42. I'm just a kid again, doing what I did again, singing a song

On the way back from Savannah last Sunday we listened to a rebroadcast of Prairie Home Companion. About half-way through the show a woman with a beautiful voice sang Red, Red Robin. She sang it in almost a melancholy way, much different from the song I'd memorized while listening to my parents Mitch Miller's Sing-along album back in the 1960's.

The Red, Red Robin I remember was a lively, cheerful song that would bring me out of the blues when I heard or sang it - which I did often, along with Mitch Miller's chorus. The album even had the words for me to read and memorize.

I don't remember much of the Mitch Miller Sing-along on television, but I do seem to remember that the words of the songs being sung were superimposed over the video, and a bouncing ball let the viewer know which word to sing at any given time.

Am I making this up? (A quick visit to Wikipedia tells me I'm not.)

In the car ride, after Ms Dworsky finished singing, my husband, Dean, and I sang it again, the way we remembered - all the way through. The kids said nothing - they were either speechless with embarrassment or just used to our silliness.

Just follow the bouncing ball:

WHEN THE RED ROBIN COMES BOBBIN' ALONG
(written by Harry Woods )


When the red, red robin comes bob, bob, bobbin' along, along
There'll be no more sobbin' when he starts throbbin' his old sweet song:
Wake up, wake up you sleepy head
Get up, get out of your bed
Cheer up, cheer up the sun is red
Live, love, laugh and be happy

What if I were blue, now I'm walking through, walking through the fields of flowers
Rain may glisten but still I listen for hours and hours
I'm just a kid again doing what I did again, singing a song
When the red, red robin comes bob, bob, bobbin' along

When the red, red robin comes bob, bob, bobbin'
When the red, red robin comes bob, bob, bobbin' along
There'll be no more sobbin' when he starts throbbin'
There'll be no more sobbin' when he starts a throbbin' his old sweet song
Wake up, wake up you sleepy head
Why don't you get up, get up, get out of bed, cheer up
Live, love, laugh and be happy

What if I were blue, now I'm walking through fields of flowers
Rain may glisten but still I listen for hours and hours
I'm just a kid again, doing what I did again, singing a song
When the red, red robin comes bob, bob, bobbin'
When the red, red robin comes bob, bob, bobbin' along
Along, along, along, along, along.

The Internet Archive has two mp3 versions:

One by Al Jolson

Another by The Golden Gate Orchestra