Musical Memories from the 2018 Centennial Reunion
Grand Larsony:Andy Sederquist, Perry Larson, Guy Larson, Callen Brown, Connie Larson
“WE ARE FAMILY” Sung The “Larson Way” in parody of a song performed by Sister Sledge, original words and music by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards. Parody written by “The GrandLarsony” musical group for the Larson Centennial Reunion, July 2018.
CHORUS:
WE ARE FAMILY! I GOT ALL MY LARSONS WITH ME!
WE ARE FAMILY! GET UP EVERYBODY AND SING! (REPEAT)
- As this family has gathered together, 100 years have gone by!
Generations of cousins and laughter, I won’t tell no lie!
And all the people around us they say, “How’d they last this long?”
Just let me state for the record: The LARSON family is very strong!
CHORUS (SEE ABOVE)
2. Carl William and his wife, Johanna, Journeyed across the sea.
From Sweden, along with their children, To build a great family tree!
We remember our loved ones, They’re in our hearts, each and every day.
Have faith in you and the things you do! You can’t go wrong, oh no,
Living the “LARSON” way!
CHORUS (REPEAT 2X)
Editor’s note: A quick way to find the music notes for these words is to go to musicnotes.com and search for WE ARE FAMILY with Sister Sledge.
Deanna Calkins accompanying the dancing for “Små Gordorna” the Little Frog dance.
Små grodorna text & English translation
Små grodorna, små grodorna är lustiga att se.
The little frogs, the little frogs are funny to observe.
Små grodorna, små grodorna är lustiga att se.
The little frogs, the little frogs are funny to observe.
Ej öron, ej öron, ej svansar hava de.
No ears, no ears, no tails do they possess.
Ej öron, ej öron, ej svansar hava de.
No ears, no ears, no tails do they possess.
Kou ack ack ack, kou ack ack ack,
kou ack ack ack ack kaa.
Kou ack ack ack, kou ack ack ack,
kou ack ack ack ack kaa.
(Kou ack ack ack is the sound frogs make in Sweden, obviously.)
Second verse
Små grisarna, små grisarna är lustiga att se.
The little pigs, the little pigs are funny to observe.
Små grisarna, små grisarna är lustiga att se.
The little pigs, the little pigs are funny to observe.
Båd öron, båd öron, och svansar hava de.
Both ears, both ears and tails do they possess.
Båd öron, båd öron, och svansar hava de.
Both ears, both ears and tails do they possess.
Å nöff nöff nöff, å nöff nöff nöff,
å nöff nöff nöff nöff nöff.
Å nöff nöff nöff, å nöff nöff nöff,
å nöff nöff nöff nöff nöff.
(Nöff nöff is Swedish/pig-ish for oink oink.)
Editor’s Note: Go to YouTube.com and search for “Sma Gordorna” to watch the circle dance steps. I modified somewhat for our reunion with little tykes dancing.
Previous Years Follow:
Thanks to Mike and Joni Griffin for arranging for this fantastic picture of the 99th Reunion!! Look at those smiles!
The 99th Larson Reunion was held Sunday, August 20th, 2017 at Moline Riverside Park. The 99th PotLuck was fantastic – again – so no one went away hungry or felt left out!! Tack Tack to the Larson Kin in the Quad-city area for setting up the area and providing delicious barbecue!! A slight drizzle kept us off the grass, so the game Kubb didn’t get going. But the Rohrbaugh family won the Kubb set for providing several names and emails to add to our communications list. Maybe they can teach us how to play at the next reunion! The annual auction was lively and helped the Fund used to pull together our Centennial Reunion. Thanks to several people who offered to help with the planning for our 100th PotLuck Party!!
From Margaret Larson (1916-1997), Daughter of Felix:
We used to have our reunions at Lake Storey a lot. I remember Uncle Oscar would go early in the morning and get the tables together. He would sit on them until we all got there. We kids always wanted to go swim down at the lake but our parents wanted us to just stay by the adults. They told us it was not good for us to swim there. I feel now that they didn’t want us to make them worry about drowning.
Swimming was prohibited at Lake Storey during the polio epidemic in the 50s. The Larson Reunion was cancelled in 1949 because of the polio threat.
From Louise Larson Eastburg (1911-2006), Daughter of Robert:
I was at the first reunion and don’t think I have missed very many reunions, if any. The first reunion was at our home on County 10 road. It was just a mile south of Galesburg.
Editor’s note: Although Louise was most often known by that name, her first name was Johanna, named after CWs wife, Johanna.
From Nellie Ruth Larson Martens (1923-2005), Daughter of Felix:
I can remember when “what a thrill” it was to go to the Larson Reunions. We would make plans ahead of time and look forward to that day. We enjoyed being with our cousins, whom we only saw once a year. We would have a program. Some of the memories were: Roy Larson singing. Rubie and Doris Larson, with a friend Grace Edmond, singing. Dorothy Brown whistling. I remember everyone going around and shaking hands with everyone when they first came and then again when they left to go home.
Editor’ Note: Reunions were begun at the homes of the Larson siblings. They were also held at these parks: Longview in R.I., Indian Bluffs in Milan, Lake Storey or Lincoln Park in Galesburg, Crescent Lake in Alpha, Country Club in Orion, Fireman’s Park in Wataga. In the 40s fuel was rationed so attendance was down a little, with reunions at Lincoln Park, Lake Storey or Alpha Lake. Indian Bluffs in Milan began in the 50s.
From Mary K Brown McGee (1928-2007), Granddaughter of Robert:
My early memories of The Larson Reunion was when it was held in the homes and yards of the different Larson brothers and Aunt Anna. They were really a big thing in our young lives!
CW&JCLarsonFamily 