old song

[debbo]

as a child we used to sing a sone that started "early in the morning, as the sun was shining, see the littel engines al in a row" is it a real song ?

[honkytonkman]

I think that is based on an old English folk song. It starts something like "Early one morning, just as the sun was rising..."

[purification]

This is has probably nothing to do with your song but we sing a song a bit like that it goes: "down at the station, early in the morning, see the little puffa trains all in a row, see the engine driver pull the little handle...toot toot toot and off we go" lol

[debbo]

yes that is it ! see the little driver pull the litle lever.......any idea of the rest of it or origins ?

[Clanad]

Like many other pieces of music or poetry, we (myself included) tend to think this child's song is ancient history, however, the following is an obituary that might interest you...

Slim Gaillard had a full life
   Bulee "Slim" Gaillard was born in Detroit on Jan. 4, 1916, although some sources -- including, on occasion, Gaillard himself -- say he was born Jan. 1, 1916, in Cuba.
   The guitarist-songwriter's life was filled with, but not limited to, music. While he made jazz recordings spanning six decades -- his albums still are available -- he found time to try his hand as a professional boxer, mortician, driver for Detroit bootleggers, motel manager, and in the 1930s he had a vaudville act where he played guitar while tap dancing. He also could play the piano with his hand upside-down.
   Among his hundreds of songs, he wrote "Down by the Station," a classic children's nursery rhyme, had his own series on the radio, and appeared in 11 movies, including 1941's Hellzapoppin. 
In 1989 he starred in a four-part BBC TV series, The World of Slim Gaillard. 
He died Feb. 26, 1991, in England.

This from the Detroit News...
(BTW, he also wrote Flat Footed Floogey With a Floy-Floy)

Lastly, I'd always heard it as "See the little puffer-bellies..."

[samhuzz]

Don't know where it originates from but they were singing it the other day on the Tweenies whilst I was watching with my little boy!