# Marzy Dotes: once meaningful lyrics surviving as nonsense? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 18, 2008, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marzy-dotes-once-meaningful-lyrics-surviving-as-nonsense/477734 "2008-12-18T12:46:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marzy-dotes-once-meaningful-lyrics-surviving-as-nonsense/477734/21 "2008-12-19T02:59:51Z")
Clearly the English are just less bossy than the French 😉 (or it just scans better
) The song that leaps to my mind for nonsense lyrics is [Innanay](http://www.myjellybeansmusic.com.au/INNANAY.pdf), a traditional Aboriginal song. Except, to the best of my knowledge, it doesn’t actually mean anything in any extant Aboriginal language (though there are a lot of them to go through) [Youtube version](http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=Tv7t6FfeIwY) (I have no idea if this is any good or not - I have no sound on this computer) ---
**Author:** ![Across](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Across](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Across)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marzy-dotes-once-meaningful-lyrics-surviving-as-nonsense/477734/22 "2008-12-19T03:30:05Z")
It isn’t a song or nursery rhyme, but there’s an Australian author who wrote poems in “Strine”. I remember translating “Hagger Nigh Tell” in high school English class. > **[Afferbeck Lauder](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afferbeck_Lauder)** > > Afferbeck Lauder was the pseudonym used by Alastair Ardoch Morrison (21 September 1911 – 15 March 1998), an Australian graphic artist and author who in the 1960s documented Strine in the song With Air Chew and a series of books beginning with Let Stalk Strine (Ure Smith, Sydney, Australia, 1965). Morrison illustrated the books and also used the pseudonym Al Terego. > Let Stalk Strine was followed by Nose Tone Unturned (1967), Fraffly Well Spoken (1968), and Fraffly Suite (1969). The first two pre... ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marzy-dotes-once-meaningful-lyrics-surviving-as-nonsense/477734/23 "2008-12-19T03:56:42Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > re: nursery rhyme lyrics and whatnot whose original meaning got lost in the mists of antiquity
 > > [possible Urban Legend alert] > > I have _heard_ that “eeny meeny miney moe” is a counting sequence akin to “one two three four”, and that so is “hickory dickory dock” (equiv to “ten eleven twelve” in this case). > > [UL alert] I was going to post that. I remember reading it in _Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way_. Eenie meenie minie moe - it’s supposed to be from a pre-Anglic tongue, possibly one that was spoken while the Romans occupied Great Britain. I hadn’t heard that about hickory dickory dock, though. Cool. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marzy-dotes-once-meaningful-lyrics-surviving-as-nonsense/477734/24 "2008-12-19T04:55:44Z")
The OP made me think of [Mots D’Heures: Gousses, Rames](http://www.aescon.com/aesconsulting/french/). This delightful 1967 book by Louis d’Antin van Rooten requires a slightly more sophisticated reader than _Mairzy doats_. You need to know English and be able to read (or at least correctly pronounce) French. Here’s a sample. (The link above provides three others, without giving away the secret. Google elsewhere if you can’t figure it out.) Un petit d’un petit S’étonne aux Halles Un petit d’un petit Ah! degrĂ©s te fallent Indolent qui ne sort cesse Indolent qui ne se mĂšne Qu’importe un petit d’un petit Tout Gai de Reguennes. The author helpfully points out that when read aloud, “these poems assume a strangely familiar, almost nostalgic, homely quality.” Enjoy. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marzy-dotes-once-meaningful-lyrics-surviving-as-nonsense/477734/25 "2008-12-19T05:12:05Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > The OP made me think of [Mots D’Heures: Gousses, Rames](http://www.aescon.com/aesconsulting/french/). My French is inadequate to get the last two, and it’s driving me nuts! Edit - Actually, I just worked out the last one
the third one is still not working for me. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marzy-dotes-once-meaningful-lyrics-surviving-as-nonsense/477734/26 "2008-12-19T05:23:34Z")
Roses are red, violets are blue 🙂 Those were fun ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marzy-dotes-once-meaningful-lyrics-surviving-as-nonsense/477734/27 "2008-12-19T05:28:26Z")
Aaaah! Thanks, now it makes sense. The longer ones are easier, since there are more chances for them to click
 ---
**Author:** ![Vox\_Imperatoris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Vox\_Imperatoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vox_Imperatoris)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marzy-dotes-once-meaningful-lyrics-surviving-as-nonsense/477734/28 "2008-12-19T05:31:03Z")
I have always remembered this tune as “Little lambs a dozy” not “Little lambs e divy”. I don’t know why, though. Valete, Vox Imperatoris ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marzy-dotes-once-meaningful-lyrics-surviving-as-nonsense/477734/29 "2008-12-19T13:29:47Z")
Here’s something seasonal. Our chorus just performed “This Special Holiday Presentation,” which includes: \*Trim up the tree with Christmas stuff, like dingle balls and hoo-foo fluff. Trim up the tree with goo-goo gums, and bizzle-finks, and wumps! . . . Hang up koo-hoo-hoo bricks, then run out and get some more! Hang pantookas on the ceiling, pile pampoonas on the floor. . . . Trim up the tree with buzzle fuzz, and blipper bloops, and wuzzle-wuhs. Trim up your uncles and your aunts with yards of hoo-fron, Trim up the tree with yards of hoo-fron plants! \*That’s only a small part of a long medley, which also includes “Fahoo forays, dahoo dorays.” It took forever to memorize. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marzy-dotes-once-meaningful-lyrics-surviving-as-nonsense/477734/30 "2008-12-19T13:48:19Z")
Interestingly, this thread is the first time I’ve ever heard of this “Marzy Dotes” Nursery Rhyme; is it a largely American one, perhaps? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marzy-dotes-once-meaningful-lyrics-surviving-as-nonsense/477734/31 "2008-12-19T14:16:57Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > Interestingly, this thread is the first time I’ve ever heard of this “Marzy Dotes” Nursery Rhyme; is it a largely American one, perhaps? It’s not a nursery rhyme. It’s a novelty song composed in 1943. As someone upthread noted, it IS based on an English nursery rhyme, “Cowzy tweet and sowzy tweet and liddle sharksy doisters”, though. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marzy-dotes-once-meaningful-lyrics-surviving-as-nonsense/477734/32 "2008-12-19T14:38:14Z")
A b. C d puppies? M n o puppies. O s a r! ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marzy-dotes-once-meaningful-lyrics-surviving-as-nonsense/477734/33 "2008-12-19T14:51:42Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > It’s not a nursery rhyme. It’s a novelty song composed in 1943. As someone upthread noted, it IS based on an English nursery rhyme, “Cowzy tweet and sowzy tweet and liddle sharksy doisters”, though. I can’t say I’m familiar with that one, either
 ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marzy-dotes-once-meaningful-lyrics-surviving-as-nonsense/477734/34 "2008-12-19T15:00:57Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Here’s something seasonal. Our chorus just performed “This Special Holiday Presentation,” which includes: > > Trim up the tree with Christmas stuff, like dingle balls and hoo-foo fluff. > Trim up the tree with goo-goo gums, and bizzle-finks, and wumps! > . . . > Hang up koo-hoo-hoo bricks, then run out and get some more! > Hang pantookas on the ceiling, pile pampoonas on the floor. > . . . > Trim up the tree with buzzle fuzz, and blipper bloops, and wuzzle-wuhs. > Trim up your uncles and your aunts with yards of hoo-fron, > Trim up the tree with yards of hoo-fron plants! This is just pure nonsense, plain and simple- written by Albert Hague and Dr. Seuss for the 1966 special _How The Grinch Stole Christmas!_ When it comes to silly words, Dr. Seuss was the king. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marzy-dotes-once-meaningful-lyrics-surviving-as-nonsense/477734/35 "2008-12-19T15:03:34Z")
> [@mobo85](#): > > This is just pure nonsense, plain and simple- written by Albert Hague and Dr. Seuss for the 1966 special _How The Grinch Stole Christmas!_ When it comes to silly words, Dr. Seuss was the king. I was going to say that the “fahoo-foray, dahoo-doray” sounded awfully familiar
 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marzy-dotes-once-meaningful-lyrics-surviving-as-nonsense/477734/36 "2008-12-19T15:34:27Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > A b. C d puppies? M n o puppies. O s a r! C D E D B D ducks? M R not ducks! M R! C D E D B D wing? L I B! M R ducks! ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marzy-dotes-once-meaningful-lyrics-surviving-as-nonsense/477734/37 "2008-12-19T15:41:39Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > C D E D B D ducks? > M R not ducks! > M R! C D E D B D wing? > L I B! M R ducks! We must have the same WWII era aunt! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marzy-dotes-once-meaningful-lyrics-surviving-as-nonsense/477734/38 "2008-12-19T15:46:09Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > Interestingly, this thread is the first time I’ve ever heard of this “Marzy Dotes” Nursery Rhyme; is it a largely American one, perhaps? I was hoping to show you a link to a scene from Woody Allen’s _Radio Days_ that features the song, but all I could find is [this Spanish-language clip](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCB8G4adYhI). The song is in English, but the brief explanation of it and the narrator’s description of what happened that day are not. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marzy-dotes-once-meaningful-lyrics-surviving-as-nonsense/477734/39 "2008-12-19T15:47:20Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > We must have the same WWII era aunt! I think I heard it back in the '90s. Some comic doing a bit on ‘How to speak Southern’. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marzy-dotes-once-meaningful-lyrics-surviving-as-nonsense/477734/40 "2008-12-20T01:51:45Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > I think I heard it back in the '90s. Some comic doing a bit on ‘How to speak Southern’. I saw this as a mimeographed page in the early 1980s. From my West Virginia secretary. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marzy-dotes-once-meaningful-lyrics-surviving-as-nonsense/477734.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/marzy-dotes-once-meaningful-lyrics-surviving-as-nonsense/477734.md?page=3)