Introduction
Share with children the excitement of language and help them improve word comprehension and powers of imagination with these lively lyrics and memorable melodies.  The songs are written from a child's point of view: what a child wishes, feels and imagines.  The lyrics deal in a thoughtful and humorous way with the joys, challenges and conflicts children experience in their growing years.  The questions for discussion presented in this guide encourage interaction between children and adults.

Chorus:
Amanda Schlupp would not pick her toys up
She left everything where it lay
She played all day and never found time
To put anything away

Her dollies lay smothered on top of each other
Their dresses were wrinkled and ripped
Her skates were dropped carelessly on her glass pony
The poor thing was broken and chipped

Checkers and dominoes, buttons and silver bows
All were mixed up in a box
Her panda and teddy like tangled spaghetti
Lay limp in a bed of old socks

Her mirror was cracked from the crush of the clutter
And hadn't been seen for a year
Her hairbrush was bent and the bristles were jammed
In the teeth of her bicycle gear

The cleats of her soccer shoes dug a deep groove
In a record of Skip to My Lou
And flies crawled around on her pink plastic plates
With cake crumbs and old mud pie stew

Repeat Chorus

Then one night Amanda dreamed that her panda
Cried," I Can't stand anymore!"
When the toys heard him yell, "Rise up and rebel!"
They broke down the bedroom door

The dollies jumped into the bicycle basket
And panda bear pedaled away
The checkers jumped over each other to flee
And teddy bear shouted "Hooray!"

The glass pony limped up still broken and chipped up
And  happily hobbled away
The soccer shoes kicked out the pile of old socks
Then sprinted outside to play

The records and skates rolled outside with the plates
And the hairbrush went bristling by
The bows and the dominoes danced out the door
And all that was left were the flies

Amanda Schlupp screamed and woke up,  (Aahhh!)
And early the very next day
She skipped the cartoons and cleaned up her room
And put all her toys away

Questions:             
Does your room ever look like Amanda's?
Is it hard for you to clean your room? Why?
What would you rather be doing?  
Close your eyes and picture your room. How many toys can you name?
Which is your favorite ?
Which toy have you had the longest?
What do you do with your toys when you get tired of them?
What new toys would you like to have?
Do you have any place to put them?  
Which of your toys would break the easiest?
How do you protect them?
Where do you put them?

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6. The Clown Song
Words and Music: Hap Palmer

If I joined the circus I would be a clown                  
I would, if I could        
I'd wear a ragged coat with patches all around        
I would, if I could          
I'd paint my cheeks with bright red rosy polka dots           
And wear a  purple bow tie with a giant knot                       
I'd flop around with flattened shoes upon my feet      
I would, if I could
Then suddenly trip and land right on my padded seat  
I would, if I could               

Ooh- Eee- Makin' funny faces,
People leave their places, Straining to see
Ooh- Eee- Everyone would love me,
Though my clothes were baggy
And my hair was messy

I'd grin and make a flower magically appear              
I would, if I could     
And as I watched it wilt I'd shed a mournful tear      
I would, if I could
Then I'd spin around and skip across the ring
And imitate the way the monkeys jump and swing                  
I'd juggle ridin' on a pony just for fun                      
I would, if I could         
I'd use a dozen balls and never drop a one                  
I would, if I could
   
Ooh- Eee- Makin' funny faces,
People leave their places, Straining to see
Ooh- Eee- Everyone would love me,
Though my clothes were baggy
And my hair was messy
                
If I joined the circus I would be a clown
I would, if I could,
And I could, if I would.

Activity:
If you've ever wanted to be a clown, this is the time!  Just get up and do the actions described in this song.  It's easy to sing along too. Just repeat the phrases "I would"  and  "If I could"  each time you hear them.

Questions:
If you joined the circus, what would you like to be?
If you were a clown, what would you do to make people laugh?  
What kind of funny costume would you wear to make people laugh?  

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7. Hurry Up Blues
Words and Music: Hap Palmer

Hurry kids, no time to play
We're runnin' late for school today
Got the got to hurry, got to worry blues
Where's my list of things to do?
Sally, where's your other shoe?
Got the got to hurry, got to worry blues
            I can't keep cool when I'm keyed up
            Now where'd I leave my coffee cup?
            Tommy, that's not your toothbrush
            Oh, how I hate this nervous rush!

Set the table, feed the fish
Careful now, don't break a dish!
Got the got to hurry got to worry blues
Dippity dash, lickity split,
Zippity zoom, dit dit dit
Razza-ma-tazz, frazz-za-ley frazz,
Skiddle-dee-daddle and all that jazz
Oh no !  Come on, Freddy
It's quarter to eight and you're still not ready!

Where's your homework? Where's your lunch?
Gobble that bowl of Crispy Crunch
Got the got to hurry, got to worry blues
Wash your hands, comb your hair
The school bell's ringin' and you're not there
Got the got to hurry, got to worry blues
          Button your coat and do it quick
          Drink your juice or you'll get sick
          Clear your plate, scrub your face
          I swear you're movin' at a turtle's pace!

My heart is beatin' double time
My thoughts are freakin' in my mind
Got the got to hurry got to worry blues  
Dippity dash, lickity split,
Zippity zoom, dit, dit dit
Razza-ma-taz, frazz-za-ley frazz,
Skiddle-dee-daddle and all that jazz

My hands are shakin'
' My legs are itchin'
My pits are sweatin'
My nose is twitchin'
Got the got to hurry, got to worry blues!

Questions?
How do you feel when you're running late for school?  
What sensations do you have in your body?
What things make you late?  
What do you most often forget?

Activity:
As you listen to this song, act out the story and actions or create your own ways to move with the quality of frantic rushing.

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8. Amazing
Words and Music: Hap Palmer

Beavers, birds, bugs and bats
Dolphins, dogs and kitty cats
Ducks and does, snakes and eels
Buffaloes and baby seals
Tigers, toads and tiny ants
Ladybugs and elephants
Horses, geese and grizzly bears
Pigs and people everywhere
Countless creatures born each day
Each unique in its own way

Chorus:
Isn't it amazing?  Isn't it amazing?
Looking 'round at everything,
Makes you want to shout and sing,
Life is an amazing thing !
Oh, life is an amazing thing.

Camels, clams and caribous
Cougars, cranes, and cockatoos
Squirrels, skunks and squiggly squids
Kangaroos and katydids
Weasels, wrens, wolves and whales
Crickets, crabs and garden snails
Monkeys, mice and fireflies
Fish and frogs of every size
Praise the miracle that brings
All these different living things

Repeat Chorus

Pandas, ponies, nightingales
Crocodiles and cottontails
Round and round the whole world spins
Cheetahs, chimps and chickadees
Butterflies and honey bees
Everyday new life begins

Repeat Chorus

Activity:
The verses of this song are done in call and response style. Choose which part you would like to do, then read and sing along. (Teacher or parent can print the words on a large sheet of poster board.)

There are 56 living creatures named in this song. How many can you remember?...List them, then categorize or classify them. Some possible classifications are:
.Size and Shape- big, small, long or tall, short, thin, wide.
.Where They Live - water, land, both (amphibious), cold climate, warm climate, desert, jungle, forest, mountains.
.How They Move - swim, fly, slither, walk, run, climb, jump, crawl, creep.


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9. When Daddy Was A Little Boy
Words and Music: Hap Palmer

When daddy was a little boy he was a lot like me
I've heard the tales that grandma tells
And seen old pictures, too
With dirty shorts, once pastel blue
And dusty, worn out tennis shoes
He rode a bike and built a fort
Just like I like to do

When daddy was a little boy he was a lot like me
I know he wasn't always good
Sometimes he disobeyed
He wouldn't eat his broccoli
And cheated at Monopoly
And when his mom yelled, "Quiet!"
He kept talking anyway

And he climbed high trees
And tried to hide the fear that he might fall
Though he could be strong
He needed love like me ... well, don't we all

When daddy was a little boy he was a lot like me
When it was time to take a bath
He ran outside to play
But each night when the day was done
Into his mother's arms he'd run
I think he must have felt back then
The things I feel today

Questions?
In what ways are you most like your father?
In what ways are you most like your mother?
What did your father like to do when he was a little boy?
What did your mother like to do when she was a little girl?
What do you like to do most?


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10. Francie Had A Football
Words and Music: Hap Palmer

Francie had a football,
she could fling it down the field
A herd of linemen charging in
could never shake her poise
When she put her helmet on
and went out for the team
The captain snapped,
"Forget it, hon, this game is just for boys"
And she said:

Chorus:
"Why don't you just turn around
And take a little hike
I just want to be myself
And do the things I like"

Donald had a dolly with a dainty, little dress
With daisy petal patterns printed in a golden swirl
When he held her in his arms
and took her for a walk
His sister snickered,
"Hey you're acting like a little girl"
And he said:

Repeat Chorus

Barbie bought some barbells
and she pressed a hundred pounds
Her bigger brother Buster boasted ,
"I can do it too"
He strained and struggled, groaned and grumbled,
then gave up and sneered,
"Why don't you play dress up
 like the other girls all do"
And she said:

Repeat Chorus

Questions?
Why do you think the boys did not want Francie to play football?
Do you think she should be allowed to play?
Have you ever been told you cannot play in a game? How did you feel?
Why did Donald's sister think he was acting like a little girl? Do you agree?
Are there toys that only girls should play with? Why?
Are there toys that only boys should play with? Why?
What did Barbie do that made her bigger brother Buster angry?
If you are a boy, how do you feel when a girl is stronger than you are?
If you are a girl, how do you feel when you are stronger than a boy?  
In what ways do you think boys and girls are the same?
In what ways do you think they are different?

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11. You Can Do It
Words and Music: Hap Palmer

When your friends are up, skatin' round
And you keep slippin' and fallin' down
Get back up! Don't give up and quit
And in time you will find you can do it

When you swing and miss, remember that
Soon you'll get another chance to bat
Watch that ball! Don't give up and quit
And in time you will find you can do it

Keep on skatin'; give yourself time
Keep on swingin' and you will find
You can do better than you did before
And nobody could ask for more
        Y' got heart -
        Y' got spunk -
        Y' got soul from head to toe
        Y' got spark -  
        Y' got spirit -
        You're really great! Oh don't you know

If you can't go, and run a mile                
Start out slowly and walk a while
Step with pride! Don't give up and quit
And in time you will find you can do it

   Start out walkin' ; give yourself time
   Then start runnin' and you will find
   You can do better than you did before
   And nobody could ask for more
       Y' got heart -  
       Y' got spunk -
       Y' got soul from head to toe
       Y' got spark -
       Y' got spirit -
       You're really great ! Oh don't you know
       That you can do it !

Activity:
Act out the sports and activities described in the lyric of this song.  When the following key words or phrases are sung in the chorus, try these simple movements:
"heart" - pat chest
"spunk" - jump in place
"soul from head to toe" - touch head then touch toes
"spark" - throw arms up with sudden bursting motion
"spirit" -  turn in place while shaking hands high
"you're really great" - point to somebody else, shake hands with  someone or pat someone on the back.

Questions:
Can you think of other activities where practice helps you do better?  
How do you feel when you don't do as well as you hoped?
Do you feel like quitting?  
Do you have to be the best at what you do or can you enjoy participating doing the best you can?

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12. Amos, The Alligator Dude
Words and Music: Hap Palmer

This here's a rap with a reptile rhythm
To get you in the mood
To meet the king and I'm meanin' me
Amos, the Alligator Dude

When you see my beautiful big boned body
Bakin' in the bayou sun
You'll know there ain't nobody better
I'm Georgia's number one

I believe in me and my ten foot tail,
And the feats this beast can do
I'm known in the south as "Mighty Mouth"
There's nothin' I can't chew

Just look at this row of pearlies shine
Not a cavity in the line
This jaws my pride, I can open it wide
Y' oughtta drop in sometime !

Chorus:
Who's the swiftest swimmer in the swamp?
Amos, the Alligator Dude!
And who's the most righteous reptile 'round?  
Amos, the Alligator Dude!
And who's the king of the Okefenokee?
Amos, the Alligator Dude!
Yea, Amos, Amos, the world's most famous
Amos, the Alligator Dude!
    
Gettin' down and dirty in the Mississippi mud
I'm still a perfect ten
A gorgeous Georgia jewel eyed gem
Of an alligator specimen

I can bat my eyelids friendly like
And charm you when I winks
I can slide along real easy then
Snap quicker than a chicken blinks
   
I can lay like a log in a bog so still
You hardly know I'm there
Then explode like a load of TNT
And jump start your heart with a scare

I'm warnin' y'all my breed's been banned
Ain't fillin' no poacher's sack
Try'n use my hide for your cowboy boots
And this gator's fightin' back !

Repeat Chorus

I'll take you for a romp in the swamp someday
All the way to New Orleans
I can beat a barracuda and a whole darn fleet
Of nuclear submarines

My tail can whip up a hurricane
My jaws can crush a stone,
I'm a Louisiana legend, the wildest one
The world has ever known

Now I don't look for trouble
But I ain't no lady's purse
Try catchin' me, and you're gonna be
Ridin' back home in a hearse !

So that's my story and I'm glad you give me
The time to tell it true
See you later alligator and I'm on my way
After one more quick review

Repeat Chorus

Questions?
What other animals can be very still then make sudden quick movements?  
Watch your pet or animals in the park. How do they move?  
How many animal species can you name that are endangered by humans?

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13. Zany Zoo
Words and Music: Hap Palmer

When the day is dull and dreary
When you're feeling low
When your spirit's worn and weary
Here's where you should go:

Chorus:
Zany Zoo, Zany Zoo
You might not think it's true
But once you see the Zany Zoo
No other zoo will ever do

The penguins play on pogo sticks
Bouncing up and down
They do the wiggle waddle
As they twist and turn around

The zebras zip around on skates
And pass out carrot cakes
And the tigers take you out to lunch
And order cherry shakes

Repeat Chorus

The Yak all yank on yo -yos
And perform terrific tricks
They swing the yo-yos round their horns
And do karate kicks

The goose wears tiny glasses
As she weaves a feather fan
And the lions whistle classics
>From Stravinsky to Chopin

See the jolly green giraffe
With red and yellow spots
He does a yoga headstand
As he ties his legs in knots

The skunks sneak up and spray you
With the finest French perfumes
And the peacocks pick your pockets
When you try to pick their plumes

Repeat Chorus

Gorillas all get bubble gum
And chew gigantic wads
Then blow enormous bubbles
As the cheering crowd applauds

They blow the bubbles bigger
'Til they get so big at last
The bubbles burst in one big boom
Just like a cannon blast      
                
Repeat Chorus

Activity:
During the verses, move like the imaginary animals described in this song. When you hear the chorus, sing along and jump up and down.
Move like your favorite animal from the Zany Zoo and see if someone else can guess which one you are.
Draw a picture of your favorite animal at the Zany Zoo.

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14. The Summer Slumber Party
Words and Music: Hap Palmer

All over the land the children were sleeping
With nary a whisper or peep
But there was a place
where lights were still burning
And children could not fall asleep

Chorus:    
It was the summer slumber party at Sabrina's house
The kind where laughter never ends
The summer slumber party at Sabrina's house
Her room was filled with all her friends

School was not in session
so they got to stay up late
Sabrina kept on saying "This is great !"
We can stay up past our bedtimes;
there's no homework due tonight;
No problems in arithmetic or spelling lists to write

Blaring in the background
you could hear their favorite tune
As they made their joyful plans to sleep 'til noon
Eating Snickers in their slippers,
sharing jokes and soda pop
Getting sicker by the minute '
cause they simply could not stop

Repeat Chorus

If you think that little girls
are always sweet and nice
Sabrina's gang will have you thinking twice
They can jump and tumble just as well as anyone
With pillow fights that rival
what the wildest boys call fun

Carrie did a cartwheel over Betsy Burger's bed
Barely missing Holly Hoover's head;
Heather did a handstand rolling to an arabesque
She started on the dresser
and she ended on the desk

Repeat Chorus      

Sabrina whispered "Shhh"
when she heard her father knock
He said, "Go to sleep now girls, It's 10 o'clock"
It was quiet for a moment until Shirley tickled Jan
Then Bev burped from too much soda
and the giggling began             
  
Time and time again they would try to settle down
Then burst out laughing for another round
Tired yet still wired they went on a talking jag
'Til their eyes got puffy
and their chins began to sag

Repeat Chorus

As crickets grew silent in the fading moonlight
The girls were beginning to doze
Tired and yawning, drowsy and nodding
They drifted to peaceful repose

Her mother then tiptoed into the room,
And untangled Sabrina's long braids
She covered each child and switched off the lights
And quietly pulled down the shades

All over the land the children were rising
With bright smiles they met the new day
But sleepy Sabrina and friends they still slumbered
Too weary and worn out to play

Activity:
During the introduction, pretend you are sleeping. When the music gets faster, jump up and start bouncing up and down as you sing. Continue acting out the scenes described in the lyric of the song. When the music slows, gradually slow down. Show in movement the feeling of getting sleepy. End in stillness with your eyes closed.

Questions:
Have you ever been to a slumber party?
What did you talk about?
Did you tell any jokes?
Did you eat anything? What?
Can you remember anything that made you laugh?
How late did you stay up?
Were you one of the first or last to fall asleep?

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15. Billy Blotsky's Birthday Bash
Words and Music: Hap Palmer

My friend Billy Blotsky had a birthday yesterday
His parents let him plan it
and choose the games we played
He sprung a few surprises to spice the party up
Like filling up the bathtub
with homemade lemonade.
He had a crocodile cake
with white icing for the teeth
The scales were made from slices
of sticky green gumdrops
The eyes were made of cherries,
with strawberries for the nose
And the tongue was one long string
of bright red lollipops. Hey !    

Chorus:  
Oh, what a birthday party
It was the best of all, we really had a ball
Everybody's talking 'bout t
the season's greatest smash
It's Billy Blotsky's Birthday Bash

The treasure hunt was held there in Billy's house
He switched things all around
to make the game more fun
We found dishes in the closet,
and sandals in the sink
And a magic marking pen
in a moldy  hot dog bun.
The usual pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey
game was changed
We taped paper shells on a cardboard turtle's back
Then we ran a race where the slowest runners won
Several shovel fulls of candy
stacked inside a shopping sack, Hey !

Repeat Chorus

Then we gave Billy presents;
he had but one request
Bring something unusual you cannot buy in stores
He got seashells and three snails,
seven lizards with no tails
And Leah's little brother
to help him with his chores.
The brightly colored wrapping piled up on the rug
And covered up the punch that
Sarah Springer spilled
And somewhere underneath crawled
Craigie Crawford's gift
A snake with painted body; golly,
Billy sure was thrilled ! Hey !

            Repeat Chorus

When the day was done we pitched in
to pick things up
We caught the snake and snails,
and cleared away the trash
'Though Billy's mother sternly spoke,
"Next year there'll be no jokes" ...
We'll always remember
Billy Blotsky's Birthday Bash !  Hey !

Repeat Chorus

Activity
Draw a picture of the birthday cake you would like to have.

Plan you own birthday party!
My birthday is _____________
I will be __________ years old.
I will invite ________________
We will play ________________
We will eat ________________

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16. Friends
Words and Music: Hap Palmer

You need a friend
I need a friend
Everyone needs somebody to talk to
Someone who's there
Someone who cares
Somebody just like you

Chorus:
Friends - They come in all sizes
Friends - They come in all colors
Friends - They come anywhere
Two people have the time to share

You need a friend
I need a friend
Someone who knows what we're going through
Someone who hears
Our hopes and our fears
Somebody just like you

Repeat Chorus
    
'though friends may sometimes disagree
With angry words said hastily
Friends are not afraid to say I'm sorry -  sorry -

You can be real
And say what you feel
Friends understand the things that you do
Joyful or sad
Good times or bad
True friends will stand by you

Repeat Chorus

Since you need a friend
And I need a friend
Let's get together, it's easy to do
May I say, "Hello,
I'm happy to know
Somebody just like you !"

Questions:
Who is your best friend?  
What do you like to do together?
What do you like to talk about?  
Have you ever had a fight with a friend?  
What did you argue about?  
How did you work it out?

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17. Helping Mommy In The Kitchen
Words and Music: Hap Palmer

Chorus:   
We're helping mommy in the kitchen
Making her life easier
Helping  mommy in the kitchen
Happy to be pleasing her
When she sees dinner's done
Just think how good she'll feel
She can sit down and rest
And watch us serve the meal

To make hamburgers using fresh ground meat
We put them on the  ground
and stamp them with our feet
Oh, yeah, tell everyone
Cooking food is so much fun

Mashed potatoes are a cinch to do
We just smash them with a hammer
'til they're mushy-goo
Oh, yeah, tell everyone,
Cooking food is so much fun
Plump tomatoes make catsup when
We put them on a chair and sit on them

Repeat Chorus

We need flour for some gingerbread
Let's pick some pink petunias from the flowered
Oh, yeah, tell everyone,
Cooking food is so much fun

We have no brown sugar but it won't hurt
To take a bag of white and mix in dirt
Oh, yeah, tell everyone
Cooking food is so much fun
Next baking soda is what it needs
Stick some Coca Cola in the oven, please

Repeat Chorus
     
Spoken: Oh, no!
There's ground beef smeared on the kitchen floor
Potatoes gushed on the walls and door
Tomatoes squished on my brand new clothes
And hamburgers stuck in between my toes
The gingerbread's nothing but a baked mud brick
With sizzled petunias from the plants we picked
The soda pop popped; what a mess it is
Now the oven's covered with a sticky fizz...but        
 
Repeat Chorus

Questions:               
How do you think the food these children made would taste?   
What do these children need to learn about cooking?  
Can you think of anything dangerous that you might find in the kitchen? What?  
How can it be handled safely?
What things should children not touch when they are alone in the kitchen?

Activity:                   
Here is a rhythmic dance you can do with this song.  Do the following motions with the chorus:
We're helping mommy in the kitchen
   stir four times with right hand
Making her life easier
   stir four times with left hand
Helping  mommy in the kitchen
   stir four times with right hand
Happy to be pleasing her
   stir four times with left hand
When she sees dinner's done
   spread arms horizontally presenting dinner
Just think how good she'll feel
    gather arms to chest to symbolize feeling good
She can sit down and rest
   sit in an imaginary chair
And watch us serve the meal
   step in place holding imaginary serving tray

During the verses, act out the following imaginary scenes in your own way:
Verse 1: Stamp wads of ground beef on the floor to make hamburger  patties
Verse 2: Mash potatoes with a hammer
Verse 3: Bounce up and down on your bottom to squish tomatoes into catsup
Verse 4: Pick petunias to make flour
Verse 5: Shovel dirt into white sugar to make brown sugar
Verse 6: Vibrate like can of heated soda, then explode

During the spoken section, pantomime cleaning up by mopping the floor, scrubbing the walls, cleaning your clothes, washing your toes, lifting a heavy brick-like loaf of gingerbread,  throwing it away, then scrubbing the oven bottom, sides and top.

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18. Chomping Gum
Words and Music: Hap Palmer

Gushy, smooshy, sleazy, slush
Icky, sticky, squish
Snapping, popping, sloppy stuff
Tell me what is this?

Chorus:
Chomping gum with mouth wide open
Gross out sight to see
I don't care as long as I don't
Have to look at me
Oooh - Chomping gum
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Yum, yum, yum

A smacking, cracking, wrinkled wad
Of slippery, slobbered slime
Rolls around my teeth and gums
Then up my tongue it climbs

Repeat Chorus

People turn away and say,
"Ugh! Disgusting scuz
Ewey, pewey, yucky, yuck."
Guess it's all because, I'm

Repeat Chorus

Questions:
How do you feel when you are near someone who is chewing gum with their mouth open?
Is there anything you like to do that bothers others?
What grosses you out most in the whole wide world?

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19. Halloween Hanukkah Christmas Ghost
Words and Music: Hap Palmer

Who's been creeping 'round the Christmas tree
Shaking branches and lights ?
And who's been peeking in the packages
You just wrapped last night ?
    Oooh- I know you won't believe me
    Oooh- My eyes have not deceived me
    Oooh- It's just a spooky kook with a silly streak

Chorus:
It's the Halloween Hanukkah Christmas Ghost
Hanging 'round haunting us with his jokes
It's the Halloween Hanukkah Christmas Ghost
He just had to stay, for the holidays

Does your new dreidel keep on spinning 'round
When it should be falling down ?
When you try to stop it does it float away  
Carried on a long white gown ?
   Oooh- I know it's not October
   Oooh- But there's a ghost left over
   Oooh- It's just a spooky kook with a silly streak

Repeat Chorus

Who scared Santa and his eight reindeer
Making poor Blixen cry ?
And who's that riding up on Rudolph's back
Streaking across the sky ?
   Oooh- It's just a playful spirit
   Oooh- And Santa need not fear it
   Oooh- It's just a spooky kook with a silly streak

Repeat Chorus

Activity:
Try these movements as you listen to the recording:
Verse 1 - Tip-toe and creep with sneaky cat like movements.
Chorus - Move with a ghostlike smooth, floating quality.
Verse 2 - Spin like a top then float away
Verse 3 - Act scared, shake and cry then run and leap with an imaginary ghost
on your back.
   
This song allows children of different religious beliefs to participate together during the holiday season.  It  can be used as accompaniment for a short musical play with children taking the following roles:
     Ghost
     Christmas Tree
     Presents (any number of children)
     Dreidels  (any number of children)
     Santa Claus
     Reindeer (8 children)
     Rudolph

In verse one, the ghost creeps around the presents.  The presents can be children dressed as toys who crouch down in large decorated cardboard boxes. The toys pop out of their packages and dance around each time the chorus plays.  

In verse two,The dreidels spin around quickly, then float off with the ghost as it passes by. A dreidel costume can be made by removing the top and bottom of a large cardboard box. The Hebrew letters nun, gimel, he and shin are placed on each side of the box. A child wears this costume around the upper body.

In verse three, the reindeer tremble and cry. The ghost rides piggy back on Rudoph's back (optional).

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20. Teddy Bear Ball
Words and Music: Hap Palmer

Dream a little dream, happy little scene
Teddy bears waltz
Full of fluffy charm, dancing arm in arm
Pudgy and soft
Swirling as they gaze in each other's eyes
Softly padded paws gliding swiftly by
You can see it all
There at the Teddy Bear Ball

Cheery little cubs giggle then they blush
Each time they see
Mom and daddy bear dancing cheek to cheek
So tenderly
Papa in a tux, whirling mom around
Orchid on her wrist, flowing satin gown
You can see it all
There at the Teddy Bear Ball

They lift their tiny cups to a bowl of punch
And sweetly pour
Then they fill their plates with the honey cakes
Bears all adore
Merrily they chat, share each other's snacks
Give each other hugs, pat each other's backs
You can see it all
There at the Teddy Bear Ball

Bouncy little bears playing in the band
Smile with each song
While conductor bear waving his baton
Sings right along
One bear on the drums, two accordions
Three to toot the horns, four on violins
You can see it all
There at the Teddy Bear Ball

Counter Melody

Dream, dream, sweetest you've seen
Lullabies lifting spirits high
Dream, dream, so serene
As teddy bears go waltzing by

Repeat first verse and counter melody together

Questions:
Can you remember the last dream you had?
Was it pleasant or scary? What happened?  
Would you like to go to the Teddy Bear Ball?  
What part would you like best - listening to the band, dancing, or eating snack?  What did the teddy bears do that showed they were friends?
 What do you like to do with your friends?
How do you show your friends you like them?

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Credits:
Arranger and Engineer: Bob Summers Keyboards, Bass, Percussion: Bob Summers Guitars: Bob Summers, Hap Palmer Clarinet, Flute, Saxophone: Hap Palmer Woodwind and Vocal Arrangements: Bob Summers, Hap Palmer Lead Vocals: Hap Palmer Background Vocals: Juanice Charmaine, Jacie Berry, Karen Wilson Harper, Hap Palmer Children's Chorus A Tess Mayer, Jennifer Prouty, Jamie Ryan, Ted Sanger, Jason Shioada, Michael Shinoda, Mike Summers, Nora Wax, Justin Weaver Solo on "Teddy Bear Ball": Mike Summers Chldren's Speaking Parts: Kelly Palmer, Wesley Palmer, Daniel Palmer, Mike Summers Children's Chorus B: Wesley Palmer, Danny Palmer, Nicole Price, Brynne Price, Mike Summers Producer: Hap Palmer Executive Producer:  Don Perry Mastering Engineer: Joe Bellamy Educational Consultant and Editor: Angelia Leung Educational Advisors: Paula W. Benjamin, Raelynne Rein, PhD. Production Coordinator: Betty Williams

All songs by Hap Palmer © Hap-Pal Music

All songs published by Hap-Pal Music. ©Hap-Pal Music all rights reserved. No part of these lyrics or activities may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without permission from the publisher.

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