Sunday School songs
The songs listed below were sung in the 1950s and 1960s
at Pennycross Methodist Church Sunday School in Plymouth
Come, let us remember
Come, let us remember
The joys of the town,
Gay cars and bright buses
That go up and down.
Shop windows and playgrounds
And swings in the park,
And street lamps that twinkle
In rows after dark.
And let us remember
The chorus that swells
From hooters and hammers
And whistles and bells;
From fierce-panting engines
And clear-striking clocks,
And sirens of vessels
Afloat in the docks.
We thank thee, O God,
For the numberless things,
And friends and adventures
Which every day brings;
0, may we not rest
Until all that we see
In towns and in cities
Is pleasing to Thee.
Daisies are our silver
Daisies are our silver,
Buttercups our gold:
This is all the treasure
We can have or hold.
The farmer is ploughing his field
The farmer is ploughing his field,
The farmer is ploughing his field,
Up and down, and round and round,
The farmer is ploughing his field.
The farmer is sowing his field (etc etc)
Farmer, farmer, sow your seed
See the farmer sow the seed
Up the field and down,
God will make the golden corn
Grow where all is brown.
Farmer farmer sow your seed
Up the field and down.
God will make the golden corn
Grow where all is brown.
Wait a while then look again
Where the field was bare,
See how God has sent the corn
Growing golden there.
Farmer farmer sow your seed etc.
Fishers of men
I will make you fishers of men,
Fishers of men, fishers of men,
I will make you fishers of men,
If you follow me.
If you follow me,
If you follow me,
I will make you fishers of men,
If you follow me.
Gentle Jesus, meek and mild
Gentle Jesus, meek and mild,
Look upon a little child,
Pity my simplicity,
Suffer me to come to thee.
Glad that I live am I
Glad that I live am I,
That the sky is blue;
Glad for the country lanes
And the fall of dew.
After the sun the rain,
After rain the sun,
This is the way of life,
Till the work be done.
All that we need to do,
Be we low or high,
Is to see that we grow
Nearer the sky.
God who made the Earth
God who made the earth,
The air, the sky, the sea,
Who gave the light its birth,
He cares for me.
God who made the grass,
The flow’r, the fruit, the tree,
The day and night to pass,
He cares for me.
God who made the sun,
The moon, the stars, is He
Who, when life’s clouds come on,
He cares for me.
God who made all things,
On earth, in air, in sea,
Who if I lean on Him,
Will care for me.
When in Heav’n’s bright land
I all His loved ones see,
I’ll sing with that blest band,
“God cared for me.”
I am H–A–P–P–Y
I am H–A–P–P–Y
I am H–A–P–P–Y
I know I am, I’m sure I am,
I am H–A–P–P–Y.
I am L–O–V–E–D,
I am L–O–V–E–D,
I know I am, I’m sure I am,
I am L–O–V–E–D.
I am S–A–V–E–D,
I am S–A–V–E–D,
I know I am, I’m sure I am,
I am S–A–V–E–D.
I am happy, loved and saved,
I am happy, loved and saved,
Make Jesus king and then we’ll sing,
I am happy, loved and saved.
Into my heart, Lord Jesus
Into my heart,
Into my heart,
Come into my heart, Lord Jesus.
Come in today,
Come in to stay,
Come into my heart, Lord Jesus.
If you're happy and you know it
If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands,
If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands,
If you're happy and you know it, then your life will surely show it,
If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands!
If you're happy and you know it, stomp your feet (etc.)
If you're happy and you know it, shake your head (etc.).
If you're happy and you know it, turn around (etc.)
f you're happy and you know it, touch your toes (etc.)
Jesus bids us shine
Jesus bids us shine
With a pure, clear light,
Like a little candle,
Burning in the night,
In this world of darkness,
So we must shine,
You in your small corner,
And I in mine.
Jesus bids us shine,
First of all for him;
Well he sees and knows it,
If our light grows dim.
He looks down from Heaven
To see us shine,
You in your small corner,
And I in mine.
Jesus bids us shine,
Then, for all around;
Many kinds of darkness
In the world are found,
Sin and want and sorrow;
So we must shine,
You in your small corner,
And I in mine.
Jesus, friend of little children
Jesus, friend of little children,
Be a friend to me,
Take my hand and ever keep me
Close to thee.
Teach me how to grow in goodness,
Daily as I grow,
Thou hast been a child, and surely
Thou dost know.
Never leave me, nor forsake me,
Ever be my friend;
For I need thee, from life’s dawning
To its end.
Jesus’ hands were kind hands
Jesus’ hands were kind hands,
Doing good to all,
Healing pain and sickness,
Helping children small.
Doing good to others,
Lifting when they fall,
Jesus’ hands were kind hands,
Doing good to all.
(Tune: Au clair de la lune)
Jesus’ love is very wonderful
Jesus’ love is very wonderful,
Jesus’ love is very wonderful,
Jesus’ love is very wonderful,
O, wonderful love!
So high, you can’t get over it,
So low, you can’t get under it,
So wide, you can’t get around it,
O, wonderful love!
Jesus loves me
Jesus loves me, this I know,
For the Bible tells me so,
Little ones to him belong,
They are weak, but he is strong.
Yes! Jesus loves me,
Yes! Jesus loves me,
Yes! Jesus loves me,
The Bible tells me so.
Jesus wants me for a sunbeam
Jesus wants me for a sunbeam,
To shine for him each day,
Trying our best for to please him,
At home, at school, at play.
A sunbeam, a sunbeam,
Jesus wants me for a sunbeam,
A sunbeam, a sunbeam,
I’ll be a sunbeam for him!
Only a boy called David
Only a boy called David,
Only a babbling brook.
Only a boy called David,
Five little stones he took.
One little stone went in the sling,
And the sling went round and round,
One little stone went in the sling,
And the sling went round and round.
Round and round, and round, and round,
And round, and round, and round,
One little stone went up, up, up,
And the giant came tumbling down.
O Violet
("Mrs Jenks's Songs and Games" gives slightly different words)
O violet, dearest violet,
Will you not tell me dear
Why you are here so early
Ere other flowers appear?
Because I am so tiny
Wherefore in May come I,
If I came with the others,
I fear I’d surely die.
Praise Him
Praise Him, praise Him, all ye little children,
God is love, God is love
Praise Him, praise Him, all ye little children,
God is love, God is love.
Love Him, love Him, all ye little children,
God is love, God is love.
Thank Him, thank Him, all ye little children,
God is love, God is love;
Thank Him, thank Him, all ye little children,
God is love, God is love.
Tell me the stories of Jesus
Tell me the stories of Jesus
I love to hear,
Things I would ask Him to tell me
If He were here.
Scenes by the wayside,
Tales of the sea,
Stories of Jesus,
Tell them to me.
Two little eyes to look to God
Two little eyes to look to God,
Two little ears to hear his word,
Two little feet to walk in his ways,
Two little lips to sing his praise,
Two little hands to do his will,
And one little heart to love him still.
Wide, wide as the ocean
Wide, wide as the ocean,
High as the heavens above,
Deep, deep as the deepest sea
Is my Saviour’s love.
I, though so unworthy,
Still am a child of his care,
For his word teaches me,
That his love reaches me
Everywhere.
The wise man built his house upon the rock
The wise man built his house upon the rock,
The wise man built his house upon the rock,
The wise man built his house upon the rock,
And the rain came tumbling down.
The rain came down and the floods came up,
The rain came down and the floods came up,
The rain came down and the floods came up,
But the house on the rock stood firm.
The foolish man built his house upon the sand,
The foolish man built his house upon the sand,
The foolish man built his house upon the sand,
And the rain came tumbling down.
The rain came down and the floods came up,
The rain came down and the floods came up,
The rain came down and the floods came up,
And the house on the sand fell flat.
Zacchaeus
Now Zacchaeus was a very little man,
And a very little man was he,
He climbed up to the top of the tree,
For the Saviour he wanted to see,
For the Saviour he wanted to see.
Now when the Saviour came that way,
He looked up to the tree,
And said, “Now Zacchaeus, you come down,
I’m coming to your house for tea,
I’m coming to your house for tea!”
Other Sunday Schools
Rosemary Spurr (formerly Higman), who used to go to Sunshine Corner, a Plymouth Sunday School near the Naval Estate (coming from Scott Avenue way) has supplied the following song:
Sunshine Corner, it’s so jolly fine,
It’s for children under 99.
All are welcome, seats are given free.
St Budeaux Sunshine Corner is the place for me.
Note
Well-known children’s carols such as “In the bleak mid-winter “, “The rocking carol “, and “Away in a manger” etc. are not included on this list, nor other Sunday School hymns which are not restricted to children (e.g. "Give me oil in my lamp, Lord Jesus", or "What a friend we have in Jesus")