The Angel Band Operetta

(Written by Lucy Jensen)
 

This is the musical story of a child who decorates a Christmas tree with tiny angels, teddy bears, pixie elves, reindeer, toy soldiers, and ginger cookies. When the child sleeps, the ornaments come to life and form a rhythm band. The child dreams that the angels led the band by waving their wings in rhythm; the teddy bears dance with jingle bells on their toes; the toy soldiers beat their drums; the elves ring triangles; the reindeer click rhythm sticks, and the ginger cookies just smile a cheery frosting smile. At first the cookies are not happy because the child plans to eat them on Christmas Eve and because they are not a part of the Angel Band.  Read carefully to find out what happens!

Making Shoes for Clementine

(Tune: You guessed it! “Oh, My Darling, Clementine”)
Lyrics: Lucy Jensen 

On a shelfie, by himselfie,
Sat an elf at Christmas time,
Making shoes of the finest leather,
For his Darling Clementine.

   Chorus
    Oh, my Darlin’; oh, my Darlin’,
    Though you wear size forty-nine,
    And your toes-ies,
        Don’t smell like rose-ies,
    You’re my Darling Clementine.

Won’t wear Nikes, for her hike-ies,
Designer fashions will be fine,
Forget the boxes, without the tops-es,
You’re my Darling Clementine.

Took forever, sewing leather,
Lacing it with purple twine,
Odor-eaters will make them sweeter,
You’re my Darling Clementine.

Pointed toes-ies; Rhinestone bows-ies,
How those fancy slippers shine,
No rhyme or reason; it’s just the season,
Let’s go dancing, Clementine.

‘Cause you’re taller, and I’m much smaller,
Though your dancing is divine,
Tootsie-Wootsie, please watch my footsies,
You’re my Darling Clementine.

Happy New Year
(Tune: Small World)
Lyrics: Lucy Jensen

There's a new year coming soon,.
There's a new year coming soon,
There's a new year coming soon,
It will soon be here.

May it bring much laughter, a world of cheer;
May it bring new hope, take away the fear.
May the sun shine above,
On a world full of love,
There's a new year coming soon.
(Now the new, new year is here!)  Sing this line in January.

There's a new year coming soon,.
There's a new year coming soon,
There's a new year coming soon,
It will soon be here.

Happy New Year to you all,
Happy New Year to you all,
Happy New Year to you all,
Happy New, New Year!

Variation:

Sing the first verse in December and substitute the last verse at the bottom if you sing it in January.  In the second verse, substitute the last line as shown above.

Chubby Little Snowman
(Tune: Jolly Old St. Nicholas)
 

A chubby little snowman had a carrot nose,

Along came a bunny dear. Now what do you suppose?

That hungry little bunny was looking for his lunch,

He ate the snowman's carrot nose,

                             Nibble!  Nibble, CRUNCH!

Santa's Coming
(Tune: Frere Jacque)
 

Santa's coming, Santa's coming! Children know, children know!
Jingle, Jangle, Jingle! Jingle, Jangle, Jingle! Ho, ho, ho! Ho, ho, ho!

Reindeer prancing, reindeer prancing! In the snow, in the snow!
Jingle, Jangle, Jingle! Jingle, Jangle, Jingle! Ho, ho, ho! Ho, ho, ho!

Stockings hanging, stockings hanging! In a row, in a row!
Jingle, Jangle, Jingle! Jingle, Jangle, Jingle! Ho, ho, ho! Ho, ho, ho!

Ring Those Bells
(Tune: Jimmy Crack Corn)
 

Ring those bells and turn around,
Ring those bells and turn around,
Ring those bells and turn around,
For Christmas time has come.

Ring those bells and stomp your feet,
Ring those bells and stomp your feet,
Ring those bells and stomp your feet,
For Christmas time has come.

Ring those bells and jump up high,
Ring those bells and jump up high,
Ring those bells and jump up high,
For Christmas time has come.

Ring those bells and tap your drum, (slap thighs for drum sound)
Ring those bells and tap your drum,
Ring those bells and tap your drum,
For Christmas time has come.

Ring those bells and touch your toes,
Ring those bells and touch your toes,
Ring those bells and touch your toes,
For Christmas time has come!

Note: children may have bells in their hands or on their wrists

Must Be Santa!
(Tune: Skip to My Lou)
 

(Sing)      Who's got a beard that's long and white?
               Who's got a beard that's long and white?

(Chant)    Santa's got a beard that's long and white!
               He's getting ready for that special night!

Chorus (Everyone sings)
               S-A-N-T-A, S-A-N-T-A,
               You spell "Santa" just that way,
               He's bring goodies in his sleigh!

(Sing)      Who's got boots and a suit of red?
               Who's got boots and a suit of red?

(Chant)    Santa's got boots and a suit of red.
               He won't come until you're in bed! (chorus)

(Sing)     Who's got a great big cherry nose?
              Who's got a great big cherry nose?

(Chant)   Santa's got a great big cherry nose,
              And when he laughs he says, "Ho, Ho!" (chorus)

(Sing)     Who very soon will come our way?
              Who very soon will come our way?

(Chant)   Santa very soon will come our way.
              Eight little reindeer pull his sleigh.

First half of the class "question"  half say:
              But where's Rudolph?

The Twelve Days of Christmas
Adapted by Cherry Carl

On the first day of Christmas, my good friend gave to me, the angel on top of my tree.
On the second day of Christmas, . . . two jolly Santas and . . .
On the third day of Christmas . . . three candy canes . . .
On the fourth day of Christmas . . . four velvet bows . . .
On the fifth day of Christmas . . . five teddy bears, four velvet bows, three candy canes, two jolly Santas and the angel on top my tree.
On the sixth day of Christmas . . . six elves a-dancing . . .
On the seventh day of Christmas . . . seven stockings hanging . . .
On the eighth day of Christmas . . . eight candles glowing . . .
On the ninth day of Christmas . . . nine birds a-singing . . .
On the tenth day of Christmas . . . ten lights a-twinkling . . .
On the eleventh day of Christmas . . . eleven bells a-ringing . . .
On the twelfth day of Christmas . . . twelve stars a-shining . . .

This is the script for a school wide play/musical that I wrote and had performed in 1982. Someone on www.teachers.net requested something different for a school play. It's a bit complex for younger students to take on for themselves, but intermediate students can handle it. When my school performed it, the kindergarteners were the baby dolls, the first graders were the teddy bears, the second graders were the toy soldiers and the third graders were the stuffed animals. I don't remember the roles of the other grade levels. (Must be a senior moment!) I wrote the lyrics for several of the songs and my cousin (who was the musician in residence in his hometown); wrote the tunes to go with them. He sent me the sheet music and a tape of himself singing the songs and playing his 12 string guitar! I was overwhelmed! The song for the stuffed animals was a simple rewrite of "My Favorite Things" from The Sound of Music and it soon became "My Favorite Stuffed Things." The third graders wore footed pajamas and we applied whiskers and whatever else was needed to make them look like stuffed animals. I think that they wore socks on their hands to make them look like paws. If you're interested and need  more information, please let me know at carl1404@msn.com

More sheet music to follow. After all, it's been over twenty years since I've looked at this! I'll have to dig through my boxes in storage to find the rest of the sheet music! Be patient with me! I'll go tomorrow!

Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?!
(Little Red Riding Hood Readers Theater Script)

This scripted version of Little Red Riding Hood does not follow the traditional story with the great big eyes, ears and teeth of the Big Bad Wolf! No one gets eaten and there's a happy ending!

Who Will Help Me?
(A Readers Theater Script for primary)

The little white duck wants to have a party, and so he asks his farmyard friends to help him with the preparations.

That's all folks!

Three Bear Operetta Songs

"Ev'ry Morning Porridge Yummy"
(Tune: "Comin' 'Round the Mountain")
Lucy Jensen

Ev'ry morning I make porridge,
Yes, Siree! Yes, Siree!
Ev'ry morning I make porridge,
Yes, Siree! Yes, Siree!

Ev'ry morning
Porridge yummy
Fill up all the empty tummies.
Ev'ry morning she makes porridge,
Yes, Siree! Yes, Siree!

"Ev'ry Morning Porridge Yummy"
(Tune: "Ten Little Indians")
Lucy Jensen

Too, too, too, too, too hot porridge,
Curling up toe-zies; steaming up nose-zies.
See the bubbles in the bowl-zies.
Too, too, too hot porridge!

"Goldilocks! Goldilocks!"
(Tune: "Three Blind Mice")
Lucy Jensen

Goldilocks! Goldilocks!
Walking in the woods,
Walking in the woods,
Her hair was bright like a golden flame,
And that's how she got such a pretty name,
Along to the house of the bears she came,
Goldilocks! Goldilocks!

Goldilocks! Goldilocks!
Don't go in;
Don't go in!
"Never go to the house of a stranger!
When you're alone there can be such danger!"
Goldilocks! Goldilocks!

"Count the Bears"
(Tune: "Farmer in the Dell")
Lucy Jensen

Oh, three brown bears are we,
Oh, three brown bears are we,
We're a brown bear family,
Now count us 1, 2, 3!

Count Papa Bear as 1,
Count Mama Bear as 2,
Baby Bear is number 3,
They are a family!

"Meet the Three Bears"
(Tune: "Here We Go 'Round the Mulberry Bush")
Lucy Jensen

If you listen carefully,
You will a bear story.
About a brown bear family
Who lived together happily.

We are three bears; three bears are we,
We're as happy as can be!
Papa, Mama, and Baby, me!
Together, we're a family!

They are three bears as you can see.
They're as happy as can be.
You can count them: 1, 2, 3.
Together, they're a family!

"Three Brown Bears A-Walking Go"
(Tune: "Oats, Peas, Beans")
Lucy Jensen

Three brown bears a-walking go,
Three brown bears a-walking go,
In the forest, to and fro,
Three brown bears a-walking go.

Following the baby bear,
Following the baby bear,
In the forest, here and there,
Following the baby bear.

"Goldilocks! Better Beware!"
(Tune: "Three Blind Mice")
Lucy Jensen

Goldilocks!
Goldilocks!
Better beware!
Better beware!
You've eaten the porridge and broken the chair,
You've taken the bed of the wee baby bear,
You'd better hurry and get out of there!
Goldilocks! Goldilocks!

"Bowls, Chairs and Beds"
(Tune: "Here We Go 'Round the Mulberry Bush")
Lucy Jensen

Bowls on the table before me I see.
Bowls on the table before her she sees.
Bowls on the table with porridge so yummy,
To fill up an empty tummy!

Chairs to sit in before me I see.
Chairs to sit in before her she sees.
Chairs to sit in; which one is for me?
She will try them and see.

Beds in a row before me I see.
Beds in a row before her she sees.
Beds in a row; which one is for me?
She will try them and see.

The Peter Rabbit Scrunch
(Under the Gate, That is . . .)
Lyrics: Cherry Carl and Lucy Jensen
(To the tune of: "Down in the Meadow in an Itty Bitty Pool")

Down in the garden where the veggies are so green,
Was Little Peter Rabbit munching on a lima bean,
Run, Peter Rabbit, don't you know it's getting late?
But he ate, and he ate, 
    'Til he had a tummyache!

Hop, hop, nibble, nibble, hear that bunny crunch,
Little Peter Rabbit wants a carrot for his lunch,
Run, Peter Rabbit, don't you know it's getting late?
So he ran, and he ran,
    "Til he reached the garden gate!

Stop, stop, wiggle, wiggle, do the bunny squeeze,
Little Peter Rabbit knows he ate too many peas,
Run, Peter Rabbit, don't you know it's getting late?
So he scrunched, and he scrunched, 
      Right under the gate!

Where is Peter?
Lyrics: Cherry Carl and Lucy Jensen
(Sung to the tune of "Skip to My Lou")

Flopsy - Mopsy - Cottontail,
Putting berries in a pail,
Being good, just like they should,
Flopsy - Mopsy - Cottontail.


    Where is Peter? Do you know?
    Eating lettuce in a row,
    Chant: Ohhhhh, Nooooo! Ohhhhh, Nooooo! (no music)
   To the garden he did go!

Flopsy - Mopsy - Cottontail,
Took the berries in their pail,
Home to make a pie to bake,
Flopsy - Mopsy - Cottontail.

    
    Where is Peter? Do tell me.
    Home in bed where he should be!
    Chant: Ohhhhh, Nooooo! Ohhhhh, Nooooo! (no music)
    All he gets is camomile* tea!

After the last verse, everyone can say together sorrowfully:

    Poooooooor Peter Rabbit . . .

Note: camomile*  tea comes from a plant with a daisy-like flower and it is brewed as a medicine, in this case for Peter Rabbit's upset tummy!

Oh, Dear, What Can the Matter Be?
Lyrics: Jensen
(Sung to the tune of "Oh, Dear, What Can the Matter Be?)

Oh, dear, what can the matter be?
Oh, dear, what can the matter be?
Oh, dear, see Mrs. Rabbit, she's
     making some camomile tea.

Who's that, eating those blackberries?
Who's that, eating those blackberries?
Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail,
     won't need some camomile tea.

Oh, dear, what can the matter be?
Oh, dear, what can the matter be?
Oh, dear, poor Peter Rabbit, he's
     taking some camomile tea.

The Escape
Lyrics: Lucy Jensen
(Sung to the tune of "Old McDonald Had a Farm")

Old McGregor had a hoe! E - I - E - I - O!
Planting onions in a row! E - I - E - I - O!
With a scritch-scratch here, and a scritch-scratch there,
Here , scritch, there, scratch, everywhere a scritch-scratch,
Old McGregor had a hoe!  E - I - E - I - O!

Peter Rabbit saw the hoe! E - I - Oh, No, No!
Said he from the wheelbarrow!  E - I - Oh, No, No!
With an Oh, No, here, and an Oh, No, there,
Here, Oh, there, No, everywhere an Oh, No!
Peter Rabbit saw the hoe! E - I - Oh, No, No!

Hasten, Peter, don't be slow! E - I - E - I - Go!
The gate's beyond McGregor's hoe! E - I - E - I - Go!
With a hip-hop here, and a hip-hop there,
Here a hip, there a hop, everywhere a hip-hop,
Hasten, Peter, don't be slow! E - I - E - I - Go!

If you wiggle to and fro, E - I - E - I - O!
Underneath the gate you'll go! E - I - E - I - O!
With a wiggle-waggle here, and a wiggle-waggle there,
Here wiggle, there waggle, everywhere a wiggle-waggle,
Now you're free to safely go!  E - I - E - I - O!

The Sparrow Song
Lyrics: Lucy Jensen
(Sung to the tune of "Did You Ever See a Lassie?")

In the garden we were flying,
     Were flying, were flying,
When we heard a bunny crying,
It must have been you.
Don't worry; just hurry!
Don't worry; just scurry!
You must leave your little jacket,
     Your jacket of blue.

Bunny, dear, you must keep trying,
     keep trying, keep trying,
From your jacket you'll be sliding,
And soon you'll be loose.
Don't worry; just hurry!
Don't worry; just scurry!
You must leave your little jacket,
     Your jacket of blue.

Mrs. Rabbit's Warning
Lyrics: Lucy Jensen
(Sung to the tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star")

Mrs. Rabbit:

To the baker's I must run,
To buy bread and currant buns.
While I'm gone, have bunny fun,
Picking berries one by one.
Don't go near that garden gate.
McGregor's hoe will be your fate!

Mrs. Rabbit and Animal Chorus:

Stay away from garden beans,
Cabbages and parsley greens.
Through the flowers you may hop,
Near the garden you must stop.
Listen to this warning, do.
Don't become McGregor's stew!
 

Flopsy:        Don't you worry, Mother dear.
Mopsy:        Have no worry; have no fear.
Cottontail:   We'll pick berries on by one.
Peter:          Then come home when day is done.
All bunnies:  Listen to our promise true.
                    We won't be McGregor's stew!

The Peter Rabbit Operetta
by Lucy Jensen

The first graders at my school recited this for their mothers at a Mother's Day Tea. One of the teachers had asked for something sweet for her children to perform, but when I started writing it, I just couldn't get serious! Hence, the humor in the poem. The moms loved it!

   
My Mother, My Friend

She wants me to be especially good,
And sometimes I am, but not when I should.
She wants me to grow to be healthy and strong.
But I can eat junk food all day long!
She wants me to learn to be friendly and sweet.
So sometimes I smile at the people I meet.
She wants me to be so clean and so tidy,
So I make up my bed every Tuesday and Friday!
She wants my respect and says to be kind,
But it's not always easy to keep that in mind.
This person is special. She's not like another.
She always loves me . . .
           She's my friend and my mother!