Make Lemonade

Music
LYRICS:
I've Been Working on the Railroad
High Hopes
On Top of Spaghetti
You Are My Sunshine
She'll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain
Let Me Call You Sweetheart
Baby Face
LISTEN TO SONGS:
Make Lemonade
One More Memory
Remember Me

The music for Make Lemonade was inspired by a performance of a joyful, colourful African touring group that visited Toronto. The song’s lyrics surfaced after the writer heard about an acquaintance who was in such a negative, helpless, and inert state that people were being driven away resulting in even more loneliness and depression.

The music and lyrics came together quickly and Debbie Fleming arranged it for the group Hampton Avenue, which subsequently recorded it.

Since it has been written, Make Lemonade has been performed by choirs all over the world (e.g., the United States, Australia, Holland, Canada, etc.).

Make Lemonade

Oooh, Make a-lemon, make a-lemon, Ooooh
Oooh, Make a-lemon, make a-lemon, Ooooh

Vs.1

What do you do when your life turns sour?
Add a little sugar, and you make lemonade.
What do you do in your darkest hour?
Light up a candle, and you make lemonade.
What do you do when the times get tough?
Put on your boxing gloves and make lemonade.
What do you do with a string of bad luck?
Tie a kite on the end of it and make lemonade.

Bridge #1

If a lemon makes you sour,
You may have to drink your cup alone.
But add the sweet sweet taste of your power
And somebody will always come along
To help you be strong.

Vs.2

What do you do when the future looks black?
Eat a lot of carrots, and you make lemonade.
If there's a heavy load on your back,
Put it down for a moment and you make lemonade.
What do you do when nothin' goes easy?
Oil the machinery and make lemonade.
What do you do when life drives you crazy?
Dance in the moonlight, and you make lemonade.

Bridge #2

Every cloud is lined with silver.
All the pain and heartache passes.
It's a long, hard climb up the hill for
The beautiful view from the top
Through rose-coloured glasses

Tag

What do you do?
Squeeze out the lemon and you make lemonade.
Tell me what do you do, what do you do?
Squeeze out the lemon and you make lemonade.
Squeeze out the lemon, hoo hoo,
Squeeze out the lemon.
Squeeze out the lemon, hoo hoo,
Squeeze out the lemon.

Squeeze out the lemon, hoo hoo
Squeeze out the lemon and you make lemonade.

Lyrics by Debbie Fleming
Online Song by the Kokopelli Choir

Listen to the song here! Click the play button to start.

(This version of the song performed by the Kokopelli Choir)