Here Comes the Train

by Mr. Ben

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1.	Summer Samba 05:05	lyrics	buy track
In the summer under the sun We're chasing butterflies on the run In the summer under the trees We're blowing dandelions on the breeze It's so hot and bright in the summertime Lakes to swim and so many trees to climb Then the sun goes down.... In the summer under the moon We're chasing fireflies by the lagoon In the summer under the stars We're looking up for Saturn and Mars Stars are so bright up in the summer sky Asteroids and the James Webb fly by Then the sun comes up....
2.	Little Owl 03:35	lyrics	buy track
Hey there little owl Keep your sense sharp Hey there little owl The light's begun to warp Hey there little owl You only just awoke The darkness of a winter night Will hide you in its cloak Hey there little mouse The sun has gone away Hey there little mouse It's the closing of the day Hey there little mouse Make your movements fleet The darkness of a winter night Will hide your little feet Hey there little fox Blend in with the snow Hey there little fox Be careful who you know Hey there little fox Try to tread cautiously The darkness of the winter night Will keep your movements free Hey there little owl Sat atop your nest Hey there little owl The forest is at rest Hey there little owl Preen your feathers soft The darkness of the winter night Is calling you aloft
3.	Blue is the Colour 03:53	lyrics	buy track
Blue is the colour of the ocean Purple is the colour of grapes Pink is the colour of flamingos Red is the colour of a fire truck Yellow is the colour of bananas Green is the colour of a frog Turquoise is the colour of a swimming pool Blue is the colour of the sky Blue is the colour of the ocean Purple is the colour of plums Pink is the colour of a cherry blossom Red is the colour of an apple Yellow is the colour of a dandelion Green is the colour of a lime Turquoise is the colour of a robin's egg Blue is the colour of the sky Blue is the colour of the ocean Purple is the colour of an eggplant Pink is the colour of a dragonfruit Red is the colour of a tomato Yellow is the colour of a goldfinch Green is the colour of a cactus Turquoise is the colour of a peacock's feather Blue is the colour of the sky
4.	Here Comes the Train 03:55	lyrics	buy track
Here comes the train down the track Here comes the train down the track You can hear it whistle See the engine gleam Hear the click-clack of the wheels See the big white clouds of steam Woo woo! Hey look at all the freight cars coming round the bend Carrying all the cargo Their journey's nearly at an end Woo woo! Hey look at all the people Clambering abord When the train is ready You can hear the engine roar! Woo woooooo!
5.	Pale Blue Dot 03:05	lyrics	buy track
Round and round and round we spin We always end where we begin Round and round and round we go In circles to and fro In orbit through space The planets circle round the sun The whole human race Upon a pale blue dot
6.	Blanket Forts 04:13	lyrics	buy track
Blanket forts always feel like Sunday afternoon You've kept me alive this long and I don't really ever see that ending soon I can't imagine living forever Years drinking meals through a straw Living in the family recroom in my great-great-great-great-grandkids' basement But now the sun shines bright through the globes And orb for each of us Refracting the light into corners that soon wouldn't be mine While you and I jostle for the right to shield your brother's eyes While you and I jostle for the right to shield your brother's eyes to shield your brother's eyes
7.	When Winter 03:34	lyrics	buy track
When the sun casts shadows long and thin That's when winter's coming in As the days get shorter And the nights grow long We'll stay warm and cozy As we sing this song....
8.	Big Green Cicada 04:10	lyrics	buy track
Big green cicada buzz buzz Buzz buzz big green cicada Little black cricket creak creak Creak creak little black cricket All the bugs in my garden Sharing the work together Big daddy longlegs step step Step step big daddy longlegs Big long pink earthworm wiggle Wiggle big long pink earthworm All the bugs in my garden Sharing the work together Orange butterfly flutter Flutter orange butterfly Little red ladybug crawl Crawl little red ladybug All the bugs in my garden Sharing the work together Little potato bug roll Roll little potato bug
9.	Sing (For the Joy of the Song) 05:10	lyrics	buy track
Sing for the love in your heart Sing for the light Sing for the hope that you hold Sing for the joy of the song Sing for the sun Sing for the rain Sing for the wind in the trees Sing for the joy of the song Sing for the day Sing for the night Sing for the wonder of life Sing for the joy of the song
10.	Little Black Bull 04:36	lyrics	buy track
The little black bull went down the meadow Hoosin Jonny hoosin Jonny The little black bull went down the meadow Long time ago Long time ago, Long time ago The little black bull went down the meadow Long time ago First he paw and then he bellow Hoosin Jonny hoosin Jonny First he paw and then he bellow Long time ago Long time ago, Long time ago First he paw and then he bellow Long time ago He whet his horn on a white oak sapling Hoosin Jonny hoosin Jonny He whet his horn on a white oak sapling Long time ago Long time ago, Long time ago He whet his horn on a white oak sapling Long time ago He winked his eye at the little red heiffer Hoosin Jonny hoosin Jonny He winked his eye at the little red heiffer Long time ago Long time ago, Long time ago He winked his eye at the little red heiffer Long time ago He ate the flowers in the farmer's garden Hoosin Jonny hoosin Jonny He ate the flowers in the farmer's garden Long time ago Long time ago, Long time ago He ate the flowers in the farmer's garden Long time ag
11.	Waiting for the Moon 02:24	lyrics	buy track
Oh we're waiting for the moon to rise Waiting for the stars to shine Waiting for the night to come and claim her place Her promises to keep To lead us into deep and dreaming restful sleep Oh la la la la lullaby La la la la la goodnight La la la la la la la la la la la And when the morning comes We'll hug our dads and mums And tell them all about our dreams And the day'll begin But until then...
12.	Let the Rain Fall Down 04:49	lyrics	buy track
Let the rain fall down Let it soak the ground Let the raindrops fall Over one and all Giving a fresh drink to the land Giving the plants a helping hand And turning the grass to green from brown Making that gentle rainy sound.

about

Recorded & produced, mixed & mastered by Ben Bowen
@ the Open Door, Hamilton, from Apr 2022-Feb 2023

Cover art by Ben Bowen
Inside art: collaboration of "Still Life" (1947) by Stewart P. Bowen (1918-1982) with art by Ben Bowen.

credits

released April 7, 2023

On this record Mr. Ben sings and plays guitars, bass, keyboards, horns, recorder, piano, ukulele, wine glass, glockenspiel, drums and drum sequencing, synths & strings sequencing on every track, except on tracks 5&11 which feature Jill McKenna on upright bass, and track 12 which features the Bowen family choir.

HUGE heartfelt thanks to:

Steph & the kids, mum & dad, Jill McKenna, Tom Shea, Steve McKay, Pete Videka, Sam & Emily, Cal Trute, Terence McCusker, Justin Roberts, Fred Penner

INFLUENCES ON THIS MUSIC (in order of appearance):

Joao Gilberto, the Rheostatics, Big Wreck, Spirit of the West, Andy Shauf & Foxwarren, the Meters, Thom Yorke, Herb Alpert, Bahamas, Wayne Shorter, the Edge, Pete Seeger, Charlie Hope, Steve Parton, George Oulette, the Weakerthans, Land of Talk, Quieter Time of Night, Radiohead, Evy Shek, Neil Harbisson, Peggy Seeger, Robert Louis Stevenson, Men Without Hats, Bruce Cockburn, the Swirlies, Hayden, Death Cab for Cutie, Patrick Watson, Tom Waits, Jonny Greenwood, Hermeto Pascoal, Paul Winter, Dan Mangan, Nick Zubeck, John Mayer, the Verve, Rhiannon Giddens

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about

Mr. Ben Hamilton, Ontario

Mr. Ben is a Hamilton-based kids musician and educator. His first album, the Bumblebee EP, was released in 2011 shortly after opening for Fred Penner.

Since then, he has released 5 full-length studio albums & an album of lullabies, and is poised to release a 6th record in the spring on 2023.

He plays regular monthly shows in Dundas as well as making the circuit of summer and fall festivals. ... more

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Mr. Ben recommends:

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All of Andy Shauf's music is fantastic. Thoughtfully arranged, quirky, playful, intense, oddball, full of clarinets.... His records are in constant rotation around here. Also heck out Foxwarren! Mr. Ben
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Chuck Johnson is soothing, etherial, immersive, lush, inventive, *other...* current favourites: "Rain Shadow" (with Golden Retriever), and "Balsams." Mr. Ben
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Gnod makes SO much music (not unlike Animal Collective), and it covers a real gamut of styles and textures. This one is pretty much plaster-you-to-the-wall goodness. Mr. Ben
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