Learning Basic Skills Through Music
Volume I

Click Title for Lyrics:
1. Colors
2. Put Your Hands Up In The Air
3. The Elephant
4. The Number March
5. Marching Around the Alphabet


6. Growing
7. This Is The Way We Get Up In The     Morning
8. Birds
9. What Are You Wearing?
10. What Is Your Name?

1. Colors
Words and Music: Hap Palmer

This is a song about colors, colors
You see them all around.
There is red on the stop sign, green on a tree,
Blue in the sky and sea.

This is a song about color, colors
You see them all around.
It's about the happiest song in town.
All you have to do is stand up and sit down.
All you have to do is stand up and sit down.

RED stand up, BLUE stand up, YELLOW and GREEN stand up.
RED sit down, BLUE sit down, YELLOW and GREEN sit down.
RED stand up, GREEN stand up, RED and GREEN sit down.
BLUE stand up, YELLOW stand up, BLUE and YELLOW sit down.

This is a song about colors, colors;
You see them all around,
There is yellow on bananas and green on a tree,
Blue in the sky and the sea.

RED stand up, GREEN stand up, YELLOW and BLUE stand up.
RED sit down, RED stand up, YELLOW and GREEN sit down.
BLUE sit down, YELLOW stand up, GREEN and BLUE stand up.
GREEN sit down, BLUE sit down, RED and YELLOW sit down.

This is a song about colors, colors
You see them all around.
It's about the happiest song in town.
All you have to do is stand up and sit down.
All you have to do is stand up and sit down.
All you have to do is stand up and sit down.

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2. Put Your Hands Up In The Air
Words and Music: Hap Palmer

Put your hands up in the air.
Put your hands down on your nose.
Put your hands up in the air.
Now bend down and touch your toes.

Everybody turn around.
Now let's all jump up and down.

Put your right hand in the air.
Put your right hand on your lips.
Put your left hand in the air.
Now put both hands on your hips.

Everybody turn around.
Now let's all jump up and down.

Walk back quietly to your seat.
Don't let the teacher hear your feet.
Put your hands in your lap.
Bow your head and take a nap.
Bow your head and take a nap.

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3. The Elephant
Words and Music: Hap Palmer

The elephant moves very slowly
Oh, so very slowly.
He doesn't like to move too fast
Because he is so big and fat*

But, should he see a tiger,
Or spy a mean old hunter,
He will start to run and shake the ground
And make them all fall down.

Rumble, rumble, rumble
Hear the jungle rumble
Rumble, rumble, rumble
Hear the jungle rumble.

The trees shake and sway
As the birdies fly away,
Lions run and hide
With their babies by their side.

Rumble, rumble, rumble
Hear the jungle rumble
Rumble, rumble, rumble
Hear the jungle rumble
Rumble, rumble, rumble
Hear the jungle rumble.

The elephant moves very slowly
Oh so very slowly
He doesn't like to move too fast
Because he is so big and fat.*

* Note:
This is one of my earliest songs. In this original version I used the word "fat." In the updated version of this song I use the word "heavy" because, although an elephant can weigh in excess of 6 tons, it actually has no layer of fat under its skin. The corrected version of this song is available on my recording EARLY CHILDHOOD CLASSICS.

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4. The Number March
Words and Music: Hap Palmer

One person march around the circle;
March, march, march.
One person march around the circle,
Now, let's have two.

Two people march around the circle;
March, march, march.
Two people march around the circle,
Now let's have three.

Three people march around the circle;
March, march, march
Three people march around the circle,
Now, let's have four.

Four people march around the circle;
March, march, march
Four people march around the circle,
Now, let's have five

There are five people marching,
Round and around,
1, 2, 3, 4, 5 people march.
There are five people marching,
Round and around,
1, 2, 3, 4, 5 people march.

Five people march around the circle;
March, march, march
Five people march around the circle,
Now let's have four.

Four people march around the circle;
March, march, march
Four people march around the circle,
Now, let's have three.

Three people march around the circle;
March, march, march
Three people march around the circle,
Now, let's have two.

Two people march around the circle;
March, march, march.
Two people march around the circle,
Now let's have one.

One person march around the circle;
March, march, march.
One person march around the circle,
Now there are none.

There were five people marching
Round and round.
Now there are none,
Now there are none.

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5. Marching Around The Alphabet
Words and Music: Hap Palmer

We're marching around the alphabet, around the alphabet.
We're passing letters from ABC, all the way to XYZ.
We're marching around the alphabet, around the alphabet
Where we stop nobody knows, until the whistle blows.
(Whistle Sound)

Now bend down right where you are,
Pick a letter that's near your toes.
When the teacher points to you,
Tell the teacher which letter you chose.
Tell the teacher which letter you chose.

Put your letter back on the ground
Stand up tall and march around.
We're march around the alphabet, around the alphabet.
We're passing letters from ABC, all the way to XYZ.

(Repeat 3 times)

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6. Growing
Words and Music: Hap Palmer

There are so many things that grow, grow, grow,
So many things that grow, grow, grow.
There are flowers and trees and chimpanzees,
Mice and rats and little kitty cats.
There are monkeys and parrots, peas and carrots,
And boys and girls all over the world.

Now, let's start with a tiny little seed,
That slowly grows and becomes a tree
And the little twigs and branches become big limbs
With leaves that sway and rustle in the wind,
With leaves that sway and rustle in the wind.

There are so many things that grow, grow, grow,
So many things that grow, grow, grow.
There are flowers and trees and chimpanzees,
Mice and rats and little kitty cats.
There are monkeys and parrots, peas and carrots,
And boys and girls all over the world.

Now we all started out as a tiny little baby,
And we grew a little bit and then we could crawl,
And we grew a little more and then we could walk,
And we grew a little more and then we could talk,
And we grew a little more and we could run like the wind.

There are so many things that grow, grow, grow,
So many things that grow, grow, grow.
There are flowers and trees and chimpanzees,
Mice and rats and little kitty cats.
There are monkeys and parrots, peas and carrots,
And boys and girls all over the world.
Yes, boys and girls all over the world.

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7. This Is The Way We Get Up In The Morning
Words and Music: Hap Palmer

This is the way we get up in the morning.
Ooooo
This is the way we get up in the morning.
Ooooo
We open our eyes and hop out of bed.
Ooooo
We take a big stretch and scratch our head.
Ooooo
We wash our face, one, two, three.
Brush our teeth, now you see
This is the way we get up in the morning.
Ooooo

We go to the mirror and comb our hair.
Ooooo
We go to the closet for something to wear.
Ooooo
Girls put on a dress or a blouse and skirt.
Ooooo
Boys put on a pair of pants and shirt.
Ooooo
We button our buttons, one, two, three.
Tie our shoes, now you see
This is the way we get up in the morning.
Ooooo

Now it's time to have a big breakfast.
Ooooo
We take our time, we don't eat too fast.
Ooooo
We start out the day by eating good foods.
Ooooo
There's many yummy things that we can choose.
Ooooo
There's eggs and cereal, toast and juice,
Pancakes, coffee cakes, bacon, too.
This is the way we get up in the morning.
Ooooo
Ooooo
Ooooo.

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8. Birds
Words and Music: Hap Palmer

Birds are flying through the air,
Gliding, flying through the air.
All is calm and peaceful
High up in the sky.

High above the tall pine trees,
High above the deep blue sea,
All is calm and peaceful
High up in the sky.

One little birdie flies down to the ground
Another little birdie follows him down.
All the other birdies fly down to the ground,
All the other birdies fly down to the ground.

Now they rest their wings, rest and sing
Rest and sing about all they have seen
Rest their wings, rest and sing
Rest and sing about beautiful things

One little birdie flies up in the air
Another little birdie follows him there
All the other birdies fly up in the air
All the other birdies fly up in the air

Birds are flying through the air,
Gliding, flying through the air.
All is calm and peaceful
High up in the sky.

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9. What Are You Wearing?
Words and Music: Hap Palmer

What are you wearing, what are you wearing,
What are you wearing, today, today?
What are you wearing, what are you wearing,
What are you wearing, today, today?

If you're wearing a shirt, stand up
If you're wearing a shirt, stand up
If you're wearing a dress, stand up
If you're wearing a dress, stand up
If you're wearing pants, stand up
If you're wearing pants, stand up

What are you wearing, what are you wearing,
What are you wearing, today, today?
What are you wearing, what are you wearing,
What are you wearing, today, today?

If you're wearing a sweater, stand up
If you're wearing a sweater, stand up
If you're wearing a skirt and blouse, stand up
If you're wearing a skirt and blouse, stand up
If you're wearing shoes, stand up
If you're wearing shoes, stand up

What are you wearing, what are you wearing,
What are you wearing, today, today?
What are you wearing, what are you wearing,
What are you wearing, today, today?

If you're wearing a belt, stand up
If you're wearing a belt, stand up
If you're wearing a coat, stand up
If you're wearing a coat, stand up
If you're wearing socks, stand up
If you're wearing socks, stand up

What are you wearing, what are you wearing,
What are you wearing, today, today?
What are you wearing, what are you wearing,
What are you wearing, today, today?

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10. What Is Your Name?
Words and Music: Hap Palmer

Now, let's have little fun and play a little game;
The name of the game is What is your name?
When people get together, they may talk about the weather
But the first thing they say is, What is your name?

What is your name? My name is.....
What is your name? My name is.....
What is your name? My name is.....
What is your name? My name is.....
What is your name? My name is.....
What is your name? My name is.....

Suppose you're at a party, everyone is there;
Music and laughter are filling the air.
Somebody says, I'm so glad you came.
Now, if you please, tell me, what is your name?
What is your name?

What is your name? My name is.....
What is your name? My name is.....
What is your name? My name is.....
What is your name? My name is.....
What is your name? My name is.....
What is your name? My name is.....

Suppose that you're lost and you don't know where you are;
You meet a nice Policeman who wears a shiny star.
He says now, son, I would like to take you home,
but the thing I have to know is, What is your name?

What is your name? My name is.....
What is your name? My name is.....
What is your name? My name is.....
What is your name? My name is.....
What is your name? My name is.....
What is your name? My name is.....

Now, we had a little fun and played a little game;
The name of the game was What is your name?
What is your name? What is your name?

Credits:
Guitar, Recorder, Saxophone, Percussion and Vocals: Hap Palmer
Bass: Tom Perry
Engineer: Tom Perry
Cover: Yvonne Wood
Illustrations: Lianna Kelley

All Songs by Hap Palmer ©Hap-Pal Music 1969/1976
Recorded in 1969 at Hollywood Sound Recorders


Updated versions of many of these songs are available for digital downloads.
Titles and source recordings are listed below:

Colors / Colors in Motion
From CD "Can Cockatoos Count By Twos?"

Put Your Hands Up In The Air
From the CD So Big

The Elephant
From the CD Early Childhood Classics

Marching Around The Alphabet
From the CD "One Little Sound"

Growing
From the CD "So Big"

What Are You Wearing?
From the CD "Learning In Two Languages"

You can hear extra length samples of the original recordings and the updated versions of these songs at the Hap Palmer Store. You can also read the revised updated lyrics in the "Lyrics and Activities" section of this web site.

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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