Polly Wolly Doodle
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"Polly Wolly Doodle" is a song first published in a Harvard student songbook in 1880.
"Polly Wolly Doodle" appears in the existing manuscript for Laura Ingalls Wilder's These Happy Golden Years exactly as it is used in the published version. It was not mentioned in any of the Pioneer Girl manuscripts. It is sometimes credited to Dan Emmett. The melody of this song as it is usually sung formed the basis for Boney M.'s hit Hooray! Hooray! It's a Holi-Holiday[citation needed] in 1979, and is common in children's music, appearing in a Sunday school song called "O-B-E-D-I-E-N-C-E", the German group die Lollipops' "Radio Lollipop", and is the tune of the Barney & Friends song "Alphabet Soup" (though only using the first verse's tune). Popular early 20th century child actor Shirley Temple also sang "Polly Wolly Doodle" in the 1935 film, The Littlest Rebel. The song is also featured prominently in the 1938 Best Picture winning film You Can't Take It With You directed by Frank Capra and S.O.B. (1981) directed by Blake Edwards.
[edit] Lyrics
- Oh, I went down South for to see my Sal
- singing Polly wolly doodle all the day
- my Sal, she am a spunky gal
- sing Polly wolly doodle all the day
Chorus:
- Fare thee well, fare thee well,
- fare thee well my fairy Fay
- for I'm off to Lou'siana for to see my Susyanna
- sing Polly wolly doodle all the day
- Oh, my Sal, she is a maiden fair
- sing Polly wolly doodle all the day
- with curly eyes and laughing hair
- sing Polly wolly doodle all the day
Chorus:
- Oh I like watermelon and I have for years
- sing Polly wolly doodle all the day
- I eat watermelon because it gets upon my ears
- sing Polly wolly doodle all the day
Chorus:
- Oh, a grasshopper sittin' on a railroad track
- sing Polly wolly doodle all the day
- a pickin' his teeth with a carpet tack
- sing Polly wolly doodle all the day
Chorus:
- Behind the barn, down on my knees
- sing Polly wolly doodle all the day
- I thought I heard a chicken sneeze
- sing Polly wolly doodle all the day
- Oh he sneezed so hard with the whooping cough
- sing Polly wolly doodle all the day
- he sneezed his head and his tail right off
- sing Polly wolly doodle all the day
- Fare thee well, fare thee well,
- fare thee well my fairy Fay
- for I'm off to Lou'siana for to see my Susyanna
- sing Polly Wolly Doodle
- sing Polly Wolly Doodle
- sing Polly Wolly Doodle all the day
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- (Traditional / De Sylva)
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[edit] Recorded Versions
Alvin and the Chipmunks recorded the song on their album The Chipmunk Songbook in 1962.
Leon Redbone recorded the song on his album On the Track in 1975.
[edit] Curiosities
The song appears in an episode of the 4th season of the TV series Monk. In the episode, called "Mr. Monk Stays in Bed", Mr.Monk is sick in bed with the flu and the daughter of Natalie Teeger, Julie, brings him a musical greetings card which reproduces Polly Wolly Doodle continuously.
