# Songs you sang in school **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 10, 2018, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-sang-in-school/812188 "2018-04-10T22:47:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**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:** [October 30, 2019, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-sang-in-school/812188/81 "2019-10-30T21:00:22Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > Cut me some slack - I’m 65!!! Hey, I’m 74, and I still remember “Magalena Hagalena” and “Piccolomini”. ---
**Author:** ![slalexan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@slalexan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slalexan)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2019, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-sang-in-school/812188/82 "2019-10-30T21:23:29Z")
This just got me thinking of Fifty Nifty, a song that had all the states names in alphabetical order. And you ended the song by proclaiming your state was the best. _Fifty, nifty United States, from 13 original colonies…_ ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2019, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-sang-in-school/812188/83 "2019-10-30T22:17:19Z")
Roman Catholic grade school: We learned Christmas Carols in Latin for Midnight Mass. Songs celebrating Mary for May crowning ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2019, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-sang-in-school/812188/84 "2019-10-30T22:32:29Z")
_I never saw a purple cow I never hope to be one And I can tell you anyhow I’d rather see to be one_ We also sang the Steelers Polka (seriously): - Da-Da-Da-Da-Ta-Da - Charge! We’re from the town with that great football team, We cheer the Pittsburgh Steelers. Chuck Noll and all his friends are all on the team. Go out and get them Steelers. Bradshaw, and Rocky, and Franco and Lynn, We love you Pittsburgh Steelers. It’s been many years in coming, just keep that Steelers machinery humming Defense, Defense, make them scramble, intercept that ball. Defense, Defense, keeps the Steelers always best of all! Mean Joe, Mean Joe, do your thing against the other team, You start from year to year, we’re so glad you play here, Now join with me, and sing the Steelers cheer-er-ER! We’re from the town with that great football team, We cheer the Pittsburgh Steelers. Winning’s a habit, not only a dream, Go out and get them Steelers! Gerela’s Gorrilas are here for the show, and so is Franco’s Army, It’s been many years in coming, just keep that Steelers machinery humming. Offense, Offense, take that football whole way up the field! Offense, Offense, let’s score and score and never ever yield! Franco, Franco, can you believe we have a running game? The Steelers are so great, and so hard to overrate, Good things, will come, to those who work and wait. Charge!\* 😃 ---
**Author:** ![slash2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@slash2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slash2k)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2019, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-sang-in-school/812188/85 "2019-10-30T22:34:13Z")
1970s, Maryland suburbs: Kumbaya 50 Nifty United States a lot of the patriotic songs already mentioned (This Land is Your Land, etc.) Yellow Submarine ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2019, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-sang-in-school/812188/86 "2019-10-31T01:18:20Z")
> [@ekedolphin](#): > > On top of a school house > All covered with blood, > I shot my poor teacher > With a .44 slug… I went to her funeral, I went to her grave Some people threw flowers; I threw a grenade. * * * We sang Don Gato, and Sarasponda, and another one about the E-ri-E Canal. _Oh, the E-ri-E was a-risin’/And our spirits were getting low…_ Ends with _And I’m the only one 'round here/That’s left to tell the tale._ And another one: Sir Egglamore! \*Sir Egglamore, that valiant knight Fa la lanky down dilly He took up his sword and he went for to fight Fa la lanky down dilly He traveled over hill and dale, all armored in a coat of mail Fa lanky down, la lanky down, fa la lanky down dilly \* I was reminded of it when Bud Light started doing those “Dilly dilly!” commercials, but no one I know IRL is familiar with old Sir Egglamore. ---
**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2019, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-sang-in-school/812188/87 "2019-10-31T04:27:59Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Did anyone else do this version?: > \* > Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord > He is tearing down the alley in a 1950 Ford > With one hand on the wheel and the other on a can > Of Pabst Blue Ribbon beeeeeeeeeer\* My older siblings did that version. My callow classmates and I did not for some reason. Clearly our loss. > [@FairyChatMom](#): > > This thread and the time of year brought back a vague memory from the early 60s. In 2nd or 3rd grade, we’d learned a Halloween song, tho for the life of me, I don’t know what it was. But I do remember one of the people on our block made us sing the song before giving us our treats. > > What an odd thing to pop into my head… > > Other than that, I don’t remember singing anything in particular in school, altho we did have some outside-of-school songs that mocked our teachers. 😃 And, no, I don’t remember them either. Cut me some slack - I’m 65!!! Was it this one? It’s the only Halloween song I ever learned: Halloween the wind is blowing, spooks and goblins all about. Halloween, and now we’re going, time to play the game Shell Out. Knock, knock, knock, and then we’ll shout. Knock, knock, knock, shell out, shell out! Halloween, the wind is blowing, blows my pumpkin lantern out. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2019, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-sang-in-school/812188/88 "2019-10-31T15:24:49Z")
“Drunken Sailor” was a staple of elementary school music class. ---
**Author:** ![El\_DeLuxo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_deluxo/32/9043_2.png) [@El\_DeLuxo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_DeLuxo)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2019, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-sang-in-school/812188/89 "2019-11-01T00:32:35Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > ? > > Did anyone else sing “Bingo”? And then do the clapping part? > > Another was “Cindy”. “Git along home, Cindy Cindy” > > Any others? We used to sing “Bingo” and “Cindy”. Also, “That Highland Goat” “Sweetly Sings The Donkey” “Way Down Yonder In The Cornfield” “A Boy And A Girl In A Little Canoe” “The Ants Go Marching” (my fav!) “The Wheels On the Bus” “A Sailor Went To Sea-Sea-Sea” “Every Morning At Half-Past Eight” “Boil That Cabbage Down, Boys” “Mama, Don’t Whup Little Buford” “Low Bridge, Everybody Down” “Sing Your Way Home” and the song about Li’l Bunny Foo Foo. PLUS the first verse of the West Virginia state anthem! ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2019, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-sang-in-school/812188/90 "2019-11-01T13:48:16Z")
> [@slalexan](#): > > This just got me thinking of Fifty Nifty, a song that had all the states names in alphabetical order. And you ended the song by proclaiming your state was the best. > > _Fifty, nifty United States, from 13 original colonies…_ “_Scout 'em, shout 'em, tell all about 'em_!” > [@Personal](#): > > ``` > On top of spaghetti > > ``` > > All covered with cheese > I lost my poor meatball > When somebody sneezed. It rolled off the table And on to the floor And then my poor meatball Rolled out the back door ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2019, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-sang-in-school/812188/91 "2019-11-01T17:53:27Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > And then there’s “Magalena Hagalena”: > > Magalena Hagalena Hoopensteier Wallenheimer > Hogan Logan Mogan was her name. > > She had two peculiar hairs on her head, > One was black and the other was red. > > She had two eyes in the middle of her head, > One was green and the other was red. > > She had two teeth in the middle of her mouth, > One pointing north and the other pointing south. > > And one day, a ten ton truck hit poor Magalene; > The poor truck driver had to buy a new machine. > > I remember that song from over 60 years ago. We added a verse: “She had 2, boobies, on her chest. One pointed east and the other pointed west”. At Scout camp there was to the tune “God Bless America”: “God bless my underwear, my only pair, From the washer, to the dryer, to the clothesline, to my rear”. Another song I dont know all the words but it goes: “I’ve got 2 pence, 2 pence, 2 pence for my wife”. “POOR WIFE”! ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2019, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-sang-in-school/812188/92 "2019-11-01T19:34:25Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > Another song I dont know all the words but it goes: > “I’ve got 2 pence, 2 pence, 2 pence for my wife”. > > “POOR WIFE”! [Here are the lyrics,](https://www.scoutsongs.com/lyrics/sixpence.html) which basically jibe with how I learned the song in first grade music class. The teacher was of Irish descent, so we also learned “McNamara’s Band” and “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling”. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2019, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-sang-in-school/812188/93 "2019-11-01T20:56:02Z")
> [@slalexan](#): > > This just got me thinking of Fifty Nifty, a song that had all the states names in alphabetical order. And you ended the song by proclaiming your state was the best. > > _Fifty, nifty United States, from 13 original colonies…_ My sons choir in middle school did “Get Your Kicks on Route 66” Thing is that song, like “50 Nifty”, names a bunch of towns and cities along old Route 66 and later on you can trace that route. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2019, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-sang-in-school/812188/94 "2019-11-01T21:03:03Z")
Here are some of the lyrics to Route 66: If you ever plan to motor west Travel my way Take the highway that’s the best Get your kicks on Route 66 It winds from Chicago to LA More than two thousand miles all the way Get your kicks on Route 66 Now you go through St. Louis Joplin, Missouri And Oklahoma City looks mighty pretty You see Amarillo Gallup, New Mexico Flagstaff, Arizona Don’t forget Winona Kingman, Barstow, San Bernandino Won’t you get hip to this timely tip When you make that California trip Get your kicks on Route 66 ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2019, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-sang-in-school/812188/95 "2019-11-01T23:10:16Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > So what songs did you all enjoy singing in school back in the day? > > Did anyone else sing “Bingo”? And then do the clapping part? > > There was another called “Don Gotto” about a cat. > > Another was “Cindy”. “Git along home, Cindy Cindy” > > Any others? HOLY SHIT! Did you go to Catholic school too? “Don Gato” was always a request because of the “meow, meow, meow” in each verse. Was this the same song where at some point we think Don Gato is dead, but “such a smell of fish was in the air.” Then a couple lines later, “He came back to life / Don Gatoooooo.” ---
**Author:** ![CelticKnot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/celticknot/32/3392_2.png) [@CelticKnot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CelticKnot)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2019, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-sang-in-school/812188/96 "2019-11-02T01:22:56Z")
Much of what I remember has already been mentioned. > [@BobLibDem](#): > > … > My hat, it has three corners. > Three corners has my hat. > And had it not three corners. > It would not be my hat! In German class, it was Mein Hut er hast drei Ecken Drei Ecken hast mein Hut Und hast er nicht drei Ecken So ist er nicht mein Hut We also sang what I think was a German drinking song Du, Du, … I can’t remember the song enough to type it. I haven’t used German since then. > [@Procrustus](#): > > Maybe it was just us in upstate NY > > _I’ve got an old mule and her name is Sal > Fifteen years on the Erie Canal > She’s a good old worker and a good old pal > Fifteen years on the Erie Canal > We’ve hauled some barges in our day > Filled with lumber, coal, and hay > And every inch of the way we know > From Albany to Buffalo_ And you’ll always know your neighbor You’ll always know your pal If you’ve ever navigated On the Erie Canal Did anyone NOT sing Erie Canal? (Maryland, Indiana, Washington) Then there were the naughtier songs: Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It’s off to school we go The water tastes like turpentine The teacher looks like Frankenstein Hi ho, Hi ho, hi ho Suffocation Mental Re… Suffocation a game we like to play… Terrible list of ways to kill yourself. I doubt any of us realized how awful it was. In high school, Q107 radio played this in late August: Here comes a three day weekend When we honor the people with jobs We lie on beaches, suck beer like leeches And throw up and all act like slobs We get hungover, have breath like Rover And call in and take a sick day So have a great three day weekend It’s the last one until we hit Columbus Day! ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2019, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-sang-in-school/812188/97 "2019-11-02T05:17:23Z")
We sang the bucket song, too, and it was never sufficiently explained how one fixes a bucket with a straw. We also sang about mussels and (something) alive alive-o. ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2019, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-sang-in-school/812188/98 "2019-11-02T06:09:16Z")
I remember Waltzing Matilda from kindergarten but that’s about it. ---
**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:** [November 2, 2019, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-sang-in-school/812188/99 "2019-11-02T08:18:37Z")
We also sang a lot in French class, like Au clair de la luna, Din-din c’est la cloche du matin, and of course the Marseillaise. ---
**Author:** ![CelticKnot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/celticknot/32/3392_2.png) [@CelticKnot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CelticKnot)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2019, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-sang-in-school/812188/100 "2019-11-02T18:34:24Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > We sang the bucket song, too, and it was never sufficiently explained how one fixes a bucket with a straw. We also sang about mussels and (something) alive alive-o. Cockles and Mussels, an Irish folk song. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-sang-in-school/812188.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-sang-in-school/812188.md?page=6)