Each year, the Sing Thing groups vote on their favorite songs learned during that season (October–May).

Each location votes on its favorite songs, and the preferences vary quite a bit as the groups are different in character — some groups have more girls, some groups have more boys, and groups have different mixes of kids to adults. Also, the groups don’t necessarily learn all the same songs, although 80 percent are the same. These differences affect the preferences that make for a very lively mix of favorites.

2019 Wednesday Group Top Ten

  1. Santiano
  2. Rocky Road To Dublin
  3. I’ll Tell My Ma
  4. Drunken Sailor
  5. Mairi’s Wedding
  6. 2-way tie:
    —Go Lassie Go
    —To Wander Is The Miller’s Joy
  7. 2-way tie:
    —Can’t Stay In These Diggin’s
    —Drill Ye Tarriers
  8. 3-way tie:
    — Country Places
    — Residue Sing Residue
    — Worried Man Blues
  9. 2-way tie:
    —Going Home On A Cloud
    —Ghost Riders In The Sky
  10. In Bahia Town

2019 Thursday Group Top Ten

  1. Dark Brown Is The River
  2. Swinging Along The Open Road
  3. Silver Moon That Walks In The Darkness
  4. 2-way tie:
    —Owl’s Lullabye
    —Sweet The Evening Air Of May
  5. The Duchess At Tea
  6. Rocky Road To Dublin
  7. Country Life
  8. This Cap
  9. Mairi’s Wedding
  10. 2-way tie:
    —Black Socks (round)
    —To Stop The Train (round)

2018 Wednesday Group Top Ten

  1. This Cap Is Special To Me
  2. Wooden Boat
  3. Sweet The Evening Air Of May
  4. Senior Bakarte (round)
  5. The Eddystone Light
  6. 2-way tie:
    —The Duchess At Tea (round)
    —Dark Brown Is The River
  7. High Barbaree
  8. Come To The Top Of The Path
  9. 3-way tie:
    — Shake Sugaree
    — Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
    — The Rattlin’ Bog
  10. 2-way tie:
    —Drunken Sailor
    —I Am A Little Devil (round)

2018 Thursday Group Top Ten

  1. 2-way tie:
    — Ha Ha Rosie
    — Mairi’s Wedding
  2. 2-way tie:
    —Tomorrow The Fox
    —Dark Brown Is The River
  3. High Barbaree
  4. 4-way tie:
    — Come To The Top Of The Path
    — Drunken Sailor
    — Shake Sugaree
    — Swinging Along The Open Road
  5. 4-way tie:
    — Above A Plain (round)
    — Buck-eye Jim
    — Papa Papered The Parlor
    — Silver

2017 Wednesday Group Top Ten

  1. Papa Papered the Parlor
  2. The Duchess At Tea
  3. Waka Waka
  4. The Dolphin song
  5. Rattlin’ Bog
  6. 3-way tie:
    — Green Green Rocky Road
    — Santiano
    — Czeck Composers
  7. 3-way tie:
    — Wooden Boat
    — Midnight Special
    — Come to the Top of the Path
  8. The Cookoo (When I Go–)
  9. 4-way tie:
    — Strangest Dream
    — Hungarian Round
    — Marching to Pretoria
    — Ghost Riders in the Sky

2017 Thursday Group Top Ten

  1. 2-way tie:
    — Dark Brown Is the River
    — The Dolphin Song
  2. The Duchess At Tea
  3. I’ll Tell My Ma
  4. 2-way tie:
    —Hey Ho Nobody Home
    —Silver
  5. 2-way tie:
    —Buckeye Jim
    —The Rattlin’ Bog
  6. 2-way tie:
    —French Cathedrals
    —Papa Papered the Parlor
  7. 2-way tie:
    —Nisa Nisa Nisa
    —Wooden Boat
  8. Cookoo (When I go–)
  9. 5-way tie:
    — Paddy Lay Back
    — Follow the Drinking gourd
    — The Keeper
    — Black Socks
    — Above a Plain

2016 Wednesday Group Top Ten

  1. Owl’s Lullabye
  2. Waltzing Mathilda
  3. Swinging Along the Open road
  4. Aloha ’Oe
  5. Tomorrow the Fox
  6. Rocky Road to Dublin
  7. 2-way tie:
    — Drill Ye Tarriers Drill
    — Santiano
  8. Tina Singu Lelo Votaya
  9. Swimming Song
  10. 5-way tie:
    — Cool Water
    — South Australia
    — Mishi Banjo
    — Stick O Bamboo
    — Midnight Special

2016 Thursday Group Top Ten

  1. Buckeye Jim
  2. Going Home On a Cloud
  3. Santiano
  4. Swinging Along the Open Road
  5. Drinking Gourd
  6. Rocky Road to Dublin
  7. Tomorrow the Fox
  8. The Dolphin Song
  9. 3-way tie:
    — COFFEE
    — Swimming Song
    — Waterbound
  10. Byker Hill

2015 Wednesday Group Top Ten

  1. I Was Born 10,000 Years Ago/Historical Bum (10 votes, 1 star)
  2. Silver (10 votes, no stars)
  3. Shoshaloza (7 votes, 3 star)
  4. 2-way tie (7 votes, 1 star)
    — The Dolphin Song
    — Geo Duck
  5. Waka Waka (7 votes, no stars)
  6. Owl’s Lullabye (6 votes, 3 stars)
  7. Sweet the Evening Air of May (6 votes, no stars)
  8. At the Gates of Heaven (5 votes, 1 star)
  9. Swinging Along the Open Road (5 votes, no stars)
  10. 7-way tie: (4 votes, no stars)
    — Dona Nobis Pacem
    — Cotton Fields
    — Follow the Drinking Gourd
    — Dark Brown is the River
    — To Portsmouth
    — Chi Chi Papa
    — Tina Singu Lelo Votaya

2015 Thursday Group Top Ten

  1. Shoshaloza (10 votes, 3 stars)
  2. Swinging Along(8 votes, 2 stars)
  3. Ha Ha Rosie(7 votes, 3 stars)
  4. Traveling Candyman(7 votes, 2 stars)
  5. 5-way tie: (7 votes, no stars)
    — Don’t Throw Your Trash In My Backyard
    — Dona Nobis Pacem
    — Tina Singu Lelo Votaya
    — Back of the Bus
    — Dark Brown is the River
  6. Stayed on Freedom (6 votes, 1 star)
  7. 2-way tie: (6 votes, no stars)
    — Maimbo
    — Tomorrow the Fox
  8. The Foghorn (5 votes, 3 stars)
  9. 5-way tie: (5 votes, no stars)
    — When I First Came To This Land
    — Rare Bog
    — I Was Born 10,000 Years Ago/Historical Bum
    — Come Follow Me
    — Haul on the Bowline
  10. Go Lassie, Go (4 votes, 2 stars)

2014 Wednesday Group Top Ten

  1. Russian-Jewish lullabye  (loo-loo) (11 votes, 3 stars)
  2. High Barbaree (10 votes, 1 star)
  3. 10,000 Years Ago (9 votes, 1 star)
  4. Drill Ye Tarriers (9 votes, no stars)
  5. 16 Tons (9 votes, 1 star)
  6. Silver (8 votes, no stars)
  7. 2-way tie: (7 votes, 1 star)
    — Waltzing Mathilda
    — Die Gedanken Zind Frei
  8. Swinging Along (7 votes, no stars)
  9. Three Jolly Rogues (5 votes, 2 stars)
  10. 4-way tie (5 votes, 1 star)
    — De Colores
    — I Am A Little Devil
    — Tina Singu
    — The Keeper

2014 Thursday Group Top Ten

  1. Tumbalalaika (17 votes, 3 stars)
  2. Little Boxes (12 votes, 3 stars)
  3. Drunken Sailor (12 votes, 2 stars)
  4. Santy Ano (12 votes, no stars)
  5. 2-way tie: (11 votes, 1 star)
    — Follow The Drinking Gourd
    — Joan Glover
  6. Going Home on a Cloud (10 votes, 1 star)
  7. Silver (8 votes, 3 stars)
  8. Tina Singu (8 votes, 1 star)
  9. Swinging Along (7 votes, 2 stars)
  10. 2-way tie: (7 votes, 1 star)
    — Lo Yissa Goy
    — Shineda

2013 Wednesday Group Top Ten

  1. Dark As The Dungeon: Merle Travis (16 votes, 6 stars)
  2. Rocky Road To Dublin: Ireland (14 votes, 3 stars)
  3. Waltzing Mathilda: Australia (14 votes, 2 stars)
  4. West’s Lullabye: by Sarah Lenz (11 votes, 1 star)
  5. 2-way tie: (10 votes, 1 Star)
    — Dark Brown Is The River: Robert Louis Stevenson
    — Little Birdie:  American Banjo Song
  6. Riding The Dragon: Chinese Folk Song (9 votes, 2 stars)
  7. Roots And Wings: Linda Hirschorn, Round (9 votes, no stars)
  8. 2-way tie: (8 votes, 1 Star)
    — Wooden Boat: Keola Beamer, Hawaii
    —Lo Yissa Goy: Hebrew Round
  9. 3-way tie: (8 votes, no stars)
    — The Rattlin’ Bog: Scots Irish Folk Song
    — Dona Nobis Pacem: Latin, Round For Peace
    — Swinging Along The Open Road: Camp Hiking Song

2013 Thursday Group Top Ten

  1. The Dolphin Song: Ginny Clemmens (15 votes, 5 stars)
  2. Tumbalalaika: Eastern European Jewish (13 votes, 2 stars)
  3. Dark Brown Is The River: Robert Lewis Stevenson (13 votes, 1 star)
  4. 2-way tie: (12 votes, 2 stars)
    — Wooden Boat: Keola Beamer, Hawaii
    — Going Home On A Cloud: African/American Spiritual
  5. John Kanaka: Sea Shanty (11 votes, 1 star)
  6. Back of The Bus: Civil Rights Song, 1964 (11 votes, no stars)
  7. Rocky Road To Dublin: Ireland (10 votes, 4 stars)
  8. Swinging Along The Open Road: Camp Hiking Song (10 votes, 2 stars)
  9. Follow The Drinking Gourd: Fred Hellerman/Lee Hays (10 votes, 1 star)
  10. 2-way tie: (9 votes, 2 stars)
    — Papa Papered The Parlor: Music Hall Mid 1800s
    — Joan Glover: England, Round

2012 Wednesday Group Top Ten

  1. Rocky Road to Dublin (9 votes, 3 stars)
  2. Silver Moon That Walks (9 votes, 2 stars)
  3. Traveling Candyman (8 votes, 2 stars)
  4. Waka Waka (Cameroon) (7 votes, 1 star)
  5. Midnight Special (6 votes, no stars)
  6. 3-way tie: (5 votes, no stars)
    — Matthew, Mark, Luke and John (Round)
    — White Coral Bells (Round)
    — Cotton Fields
  7. I Am A Little Devil (Round) (4 votes, 3 stars)
  8. Ha Ha Rosie (4 votes, 2 stars)
  9. 2-way tie: (4 votes, 1 star)
    — Olele Moliba Makasi (Swahili)
    —Dona Nobis Pacem (Round)
  10. 4-way tie: (4 votes, no stars)
    — The Keeper
    — Drill Ye Tarriers, Drill
    — Grasshoppers Three (Round)
    — Jubilee

2012 Thursday Group Top Ten

  1. The Dolphin Song (Ginny Clemmens) (17 votes, 8 stars)
  2. Cotton fields (12 votes, 1 star)
  3. I’ll Tell My Ma (11 votes, 4 stars)
  4. Midnight Special (10 votes, no stars)
  5. 3-way tie: (9 votes, no stars)
    — Freedom (introduced to us by Lisa Fitch)
    — Tumbalalaika
    — John Henry
  6. Back of the Bus (8 votes, 2 stars)
  7. 3-way tie: (8 votes, 1 star)
    — Goleegandom (Farsi from Iran)
    — When I First Came to This Land (Oscar Brand)
    — Swingin Along the Open Road
  8. South Australia (8 votes, no stars)
  9. 2-way tie: (7 votes, 1 star)
    — Traveling Candyman
    — Kwaheri (Africa)
  10. 3-way tie: (7 votes, no stars)
    — Hey Ho, Nobody Home (Round)
    — Riding the Dragon (China)
    — Going Down The Road (Woody Guthrie)

2011 Wednesday Group Top Ten

  1. Waka Waka (Jongo, Cameroon)
  2. Sweet the Evening Air of May (Hungarian round)
  3. 2-way tie:
    — Country Life (England)
    — Owl’s Lullaby (Bob Nolan)
  4. 2-way tie:
    — Shineda (Dine Corn Song by Sharon Burch)
    — Midnight Special
    (Hudie Ledbetter)
  5. Ragaputi (India)
  6. I’ll Tell My Ma (Ireland)
  7. 3-way tie:
    — Sliver (poem Walter De La Mare, music Julie Olsen Edwards)
    — Czeck Composers (Modern Round)
    — Aztec Lullaby (Mayan)
  8. Magwanim Pulele (Swahili)
  9. The Dolphin Song (Ginny Clemens)
  10. Froggie Went A Courting (USA: original by Thomas Ravencroft)

2011 Thursday Group Top Ten

  1. The Keeper (England)
  2. Golegandom (Iran, Parsi)
  3. Drunken Sailor (England, Sea Shantey)
  4. Shineda (Dine Corn Song by Sharon Burch)
  5. Kwaheri (Kenya, Swahili)
  6. Traveling Candyman (Ireland)
  7. 2-way tie:
    — Swinging Along (Camp Song, USA/England)
    — Rocky Road to Dublin (Ireland)
  8. Waka Waka (Jongo, Cameroon)
  9. Nisa Nisa Nisa (Oneida Modern Round)
  10. Waterbound (USA Traditional)

2010 Wednesday Group Top Ten

  1. The Derby Ram
  2. Jubilee
  3. Hear the Lively Song
  4. Geo Duck
  5. Bird’s Courting Song
  6. Mawaneem Pulele
  7. Wooden Boat
  8. Green Green Rocky Road
  9. I’ll Tell My Ma
  10. Wake Up, Jacob

We had so many ties that we had to do a tie breaker.  We were able to sing an extra 5 songs which were the ties that, when broken, didn’t make the top ten.  Some of these were definite favorites of our members.

  • To Stop The Train
  • The Bull Gine Run
  • Tutu E
  • Go Lassie Go
  • Chi Chi Papa

2010 Thursday Group Top Ten

  1. Papa Papered The Parlor
  2. Shineda, The Corn Song
  3. 2-way tie:
    — Going Home On A Cloud
    — Ragaputi
  4. 2-way tie:
    — Cookoo, As I Went Walking
    — Swinging Along The Open Road
  5. I Am A Little Devil (Ich Armes Welches Teuflein)
  6. 2-way tie:
    — Nisa Nisa Nisa
    — Confessions of a Young Prig
  7. Dark Brown Is The River
  8. Dona Nobis Pacem
  9. Wooden Boat
  10. The Earthworm

2009 Wednesday Group Top Ten

  1. Jenny Jenkins   6 votes & 1 Star (*)
  2. 3-way tie:   6 votes
    — Tina Singu Lelo Votaya
    — Buckeye Jim
    — Dark Brown is the River
  3. Follow the Drinking Gourd  5 votes & 2*
  4. Marching to Pretoria   5 votes & 1*
  5. Mishi Banjo   5 votes
  6. 3-way tie:   4 votes & 1*
    — White Coral Bells
    — Walk Shepherdess
    — The Dolphin Song
  7. 7-way tie:   4 votes
    — High Barbaree
    — Stick O’ Bamboo
    — Sarasponda
    — Cotton Fields
    — Ha Ha Rosie
    — Russian Lullabye
    — Greenland Fisheries

Because we had 17 songs and so many multiple ties we did not get to #s 8, 9, 10.

2009 Thursday Group Top Ten

  1. Drill Ye Tarriers    11 votes & 1*
  2. Greenland fisheries  9 votes & 3*
  3. Traveling Candyman   9 votes
  4. Dark Brown is the River  8 votes & 1*
  5. Tie:   8 votes
    — Come to the Top of the Path in the Garden
    — Swim Chant
  6. Tie:   7 votes & 1*
    — Stick O’ Bamboo
    — Bonny Ship the Diamond
  7. Tie:   7 votes
    — Jongo
    — White Sand and Grey Sand
  8. Tie:   6 votes & 1*
    — Wooden Boat
    — Ragaputi
  9. Tie:   6 votes
    — Nisa, Nisa, Nisa
    — Mawaneem Pulele
  10. 4-way tie:   5 votes & 1*
    — Tina Singu Lelo Votaya
    — Great Historical Bum
    — Drunken Sailor
    — To Portsmouth

Each group had 17 songs to squeeze into an hour, actually less.  Every year is different and every group is different.

2008 Wednesday Group Top Ten

  1. Tina Singu Lelo Votaya
  2. Rocky Road to Dublin
  3. Sarah’s Lullabye
  4. The Keeper
  5. Tie:
    — Jongo
    — Santiano
  6. Sail Away, Ladies
  7. Jubilee
  8. Sweet The Evening Air Of May
  9. Tie:
    — Midnight Special
    — High Barbaree
  10. Cookoo-When I Go To the Mountain

2008 Thursday Group Top Ten

  1. Rocky Road To Dublin
  2. Going Home on a Cloud
  3. Lo Yissa Goy
  4. Tie:
    — Cookoo As I Went Walking
    — Bargemen
  5. Jongo
  6. Tie:
    — Swimming song
    — Bahia Town
    — High Barbaree
  7. Tie:
    — Rise Up, O Flame
    — Eddystone Light
  8. Tie:
    — Dona Dona Dona
    — My Home’s Across The Blue Ridge Mtns.
    — Ragaputi
    — Drunken Sailor
  9. Wild Mountain Thyme
  10. Riding The Dragon

2007 Wednesday Group Top Ten

  1. Tina Singu Lelo Votaya
  2. Gopala
  3. Sixteen Tons
  4. South Australia
  5. High Barbaree
  6. Santiana
  7. Stick O Bamboo
  8. Rare Bog
  9. Jongo
  10. Tumbalalaika

Interesting tidbits: No rounds on the list this year. Number 2 and number 9 were brand new this year. Three of the 10 were sea shanteys. We do love those shanteys!