SCHOOL DAYS (WHEN WE WERE A COUPLE OF KIDS)
(Will Cobb / Gus Edwards)
Byron G. Harlan - 1907
Albert Campbell - 1908
Billy Murray & Ada Jones - 1908
Music Maids (with Bing Crosby) - 1939
Eddie Cantor - 1941
Louis Jordan & His Tympani Five - 1950
Arne Domnérus & His Orch. (vocal: Rolf Ericson) - 1951
Roy Eldridge & His Band - 1951
Dizzy Gillespie Quintet - 1951
Charlie Rich - 1960
The Jubirt Sisters - 1982
Also recorded by: Dick Haymes & Helen Forrest; Johnny Mercer;
Jimmy Cavallo Chickeni Quintet; Charlie Shavers & Ray Bryant;
Oscar Peterson; Cedarmont Kids; Doug Duke; Tiny Tim.
Nothing to do, Nellie Darling
Nothing to do you say
Let's take a trip on memory's ship
Back to the bygone days
Sail to the old village school house
Anchor outside the school door
Look in and see, there's you and there's me
A couple of kids once more
School days, school days
Dear old golden rule days
Readin' and 'ritin' and 'rithmetic
Taught to the tune of the hickory stick
You were my queen in calico
I was your bashful barefoot beau
And you wrote on my slate, "I love you, Joe"
When we were a couple of kids
'Member the hill, Nellie Darling
And the oak tree that grew on its brow
They've built forty storeys upon that old hill
And the oak's an old chestnut now
'Member the meadows so green, dear
So fragrant with clover and maize
Into new city lots and preferred bus'ness plots
They've cut them up since those days
School days, school days
Dear old golden rule days
Readin' and 'ritin' and 'rithmetic
Taught to the tune of the hickory stick
You were my queen in calico
I was your bashful barefoot beau
And you wrote on my slate, "I love you, Joe"
When we were a couple of kids
TRIVIA:
Many of the 1950's jazz recordings of this song
incorporated nursery rhyme lyrics, such as "Humpty Dumpty",
"Simple Simon", "Little Jack Horner" and
"Mary Had A Little Lamb".
As recorded by LOUIS JORDAN:
School days, school days
Dear old Golden Rule days
Readin' an' writin' an' 'rithmetic
Taught to the tune of a hickory stick
You were my girl in calico
I was your silly bashful beau
Mary had a lamb
His fleece was white as snow
Mary had a little lamb
His fleece was white as snow,
Everywhere that Mary went
The lamb was sure to go
Humpty, Humpty Dumpty
Sat upon a wall
Humpty Dumpty on a wall
Humpty Dumpty had a fall
All the king's horses and his men
Couldn't put Humpty back again
Little Jackie Horner
Sittin' in a corner
Little Jack Horner in a corner,
Eatin' his Christmas pie
He stuck in his thumb, pulled out a plum
Said "What a great guy am I".
Simple, Simple Simon
Goin' to the fair
Simple Simon met a pieman goin' to the fair
Said Simple Simon to the pieman
"Let me taste your ware".
Peter, little Peter,
Was a pumpkin eater
Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater
Had a wife and couldn't keep her
Put her in a pumpkin shell
There he kept her very well
A-ring around of roses, pocket full of posies
Rise, Sally, rise; wipe your weepin' eyes
Little Sally Walker, sittin' in a saucer
Turn to the east, turn to the west
Little Sally Walker, sittin' in a saucer
Turn to the one and have a little fun
Go in and out the window
Go in and out the window
Go home and get your dinner
And hurry back to school
And hurry!
(Contributed by Mel - November 2007)
