Apusski Dusky

[ThomasinaJones]

How many people remember singing this song as kids? And Lily the Pink? Bananas in Pyjamas?

DH doesn't remember any of these, and it's making me sad.

Anyone joining me a little sing-along (cross-legged on the carpet, hoping the person next to you doesn't wet themselves today)?

We had these when I was in primary school in the 70s and then when I was the piano playing teacher in the 90s! AC & Black songbooks iirc. Merrily to Bethlehem was one of the Christmas ones.

Yes A and C Black

Wind through the olive tree! Oh that's given me chills, in a good way.

It's up there with Little Donkey. Today's kids will just never know.

@MorrisZapp, todays kids do know Little Donkey - my class requested to sing it after a retelling of the Christmas story 🤣

I was the same with My Grandfather’s Clock and crying!

My grandfather did have a grandfather clock but also family friends with a big house had a burglary and their grandfather clock was stolen (saw it every time in the hall) which always made me sad too!

Was Apuskidu supposed to be abut Eskimos or have I made that up?

In my DM’s school but this is back in the early to mid 90s, her job share teacher was a music and class teacher and played the piano - they put on musicians, my DM taught art. There was also a TA who played the piano and helped with music lessons.

My now grown up children looked at me gone out the other weekend when I started singing the Appuski Dusky song as we were out for a walk 🤣. I went to a small village primary school and our junior teacher was the pianist. I think we made up a dance to Lily The Pink as well! All 10 of us

Yes 'In middle ocean, Sardines are swimming, Appuskiduski Appuskidoo' . The picture was of an Eskimo.

Now it's Advent, is it time for a few verses of

Mary met an angel, unexpectedleeeeeeee
When she was out walking in the garden
Angel said, Now Mary don't be scared of meeeeee
When she was out walking in the garden
(Teacher's friend's daughter Mary awkwardly receives plastic lily from hands of the Tallest Child in J1 who has been designated Angel Gabriel)

Oh yes, I'm up for a little sing song.

My knees won't let me sit cross legged on the carpet though, I'll have to be responsible for the OHP transparencies, so I get to sit on a chair.

I have all those books on the shelf by my piano. Plus the Christmas one.
Fab times getting all the school in the hall for a bit of singing.

For anyone who fancies a good read, I recently read Francis Spufford’s Light Perpetual, which is about 5 children killed in a bomb strike in WW2 London, but goes on to imagine what their lives would have been like had they lived. The opening scene has all five of them in their junior school hall singing, and it’s the loveliest description of each child’s reactions to the music and for some how it shapes their lives; there’s a great call-back scene later on. Worth a read.

I did hear of Lily the pink having other slightly rude words to it! Not sure if MN is ready for the rude childhood songs game in this thread!