SAN DIEGO—The theme for this week might be something like "playful love songs," observes Hal's daughter, Harriet. To hear other songs in the Wingard collection, please click here. To hear today's selection, please click the title above the lyrics.

# 231, The Serious Tuba
#27 , Everysong
# 187 , Turtledove Love

#231, The Serious Tuba

The tuba is playing.
Just hear what it's saying.
Just hear what it's saying.
It says, "I love you."

You say, "It's just playing,
Can't mean what it's saying,
Can't mean what it's saying.
Its love can't be true."

But tubas, when playing,
Are earnest in saying,
Are earnest in saying
Whatever they do.

So, though it is playing,
You know what it's saying,
You know what it's saying
Is earnestly true.
It truly loves you.
(The tuba loves you.)

(C) 2009 Estate of Hal Wingard; March 28, 1993; Words completed February 20, 1993, during Pract-Day at Connie Chrysler's home In Chico. "Melody" set during Pract-Inn at Santa Sabina Retreat Center in San Rafael.

#27, Everysong

On a night in the month of June,
In the sky was a silv'ry ______ . (moon)
In the sky was a silv'ry moon
That brightened all your charms.

As the wind wandered through the trees,
Gently you gave my hand a ______. (squeeze)
Gently you gave my hand a squeeze,
And took me in your ______. (arms)

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On a night in December's cold,
We were young, but our love was ______. (old)
We were young, but our love was old,
Expiring with a sigh.

Winter's ice had engulfed our heart.
Nothing left but for us to ______. (part)
Nothing left but for us to part,
And say our last ______. (goodbye)

(c) 2009 Estate of Hal Wingard; December 24, 1977

#187, Turtledove Love

Coo, coo-coo.
Coo, coo-coo.
Coo, coo-coo.
Coo-coo, coo-coo.

Do tell me who, turtledove. . .
Do tell me who is my love.
Do tell me who loves me true.
Do tell me who, tell me who.

You say it's you, turtledove. . .
You say it's you are my love.
You say it's you loves me true.
You say it's you, only you.

Coo, coo-coo.
Coo, coo-coo.
Coo, coo-coo.
Coo-coo, coo-coo.

If it is true, turtledove. . .
If it is true you're my love.
If it is true, here's what I'll do. . .
If it is true, I'll marry you.

If I take you, turtledove. . .
If I take you to be my love. . .
If I take you, just mark my words.
If I take you, love's for the birds.

Coo, coo-coo.
Coo, coo-coo.
Coo, coo-coo.
Coo-coo, coo-coo.

(c) 2009, Estate of Hal Wingard. July 3, 1985. Written at Motel 6, Pismo Beach, on return from the FL Summer Seminar at UCSC.

**
Hal Wingard died May 25, 2009 at age 83 in San Diego. He was an educator who specialized in methodologies for foreign language teaching and had served on the California State Curriculum Commission. His wife, Eileen, a retired symphony violinist and occasional contributor to San Diego Jewish World, survives him, along with three daughters and a son.