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Autumn days when the grass is jewelled (again)
In which we remember an old school hymn
I’ve noticed, recently, a lot of people finding this site because they’re searching for the lyrics to the song Autumn Days, the primary school assembly staple by Estelle White. So, I thought I may as well post at least part of them:
Autumn days when the grass is jewelled
And the silk inside a chestnut shell
Jet planes meeting in the air to be refuelled
All these things I love so well(Chorus)
So I mustn’t forget
No I mustn’t forget
To say a great big thank you
I mustn’t forget
You can find the rest of the lyrics here, although there’s a small mistake in the second verse.*
I’m sure it became a classic assembly hymn-singing staple because it’s only vaguely religious. It is to hymns what Intelligent Design dogma is to creationism – it implies we’re talking about some sort of god here, but the details aren’t just vague, they’re not there at all. In other words, it fits in perfectly in your average non-sectarian British school, forced by law to hold regular “religious” assemblies, but forced by common sense to make them as non-religious as they can get away with.
* it should be “and the song the milkman sings,” I’m sure.
Blimey, I’d forgotten all about this piece of nonsense
*sits trying to remember the tune*
Somewhere I must still have a copy of the music edition of the hymnbook we used – a legacy of my primary school recorder-playing days.
Not only have I no idea what “the silk inside a chestnut shell” actually is, I’ve always been convinced, because of this song, that it’s something you only get in autumn.
The ORANGE Come and Praise book, Forest?! Cool. We only ever had the purple words-only edition, with the eyes gouged out of the spooky kids on the front.
Thank you – I couldn’t remember the name! Yes, the big spiral-bound orange one. Because I was in the recorder group, my mum bought me my own copy so I could practise at home.
Oh, and why would jet planes only refuel in autumn? I’ve just remembered that when I was little, I had this theory about air being colder in autumn so the vapour trails showing up better, but that of course isn’t what the song says.
Sorry, must stop talking crap in your comments and go and do some work!
Well I was in the recorder group too, but we never got anything as good as that!! *not fair*
The first line of the song has tarred everything else with the autumnal brush, I think.
I was the only kid in the group who had their own copy of the music book – my mother carefully wrote my name inside so it didn’t get lost.
(you’re not the only one who should get on with work)
It’s been a long time since i saw this song around. I sung this in primary school and have bene left there about five years.
Hi! I was just surfing the net looking for a song I remembered from my Primary School Days, I can’t actually remember the title of the song (or even all of the words to the song!), what I do remember were the following lyrics:
“…See the fields all bare and brown, feel the nights turn cold, lamps are early lit in town hunters moon shines gold………….autumn-(/winter?!?)-time is here….”
Well, I never did find the song on the net (I would be very gratefull if anyone who knows the song that i’m talking about could help though
)
The main reason why I am writing is because I too remember the song “Autumn Days” and the tune too! I couldn’t remember all of the verses though! I know this is probably a little too late now, but I have made an attempt at writing some guitar chords to the tune of ‘Autumn Days’ (how I can remember it anyway
)…
Autumn Days by Estelle White.
[C]Autumn [G]days, when the [F]grass is jewelled
And the [C]silk is [G]in a [F]chestnut [C]shell
Jet planes [G]meeting in the [f]air to be refuelled
All these [Am]things I love so [g]well
So I mustn’t for[C]get[Em]
No, I mustn’t for[F]get[D7]
To [c]say a [g]great big [F]thank you
No, I mustn’t for[C]get.
Clouds that look like familiar faces
And winter’s moon with frosted rings
Smell of bacon as I fasten up my laces
And the milkman sings.
So I mustn’t for[C]get[Em]
No, I mustn’t for[F]get[D7]
To [c]say a [g]great big [F]thank you
No, I mustn’t for[C]get.
Whipped-up spray that is rainbow-scattered
And a swallow curving in the sky
Shoes go comfy though they’re worn out and they’re battered
And the taste of apple pie.
So I mustn’t for[C]get[Em]
No, I mustn’t for[F]get[D7]
To [c]say a [g]great big [F]thank you
No, I mustn’t for[C]get.
Scent of gardens when the rain’s been falling
And a minnow darting down a stream
Picked-up engine that’s been stuttering and stalling
And a win for my home team.
So I mustn’t for[C]get[Em]
No, I mustn’t for[F]get[D7]
To [c]say a [g]great big [F]thank you
No, I mustn’t for[C]get.
we used to sing this all the time back at primary school, its one of the ones ive never forgotten and the tune is so clear in my head da da da da da dada da da da da. its a good song that everyone used to love singing at the church services especially when you got to the chorus and everyone would go and i mustn’t FORGET at the top of their voices. most of the song you realise as you grow older is stuff and nonsense but it remains a fond memory for me and the other yr 6′s in that year, so i mustnt forgetttttttttttt to say a great big thankyou i mustnt forgettttttttt
Since i left primary school 16 years ago, my friends and i have been trying to figure out the meaning/reference behind “jet plnes meeting in the air to be refuelled”……please please can some one tell me why this is supposed to remind someone of autumn…..i havent slept since 1990!!!
thanks
Ben et al
I assume that it’s only the first line that’s about autumn, and the other things are just other random great stuff.
Well I mustn’t forget to say a great big thank-you(excuse the punn). For helping me with finding teh rest of teh lyrics to such a beautiful song. I was desperately searching on the web to find lyrics as im up for singing at harvest service at my chapel tomorrow. Thanks
i love ths song, i had forgotten all the verses, if anyone knows where i can possibley download this song for free then please say, and also who is it written by because when i type teh name already written for who it is buy some strange things come up!
i no this has absolutly nothing to do with this song but does anyone know how to change the host on outlook express
Hi there!
You got it!!! I was exactly searching for this hymn from school assembly!
Thanks for posting the lyrics for all of us!
Fantastic, it’s autumn again and i had to search for the lyrics to this. It always reminds me of harvest festival and the lead up to christmas (the silk inside a chestnut shell is the soft white skin (like orange pith) that you get inside conkers) And anyway, loads of those things are kind of autumnal. Now you just need to post all of the other great assembly songs that fill us with nostalgia. Anyway, this essay on Mussolini’s rise to power won’t write itself. Ah, A-levels.
Many of these postings are clearly from nostalgic adults. Let me assue you that this song is still alive and well in our primary schools.
This song isn’t set in Autumn it merely states autumn days as being a favourite time the singer “musn’t forget” The feel of the song is definately Autumnal, but not exclusive of other seasons.
And it rocks.
I was walkiing home this fine sunday autumnal evening in October and needed the lyrics to Autumn days, as it was one of my favourite hymns at Primary school. Thank you all for enlightening me, I will now try to sing it all for the rest of the week.
I was ‘walkiing’home with claire tonight when she started singing this song that i’d never heard before but had and instant bond with. Autunm’s not my favourite of season’s but this song kinda makes it seem alright. Nice modern slant with the bit about airplanes been refueled – but fails to mention the quite recent addition to autunm being the constant crack and bang of fireworks going off a full calendar month before bonfire night!! It’s like the Helmand Province round here.
I sang that song at my class asembelly at school and the teacher (Miss.Jones) turned it into a diffrent song but with the same tune!
I like that tune but ithink it is a bit babyish!
Aah I always remember this song as “autumn days something something something and the something something something…. and the song the milkman sings!” Now I can remember all of it
i have always lliked this song scince i was in primary school it has been a great on to sing and i have to say it is the best soing that i ever heard.
Bradley Prescott
also we sung it in our assembly at school and in church. we sung it in church.
hello people,
i was looking for the lyrics for this because me and mary couldnt remember them – it is my fave hymn thank you
i used to sing this in primary school only 2 years ago so the song is still alive and being sung
WOW!!! ive been looking for this song since forever! i stillcant remember the one that goes “caulifaur’s fluffy, and cabbages green, doo dee doo dee du dum de blah blah blah blah, betrooot purple and something something something, all growing steadily day and night! the apples are ripe, the plums are red, the broad beens are slleping in their blankity bed, YEH!”
the song to cauliflowers fluffy is a follows…
cauliflowers fluffy and cabbages green
strawberries sweeter than any ive seen
beetroot purple and onions white
all grow steadily day and night
CHORUS
the apples are ripe
the plums are red
the broad beans are sleeping in a blanketty bed
blackberries juicy and rhubarb sour
marrows fattening hour by hour
gooseberries hairy and lettuces fat
radishes round and runnerbeans flat
CHORUS
orangy carrots and turnips cream
reddening tomatoes that used to be green
brown potatoes in little heaps
down in the darkness where the celery sleeps
CHORUS
yeah!
is the tune vixalina was thinking of
no,im not mad, im in yr 6, and we sing both songs
also, i dunno where to download both songs BEING SUNG, does anyone else?
I just remembered singing “jet planes refuelling in the air” but now I found out the correct words!
We had A5 blue Come & Praise books and you could peel the plastic off the front cover (was it Come & Praise 2?)
I am searching…….for the Claire B who stole my heart away all those years ago…..
Still searching but never finding.
Maybe one day we will find each other again and it will be different this time around.
I don’t know the words but sing your song for me…..yes sing it again for me.
What a song.
Ill aways remember singing about the planes, and the ‘taste of apple pie.’
If the song isn’t all about autumn then why is it called ‘autumn days’. Did anyone else used to have a CD of kids singing school hymns to accompany the poor standard of singing at their own school? I wish i had that CD now!
There was another awesome harvest song about a farmer harvesting his crops but I really cant remember it now. Something about red and rosy apples was in it though.
What a song.
Hi lovely people,
My brother is all grown up now and in Afghanistan in the army, I wanted to send him his favourite hymn to make him smile and think of God and his school days. Its not Autumn related or about food but I just wondered if anyone may know the words as I can’t find the lyrics anywhere on the net.
i couldn’t believe it when I came across this site! I was looking for all the old hymns we used to sing in assembly at school. You just don’t hear them anywhere any more.
Its: Silver trumpet
and goes something like:
“…the gates are made of gold and the streets are made of pearl, oh hand me down my silver trumpet Lord. ”
thanks
right ok the song isnt even that goood
dont egt carried away your all like
OMG ITS SO AMAZING ITS LIKE THE BEST SONG EVER
yerr its catching but com’on how old are all of you atleast 50
jeeeese man get a life
Hi I have to sing this song tommorrow i also py it on the recorder and the piano/keyboard
PS: i am in primary school
we used to sing autumn days too but did not use verse 3,
the jet planes can only be seen refueling in a british autumn cos winters tend to be too cloudy and the summers are warmer making the vapour more difficult to see
Hi Miriam (post 9) I think the lyrics you mentioned about “Humter’s moon shines gold” are from “Look for signs that Summer’s done” And I have been searching for the full tune and lyrics to this but have drawn a blank – does anyone else know this song?. The first lines are “Look for signs that Summer’s done, Winter’s drawing near, [tum-ti-tum-ti tum tum tum????], Turning of the year”. It’s a lovely Autumn song and I’d love to teach it to my children.
Here’s a timely satirical take on another classic:
We drive around and scatter the carbon in the air.
Our cars are fuelled and watered – with what we don’t much care.
Let’s build another by-pass, for we hate traffic jams;
We’ll close our ears and minds to the coughing of the lambs!
We love four wheel drive cars; they make a lovely noise!
For we don’t care, no we don’t care; we just like shiny toys.
Our holiday’s a package; but there’s no need to fret:
So cheap is carbon trading, it all can be offset.
The atmospheric carbon, six tonnes or slightly more,
Will do no harm to us for we’ll dump it on the poor!
All good things around us were sent for us to waste.
But we don’t care, no we don’t care; by this we’re all disgraced.
We read about emissions, for that’s what airlines do.
And foreign parts, like China, but it’s not me and you.
The TV set’s on standby; the Aga’s nice and hot.
The air-con’s running full blast, for going green’s all rot!
We’ve got loads of money; we save with Northern Rock!
We do not hear, we do not hear, the ticking of the clock.
Let’s all go down to Tesco, to see what we can buy.
There isn’t any meat or fish, so what else can we try?
They’re queuing up for milk there; is that a line for flour?
The shelves are nearly bare; let us wait … another hour.
All good things around us could only last so long. We didn’t care; we didn’t care; so soon our lifestyle’s gone.
Credit: JSF 22/9/2007
us children still sing this by the way i am a year 6 at hardwick middle school
Wow in only nine and i sing that at school i like the instumental bit
Since we’re talking about this, does anyone remember the words “I have seen the golden sunshine”? I remember the first verse, it went like this:
“I have seen the golden sunshine,
I have watched the flowers grow,
I have listened to the songbirds (possibly)
And there’s one thing now I know
They were all put there for us to share
By someone so divine
And if you’re a friend of Jesus (clap clap clap clap) you’re a friend of mine.
I’ve seen the light, I’ve seen the light,
That’s why my heart sings.
I’ve known the joy, I’ve known the joy
That loving Jesus brings.”
I used to love this thing and I can’t find the rest of the lyrics anywhere!
I can still hum that one – but I can’t remember the rest of the words.
My daughter is currently learning this song at school. She’s 4 and I’ve never seen her so excited about singing. And she’s made me get my recorder out! The song’s good but the memories of simpler times are even nicer.
really good,
wheres the song????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
we sing dis song in school
this is a wonderful song stil sing it every morning as i get ready for work its such a joy
i am getting married in april and as its in a church im gussing we have to have hymes! i would love i have seen the golden sunshine and autumn days. please if your still singing it in school could you post the full lyrics to golden sunshine?
Aha, wasn’t there a summer one to go with this?
This song used to be my favorite.
Quoting jodie:
August 31st, 2007 at 4:27 pm
“right ok the song isnt even that goood
dont egt carried away your all like
OMG ITS SO AMAZING ITS LIKE THE BEST SONG EVER
yerr its catching but com’on how old are all of you atleast 50
jeeeese man get a life”
—— actually Jodie I am 20. If you really think we are all over 50 years old and sad then what are you doing on this site? Only bother to reply if you have something nice to say and want to appreciate what is published here. Thanks
hi iv been looking for a copy of the blue come n praise book for my son as he s at the school i used to attent and just taken up recorder unfortunatly lost mine years ago. anyone know where i can get one? if so please e mail me ta.
racheal-bryant@hotmail.co.uk
I have been looking for this song for ages!!! i youst to sing it priary skool tooo!!!!
I loved it. (its abit babyish now) ive been sitting here for hours trying to think!!
Thaks so much xx
we still sing this song at school.
Hi everyone. Just passing and I thought I’d mention that if you too have fond or foggy memories of the wonderful Come & Praise books you can find out what we’ve been up to here on Myspace
http://www.myspace.com/comeandpraise
drop by and tell us what you think.
See you in assembly!
C & P! x
Hi
Im 14 nd was doing what everyone else seems to have been doing. What i thought was tho’ does anyone else remember the song that goes:
Michelmas Daisies purple in the border,
big fat leeks all standing up in order
Whiskered barley talking to the breeze
Low hung bows of laden apple trees.
…
Its harvest time
harvest time again
mellow fruitful harvest time
Unfortunately i cant remember the rest of the verse or the second verse.
If any one can remember the song the talks about fruit (pears I think) and diamonds etc. i would be grateful. Sorry not much help that!
Naomi
Please can you send me the words to the second verse in autumn days and if there are ones can you send me the third and fourth ones to I would like to teach it to my class at shool I am a music teacher you see and if you could, could you send me the music for it aswell
Your sincerly, Ms Robyn S.H Evans
Im STILL in Primary school, and we are practising this song!
I thought this song was made up for just our school… well most of the songs we sing in our school are so nice i want to find it on youtube to listen to at home, but it doesnt ever have them ):( But this one is on youtube so I can listen yay!
please tell me a website where i can find the lyrics
This is my all time fav hym i sung it at skool from 7-10 yrs old
i am now 13 and still love it!! =]
Harborne Junior School had a competition back in the 80′s to right another verse to this song, it went:
Coats and scarfs have started coming out again
Waiting for the frost and snow
Crunchy leaves a lovely golden carpet make
Whichever way you go
farts are smelly, and arnt very green
sick is dirty and isnt very clean
poops are brown and wee is white
all builds up day and night
(chorus)
its comes out pipe
dont do it in bed
from the stink youll be dead.
Lyrics to “I Have Seen The Golden Sunshine”.
Enjoy!
I HAVE SEEN THE GOLDEN SUNSHINE
1.
I have seen the golden sunshine
I have watched the flowers grow
I’ve listened to the song birds
And there’s one thing that I know
There were all put there for us to share
By Someone so divine
If you’re a friend of Jesus (clap clap clap clap)
You’re a friend of mine
Chorus:
I’ve seen the light
I’ve seen the light
And that’s why my heart sings
I’ve known the joy
I’ve known the joy
That loving Jesus brings
2.
I have seen the morning sunshine
I have heard the oceans roar
I’ve seen the flowers of springtime
And there’s one thing I am sure
They were all put there for us to share
By Someone so divine
If you’re a friend of Jesus (clap clap clap clap)
You’re a friend of mine
Chorus:
I’ve seen the light
I’ve seen the light
And that’s why my heart sings
I’ve known the joy
I’ve kinown the joy
That loving Jesus brings
wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
i love this sssssssssssssssssooooooooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnn nngggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg
Luci, thank you SO MUCH!
I love this song.
it is by far my favourite primary school song. Like you, I am also in my (late) 20s and this song definitely is one of the reasons I love Autumn. 
Thanks for putting and keeping this up!
LOOK FOR SIGNS OF AUTUMN
Look for signs that summer’s done, winter’s drawing near
Watch the changing colours come, turning of the year
See the flowers’ final blaze in the morning’s misty haze
Sing a thankful song of praise – Autumn time is here.
See the fields are bare and brown, feel the nights turn cold
Lamps are early lit in town, Hunter’s moon shines gold
Thank you, God, for rest and food, for the harvest safely stored
Sing a song to praise the Lord as the year grows old.
Everyone i have found 2 versions of this song one with vocals one without:
Vocals:
http://www.myspace.com/comeandpraise
Non-Vocals:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9mvrkQbzgc&feature=related
I’m looking for a Autumn song, we sang back when I was in the 3rd-4th grade.. 1969-1970 I remember the beginning lyric’s was.. There’s a snap thats in the air that feels like Autumn… all the trees will soon be bare because it Autumn.. ????? ???????? ?????< ????? ????? ???, ??????, because it Autumn time again.. ( then it goes to the next verse..)
I’ve been searching for this song because I’ve been wondering what useless ponce wrote it. How many times was I forced to sing that stupid piece of rubbish, thanking some deity or other for a long list of things I either didn’t like or hadn’t noticed, while sitting on a hard wooden floor, as Mrs. Price waved her hands like she thought she was Herbert von Karajan?!?! And people wonder why children turn to drugs, booze, junk food and violence these days. After years of meaningless rubbish like this endured at the hands of depraved individuals calling themselves teachers, hard drugs are the only reasonable response. The hypocrisy enshrined in the very idea of forcing children to sing this awful, awful song really sums up what wrong with education.
Beth (October 10th)
We used to sing for the third line: “I have seen the flowers of springtime, and there’s one thing I should know…” But there could be two versions or different verses.
I was never sure about the first lines though, thanks. I can’t find lyrics anywhere either. 
“I have seen the golden sunshine,
I have watched the flowers grow,
I have listened to the songbirds (possibly)
And there’s one thing now I know
They were all put there for us to share
By someone so divine
And if you’re a friend of Jesus (clap clap clap clap) you’re a friend of mine.
I’ve seen the light, I’ve seen the light,
That’s why my heart sings.
I’ve known the joy, I’ve known the joy
That loving Jesus brings.�
Maximus (January 2)
Seriously?
Of all religious hymns to sing at school and to criticise I wouldn’t have thought this would be the one. People often feel that they want to be thankful for these things whether they’re strictly theists or not. Even irreligious people are capiable of happily noticing things and expressing their joy in thanks and praise.
i sing lis song at school its anoyin low on lis song lere missed sum verses out
I smelled that crisp leafy autumnal smell in the air yesterday morning as I took my son to school, got a huge rush of nostalgia and launched into this song. Apart from jet planes and the taste of apple pie I was a bit fuzzy on the lyrics though, so I just belted out the chorus, which he loved.
“…I never forGEEEEET…. to say a great big THANK YOU I never forGEEEEET…”
Thank you so much for filling in the gaps in my memory. I’ve now also got “Look for Signs of Autumn” in my head.
FYI I’m 28, and my son’s school is rubbish. They don’t even have a harvest festival. What’s he going to use for nostalgia?
WHAT ARE THE NOTES FOR THIS SONG
I LOV IT <3 LOLAGE…
Re: the song with the line ‘Hunter’s moon shines gold…’
Song is called ‘Look For Signs Of Autumn’
You can get lyrics on this website
http://www.freewebs.com/wwmchurch/CN%202008%20Oct%20complete%20colour%20web.pdf
You can get a sung version on YouTube here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PMCTq01Sa8
Hi was looking through your site and noticed you were missing the second verse so here –
I have seen the golden shine
I have watched the flowers grow,
I have listened to the song birds
And there’s one thing now I know.
They were all put there for us to share
By someone so divine,
And if you’re a friend of Jesus
(clap clap clap clap)
You’re a friend of mine.
I’ve seen the light, I’ve seen the light,
And that’s why my heart sings.
I’ve known the joy, I’ve known the joy
That loving Jesus brings.
I have seen the morning sunshine
I have heard the oceans roar,
I have seen the flowers of springtime
And there’s one thing now I’m sure
They were all put there for us to share
By someone so divine,
And if you’re a friend of Jesus
(clap clap clap clap)
You’re a friend of mine.
I’ve seen the light, I’ve seen the light,
And that’s why my heart sings.
I’ve known the joy, I’ve known the joy
That loving Jesus brings.
Did anyone else sing a harvest song where the lyrics were something like;
‘there is a farmer who stands in his fields
and he sees all the work to be done
he has been watching for many a days……
There’s a song to sing as the harvest comes in
to the one who brings sorrow and joy
let us all join in with a frank offering
as the harvest os gathered again’
i can’t remember the rest of the lyrics, does anyone know them??
Ah you guys… I have so enjoyed reading many of your comments and truly love the Autumn Days songs, it really was a school favourite and I sometimes catch myself humming it. Now a teacher in China, I would love to find a downloadable version of the song with the singing so I can attempt to teach my students! (Can’t get Youtube here!) Anyway… if anyone does know anywhere I can do this I would really appreciate the help.
Thanks.x
i love this song we poformed it at my school sspring sunday and i waz cryin becuase my daughter is goin to performed it sunday too snif sniff snif sniff sniff sniff i love my little gabriella