Allaway: Sun's a-risin'

Sun's A-Risin'
Music and words by Ben Allaway
Sun's A-Risin' Recording - SATB performance
Sun's A-Risin' Recording - All parts piano, only
Order vocal practice tracks

E'en before the dawn could crack, my list of chores pulled the covers back,
what should a body do before the sun comes knocking at the back porch door?

CHORUS: Wake up, Jacob! Get up, John! Time to pull your britches on!
Now get up, Sarah!  Wake up Liza! Stretch your bones, the sun's a-risin'!

Brush the mane and sweep the stall, bale the hay, stack it wall to wall.
Fetch the milk cow, give her a tug, and don't forget the lid on the milking jug!

CHORUS

Fix the boards on the outhouse stoop, check on all the chickies in the chicken coop.
Slop the hogs and clean out the shed, you can't slop hogs while you're still in bed!

CHORUS

Fee the cows and check the fences, don't wait for turkeys to come to their senses.
Good straw hat will block the sun, and don't come in for lunch 'till the chores are done.

CHORUS

Help your mother feed the baby. Canning berries so sweet lately.
Quilting day is lots of fun, catch up on the gossip while the work gets done!
Ride the pony out with the dog. Maybe if you're lucky, you can catch a frog.
Grease the wagon, harness the horse, none of this you'll every do in bed, of course!

CHORUS
CHORUS

Gather eggs, stack the hay, hang the clothes out, check the fences, catch up on the gossip, slop the hogs, grease the wagon, harness the horse, non of this you'll ever do in bed, of course!

Wake up, Jacob! Get up, John! Get up now, Liza! Cuz the sun's a-risin'!

About Ben Allaway
Email from Mr. Allaway "Thanks so much for writing. Briefly, the Hoffmanns are aunt and uncle to my wife and live on the original family homestead.  The Holtans are friends of mine from my days at Waldorf College in northern Iowa. I had a couple of long sessions with each asking what the list of chores was back in the day, and any fun stories about life on the farm so the kids could know what it was like. The names come from teh original Hoffmann children... I made a solo version [first] to sing at the Hoffman's 70th wedding anniversary."