
Info
Jean Ritchie, the composer, wrote that when she was young, one of her chores was to “hunt the cows” twice a day (mornings and evenings) by listening for their cowbells and shooing them into the barn to be milked. (source)
Lyrics
(Jean Ritchie, Smithsonian Folkways)
Refrain
Wake up, you sleepy heads* and go and hunt the cattle,
Wake up, you sleepy heads and go and hunt the cows.
(repeat)
Slower, ad lib.
The cows are lost,
The sun is warm,
I think I’ll rest,
Till they come home.
Refrain
*”lazybones” is the original
Movement
Formation: Students stand in a circle holding hands. (Optional: Students stand in a scattered formation around the room.)
When the song begins, students skip-hop or jump to the left around the circle (or jump in place). On the slower part, students stop:
- The cows are lost = Go down on one knee
- The sun is warm = Put the other knee down on the floor also.
- I think I’ll rest = Lean over and rest on one elbow.
- Till they come home = Lean down on both elbows.
Stay in this position until the teacher starts singing the Refrain again. All jump up and resume the motions of the beginning.
YouTube
- Song with chords & Solfege (PDF)
- MIDI file
- Listen to the song

