Many of us are familiar with the phrase “School days, school days, dear old golden rule days”, but we don’t all know the full song - so we thought we’d share the lyrics and a recording.
School Days
By Will D. Cobb in 1907, music by Gus Edwards
Nothing to do, Nellie Darling,
Nothing to do you say?
Let's take a trip on memory's ship,
Back to the bygone days.
Sail to the old village school house,
Anchor outside the school door.
Look in and see
There's you and there's me,
A couple of kids once more.
(Chorus)
School days, school days,
Dear old golden rule days,
Readin' and 'ritin' and 'rithmetic
Taught to the tune of the hickory stick.
You were my queen in calico,
I was your bashful barefoot beau,
And you wrote on my slate, "I love you, so."
When we were a couple of kids.
(Chorus)
'Member the hill, Nellie Darling,
And the oak tree that grew on its brow?
They've built forty stories upon that old hill,
And the oak's an old chestnut now.
'Member the meadows so green, dear,
So fragrant with clover and maize?
Into new city lots and preferred business plots,
They've cut them up since those days.
(Chorus)
Here’s a recording from 1907!
View this song on Mama Lisa’s World.
Half Off All Mama Lisa Books!
Our Back To School Sale is still running!
Visit the Mama Lisa Book Store for half off every eBook.
Our song books feature:
Full text of each song and rhyme in the original language
English translations
Many with sheet music (where available)
Links to web pages with recordings and videos, many by ordinary people who have contributed them
Commentary from our correspondents about what the songs and rhymes have meant to their lives
Illustrations
From now until Labor Day, all ebooks are 50% off!
Your purchase will help keep Mama Lisa’s World online!