Simple Gifts
Our Simple Gifts Ceremony is a weekly gathering of the school community which offers to all of our children and any interested parent the opportunity to participate in group singing and dancing. We use the historical shaker song “Simple Gifts” as the foundation for our gathering. The event begins with a ceremonial ringing of a bell, a short instrumental version of the song, then all children are invited to come and dance and sing the song together. Following of this opening activity we segway into a variety of other meaningful songs, most having their own related dance. The ceremony lasts approximately 30 minutes and gives everyone a positive sense of belonging through ritual, music and movement. This is the heart and soul of our community and marks the week with a joyful sense celebration.
The idea for this came from a trip that Joe Bruno took to China, in 1996, as part of a US Education Delegation hosted by People to People, an international professional exchange program. During the trip, the 15 educators traveled throughout China for two weeks visiting Primary and Elementary schools, observing classroom activities and meeting with school staff to exchange ideas and observations. Joe was impressed by the strong sense of community and love for the children that the Chinese communities have. Each morning, at every school, the children would gather in their courtyards or auditoriums to participate in synchronized dance movement which gave everyone a strong sense of belonging. Joe felt inspired to bring this community building concept to the children and families of Parkside and create what we now call Simple Gifts.
Songs by and for Parkside students. Please click on a song to view the lyrics, and follow along as you listen to the song.
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Simple Gifts
Shaker Elder Joseph Brackett, 1848, and later others added verses
Click here to download the lyrics for Simple Gifts
Download Simple Gifts MP3
‘Tis the gift to be simple,
‘Tis the gift to be free,
‘Tis the gift to come down where we want to be,
And when we find ourselves in a place just right,
We’ll be in the valley of love and delight.(CHORUS)
When true simplicity is gained,
To bow and bend we will not be ashamed,
To turn, to turn, will be our delight,
And by turning, turning, we’ll come ‘round right.‘Tis the gift to be gentle,
‘Tis the gift to be fair,
‘Tis the gift to wake and breathe the morning air,
To walk every day in the path that we choose,
‘Tis a gift we pray we may never, never loose.(REPEAT CHORUS)
‘Tis the gift to be knowing,
‘Tis the gift to be kind,
‘Tis the gift to wait to hear another’s mind,
That when we speak our feelings we might come out true,
‘Tis the gift for me and the gift for you.(REPEAT CHORUS)
‘Tis the gift to be loving,
‘Tis the best gift of all,
Like a warm spring rain bringing beauty when it falls,
And as we use this gift we may come to believe,
It is better to give than it is to receive.(REPEAT CHORUS)
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Little Buddy
Joe Bruno
Click here to download the lyrics for Little Buddy
Download Little Buddy MP3
You’re my little buddy, flying ‘round the house.
Zig and zagging up and down and landing
Right on top of the couch.You’re my little buddy, swimming in the pool.
Hanging on to mama jumping up and down
And feeling cool.(CHORUS)
Everytime I see you makes me jump for joy.
You’re my living jewel much better than a toy.
Your feathers and your charm make you a colorful boy.
YOU ARE MY ANGELO…You’re my little buddy, swinging is your thing.
I love to see you dance
It really makes me want to laugh and sing.Hoo be doo be doo bop
Hoo be doo be daHoo be doo be doo bop
Hoo be doo be doo be da do(CHORUS)
You’re my little buddy, flying ‘round the house.
Zig and zagging up and down and landing
Right on top of the couch.
Zig and zagging up and down and landing
Right on top of the couch. -
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My Dad the Bridge Tender
Joe Bruno
Click here to download the lyrics for My Dad the Bridge Tender
Download My Dad the Bridge Tender
My dad the bridge tender, is a mighty mighty man
He blows that horn and stop the traffic
Cycles, cars and vans
Lights a flashin, children dashin, stopping all those wheels
The man up in the tower liftin 40 tons of steel(CHORUS)
Papa he’s a big man
People come from miles around
Boats they blow their airhonds
Don’t you know their southern-boundThe snow birds cruise the coastal from Canada to Maine
Crusin down the water way to see that man of fame
The bridge goes up the bridge goes down
Guiseppe’s in control
The bardge is moving swiftly now she’s really on a roll(CHORUS)
Pauline is his sweetheart
They’ve been married 50 years
She calls him every hour
Sweet music to his hears
Lights a flashin, children dashin, stopping all those wheels
The man up in the tower liftin 40 tons of steel(CHORUS)
Lights a flashin, children dashin, stopping all those wheels
The man up in the tower liftin 40 tons of steel
The man up in the tower liftin 40 tons of steel -
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Chlorophyll
Joe Bruno
Click here to download the lyrics for Chlorophyll
Download Chlorophyll MP3
Chlorophyll – the chemical that gives us food.
Chlorophyll – it puts us in a happy mood.
Chlorophyll – makes oxygen for the air.
Chlorophyll – green colors everywhere.(CHORUS)
Photosynthesis, you know,
always keeps us on the go.
Changing sunlight, water, and the air,
into everything we share.Chlorophyll – the forest full of trees.
Chlorophyll – it’s working in the leaves.
Chlorophyll – makes pollen for the bees.
Chlorophyll – it sometimes makes us sneeze.(REPEAT FROM BEGENNING)
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Accentuate the Positive
Johnny Mercer, 1994
Click here to download the lyrics for Accentuate the Positive
Download Accentuage the Positive MP3
You’ve got to accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
Latch on to the affirmative
Don’t mess with Mister In-BetweenYou’ve got to spread joy up to the maximum
Bring gloom down to the minimum
Have faith or pandemonium’s
Liable to walk upon the sceneTo illustrate my last remark
Jonah in the whale, Noah in the dark
What did they do
When everything looked so darkMan, they said we gotta
Accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
Latch on to the affirmative
Don’t mess with Mister In-BetweenYou’ve got to spread joy up to the maximum
Bring gloom down to the minimum
Have faith or pandemonium’s
Liable to walk upon the sceneTo illustrate my last remark
Jonah in the whale, Noah in the dark
What did they do
When everything looked so darkMan, they said we gotta
Accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
Latch on to the affirmative
Don’t mess with Mister In-Between
No! Don’t mess with Mister In-Between -
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Follow the Drinking Gourd
A pat and timetable for the underground Railway; Follow the Big Dipper, it points to the North and freedom.
Click here to download the lyrics for Follow the Drinking Gourd
Download Follow the Drinking Gourd MP3
When the sun goes down and the first quail calls,
Follow the drink-in gourd.
The old man is a-wait-in’ for to carry you to freedom,
Follow the drink-in gourd.(CHORUS)
Follow the drink-in gourd,
Follow the drink-in gourd,
Follow the drink-in gourd,
For the old man is a-wait-in’
For to carry you to freedom,
Follow the drink-in gourd.Now the river bank’ll make you a might good road,
The dead trees will show you the way.
Left food, peg food, travel in on,
Follow the drink-in gourd.(CHORUS)
Now the river ends between teo hills,
Follow the drink-in gourd,
There’s another river on the other side,
Follow the drink-in gourd.(CHORUS)
When the little river meets the great big river
Follow the drinking gourd
For the old man is waiting for to carry you to freedom
Follow the drinking gourd. -
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Space is Dark
Joe Bruno and class, 1979
Click here to download the lyrics for Space is Dark
Download Space is Dark MP3
Space is dark there’s no gravity
Floating around my friends and me
The planets are orbiting around the sun
When we go to the moon we have so much fun
The view from the moon is a sight to see
The colors of earth are so pretty
The people down there I can hardly see
But I hope that they are as happy as Me…..e…..eLa…..a…..a
La…..a…..a
La…..a…..aSpace is dark there’s no gravity
Floating around my friends and me
The planets are orbiting around the sun
When we go to the moon we have so much fun
The view from the moon is a sight to see
The colors of earth are so pretty
The people down there I can hardly see
But I hope that they are as happy as Me…..e…..eLa…..a…..a
La…..a…..a
La…..a…..aSpace is dark, there’s no gravity
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Firefly
Joe Bruno and class, 3rd year spring camp out at Pedernales Falls, 1998
Click here to download the lyrics for Firefly
Download Firefly MP3
The dipper’s hanging in the sky
I can see it through the fireflies.
The stars are pouring from the cup
as my friends and I keep looking up –
I wish I could be a firefly.The moon is riding round the earth.
The fireflies are giving birth.
The light bursts out, I see the flame
It’s all a pattern in the game –
I wish I could be a firefly. -
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Danger Down the Road
Joe Bruno, Summer of 2000
Click here to download the lyrics for Danger Down the Road
Download Danger Down the Road
Danger down the road (X3)We will find a way to protect our souls;
We’ll find a way as we’re growing old.
Every time they try to do us in,
that is when the good time will begin.Teach the children how
Teach the children how
Teach the children how.How to love the land –
How to hold a hand
How to take a stand
Don’t you know we can.Danger down the road (X3)
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We Shall Overcome
Charles Tindley (1900), and later Guy Carawan, Candy Carawan,, and others associated with the Highlander Research and Education Center
Click here to download the lyrics for We Shall Overcome
Download We Shall Overcome MP3
We shall overcome
We shall overcome
We shall overcome
Some day
For deep in my heart
I do believe
We shall overcome
Some dayWe’ll walk hand in hand
We’ll walk hand in hand
We’ll walk hand in hand
Today
For deep in my heart
I do believe
We shall overcome
Some dayWe will live in Peace
We will live in Peace
We will live in Peace
Today
For deep in my heart
I do believe
We shall overcome
Some dayWe are not afraid
We are not afraid
We are not afraid
Today
For deep in my heart
I do believe
We shall overcome
Some dayThe whole wide world around
The whole wide world around
The whole wide world around
Today
For deep in my heart
I do believe
We shall overcome
Some day -
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Walking in the Woods
Joe Bruno, 1973
Click here to download the lyrics for Walking in the Woods
Download Walking in the Woods MP3
The sunrise ain’t so far away
I can see through the trees
and hear the whisper of a lark
floating on the breeze.There’s nothing like the break of dawn
to make my soul feel good
I’m glad that I can see it all
walking through the woods.The clouds they ain’t so far away
I can tough them with my heard
and see um through a spider’s web
as they slowly drift apart.There’s nothing like a summer’s day
to make my soul feel good
I’m glad that I can see it all
walking through the woods.The river ain’t so far away
It’s flowing through our minds
and the lard he sings a song of love
cause he knows no other kind.There’s nothing like a look at life
to make my soul feel good
and I’m glad that I can see it all
walking through the woods. -
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Leaving Old Texas (The Cowman’s Lament)
Traditional
Click here to download the lyrics for Leaving Old Texas
Download Leaving Old Texas MP3
I’m bound to leave old Texas now
They’ve got no use for the long-horn cow
They’ve plowed and fenced my cattle range
And the people there are all so strangeI’ll take my horse, I’ll take my rope
And hi the trail upon a lope
Say adios to the Alamo
And turn your head toward Mexico -
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Buffalo Gal
Cool White (John Hodges), 1844Click here to download the lyrics for Buffalo Gal
As I was walking down the street
Down the street, down the street
A pretty little gal I chanced to meet
And we danced by the light of the moonCHORUS
Buffalo gal won’t you come out tonight
Come out tonight, come out tonight
Buffalo gal won’t you come out tonight
And we’ll dance by the light of the moonI danced with a gal with a hole in her stockings
And her knees was a-knockin’ and her toes was a’rockin’
I danced with a gal with a hole in her stocking
And we danced by the light of the moon(REPEAT CHORUS)
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Birds They Sing
Joe Bruno, Summer of 2000Click here to download the lyrics for Birds They Sing
Birds they sing
Make the bells to sing
It’s the dawning of the dayMorning sun shines on
everyone
As we walk along on our way
ha la la . . la la la
la la la (X2) -
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Paw-Paw Patch
TraditionalClick here to download the lyrics for Paw-Paw Patch
Where, oh where, oh where is little Susie?
Where, oh where, oh where is little Susie?
Where, oh where, oh where is little Susie?
Way down yonder in the paw-paw patch.Come on, boys, and let’s go find her.
Come on, boys, and let’s go find her.
Come on, boys, and let’s go find her.
Way down yonder in the paw-paw patch.CHORUS:
Picking up paw-paws; put ‘em in your pocket.
Picking up paw-paws; put ‘em in your pocket.
Picking up paw-paws; put ‘em in your pocket.
Way down yonder in the paw-paw patch.Note: A paw-paw is a subtropical fruit (asiminia triloba). It grows on a small tree/shrub as a wild plant. The fruit are small, oblong to pear-shaped with the flavor resembling both apple and banana.
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Defying Gravity
Jessie Winchester, 1972Click here to download the lyrics for Defying Gravity
We live on a big round ball
I never do dram I may fall
And even one day if I do
I’ll jump off and smile back at yourI don’t even know where we are
They tell you we’re circling a star
Well, I’ll take their word, I don’t know
But I’m dizzy so it may be soWe’re riding a big round ball
I never do dream I may fall
And even one day if I do
I’ll jump off and smile back at you -
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De Colores
Traditional - SpanishClick here to download the lyrics for De Colores
De Colores
de Colores se visten los campos
en la prievera.
De Colores
de Colores son los pajaritos que vienen
de afuera.
De Colores
de Colores es el arcoiris que vemos lucir.CORO
Y por eso los grandes amores
de muchos colors me gustan a mi.
(cantar dos veces)Canta el gallo,
Canta el gallo con el kiri kiri kiri kiri kiri.La gallina,
la galliena con el cara cara cara cara cara.Los pollitos,
los pollitos con el pio pio pio pio pio.CORO
Ye por eso… -
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De Colores
Traditional - EnglishClick here to download the lyrics for De Colores
De Colores,
bright with colors the mountain and valleys, dress up in the springtime.
De Colores,
bright with colors all the little birds,
fill the skies in the daytime.
De Colores,
bright with colors the rainbow brings joy with the glory of spring.CHORUS
And a bright love with colors has found us with peace all around us that makes our hearts sing. (sing twice)Hear the rooster,
hear the rooster singing with his kiri kiri kiri kiri kiri.
In the morning,
in the morning the hen sings her caara cara cara cara cara.
All day singing,
baby chicks all day sings pio pio pio pio pio.CHORUS
And a bring love… -
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Paradise
John PrineClick here to download the lyrics for Paradise
When I was a child, my family would travel
To western Kentucky, where my parents were born
There’s a backward old town that’s often remembered
So many times that my memories are wornCHORUS:
And daddy won’t you take me back to Mulenberg county
Down by the Green River, where Paradise lay
I’m sorry my son, but you’re too late as askin’
Mr. Peabody’s coal train has hauled it awaySometimes we’d travel right down to the Green River
To abandoned old prison down by Avery Hill
Where the air smelled like snakes, we’d shot with our pistols
But empty pop bottles was all we could killCHORUS
Then the coal company came, wth the world’s largest shovel
And they tortured the timber and stripped all the land
They dug for the coal till the land was forsaken
Then they wrote it all down as the progress of manCHORUS
When I die let my ashes flow down the Green River
Let my soul roll on up to the Rochester dam
I’ll be halfway to Heaven with Paradise waitin’
Just five miles away from where I amCHORUS
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Watch the Stars
PentangleClick here to download the lyrics for Watch the Stars
Watch the stars, see how they run
Watch the stars, see how they run
You know the stars run down
to the setting of the sun
Watch the stars, see how they run.Watch the moon, see how it glows
Watch the moon, see how it glows
You know the moon’s gonna glow
When the sun goes down
Watch the moon, see how it glows.Watch the wind, see how it blows
Watch the wind, see how it blows
You know the wind’s gonna blow
When the sun goes down
Watch the wind, see how it blows.
