley, powley, gammon and spinach, Heigh-ho! Says Anthony Rowley. So off he went with his opera hat, Heigh-ho! Says Rowley, So off he set with his opera hat, And on the road he met with a rat. With a Rowley, powley, gammon and spinach, Heigh-ho! Says Anthony Rowley. They came to the door of Mousey’s hall, Heigh-ho! Says Rowley, They came to the door of Mousey’s hall, They gave a loud knock and they gave a loud call. With a Rowley, powley, gammon and spinach, Heigh-ho! Says Anthony Rowley. Pray, Mistress Mouse, are you within? Heigh-ho! Says Rowley, Pray, Mistress Mouse, are you within? Oh yes, kind sirs, I’m sitting to spin. With a Rowley, powley, gammon and spinach, Heigh-ho! Says Anthony Rowley. But while they were all a-merrymaking, Heigh-ho! Says Rowley, But while they were all a-merrymaking, A cat and her kittens came tumbling in. With a Rowley, powley, gammon and spinach, Heigh-ho! Says Anthony Rowley. The cat she seized the mouse by the crown, Heigh-ho! Says Rowley, The cat she seized the mouse by the crown, The kittens they pulled the little mouse down. With a Rowley, powley, gammon and spinach, Heigh-ho! Says Anthony Rowley. This put Mister Frog in a terrible fright, Heigh-ho! Says Rowley, This put Mister Frog in a terrible fright, He took up his hat and he wished them goodnight. With a Rowley, powley, gammon and spinach, Heigh-ho! Says Anthony Rowley.
Carousel: Seven Children's Songs
Song Cycle by Nicholas Marshall (b. 1942)
1. A frog he would a‑wooing go  [sung text checked 1 time]
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Researcher for this page: Mike Pearson1. Lavender's blue  [sung text checked 1 time]
Lavender’s blue, diddle, diddle, Lavender’s green; When I am king, diddle, diddle, You shall be queen. Who told you so, diddle, diddle, Who told you so? ‘Twas my own heart, diddle, diddle, That told me so. Call up your men, diddle, diddle, Set them to work, Some to the plough, diddle, diddle, Some to the fork. Some to make hay, diddle, diddle, Some to reap corn, Whilst you and I, diddle, diddle, Keep the bed warm. Let the birds sing, diddle, diddle, Let the lambs play; We shall be safe, diddle, diddle, Out of harm’s way. Lavender’s green, diddle, diddle, Lavender’s blue; If you love me, diddle, diddle, I will love you.
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Researcher for this page: Mike Pearson3. O my little sixpence!  [sung text checked 1 time]
O my little sixpence! I love sixpence! I love sixpence better than my life; I spent a penny of it, I lent another of it, I carried fourpence home to my wife. O my little fourpence! I love fourpence! I love fourpence better than my life; I spent a penny of it, I lent another of it, I carried twopence home to my wife. O my little twopence! I love twopence! I love twopence better than my life; I spent a penny of it, I lent another of it, I carried nothing home to my wife. O my little nothing! I’ve got nothing! I’ve got nothing for the rest of my life; I can spend nothing, I can lend nothing, But I love nothing better than my wife.
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Researcher for this page: Mike Pearson4. I will give my love an apple  [sung text checked 1 time]
I will give my love an apple without e'er a core, I will give my love a house without e'er a door, I will give my love a palace wherein she may be, And she may unlock it without any key. My head is the apple without e'er a core, My mind is the house without e'er a door, My heart is the palace wherein she may be, And she may unlock it without any key.
Authorship:
- from Volkslieder (Folksongs) , a folk song from Dorset collected by H. Hammond and R. Vaughan Williams
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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
5. Haliky daliky  [sung text checked 1 time]
Where are you goin’, my bonnie wee lass? Where are you goin’, my dearie? Where are you goin’, my bonnie wee lass? A message for my mammy. Haliky daliky daliky dee, Haliky daliky daliky dearie; Haliky daliky daliky dee, A message for my mammy.
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Researcher for this page: Mike Pearson6. Sleep, baby, sleep  [sung text checked 1 time]
Sleep, baby sleep, our cottage vale is deep, [the]1 little lamb is on the green, [with snowy fleece so]2 soft and clean, Sleep, baby sleep. Sleep, baby sleep, I would not would not weep, The little lamb he never cries, for bright and happy are his eyes, Sleep, baby sleep, Sleep, baby sleep, near where the woodbines creep, Be always like the lamb so mild, a sweet and kind and gentle child, Sleep, baby sleep. Sleep, baby sleep, Thy rest shall angels keep. While on the grass the lamb shall feed, and never suffer want or need, Sleep, baby sleep.
Authorship:
- by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) (Lidy van Noordenburg) , "Slaap, kindje, slaap", copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
1 Real: "a"
2 Real: "his woolly fleece is"
Research team for this page: John Versmoren , Lidy van Noordenburg
7. Aiken Drum  [sung text checked 1 time]
There was a man lived in the moon, Lived in the moon, lived in the moon, There was a man lived in the moon, And his name was Aiken Drum. And he played upon a ladle, A ladle, a ladle, And he played upon a ladle, And his name was Aiken Drum. And his hat was made of good cream cheese, Good cream cheese etc…. And his breeches were made of haggis bags, Haggis bags etc…. And he played upon a ladle, A ladle etc…. There was a man in another town, Another town, another town, There was a man in another town, And his name was Willy Wood. And he ate up all the good cream cheese, Good cream cheese, good cream cheese, And he ate up all the good cream cheese, And his name was Willy Wood. But he choked upon the Haggis bags, Haggis bags, haggis bags, But he choked upon the Haggis bags, And that ended Willy Wood. There was a man lived in the moon, Lived in the moon, lived in the moon, There was a man lived in the moon, And his name was Aiken Drum. And he played upon a ladle, A ladle, a ladle, And he played upon a ladle, And his name was Aiken Drum.
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Researcher for this page: Mike Pearson