Origin of “Four White Horses”
This is a wonderful catchy song from the carribean. There is a really great 4 person clapping game that goes with it too.
Anyway the words I learned at a workshop run by Doug Goodkin for this song never made any sense to me. But I did love the song as well as the clapping game.
No doubt a song like this has been passed person to person though many generations and do doubt the words have got changed.
Particularly as the song has crossed cultures as it was originally sung in the tropic and is now sung my me in Canada.
Four White Horses (words I learned from Doug Goodkin)
Four white horses by the river
Hey, hey, hey, up tomorrow.
Up tomorrow is a rainy day.
Come on and join our shadow play.
Shadow play is a ripe banana.
Hey, hey, hey, up tomorrow.
Up tomorrow is a rainy day.
Come on and join our shadow play.
I think more likely words are:
Four white horses by the river
Hey, hey, hey, hope tomorrow.
Hope tomorrow is a rainy day.
Come on into the shallow bay.
Shallow bay has a ripe banana.
Hey, hey, hey, hope tomorrow.
Hope tomorrow is a rainy day.
Come on into the shallow bay.
Anybody know where this song is from?
I would love to hear about other versions or stories about the song. As always please feel free to post your lyrics or comments below.
This entry was posted on Saturday, May 10th, 2008 at 7:45 am and is filed under Song Origins. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
2 Responses to “Origin of “Four White Horses””
I have always loved this song, and now working with children, I had hoped to come across a recording of it. I remember learning it in elementary school, as our music teacher taught us many songs with confusing lyrics. I think the fact that they didn’t make much sense made it all the more fun. I wish I knew the origins of this song. Up until now, I thought I was the only one who knew it.
4 white horses on the river
hey heyhey up tommorow
up tomorrow is a rainy day
come on up to the shallow bay
shallow bay is a ripe banana
up tommorow is a rainy day
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