Waltzing with Bears

WALTZING WITH BEARS

Original concept and chorus: Dr. Seuss

Chorus:

My Uncle Walter goes waltzing with bears,

Raggy bears, shaggy bears, baggy bears too.

There's nothing on earth Uncle Walter won't do,

So he can go waltzing, wa-wa-wa-waltzing,

So he can go waltzing, waltzing with bears!

I went to his room in the middle of the night,

I went to his bed and I turned on the light,

But to my surprise, there was no one in sight,

For my Uncle Walter goes waltzing at night!

Repeat chorus:

I gave Uncle Walter a new coat to wear,

But when he came home he was covered with hair,

And lately I've noticed several new tears,

Because my Uncle Walter goes waltzing with bears!

Repeat chorus

We told Uncle Walter that he should be good,

And do all the things that we said he should,

But I know that he'd rather be out in the woods,

I'm afraid we might lose Uncle Walter for good!

Repeat chorus

We begged and we pleaded, “Oh please won't you stay!"

We managed to keep him at home for a day,

But the bears all barged in, and they took him away!

Now he's waltzing with pandas, and he can't understand us,

And the bears all demand at least one waltz a day!

Repeat chorus

Now my Aunt Matilda was mad as could be

"Walter, that rat, never waltzes with me."

So she took her old fur coat and sewed it up tight

Now she can go waltzing with Walter at night

Repeat chorus

The children may pretend they're clumsy bears, trying to dance.

In The Jungle

IN THE JUNGLE (THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT)

Ah-wee-ooh-wee-ooo, wee--ee-ee-ee-oo, we-um-um-a-way
Wee-ooh-wee-ooo, wee--ee-ee-ee-oo, we-um-um-a-way

A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh a-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh a-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh a-wimoweh, a-wimoweh
A-wimoweh, a-wimoweh a-wimoweh, a-wimoweh

In the jungle the mighty jungle the lion sleeps tonight
In the jungle the quiet jungle the lion sleeps tonight

Woo-oo-oo-ooo, we-um-um-a-way
Woo-oo-oo-ooo, we-um-um-a-way

Near the village the peaceful village the lion sleeps tonight
Near the village the quiet village the lion sleeps tonight

Woo-oo-oo-ooo, we-um-um-a-way
Woo-oo-oo-ooo, we-um-um-a-way

Hush my darling, don't fear my darling. The lion sleeps tonight.
Hush my darling, don't fear my darling. The lion sleeps tonight

Woo-oo-oo-oo-oo, we-um-um-a-way
Ah-woo-oo-la-la-la, we-um-um-a-way
Al-la-lo, al-la-lo, al-la-lo, al-la-lo, al-la-lo wimoweh
Ah-hee-oo-oo-oo we-um wimoweh
Ah-ha la-la-la we-um wimoweh
Ah-hoo-oo-oo-oo-oo we-um wimoweh
Ah-hoo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo we-um wimoweh

This song might be even for younger , but I chose it for older children, because I think they will know it as older. There also can be slight movements or shuffling.
The  main verses can be as solo or again somehow split in the groups. We can be pretty interactive with this song.

Dumb Ways to Die

DUMB WAYS TO DIE

Set fire to your hair
Poke a stick at a grizzly bear
Eat medicine that's out of date
Use your private parts as piranha bait

[Refrain:]
Dumb ways to die
So many dumb ways to die
Dumb ways to di-ie-ie
So many dumb ways to die

Get your toast out with a fork
Do your own electrical work
Teach yourself how to fly
Eat a two-week-old un-refrigerated pie

[Refrain]

Invite a psycho-killer inside
Scratch a drug dealer's brand new ride
Take your helmet off in outer space
Use a clothes dryer as a hiding place

[Refrain]

Keep a rattlesnake as a pet
Sell both your kidneys on the Internet
Eat a tube of superglue
I wonder, what's this red button do?

[Refrain]

Dress up like a moose during hunting season
Disturb a nest of wasps for no good reason
Stand on the edge of a train station platform
Drive around the boom gates at a level crossing
Run across the tracks between the platforms

They may not rhyme but they're quite possibly
The dumbest ways to die
The dumbest ways to die
The dumbest ways to di-ie-ie-ie
So many dumb
So many dumb ways to die

Older children will have so much with this song and it's also very rich on vocabulary. And they will love the video.

Oh Suzanna

 O SUZANNA

Traditional/Written By: Stephen Foster

I came from Alabama 

With my banjo on my knee, 

I'm going to Louisiana 

My true love for to see; 

It rained all night the day I left, 

The weather it was dry; 

The sun so hot I froze to death;

Susanna, don't you cry.

O, Susanna, O, don't you cry for me,

I've come from Alabama 

With my banjo on my knee.

I had a dream the other night 

When everything was still;

I thought I saw Susanna 

A-coming down the hill; 

The buckwheat cake was in her mouth, 

The tear was in her eye; 

Says I, I'm coming from the south, 

Susanna, don't you cry. 

O, Susanna, O, don't you cry for me, 

I've come from Alabama 

With my banjo on my knee.

I think that especially Czech children would like this one, because it's a very popular song in our counry and they would love to learn an English version of song they already know.

If I Had a Hammer

IF I HAD A HAMMER (The Hammer Song)

words and music by Lee Hays and Pete Seeger

If I had a hammer

I'd hammer in the morning

I'd hammer in the evening

All over this land

I'd hammer out danger

I'd hammer out a warning

I'd hammer out love between my brothers and my sisters

All over this land

If I had a bell

I'd ring it in the morning

I'd ring it in the evening

All over this land

I'd ring out danger

I'd ring out a warning

I'd ring out love between my brothers and my sisters

All over this land

If I had a song

I'd sing it in the morning

I'd sing it in the evening

All over this land

I'd sing out danger

I'd sing out a warning

I'd sing out love between my brothers and my sisters

All over this land

Well I've got a hammer

And I've got a bell

And I've got a song to sing

All over this land

It's the hammer of justice

It's the bell of freedom

It's the song about love between my brothers and my sisters

All over this land

I think that older children would have a lot of fun with this song. They're very imaginative. Also maybe it's is a good song for splitting into groups, or making up some matching movements.

Mama Don't Allow

MAMA DON'T ALLOW

Mama don't allow no guitar playing around here

Mama don't allow no guitar playing around here

Well we don't care what mama don't allow

We’re going to play the guitar anyhow

Mama don't allow no guitar playing around here.

Mama don't allow no fiddle playing around here

Mama don't allow no fiddle playing around here

Well we don't care what mama don't allow

We’re going to play the fiddle anyhow

Mama don't allow no fiddle playing around here.

Mama don't allow no mandolin playing around here

Mama don't allow no mandolin playing around here

Well we don't care what mama don't allow 

We’re going to play the mandolin anyhow

Mama don't allow no mandolin playing around here.

Mama don't allow no music playing around here

Mama don't allow no music playing around here

Well we don't care what mama don't allow 

We’re going to play the music anyhow

Mama don't allow no music playing around here.

This one is really fun. One of the children or the teacher can play the mama and also there's a lot of opportunity to make up new lyrics.

This Train Is Bound For Glory

This Train Is Bound For Glory

This train is bound for glory, this train. 

This train is bound for glory, this train. 

This train is bound for glory, 

Don't carry nothing but the righteous and the holy. 

This train is bound for glory, this train.

This train don't carry no gamblers, this train; 

This train don't carry no gamblers, this train; 

This train don't carry no gamblers, 

Liars, thieves, nor big shot ramblers, 

This train is bound for glory, this train.

This train don't carry no liars, this train; 

This train don't carry no liars, this train; 

This train don't carry no liars, 

She's streamlined and a midnight flyer, 

This train don't carry no liars, this train.

This train don't carry no smokers, this train; 

This train don't carry no smokers, this train 

This train don't carry no smokers, 

Two bit liars, small time jokers, 

This train don't carry no smokers, this train.

This train don't carry no con men, this train; 

This train don't carry no con men, this train; 

This train don't carry no con men, 

No wheeler dealers, here and gone men, 

This train don't carry no con men, this train.

This train don't carry no rustlers, this train; 

This train don't carry no rustlers, this train; 

This train don't carry no rustlers, 

Sidestreet walkers, two bit hustlers, 

This train is bound for glory, this train.

This one has a nice and fast melody , also it's full of unusual and new vocabulary for children.

Mercedes Benz

Mercedes Benz

Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz ?

My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends.

Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends,

So Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz ? 

Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a color TV ?

Dialing For Dollars is trying to find me.

I wait for delivery each day until three,

So Lord, won’t you buy me a color TV ? 

Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a night on the town ?

I’m counting on you, Lord, please don’t let me down.

Prove that you love me and buy the next round,

Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a night on the town ? 

Everybody!

Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz ?

My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends,

Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends,

oh Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz ?

Children would like this song because it's about a famous and cool car. They would like a Mercedes as well, I'm sure.

You Are My Sunshine

YOU ARE MY SUNSHINE

You are my sunshine
My only sunshine.
You make me happy
When skies are grey.
You'll never know, dear,
How much I love you.
Please don't take my sunshine away

The other night, dear,
As I lay sleeping
I dreamed I held you in my arms.
When I awoke, dear,
I was mistaken
And I hung my head and cried.

You are my sunshine,
My only sunshine.
You make me happy
When skys are grey.
You'll never know, dear,
How much I love you.
Please don't take my sunshine away.
Please don't take my sunshine away.

Another song about love, but I think that it can be sang about anybody. Family, pets and so on.

Donut Song

DONUT SONG

Well I walked around the corner and I walked around the block.
And I walked right into a donut shop.
Well I picked up a donut
Right out of the grease
And I handed the lady a five cent piece.
She looked at the nickel
And she looked at me
And she said this money isn’t good you see
There’s a hole in the middle and it goes right through
Said I there’s a hole in the donut too
Thanks for the donut
Good bye!

This one is a bit more difficult. The lyrics as well as the moves, but if you’ll master it it’s very effective. Moreover it’s funny song, the ending always makes me smile.

Mail Myself to You

Mail Myself To You

Words and Music by Woody Guthrie

I'm a-gonna wrap myself in paper,
I'm gonna daub myself with glue,
Stick some stamps on top of my head;
I'm gonna mail myself to you.

I'm a gonna tie me up in a red string,
I'm gonna tie blue ribbons too,
I'm a-gonna climb up in my mail box;
I'm gonna mail myself to you.

When you see me in your mail box,
Cut the string and let me out;
Wash the glue off my fingers,
Stick some bubble gum in my mouth.

Take me out of my wrapping paper,
Wash the stamps off my head;
Pour me full of ice cream sodies,
Put me in my nice warm bed.

I like this one very much, it’s about love and it’s very romantic. I think that older kids would like it.