RiverSing Songlist
1. Rowing Down the River
2. Away Rio
3. The Times They Are A-Changin’
4. Poem – The weight of Water
5. Never Been Gone
6. Calling You
7. Bridge Over Troubled Water
8. Boston City Singers Set
Under the Full Moonlight
The Moon
Where is the Moon
Hope Is a Hidden Star
Ikan Kekek
I’m Gonna Sing When the Spirit Says Sing
9. Down to the River to Pray
10. Time Heals Everything
11. Almost Like Being in Love
12. Natural Woman
13. Poem – Equipoise
14. Only Remembered
15. Going Down the Valley
16. Take Time in Life
17. The Water Is Wide
1.) Rowing Down The River (David Coffin)
1. Well, the River Charles is not so wide;
Rowing up, rowing down,
She’s got a little current but not much tide
To go rowing down the river.
Chorus:
Rowing up, rowing down,
From Hopkinton to Charlestown;
You can’t go straight so meander ’round
To go rowing down the river.
2. Harvard, M.I.T., B.U.,
Rowing up, rowing down,
You gotta regatta so join the crew
To go rowing down the river.
Chorus
3. Singles, pairs, fours and eights…
Get up early, do not be late…
Chorus
4. Keep an eye out, mind your scull…
Mighty long oars for a narrow hull…
Chorus
5. 92 bridges and 24 dams…
That’s why a coxswain’s a mighty good plan…
Chorus
6. The Charles River Conservancy…
Keeping it clean for you and me…
Chorus
2.) Away Rio (Traditional)
1. Oh say was you ever in Rio Grande?
Away, Rio!
It’s there that the river runs down golden strand
And we’re bound for the Rio Grande.
Chorus
And it’s away, Rio! Away, Rio!
So fare you well my pretty young girl,
For we’re bound for the Rio Grande.
2. Well Boston town is no place for me,
Away, Rio!
I’ll pack up me bags and I’ll go off to sea,
And we’re bound for the Rio Grande
Chorus
3. We’re Boston born, we’re Boston bred…
We’re thick in the arm, we’re thick in the head…
Chorus
4. Our ship is a-sailing out over the bar…
We’ve pointed her bow to the south’ard star…
3.) The Times They Are A-Changing (Bob Dylan)
1. Come gather ’round people wherever you roam
And admit that the waters around you have grown
And accept it that soon you’ll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you is worth saving
And you better start swimming or you’ll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changing.
2. Come writers and critics who prophesize with your pen
And keep your eyes wide, the chance won’t come again
And don’t speak too soon, for the wheel’s still in spin
And there’s no tellin’ who that it’s namin.
For the loser now will be later to win
For the times they are a-changing
3. Come senators, congressmen, please heed the call
Don’t stand in the doorway, don’t block up the hall
For he that gets hurt will be he who has stalled
The battle outside raging
Will soon shake your windows and rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changing
4.) Poem – The Weight of Water (Paddy Swanson)
5) Never Been Gone (Carly Simon)
1. The wind is coming up strong and fast
And the moon is smiling on me
Miles from nowhere so small at last
In between the sky and the sea
2. I’m bound for the island
The tide is with me
I think I can make it before dawn
It’s night on the ocean
I’m going home
And if feels like I’ve never
I’ve never been gone
3. Seagulls cry and the hills are green
And my friends are waiting for me
Great ambition is all a dream
Let me drown my pride in the sea
4. I’m bound for the ocean
The tide is with me
I think I can make it by dawn
It’s night on the ocean
I’m going home
And it feels like I’ve never been gone
Oh it feels like I’ve never
I’ve never been gone
6.) Calling You (Holly Cole)
7.) Bridge Over Troubled Water (Simon and Garfunkel)
1. When you’re weary, feeling small
When tears are in your eyes
I will dry them all
I’m on your side when times get rough
And friends just can’t be found
Chorus
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down
2. When you’re down and out, when your on the street
When evening falls so hard
I will comfort you
I’ll take your part when darkness comes
And pain is all around
Chorus
3. Sail on Silver Girl, sail on by
Your time has come to shine
All your dreams are on their way
See how they shine, oh if you need a friend
I’m sailing right behind
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind
8.) Boston City Singers Set
Under the Full Moonlight (Karen Beth, Libana)
The Moon (Andy Beck)
Where is the Moon (Kate Sutherland)
Hope is a Hidden Star (Mark Patterson)
Ikan Kekek (Tracy Wong)
I’m Gonna Sing when the Spirit Says Sing (Traditional, arranged by James M. DesJardins)
9.) Down in the River to Pray (Traditional)
1. As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good ol’ way
And who shall wear the starry crown
Good Lord, show me the way
O sisters, let’s go down
Let’s go down, come on down
O sisters, let’s go down
Down in the river to pray
2. As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good ol’ way
And who shall wear the robe and crown
Good Lord, show me the way
O brothers let’s go down
Let’s go down, come on down
Come on brothers, let’s go down
Down in the river to pray
3. As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good ol’ way
And who shall wear the starry crown
Good Lord, show me the way
O fathers, let’s go down…
4. As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good ol’ way
And who shall wear the starry crown
Good Lord, show me the way
O mothers, let’s go down…
5. As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good ol’ way
And who shall wear the starry crown
Good Lord, show me the way
O sinners, let’s go down…
6. As I went down in the river to pray
Studying about that good ol’ way
And who shall wear the starry crown
Good Lord, show me the way
10.) Time Heals Everything (Jerry Herman)
11.) Almost Like Being in Love (Frederick Lowe)
1. What a day this has been
What a rare mood I’m in
Why, it’s almost like bein’ in love
2. There’s a smile on my face
For the whole human race
Why, it’s almost like bein’ in love
3. All the music of life seems to be
Like a bell that is ringing for me
And from the way that I feel
When that bell starts to peal
Swear I was fallin’
Why, it’s almost like bein’ in love
4. All the music of life seems to be
Like a bell that is ringing for me
And from the way that I feel
When that bell starts to peal
I would swear I was fallin’
Swear I was fallin’
Why it’s almost like bein’ in love
12.) Natural Woman (Aretha Franklin)
1. Looking out on the morning rain
I used to fee so uninspired
And when I knew I had to face another day
Lord, it made me feel so tired
Before the day I met you, life was so unkind
But you’re the key to my peace of mind
‘Cause you make me feel
You make me feel
You make me feel like a natural woman (woman)
2. When my soul was in the lost and found
You came along to claim it
I didn’t know just what was wrong with me
‘Til your kiss helped me name it
Now I’m no longer doubtful, of what I’m living for
And if I make you happy I don’t need to do more
‘Cause you make me feel
You make me feel
You make me feel like a natural woman (woman)
3. Oh, baby, what you’ve done to me (what you’ve done to me)
You make me feel so good inside (good inside)
And I just want to be (want to be)
Close to you, you make me feel so alive
You make me feel
You make me feel
You make me feel like a natural woman (woman)
You make me feel
You make me feel
You make me feel like a natural woman (woman)
You make me feel
You make me feel
13.) Poem – Equipoise (Paddy Swanson)
14.) Only Remembered (Horatius Bonar/Ira Sankey)
1. Fading away like the stars in the morning,
Losing their light in the glorious sun—
Thus would we pass from this earth and its toiling,
Only remembered for what we have done.
2. Only remembered, only remembered,
Only remembered for what we have done;
Thus would we pass from this earth and its toiling,
Only remembered for what we have done.
3. Only the truth that in life we have spoken
Only the seed that in life we have sown.
These shall pass onwards when we are forgotten.
Only remembered for what we have done.
4. Only remembered, only remembered,
Only remembered for what we have done;
These shall pass onwards when we are forgotten.
Only remembered for what we have done.
5. Who’ll sing the anthem and who’ll tell the story?
Will the line hold, will it scatter and run?
Shall we at last be united in glory?
Only remembered for what we have done.
6. Only remembered, only remembered.
Only remembered for what we have done;
Shall we at last be united in glory?
Only remembered for what we have done
15.) Going Down the Valley (Traditional)
1. We are going down the valley one by one,
Now the icy dark of winter’s reign is done;
We are going down the valley of the spring
To a kinder land where gentle breezes sing.
We are going down the valley,
Going down the valley,
Going toward the rising of the sun.
We are going down the valley,
Going down the valley,
Going down the valley one by one.
2. We are going down the valley one by one;
Dawn is breaking and the day has just begun.
We are free of all the terrors of the night,
And ahead of us the eastern sky is bright.
3. We are going down the valley one by one,
Where the waters of the streams of summer run,
Through the meadows’ new green grasses running free
On their shining season’s journey to the sea.
4. We are going down the valley one by one,
Through the summer’s flowers wakened by the sun,
In the brightness of the coming of the day,
And the hope that goes beside us all the way.
16.) Take Time in Life (Liberian Children’s Song)
1. As I was walking down I heard my father say,
Better take time in life you’ve got far way to go.
Chorus:
So people take time in life, people take your time,
People take time in life, you’ve got far way to go.
2. As I was walking down I heard my mother say,
better take time in life you’ve got far way to go.
Chorus
3. As I was walking down I heard my sister say,
better take time in life you’ve got far way to go.
Chorus
4. As I was walking down I heard my brother say,
better take time in life you’ve got far way to go.
Chorus
5. As I was walking down I heard the children say,
better take time in life you’ve got far way to go.
Chorus
17.) The Water Is Wide (Traditional)
1. The water is wide, I cannot cross over,
And neither have I wings to fly,
Give me a boat that can carry two,
And both shall row, my love and I.
2. A ship there was, and she sails the sea,
She’s loaded deep as deep can be,
But not so deep as the love I’m in,
And I know not how, I sink or swim.
3. I leaned my back up against some young oak,
Thinking he was a trusty tree,
But first he bended and then he broke,
And thus did my false love to me.
4. I put my hand into some soft bush,
Thinking the sweetest flower to find.
I pricked my finger to the bone,
And left the sweetest flower alone.
5. Oh, love is handsome, love is fine,
Gay as a jewel, when first it is new,
But love grows old, and waxes cold,
And fades away, like summer dew.
6. The seagulls wheel, they turn and dive,
The mountain stands beside the sea.
This world we know turns round and round,
And all for them – and you and me.
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