The week of Halloween, I helped the families at Kids’ Work Chicago and Kids’ Work Too celebrate Fall with their Fall Festivals. With the younger groups, we sat in a circle and had a sing-a-long. We sang our favorite fall songs and danced in adorable costumes.
My older classed worked really hard to learn songs to sing for their parents. One of the songs we sang was “Fall Leaves,” a festive parody of Dolly Parton’s 1973 hit, “Jolene.”
Many parents, administrators and my mom have asked for the lyrics. Hopefully, this is even better. I have recorded it with a few of my small friends with very loud voices!
Enjoy! (I hope Dolly approves.)
Fall Leaves
Based on "Jolene" by Dolly Parton
Parody lyrics by Elisa Lutz
Fall leaves. Fall leaves. Fall leaves. Fall leaves.
Falling down from trees. Where will you land?
Fall leaves. Fall leaves. Fall leaves. Fall leaves.
Falling on my head and on my hand.
Your beauty is beyond compare.
Flaming leaves in the Autumn air.
Red and orange and yellow and brown: Fall leaves!
Dry and crunchy in a pile.
I step on you, you make me smile.
I rake you up and jump in you: Fall leaves!
Fall leaves. Fall leaves. Fall leaves. Fall leaves.
Falling down from trees. Where will you land?
Fall leaves. Fall leaves. Fall leaves. Fall leaves.
Falling on my head and on my hand.
Side Note: One of my secret plans was to introduce the children to one of my favorite Dolly Parton songs. The song isn’t entirely appropriate for a group of four-year-olds to sing to their parents. So I rewrote it to be about Fall. On the Wednesday after our concert, one of my little friends, asked me if I knew about the song “Jolene” and I knew my secret plan was working!