"Generic Uptempo Folksong" Lyrics - The Limeliters

Written by Larry Rand, and frequently performed and recorded by The Limeliters. You will find the song on the albums Until we Get it Right (1999),  Live in Paradise (2004), Pass the Music On (2013), The Kingston Trio 45th Anniversary Tribute CD, Video and DVD, This Land Is Your Land - The Folk Years  2002 PBS Special -(DVD and CD available), and many video and audio versions online on many YouTube and Facebook pages. Andrew Bartness has an illustrated slide-show version on his Youtube channel. Larry Rand performs a version of the song with his singing partner Nicole Mendyk on their 2009 album Deep Dish Folk.  Their version uses slightly different lyrics, perhaps a bit more political.

Read more about the song here on 60's Folk Music Lives On!


This is our uptempo folk song 
The one we use to start the show! 
Our up-tempo folk song, 
The kind every folk singer ought to know! 
The kind that sets your toes a tapping and makes you want to sing along. 
It's the one we stole from the Kingston Trio 
Generic up tempo folk song! 

This is the middle of our up temo folk song 
It's called the second verse 
You gotta sing it warm and tender 
To make it sound different from the first.
 This is when we look at all the people 
Just to see who is around 
And if we sing the second verse softly 
The crowed usually quiets down. 

This is the bridge and it's really exciting
It has a different plan 
The purpose of the bridge is to get from the middle 
To the begining of the end! 

This is our up tempo folk song 
The end is drawing near 
And by now you're so gosh-darn excited you want to stand right up and cheer! 
So lets say "hurray" for our folk survivors 
May they sing forever strong! 
And for the land of the brave and free 
Generic up tempo folk song! 

(hit it, Bill) 

So lets say "hurray" for our folk survivors 
May they sing forever strong 
May they shed a tear 
Each time they hear 
Generic up tempo folk song!