Best Childrens Music.com: Lyrics

1. Hello, I Must Be Going
Originally titled "Hooray For Captain Spaulding."
Written by Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby. Used with permission.

I've always loved Marx Brother' films. I especially love the rhyme sheme in this nonsense song, which was featured in the film Animal Crackers.

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2. Swing Your Partner
In a square dance, the caller gives very specific directions for the dancers to follow. This is not a traditional square dance, of course. It is a somplified version that requires the ability to calm down after each rousing "swing your partner" sequence and follow a few simple directions.

Wave to your neighbor
And to your friend down the way.
Wave to your partner
And let me just say

That every preschooler
And every kindergartner
Should now be ready to
SWING YOUR PARTNER!

Chorus:
Swing your partner 'round and 'round
Skippin' and stampin' on the ground
Locking arms with a friend
Around and around until the end.
Now swing around in the other
direction
Around with care and great affection.
Thankfully it's in the plans
To all slow down and prepare
to shake hands.

Shake hands with your neighbor
And with your friend down
the way.
Shake hands with your partner
And let me just say
That every preschooler
And every kindergartner
Should now be ready to
Swing Your Partner!

(repeat Chorus, but insert these last lines)
If you feel dizzy you'll be happy that now
It's time to slow down and prepare to bow.

Bow to your neighbor
And to your friend down the way.
Bow to your partner
And let me just say
That every preschooler
And every kindergartner
Should now be ready to
SWING YOUR PARTNER!

(repeat Chorus, but insert this ending)
If you've had enough of 'round and 'round
Let's slow it up and all sit down.

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3. Tromboning
I was at a concert, watching the trombonist work his slide up, down, and in-between. i started thinking of the trombone's slide as a playground slide...and began to imagine being a tiny Jim Gill standing at the bottom of that slide, holding on for dear life.

I'm stepping and I'm sliding
I'm grating and I'm gliding
I've never had a ride like this before.
I'm muting and I'm moaning
I find myself tromboning
I must hold on or I'll fall to the floor.
I'm plowing and I'm plunging
I'm leaping and I'm lunging
One thin tube is my only support.
I'm blurting and I'm blowing
The balance that I'm showing
Should qualify me for olympic sport.
I'm stressing and I'm straining
Staccato and sustaining
This is more than just an ordinary slide.
I'm puckering and playing
One thing I am saying
The slide trombone provides quite a ride.

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4. Jump Up, Turn Around

Simple motions and a simple rhyme.
Say it as you play it and
repeat two times.

Jump up
Turn around
Clap your hands
Stamp the ground

(repeat)

Let's play it again, but this time try
To say it as you play and stretch your arms up high.

Let me suggest that this time you might
Say it as you play it with your eyes closed tight.

Get ready my friends to take a deep breath
Because I challenge you to play it as you hold
your breath!

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5. Face the Facts

I must face the fact. My swimming arms are back.
We must face the fact. Our swimming arms are back.
They are splashing, flapping, stretching, lapping one full mile exact.
We must face the fact. Our swimming arms are back.

I must face the fact. My scissor legs are back.
We must face the fact. Our scissor legs are back.
They are cutting, clipping, slicing, snipping, trimming the rick rack.
We must face the fact. Our scissor legs are back.

I must face the fact. My driving hands are back.
We must face the fact. Our driving hands are back.
They are guiding, steering, turning, veering my air Cadillac.
We must face the fact. Our driving hands are back.

I must face the fact. My binocular eyes are back.
We must face the fact. Our binocular eyes are back.
They are peering, peeking, scanning, seeking needles in haystacks.
We must face the fact. Our binocular eyes are back.

I must face the fact. My jumping jacks are back.
We must face the fact. Our jumping jacks are back.
They are bounding, flapping, jumping, clapping, picking up the slack.
We must face the fact. Our jumping jacks are back.

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6. Jim Gill's Groove

When you start to move
Then we can finally prove
That your mood it will improve
When you're dancing to Jim Gill's Groove.

Your mood it will improve
When your body starts to move
No one can disapprove
Of dancing to Jim Gill's Groove.

No one can remove
The mood that you've improved
Aren't you happy now that you've
Been dancing to Jim Gill's Groove.

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7. California

The prettiest sights I ever saw . . . were out in California.
The beauty left me in utter awe...out in California.

I drove out on the old highway...out to Californee-ay.
Perhaps I'll make it back some day...out to Californee-ay.

I climbed the mountains and swam in the sea... out in Californee-ee.
I gazed up to the top of a redwood tree...out in Californee-ee.

Each day I'd see the bluest sky...out in Californee-i.
I regret the day I said goodbye...out in Californee-i.

The springs bubble and the rivers flow...
out in Californee-o.
The lettuce, grapes and berries grow...
out in Californee-o.

My return is overdue...back to Californee-u.
It would be a dream come true...
back to Californee-u.

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8. Sliding, Rolling, and Jumping
There are, of course, a number of ways that children could play along
with this song. I have the children listen for the words "slid,"
"rolled" and "jump." I have them use a hand motion for "slid" or
"rolled" each time that they hear those words. Guess what the
children do each time they hear the word "jump"?

I woke up in the morning and I slid right out of bed.
I slid into the bathroom and the comb slid across my head.
I slid into the kitchen and I slid into a chair.
And when I finished breakfast, I slid right out of there.

I slid into my coat and I slid my way to work and then
I was slid from task to task and slid back home again.
I slid into the kitchen and when I was well fed
I slid into my pajamas and I slid back into bed.

(repeat for rolled and jump)

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(repeat for rolled and jump)

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9. Rhythm in my Fingers
A simple call and response song.

I got rhythm (children repeat)
I got music (children repeat)
In my fingers (children repeat)
Who could ask for anything more? (children repeat)

(repeat for hands, toes, feet, etc.)

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10. Strollin' Down the Road
This song is featured in a musical about my life that hasn't been written yet.

If you've looked down the road and you
like what you see,
You should stroll down the road. Just follow me.

One step forward.
Two steps back.
You're strollin' down the road.
You're strollin' down the road.

Close your eyes. Look straight ahead.
See the road
Down which you'll tread. (When you take...)

One step forward.
Two steps back.
You're strollin' down the road.
You're strollin' down the road.

Shuffle left and shuffle right
Straight on down the road tonight.
(Then you take...)

One step forward.
Two steps back.
You're strollin' down the road.
You're strollin' down the road.

At this pace no one can know
How far down the road you'll
go. (When you take...)

One step forward.
Two steps back.

Now you're strollin' down that road.

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11. Delay on the Freeway
A tribute to Jim Brewer, a true Mississippi Delta blues player that I
was fortunate to know and spend a bit of time with. Jim would
playfully make his guitar sound like a flat tire, a rocking chair, a
freight train, and "his woman."

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12. Drumming the House
Thanks to my friend Peter Hamblin, who drummed New York City.

I've been drumming since the age of three.
I carry the rhythm inside of me.
I'll drum a loud and echo-y racket
On my metal wastebasket.
Now I'll drum quiet instead.
I'll drum the pillows on my bed.
Back down the stairs, past the bookcase.
Past the sofa to the fireplace.
I've drummed this house up and down.
It's time to step outside and drum the town.

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13. Backwards Day

I arrived one day to sing.
And everyone changed everything.
They stamped their hands. They clapped their feet.
When it was time to dance, they took a seat.
When I asked why they would act this way.
They smiled and said, "It's Backwards Day."

Chorus:
So everybody stamp your hands.
Everybody clap your feet.
Do your best dancing right there in your seat.
Whisper along as loudly as you can.
And answer me these questions so I'm sure I understand.

When do you sit down when you start to dance? BACKWARDS DAY!
And wear underwear outside your pants? BACKWARDS DAY!
And button your shirt behind your back? BACKWARDS DAY!
And cover your stomach with your backpack? BACKWARDS DAY!
When do you read the last page first? BACKWARDS DAY!
When does your line move in reverse? BACKWARDS DAY!

Chorus

When do you ABC from Z to A? BACKWARDS DAY!
When are you younger on your birthday? BACKWARDS DAY!
And dry your hands with water from the sink? BACKWARDS DAY!
When are cracker crumbs a refreshing drink? BACKWARDS DAY!
When do the wheels on the bus go square and square? BACKWARDS DAY!
When are smelly socks your fresh air? BACKWARDS DAY!

Chorus

When do you leave and wave hello? BACKWARDS DAY!
When is the next song one hour ago? BACKWARDS DAY!
When do you drink your snack and eat your juice? BACKWARDS DAY!
When are you so sick that you see Dr. Seuss? BACKWARDS DAY!
When does the teacher drive the bus? BACKWARDS DAY!
When do we ask the questions and you answer us? BACKWARDS DAY!

revised Chorus (children sing)

Everybody has stamped their hands.
Everybody has clapped their feet.
We've done our best dancing right there in our seat.
We've whispered along as loudly as we can.
You've answered all my questions and now
I understand!

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14. Family Goodbyes

In my family you just stay put
'Til we've all waved goodbye with a foot.
And no one gets up from a chair
'Til we've all waved goodbye with our hair.
And departure time hasn't come
'Til we've all waved goodbye with a thumb.
And my mother says no one goes
'Til she's waved goodbye with her nose.
And in my family you never go
'Til we've all waved goodbye with a toe.
And no one takes any trips
'Til we've all waved goodbye with our lips.
And no one can be dismissed
'Til we've all waved goodbye with a wrist.
And still mother says no one goes
'Til she's waved goodbye with her nose.
And in my family you cannot flee
'Til we've all waved goodbye with a knee.
And dismissals cannot begin
'Til we've all waved goodbye with the chin.
And no family member is sprung
'Til we've all waved goodbye with the tongue.
And no one can disappear
'Til we've all waved goodbye with an ear.
And leaving we cannot allow
'Til we've all waved goodbye with a brow.

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15. Introduction to Crazy Shoes Theme
In my concerts over the years I have featured a story about one time when I
was exploring in a closet and found a mysterious box. There was a message
written on the box: WARNING! CRAZY SHOES INSIDE!

Many children, parents and teachers have asked me to make available the
music that accompanies my story. Here it is at long last.

If you are not familiar with my story, you can use this music to accompany
a mysterious story or game of your own.

All songs written by Jim Gill, published by Jim Gill Music, BMI © 2005 except “Crazy Shoes Theme” written by Steve Rashid and Jim Gill, published by Used Camel Music, BMI, “Hello, I Must Be Going” written by Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby, published by Warner Bros. Music, a division of Warner Bros. Inc.

Arranged, produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Steve Rashid.
Digitally recorded, mixed and mastered at WOODSIDE AVENUE MUSIC PRODUCTIONS, INC. in Evanston, IL.

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