On the Wings of a Dragonfly

On the Wings of a Dragonfly!

Terry Grosvenor writes catchy and singable tunes for children that adults love as well. Many of her lyrics are based on classic poems that have been loved by generations of kids, parents and grandparents. “The Gingerbread Man” for example.

Song Lyrics

THE GINGERBREAD MAN, Based on a Traditional Story, ©1995-T. Grosvenor, ASCAP
Additional vocals by Amanda and Andrew Grosvenor

An old man and his wife
Lived in a little house
Right on the edge of the woods
They baked a ginger man one day
But he bolted and ran away
They chased him
As fast as they could
He came to a cow silting by a tree
He bragged to the cow
“You can’t catch me
I’ve outrun the old woman
And the little old man
And I can run away from you -I know I can”.

Refrain: Run, run as fast as you can
You can’t catch me,
I’m the gingerbread man….
The cow ran hard,
But cookie got away
‘Til he came to a meadow
Where a big bear lay
The bear said,
“Hi, there, why you running so
Gingerbread said, “I’m surprised you don’t know
I’m so clever, I’m so fast,
If you race against me,
You’re sure to be last
I’ve outrun the cow
The old woman and the man,
and I can run way ham you, I can, I can.
He came to a river bank.
There he saw a fox
Coolly sitting under a tree

The sly fox said,
“If you don’t cross the river
They will catch you eventually.”
Gingerbread decided
To hop on fox’s back
To make a quick get-away.
He called back loudly
To the group on the shore
You could clearly hear him say.
The story has an ending,
It’s sort of sad to tell
Perhaps it is something you’ve read
The fox told dough boy “
The water’s getting deeper.
You’d better hop on top of my head.”
So our hero hopped
On the lox’s head
Then he hopped
On the tip of his nose
That sly fox’s mouth
Opened very wide
And you know how the story goes…
Then a faint little voice
From inside Mr. Fox
Could still be heard that day…

I dreamed I was a cave-boy
And lived in a cave,
A mammoth for my saddle horse,
I was strong and brave.
And through the tree-fern forests
A-riding I would go,
When I was a cave-boy,
A million years ago.

I dreamed I was a cave-boy;
I hunted with a spear
The sabre-toothed tiger,
The prehistoric deer.
I could yell like Tarzan,
And go swinging to and fro,
When I was a cave-boy,
A million years ago.

I dreamed I was a cave-boy
And how I loved to eat,
Juicy fruits and coconuts
Would drop down at my feet.
In the lush rain forest,
You could watch things grow,
When I was a cave-boy,
A million years ago.
I dreamed I was a cave-boy
Around the campfire’s light,
We sang songs and all
My friends told stories late at night.
Drank our water from a spring
And watched the rivers flow,
When I was a cave-boy,
A million years ago.
I dreamed – but now I am awake,
A voice is in my ear
“Come out and play a game of ball!
The sun is shining clear.
We’ll have some ice cream afterwards,
Then swimming we will go!
” I’m glad I’m not a cave-boy,
A million years ago!

I jumped on the back of a dragonfly
And flew and flew
‘Til I reached the sky
‘I pulled down a cloud
That was hiding the blue
And all the wee stars
Came tumbling through
They tumbled down
And they tumbled round
And turned into flowers
As they touched the ground
So come with me
Little children come
And down in the meadow,
I’ll pick you some.

I rode the back of a gentle whale
He dove down deep
With a flip of his tail
We swam with the fishes
Fancy free
And saw coral castles
Under the sea.
We started to spin
‘Round the ocean floor
And tossed all the sea shells
Upon the shore
So come with me
Little children come
Down to the seashore,
I’ll show you some.

I flew with an eagle
As it climbed the sky
And touched on a mountain
Way up high
There I discovered
Some paints in a pail
Around the world
I let them sail
The colors arced
In the sky so blue
And formed a path
Made of every hue
So come little children
Both young and old
Come see the rainbow
And its pot of gold.
Come little children come,
down to the meadow
In the noon day sun
Come little children come,

Down to the meadow with me (2x)

He was a rat and she was a rat,
And down in a hole they did dwell.
Both were as black as a witch’s cat,
And they loved one another very well.
He had a tail and she had a tail.
Both had tails that were long and fine.
Each one said, “Yours is the finest tail in the world, excepting mine.

Refrain: It’s a rat tail, a tale about rats -ratty, ratty rats. (2x)

He smelled the cheese,
and she smelled the cheese
They both agreed it was the very best
Certainly, it was worth the risk,
Of leaving the safety of their ratty little nest
He crept out and she crept out
Nobody stopped to look for the cat
What happened to them, I never could tell
But they didn’t come back, that’s that

Refrain

The moral of the story is plain and true
No matter how good the cheese smells to you
You’d better take time to look all around
Cause, kitty cat feet don’t make any sound

Refrain

FATHER WILLIAM, Based on a poem by Lewis Carroll, ©1995 – T Grosvenor, ASCAP

“You are old, Father William,” the young man said,
And your hair has become very white;
And yet you incessantly stand on your head
Do you think, at your age, it is right?”
“In my youth,’ Father William replied to his son,
“I feared it might injure the brain;
But, now that I’m perfectly sure I have none,
Why, I do it again and again.”

“You are old ,” said the youth, “as I mentioned before.
And have grown most uncommonly fat;
Yet you turned a back-somersault in at the door
-Pray, what is the reason of that?”
“In my youth,” said the sage, as he shook his grey locks,
“I kept all my limbs very supple
By the use of this ointment – one quarter a box
Allow me to sell you a couple?”
“You are old,” said the youth,” and your jaws are too weak
For anything tougher than suet;
Yet you finished the goose, with the bones and the beak.
Pray, how did you manage to do it?”
“In my youth,” said his father, “I took to the law,
And argued each case with my wife;
And the muscular strength, which it gave to my jaw
Has lasted the rest of my life.”

“You are old,” said the youth,” one would hardly suppose
That your eye was as steady as ever,
Yet you balanced an eel on the end of your nose
What made you so awfully clever?”
“I have answered three questions, and that is enough,”
Said his father. “Don’t give yourself airs!
Do you think I can listen all day to such stuff?
Be off, or I’ll send you downstairs!”

Little Jack Frost went up the hill,
Watching the stars
And the moon so still.
Watching the stars
And the moon so bright.
And laughing aloud
With all his might.

Little Jack Frost ran
Down the hill.
Late in the night
When the winds were still.
Late in the Fall
When the leaves fell down
Red and yellow
And faded brown.

Little Jack Frost
Walked through the trees.
Ahh, said the grasses,
We freeze, we freeze.
“Ahh, sighed the flowers,
We die, we die.”
said Little Jack Frost,
Good-bye, goodbye.”

Little Jack Frost went round and round.
spreading white snow
On the frozen ground.
Nipping the breezes
and icing the streams.
Chilling the warmth
Of the sun’s bright beams.

But when mother nature
Brought back the Spring.
Brought back the birds
To chirp and sing.
Melted the snow
And warmed the sky.
Little Jack Frost went pouting by

The flowers opened up
Their eyes of blue.
Green buds peeped out
And grasses grew.
It was so warm
And scorched him so.
Little Jack Frost was glad to go.

(Repeat first verse.)

CALICO PIE, Based on a poem by Edward Lear, ©1995, T Grosvenor, ASCAP
Additional vocals by Alexander Di Cicco, Andrew Grosvenor & George MacDonnell

Calico pie, the little birds fly
Down to the calico tree
Their wings were blue and they sang ‘Tilly-loo!’
‘Til away they flew, –

But they never came back to me!
They never came back,
They never came back
They never came back to me!

Calico jam the little fish swam
Over the syllabub sea
He took off his hat to the sole and the sprat
And the willeby-wat

But he never came back to me
He never came back,
He never came back
He never came back to me!

Calico Ban the little mice ran
To be ready in time for tea
Flippity flup, they drank it all up
And danced in the cup

But they never came back to me
They never came back,
They never came back
They never came back to me!

Calico Drum, the grasshoppers come,
The butterfly, beetle and bee
Over the ground, around and around
With a hop and a bound

But they never came back to me
They never came back,
They never came back
They never came back to me!

JOHNNY FIFE AND JOHNNY’S WIFE, Based on a poem by Mildred Plew Meigs addl.. verses R&T Grosvenor, ©1995 – R & T Grosvenor. ASCAP
Additional vocals Elizabeth Eisen & Amanda Grosvenor

Johnny Fife and Johnny’s Wife,
To save their toes and heels,
They built themselves a little house
That ran on rolling wheels.
They hung their parrot at the door
Upon a painted ring,
And round and round the world they went
And never missed a thing;

And when they wished to eat they ate.
And after they had fed,
They crawled beneath a crazy quilt
And snugly went to bed;
Oh, Johnny Fife and Johnny’s Wife,
They took their brush and comb,
And round and round the world they went
And also stayed at home.

Refrain:
Round & Round, Up and Down
Side to Side, Far and Wide
They traveled here, they traveled there.
They lived their life without a care
Round and round the world they went
And also stayed at home.

Oh, Johnny Fife and Johnny’s Wife,
They saw things everywhere,
And sent back cards to all their friends
Back home in Delaware.
They never had to pack a bag.
They never missed the phone
Round and round the world they went
And also stayed at home.

Refrain

THE PUFFIN, Based on a poem by Florence Jacques, used with the permission of The Nature Conservancy, © 1995 – T Grosvenor, ASCAP
Vocal by Nancy Grosvenor

Once there was a Puffin,
Just the shape of a muffin,
And he lived on an island,
In the bright, blue sea!

He ate little fishes,
That were most delicious,
And he ate them for supper,
And he ate them for tea.

But this poor little Puffin,
He couldn’t play nothin’,
For he hadn’t anybody
To play with at all.

So he sat on his island,
And he cried for awhile, and
He felt very lonely
And he felt very small.

Then along came the fishes,
And they said, “If you wishes,
You can have us for playmates,
Instead of eating us for tea!”

So now they play together,
In all kinds of weather,
And the Puffin eats pancakes,
Just like you and like me

By the shores of Gitche Gumee,
By the shining Big Sea-Water,
Stood the wigwam of Nokomis,
Daughter of the Moon, Nokomis.
Dark behind it rose the forest,
Rose the black and gloomy pine trees,
Rose the firs with cones upon them;
Bright before it beat the water,
Beat the clear and sunny water,

Beat the shining Big Sea-Water.
There the wrinkled old Nokomis
Nursed the little Hiawatha,
Rocked him in his linden cradle,
Bedded soft in moss and rushes,
Safely bound with reindeer sinews;
Stilled his fretful wail by saying,
“Hush! the Naked Bear will hear thee’
Lulled him into slumber, singing,
“Ewa-yea! my little owlet!
Who is this that lights the wigwam?
With his great eyes lights the wigwam?
Ewa-yea! my little owlet!”

Many things Nokomis taught him
Of the stars that shine in heaven, –
Saw the moon rise from the water,
Rippling, rounding from the water,
Then the little Hiawatha
Learned of every bird its language,
Learned their names and all their secrets,
How they built their nests in Summer,
Where they hid themselves in Winter,
Talked with them whene’er he met them,
Called them “Hiawatha’s Chickens”
Of all beasts he learned the language,
Learned their names and all their secrets,
How the beavers built their lodges,
Where the squirrels hid their acorns,
How the reindeer ran so swiftly,
Why the rabbit was so timid,
Talked with them whene’er he met them,
Called them “Hiawatha’s Brothers.”

There was a little turtle –
He lived in a box.
He swam in a puddle,
He climbed on the rocks.
He snapped at a mosquito,
He snapped at a flea,
He snapped at a minnow
And he snapped at me.
He caught the mosquito,
He caught the flea,
He caught the minnow.
But he didn’t catch me. (repeat)

FIVE LITTLE MONKEYS, Based on a poem try Laura E Richards – ©1995- T. Grosvenor, ASCAP
Additional vocals by Amanda, Andrew & Rick Grosvenor

Five little monkeys
Swinging from a tree;
Teasing Uncle Crocodile,
Merry as can be
Swinging high, swinging low,
Swinging left and right:
“Dear Uncle Crocodile,
Come and take a bite!”
Five little monkeys,
Swinging in the air;
Heads up. tails up,
Little do they care.
Swinging up, swinging down,
Swinging far and near:
“Poor Uncle Crocodile,
Aren’t you hungry, dear?”

Na, na,na,na,na,na
You can’t catch me, “
…Gonna get ya…

Four little monkeys
Sitting in the tree;
Heads down, tails down,
Dreary as can be
Weeping loud, weeping low,
Crying to each other
‘Wicked Uncle Crocodile
To gobble up our brother!”

“You caught our brother,
But you can’t catch me, etc.

Na,na,na,na,na,na,
You can’t catch me.”
…Gonna get ya….

The sun was shining on the sea,
Shining with all his might:
He did his very best to make
The billows smooth and bright—
And this was odd, because it was
The middle of the night.

The moon was shining sulkily,
Because she thought the sun
Had got no business to be there
After the day was done
“It’s very rude of him,” she said,
“To come and spoil the fun!”

The sea was wet as wet could be.
The sands were dry as dry.
You could not see a cloud, because
No cloud was in the sky:
No birds were Flying overhead—
There were no birds to fly.

The Walrus and the Carpenter
Were walking close at hand,
They wept like anything to see
Such quantities of sand:
“If this were only cleared away.’
They said, “it would be grand!”

“If seven maids with seven mops
Swept it for half a year,
Do you suppose,” the Walrus said,
“That they could get it clear?”
“I doubt it,” said the Carpenter,
And shed a bitter tear.
“Oh Oysters, come and walk with us!”
The Walrus did beseech.
“A pleasant walk, a pleasant talk,
Along the briny beach:
We cannot do with more than four,
To give a hand to each.”

The eldest Oyster looked at him,
But never a word he said:
The eldest Oyster winked his eye,
And shook his heavy head —
Meaning to say he did not choose
To leave the oyster bed.

But four young Oysters hurried up,
All eager for the treat :
Their coats were brushed, their faces washed,
Their shoes were clean and neat-
And this was odd, because, you know,
They hadn’t any feet.

Four other Oysters followed them,
And yet another four;
And thick and fast they came at last,
And more, and more, and more
All hopping through the frothy waves,
And scrambling to the shore.

The Walrus and the Carpenter
Walked on a mile or so,
And then they rested on a rock
Conveniently low:
And all the little Oysters stood
And waited in a row.

“The time has come,” the Walrus said,
“To talk of many things :
Of shoes — and ships — and sealing wax –
Of cabbages — and kings —
And why the sea is boiling hot
And whether pigs have wings.”

“But wait a bit,” the Oysters cried,
“Before we have our chat,
For some of us are out of breath,
And all of us are fat!”
“No hurry” said the Carpenter.
They thanked him much for that.
“A loaf of bread,” the Walrus said,
“Is what we chiefly need
Pepper and vinegar besides
Are very good indeed
And now, if you’re ready,
Oysters dear, We can begin to feed.”

“But not on us!” the Oysters cried,
Turning a little blue.
“After such kindness, that would be
A dismal thing to do!”
“The night is fine,” the Walrus said,
“Do you admire the view?”

“It was so kind of you to come!
And you are very nice!”
The Carpenter said nothing but
“Cut us another slice.
I wish you were not quite so deaf —
I’ve had to ask you twice!”

“It seems a shame,” the Walrus said,
“To play them such a trick,
After we’ve brought them out so far,
And made them trot so quick!”

The Carpenter said nothing but
“The butter’s spread too thick!”
“I weep for you,” the Walrus said;
“I deeply sympathize”

With sobs and tears he sorted out
Those of the largest size,
Holding his pocket handkerchief
Before his streaming eyes.

“O, Oysters,” said the Carpenter,
‘You’ve had a pleasant run!
Shall we be trotting home.
But answer came there none
And this was scarcely odd,
They’d eaten every one.

Moon so round and yellow
Looking from on high.
How I love to see you shin
Many times I wonder,
When I see you there,
Who’s the one that lights you
Way up in the air.

Where you go at morning
When the night has past
And the sun comes peepin’
Over hills at last. Sometime,
I will watch you
Floating over head
When you think I’m sleeping
Snugly in my bed.

Refrain:
Moon up in the sky –
Where are you going?
Moon up in the sky –
Where are you going?
I want to watch you up
I want to see you roll by.

The moon on the one hand
The dawn on the other,
The moon is my sister,
The dawn is my brother.
The moon on my left and T
he dawn on my right.
My brother good morning,
My sister good night.

Refrain

All songs composed, arranged and performed by Terry T. Grosvenor
Vocals by Terry T. Grosvenor,ASCAP; other vocalists noted on individual pieces.
All Songs & Arrangements,©1995,R&T Grosvenor Publishing, ASCAP
Engineered and Recorded by RichardC.Grosvenor,
Digital Editing by Viscount Records

This compilation was produced and digitally mastered by R&T Grosvenor Publishing in Newport, RI at may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in whole or in part or by any means, electronic or mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior written permission of R&T Grosvenor Publishing

Jacket Art & Design by Richard C. Grosvenor

All of the individual songs on this album are protected by copyrights. Since, by law, only copyright owners may grant permission to reproduce theirs work, anyone who wishes to reproduce material from this album should first request permission from the credited copyright owners and R&T Grosvenor Publishing.

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