Pumpkin Carols

Growing up one of my favorite Halloween activities in school was getting to sing Pumpkin Carols. We would sit on the stage and sing these delightful songs all about Halloween. I still find myself humming and singing them all through October. I still have my Pumpkin Carols book from elementary school (you can see in the photo how faded the words are!). I love that it has the Peanuts gang on it because "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" was the best Halloween cartoon that would air on TV every fall.

The best part of this story is that I have most of the sheet music too. My mom would often come in to play the piano, she was given a copy of the songs. I made copies for myself and have a Halloween binder I keep in the piano bench.

The boys and I were singing the songs last week. They kept telling me which ones Grandma Blackhair (Rich's mom) played for them when I was away in Milwaukee. I asked her if she was familiar with the songs and she told me they used to sing them during their weekly primary meeting as a child. As I played more songs yesterday, I noticed that few were from The Friend magazine. That was surprising to read and to know these songs were sung in a church setting, but times have changed and I think children don't get to celebrate the holidays like we did. Especially at the boys elementary school. Today they do not have a class party and don't get to dress up either. Though I did make sure they all looked festive in their attire.

I thought I would share a few songs that maybe will bring back happy memories or make you want to learn the songs yourself and start a new tradition in your families.

Halloween

Witches sailing thru the sky.
On their broomsticks way up high.
Black cats howl as they go by,
For this is Halloween.

Jack O' Lanterns big and round,
On each gate post can be found
Ghosts and Goblins all around
for this is Halloween.

Oo, Oo This is Halloween.
O, Oo This is Halloween.

I'm a Mean Old Witch with a Hat

I'm a mean old witch with a hat!
And I ride on a broom with my cat!
And my shoes are pointed,
and my chin is too;
And you'd better watch out,
'Cause I might scare you!
I'm a mean old witch with a hat!

There is No Such Thing As A Witch!

When you're all alone in the country,
And the night is dark at pitch,
Just be bold, 'cause you've been told,
There's no such things as a witch.

When the noisy wind is howling,
And your ears are all a twitch,
Laugh Ho, Ho,
because you know
There's no such thing as a witch.

Skeletons and goblins are only make believe,
Folks dressed up in costumes,
Just try to scare you-oo-oo!

When you hear the thunder and lightning,
and you're hiding in a ditch,
Don't cry out,
without a doubt, There's no such thing as a Witch!

I'm Dreaming of The Great Pumpkin (Sung to: I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas)

I'm dreaming of the Great Pumpkin
Just like I do this time each year
When he brings nice toys
To good girls and boys
Who wait for him to appear.

I'm dreaming of the Great Pumpkin
With every pumpkin card I write.
May your Jack-O-Lanterns burn bright
When the Great Pumpkin visits you tonight.

I've Been Working On My Costume (Sung to: I've been working on the Railroad)

I've been working on my costume
All the live long day.
I've been working on my costume
Watch Out! I'm on my way.
When you see me at your doorstep
You'll know what I mean
I've been working on my costume
Because it's Halloween

Little bit of this
Little bit of that
Itty bitty pillow to make me fat.
Wig upon my hear,
Sheets from off my bed,
All because it's Halloween!

The Pumpkin on the Vine (Sung to Farmer in the Dell)

The pumpkin on the vine.
The pumpkin on the vine.
I picked the one that weighed a ton,
And that's the one that's mine.

I made two funny eyes.
A smile that's over sized.
The other gook my mother took
For making pumpkin pies.

The pumpkin on the vine.

The pumpkin on the vine.
It's now a Jack-O-Lantern,

And you ought to see him shine!

There's A Haunted House In Town (sung to: Fare-Thee-Well, For I Must Leave Thee)

There's a Haunted House in town (in the town)
Where all the walls are tumbling down (tumbling down)

Where the cobwebs hang and the window shutters bang
and all the creatures gather round.

The bats and cats and witches
keep the skeleton in stitches
as they sip their spider cider
in the Haunted house.

They're there, they're there, they're really there (really there)
Watch out, be careful and beware, oh beware
Don't Trick-or-Treat or you're the one they'll eat
When the moon shines on the Haunted House!

Pumpkin Bells (sung to: Jingle Bells)

Dashing through the street

In our costumes bright and gay

To each house we go

Laughing all the way.

Halloween in here,

Making spirits bright

What fun it is is to Trick-or-Treat

And sing Pumpkin Carols tonight!

Oh, Pumpkin bells!

Pumpkin bells!

Ringing loud and clear,

Oh what fun

Great Pumpkin brings

When Halloween is here!

Tip-Toe Little Ghost (sung to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star)

Tip-toe, Tip-toe little ghost

You're the one we like the most
You are and and you are good
You act like a good ghost should

Tip-toe, tip-toe little ghost

You're the one we like the most.

I Heard the Bells on Halloween (sung to: I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day)

I heard the bells on Halloween

Their old, familiar carols scream,
And wild and sweet, the words repeat,
The Pumpkin season's here again.

Then pealed the bells more loud and strong
Great Pumpkin comes before too long,
The good will get, the bad will fret
The Pumpkin season's here again.

Deck the Patch (Sung to Deck the Halls)

Deck the patch with orange and black

Fa la la la la, la la la la

Take along your goody sack

Fa la la la la, la la la la

Don we one our gay apparel

Fa la la, la la la, la la la
Troll the ancient Pumpkin carol.

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

See the Great one rise before us

Fa la la la la, la la la la

As we sing the pumpkin chorus

Fa la la la la, la la la la

Follow him as he ascends

Fa la la, la la la, la, la la

Join with true great pumpkin friends

Fa la la la la, la la la la.

Great Pumpkin is Coming to Town (sung to: Santa Clause is Coming to Town)
Oh, you better not shriek,

You better not groan,

You better not howl,

You better not moan.
Great Pumpkin is coming to town.

He's going to find out

From folks that he meets

Who deserves tricks

and who deserves treats,
The Great Pumpkin is coming to town!

He'll search in every pumpkin patch,

Haunted houses far and near,

To see if you've been spreading gloom

Or bringing lots of cheer.

So you better, not shriek.

You better not groan,

You better not howl,

You better not moan,
Great Pumpkin is coming to town!

As the Witches Go Flying Along (sung to: Caissons)

Way up high,

in the sky,

You can see them going by

As the witches go flying along.

Here and there,

in the air

You can see them everywhere

As the witches go flying along.

With a zoom! zoom! zoom!

Every one is on their broom.

Singing a Halloween song,

in the bright moonlight,

It's really quite a sight

As the witches go flying along.

Enjoy your new carols and sing them from the top of your lungs just like we do! Happy Halloween!