John McCutcheon
Howjadoo

John McCutcheon is a virtuoso hammer dulcimer player and a witty, incisive songwriter who has captivated audiences young and old. This album has won many awards, including the American Library Association's Recording of Notable Merit, the National Association of Independent Record Distributors' Best Children's record and a Parent's Magazine recommendation. Kids like it too! Notable Children's Recording - American Library Association Gold Medal Award - Parents Magazine

"Notable Children's Recording—American Library Association Gold Medal Award" —Parents Magazine

"Few of the current crop of children's records and songbooks match the sincerity and skill communicated on this album. . . . This a very bright and lively album and a glorious expression of life" —Sing Out!

"Drawing heavily from traditional sources (he even makes "John Henry" seem new), McCutcheon invests his songs and stories with rustic delight." —Washington Post

Personnel

John McCutcheon, vocals, hammer dulcimer, fiddle, banjo, guitar, autoharp, jaw harp, spoons / Lorraine Duisit, vocals, guitar, mandolin / Freyda Epstein, vocals, fiddle, viola / Ralph Gordon, bass, cello / Howard Levy, harmonica, piano, tin whistle, ocarina / Tom Jones, drums, percussion, bells, triangle / Pete Kennedy, electric bass, guitar / Tracy Schwarz, Cajun accordion / Holly Near, vocal / Cathy Fink, guitar / Tom Gray, bass / Marty Erickson, tuba / Flawn Williams, vocal / Barbara Freeman, vocal / Joe Hickerson, vocal / Kid's Chorus

Formats

Compact Disk: Rounder CD:011661800922 Cassette: Rounder CS:011661800946

Produced by Paul Reisler
Year Released: 1983

Lyrics

Cut the Cake
words & music by Tina Liza Jones

We're gonna let 2nd grade out early today
Which made little Mikey kinda blue
He just turned 7 years old that day
And he thought he'd get a party at school
He walked back home and he's taken off his guard
There's chairs and tables all over the yard
And his friends jumped up and they hollered real hard,
"Happy Birthday to You!"

CHORUS:

It makes me think of the good old days
Happy birthday to you
You sure grew out of your baby ways
Happy birthday to you
(7th 23rd, 92nd) birthday we wish you many more
Health and wealth and friends by the score
Cut the cake and let's eat some more
Happy birthday to you

Now Mike's 22 and he's working for his Pop
And his head's full of business thru and thru
He was planning out a whole new system at the shop
And he forgot he had a birthday due
He drove back home and he's taken off his guard
There's chairs and tables all over the yard
And his friends jumped up and they hollered real hard,
"Happy Birthday to You!"

CHORUS

Now it's old man Michael in a rocking chair
Admiring the view
He's still got all his teeth and he's still got all his hair
And today he's 92
He turns in his seat and he's taken off his guard
There's chairs and tables all over the yard
And his friends jumped up and they hollered real hard,
"Happy Birthday to You!"

CHORUS

Howjadoo
Words & music by Woody Guthrie

You stick out your little hand
To every woman, kid and man
You say, "Hojee heejee hijee
"Howjadoo, howjadoo!"
You say, "Hojee, heejee hijee
"Howjadoo!"

Chorus

Howjee, hojee, heejee, hijee
Howjee, dojee, doojee, dijee
Howjee, hojee, heejee, hijee
Howjadoo, howjadoo
Howjee, hojee, heejee, hijee
Howjadoo

On my sidewalk, on my street
To every person that you meet
You say, "Hojee heejee hijee
"Howjadoo, howjadoo!"
You say, "Hojee, heejee hijee
"Howjadoo!" 

Chorus

I feel glad and you feel good
We brighten up our neighborhood
We say, "Hojee heejee hijee
"Howjadoo, howjadoo!"
We say, "Hojee, heejee hijee
"Howjadoo!" 

Chorus

extra verse by John McCutcheon:

From right here in our town
To the whole wide world around
We say, "Hojee heejee hijee
"Howjadoo, howjadoo!"
We say, "Hojee, heejee hijee
"Howjadoo!" 

Chorus

Rubber Blubber Whale
words & music by Si Kahn

(Note: This is an intentionally ridiculous song for interpreters...it is a great favorite from my kids' recording and alot of fun to do in concert...Susan Freundlich and I worked out some great signs with the signer, in fact, taking a "break".)

Daddy bought me a rubber blubber whale (2x)
How I love my rubber blubber rubber blubber rubber blubber
Rubber blubber rubber blubber whale blubber whale
Rubber blubber rubber blubber whale

Sister she wanted my rubber blubber whale (2x)
You know I really lub her but she cannot have my rubbber blubber
Rubber blubber rubber blubber whale blubber whale
Rubber blubber rubber blubber whale

So Mama went and bought another rubber blubber whale (2x)
How I love my rubber blubber rubber blubber rubber blubber
Rubber blubber rubber blubber whale blubber whale
Rubber blubber rubber blubber whale

I took a bath with my rubber blubber whale
It went splish splash with its rubber blubber tail
How I love my rubber blubber rubber blubber rubber blubber
Rubber blubber rubber blubber whale blubber whale
Rubber blubber rubber blubber whale

I went swimming with my rubber blubber whale
I took it to the water in a little yellow pail
How I love my rubber blubber rubber blubber rubber blubber
Rubber blubber rubber blubber whale blubber whale
Rubber blubber rubber blubber whale

I'm gonna rubba-dub my rubber blubber whale (2x)
How I love my rubber blubber rubber blubber rubber blubber
Rubber blubber rubber blubber whale blubber whale
Rubber blubber rubber blubber whale

Everybody rubba-dub your rubber blubber whale (2x)
How I love my rubber blubber rubber blubber rubber blubber
Rubber blubber rubber blubber whale blubber whale
Rubber blubber rubber blubber whale

©1981 by Si Kahn. Published by Joe Hill Music (ASCAP)

John Henry
traditional

When John Henry was just a little baby boy
Sitting on his Daddy's knee
He said, "The Big Bend Tunnel on the C&O line
"Gonna be the death of me, Lord, Lord
"Gonna be the death of me."

Well, the capt. said to John Henry,
"Gonna bring that steam drill around
"I'm gonna bring that steam drill out on the job
"Gonna whup that old steel on down..."

Well, John Henry said to the capt.,
He said, "A man ain't nothing but a man
"But before I would let that old steam drill beat me down
"I'd die with this hammer in my hand..."

John Henry said to his partner,
He said, "Shaker, Lord, you better pray,
"Cause I'm swinging 20 lbs. from my hips on down
"If I miss it'll be your burying day...."

So John Henry hammered on the mountain
His hammer was striking fire
But he worked so hard he broke his poor heart
Laid down his hammer and he died....

Now the man who invented the steam drill
He though he was mighty fine
But John Henry, he had driven 15 ft.
And that steam drill had only made nine...

Now every Monday morning
When the bluebirds begin to sing
Way off yonder, bout a mile or more
You can hear John Henry's hammer ring...

A Place in the Choir
words and music by Bill Staines

All God's critters got a place in the choir
Some sing low, some sing higher,
Some sing out loud on the telephone wires,
And some just clap their hands, or paws, or anything they
got now

REPEAT

Listen to the bass, it's the one on the bottom
Where the bullfrog croaks and the hippopotamus
Moans and groans with a big t'do
And the old cow just goes moo.

The dogs and the cats they take up the middle
While the honeybee hums and the cricket fiddles,
The donkey brays and the pony neighs
And the old coyote howls.
CHORUS

Listen to the top where the little birds sing
On the melodies with the high notes ringing,
The hoot owl hollers over everything
And the jaybird disagrees.

Singin' in the night time, singing in the day,
The little duck quacks, then he's on his way.
The 'possum ain't got much to say
And the porcupine talks to himself.

CHORUS

It's a simple song of living sung everywhere
By the ox and the fox and the grizzly gear,
The grumpy alligator the the hawk above,
The sly raccoon and the turtle dove.

CHORUS
REPEAT

© Bill Staines

Peanut Butter
words & music by HB Barnum

Well, there's a food going 'round and it's a sticky, sticky goo
Peanut, peanut butter
It tastes to good, but it's so hard to chew
Peanut, peanut butter
People everywhere, they think it's the most
Peanut, peanut butter
Early in the morning they put it on their toast
Peanut, peanut butter
I like peanut butter, creamy peanut butter, chunky peanut butter, too!

My old dog started barking in the middle of the night
(I guess he wanted some...)
He woke up all my neighbors, I almost got in a fight
(Over...)
So I gave him peanut butter just ot quiet him down
He chewed himself to sleep and he never made a sound
I like...

I went to a dinner party what did they eat?
I took a big bite and it stuck to my teeth
People going 'round look like they got the mumps
They were eating peanut butter in great, big hunks
I like...

Babysitter
Words and Music by Si Kahn

If it's fun for you then it's fun for me
If it's good enough for you then it's good enough for me
I wanna go out w/the whole family
I don't wanna stay home alone

Chorus:
I don't wanna stay w/the babysitter (3x)
No!  I don't wanna stay home alone

I wanna go out, I wanna have fun
I wanna go out w/everyone
And I won't come home till the whole night is done
I don't wanna stay home alone

I don't know where you're going but it must be great
Or you wouldn't be worried when you think you're late
I just can't wait till I get grown
And I won't have to stay home alone

Maybe tomorrow I'll go downtown
Mommy and Daddy'll have to stay at home
I'll get 'em a babysitter to keep 'em company
And they can stay home like me

© Si Kahn

Pap's Billygoat
traditional from Currence Hammonds

Pappy bought me a great big billygoat
Mama she washed most everyday
Hung the clothes out on the line
The gosh-darn goat, well, he came that way
He started eatin' on my old red shirt
You oughta heard them buttons crack
I'll get even with the son-of-a-gun
I'm gonna tie him across the railroad track
So I tied him across the railroad track
The train kept comin' at a thousand rate
He coughed up them old red shirts
And the gosh-darn goat, well, he flagged that train

The darn fool, the old fool, I married me a widow
And the widow had a daughter, and her name was Maw
I married the widow and my Daddy married the daughter
And now my Daddy is my own son-in-law

I went to the station and I bought me a ticket
I hopped on the train and I sat right down
Stuck the ticket in the brim of my hat
And the wind came along, blew it out on the ground
The conductor came along for to collect my ticket
I had to get another or get out on the track
I'll get even with the son-of-a-gun
I'll buy a round trip ticket and I ain't a-coming back!

Here's to Cheshire
by Leslie Howell

A green frog lived at the bottom of the well
Ding dang dong go the wedding bells
And a pretty little mouse lived under the mill
Ding dang dong go the wedding bells

Here's to Cheshire, here's to cheese
Here's to the pears and the apple trees
And here's to the lovely strawberries
Ding dang dong go the wedding bells

Froggie went a-courtin' and he did ride
Said, "Ms. Mouse, won't you be my bride?"

"I'll have to ask my old Aunt Rat
Just what she does think of that"

Now Aunt Rat laughed till her face got red
Just to think that a frog and mouse should wed.

Who's gonna weave the wedding town?
Old Ms. Spider from Pumpkin Town

So break open the oysters and spill the champagne
We're never going to see such a party again!

Oh while they were goin' it hot and strong
The good grey cat come prowlin' along

She sprang through the kitchen right out of the yard
She didn't even have no invitation card

Now this is the end of him and her
Guess there won't be no tadpoles covered with fur

Father Grumble
Traditional

There was an old man lived up on a hill
As you can plainly see
Who said he could do more work in a day
Than his wife could do in three
“Well, if this be so,” the old woman said
“Then this you must allow
“That you will do my work for a day
“And I will drive the plow.”

“And you must milk our tiny cow
“For fear she should run dry
“And then go feed them fat little pigs
“That are squealing within the sty
“And you must watch the little red hen
“For fear she’ll lay astray
“And still have time to weave that yarn
“That I spun yesterday.”

So the old woman took a stick in her hand
And went off to drive the plow
And the old man took a bucket on his arm
And went to milk that cow
But the little itched and the little cow pitched
And the little cow cocked her nose
And gave that old man such a kick
That the blood ran down to his toes

It’s “Hey, good cow!” and “Ho, good cow!
“Doggoneit cow, stand still!
“If I ever milk this cow again
“It’’ll be against my will”
And when he’d milked that tiny cow
For fear she should run dry
He went and he fed them fat little pigs
That were squealing within the sty

And he never caught up with the little red hen
And she did lay astray
And he never had time to weave that yarn
His wife spun yesterday
He said, “I swear by all the leaves on the trees
“And all the stars in heaven
“My wife can do more work in a day
“Than I can do in seven!
“I swear by all the leaves on the trees
“And all the stars in heaven
“My wife can do more work in a day
“Than I can do in eleven!”

Tender Shepherd
by Carolyn Leigh and Mark Charlap

Tender shepherd, tender shepherd
May we help you count your sheep?
One in the meadow,
Two in the garden,
Three in the nursery
Fast asleep
Fast asleep