# What songs did your parents sing to you as a child? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 27, 2005, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-did-your-parents-sing-to-you-as-a-child/305779 "2005-05-27T16:56:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Daithi\_Lacha](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daithi_lacha/32/5430_2.png) [@Daithi\_Lacha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daithi_Lacha)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2005, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-did-your-parents-sing-to-you-as-a-child/305779/61 "2005-05-31T20:44:36Z")
> [@Johnny L.A.](#): > > My sister used to sing [[http://www.su.nottingham.ac.uk/~ramsoc/about/songs\_or.htm#rickety](http://www.su.nottingham.ac.uk/~ramsoc/about/songs_or.htm#rickety)] **Rickety-Tickety-Tin** ]([http://www.su.nottingham.ac.uk/~ramsoc/about/songs\_or.htm#rickety](http://www.su.nottingham.ac.uk/~ramsoc/about/songs_or.htm#rickety)) to me. When I looked up the song, I found that either she was singing it wrong or that I remembered it wrong. The way I remember it is: > > _She cut her baby brother in two > A-rickety-tickety-tin > She cuter her baby brother in two > And served him up in an Irish stew > She served him up in an Irish stew > And invited the neighbours in, them in > She invited the neighbours in._ A Tom Lehrer classic. It’s called “The Irish Ballad.” And after the first line in the source you cited, place “rickety etc.” for [that full Lehrer flavor](http://members.aol.com/quentncree/lehrer/irish.htm). ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2005, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-did-your-parents-sing-to-you-as-a-child/305779/62 "2005-06-01T06:37:51Z")
> [@Prancer](#): > > My Mom sang me Three Little Fishes (which I think was inspired by the Capatin Kangaroo show). Not unless it was a song other than [this one,](http://www.ticon.net/~turbo/3-LITTLE-FISHIES-DANCE.htm) which (as the linked page, which includes sound, says) was a hit in 1939. Performing the tune was an orchestra headed by a man named [Kay Kyser.](http://www.kaykyser.net/kay.html) ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2005, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-did-your-parents-sing-to-you-as-a-child/305779/63 "2005-06-01T08:37:52Z")
If it counts for anything, I know for a fact that my parents used a tape of Marine Corps running cadences to help put my infant/toddler sister to sleep. (It worked, BTW.) _I wannabe a Drill Instructor, I wanna cut off all of my hair, I wannabe a Drill Instructor, I wanna earn that smokie bear!_ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2005, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-did-your-parents-sing-to-you-as-a-child/305779/64 "2005-06-01T11:32:47Z")
I don’t recall my parents ever singing with me other than formal settings. ---
**Author:** ![Jessity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c67d28/32.png) [@Jessity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jessity)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2005, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-did-your-parents-sing-to-you-as-a-child/305779/65 "2005-06-01T12:04:32Z")
> [@Si Amigo](#): > > Dad used to sing: > > Ole Dan Tucker was a mean ole man, > Washed his face in a frying pan. > Combed his hair with a wagon wheel, > And he died with a tooth ache in his heel. 😕 Heh. My dad used to sing that to me, but the end (his version, anyway) was: _And he died with a toothpick in his heel._ My mom would sing: Oh Senor Don Gato was a cat On a hiiiiigh red roof Don Gato sat He was there to read a letter Meow Meow Meow Where the reading light was better Meow Meow Meow Twas a love note for Don Gato … I remember a bit more, but not the entire song. I sing it to my nephew these days, making up words as I go along. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2005, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-did-your-parents-sing-to-you-as-a-child/305779/66 "2005-06-01T15:57:34Z")
Boy, I haven’t thought about this in nearly fifty years, but my mother used to sing [_Go Tell Aunt Rhodie_](http://www.smsu.edu/folksong/maxhunter/0374/) to me. According to [this site](http://www.ibiblio.org/jimmy/folkden/php/search/individ.php?mid=80), “This is a very popular children’s song in spite of its rather dark lyrics.” Good to know - looking at the lyrics, one would think my mother was some kind of sadist! ---
**Author:** ![AllShookDown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@AllShookDown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllShookDown)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2005, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-did-your-parents-sing-to-you-as-a-child/305779/67 "2005-06-01T17:19:57Z")
My mom used to sing this one to me: \*Alice, where art thou going? Upstairs to take a bath. Alice, you’re like a toothpick. Your head is like a tack. Alice stepped in the bathtub. She slipped on the soooo-ooo-oooap. Oh my goodnes, oh my soul! There goes Alice down the hole! Alice! Where art thou going?\* ---
**Author:** ![manx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/65b543/32.png) [@manx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manx)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2005, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-did-your-parents-sing-to-you-as-a-child/305779/68 "2005-06-02T12:33:58Z")
> [@AerynSun](#): > > Am I the only one who heard _Toora Loora Loora(l)_ growing up? . Nope, my Dad used to sing it to me. He also used to sing a song about a racehorse: \*Old Stewball was a racehorse and I wish he were mine. He never drank water, he always drank wine His bridle was silver and his mane it was gold and the worth of his saddle has never been told…\* There was more, something about a fairground and betting, but I don’t remember it. ---
**Author:** ![Mycroft\_Holmes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a5b964/32.png) [@Mycroft\_Holmes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mycroft_Holmes)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2005, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-did-your-parents-sing-to-you-as-a-child/305779/69 "2005-06-02T13:19:37Z")
> [@Ringo](#): > > _Hang down your head Tom Dooley, > Hang down your head and cry, > Hang down your head Tom Dooley, > Poor boy you’re going to die_ _I met her on the mountain There I took her life Met her on the mountain Stabbed her with my knife_ This song would always put my kids to sleep when I sang it. I think it’s the soft repetitious melody. The lyrics are certainly dark enough. Two other favorites I would sing to my kids were: _I am a roving gambler I’ve gambled all around Wherever I meet with a deck of cards I lay my money down Lay my money down, lay my money down_ and _Frogg went a-courtin’ and he did go, un-huh Frogg went a-courtin’ and he did go, un-huh Frogg went a-courtin’ and he did go To the Coconut Grove for the midnight show, un-huh un-huh un-huh_ ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2005, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-did-your-parents-sing-to-you-as-a-child/305779/70 "2005-06-02T13:47:56Z")
Thanks, **Queen Tonya** --I do remember more of the verses now–I never learned the bit about jail–but I remember the arms around me bit. There must be a reason why so many of these are sad or mournful. Perhaps it’s the rythym? Or maybe, like fairy tales, kids are attracted to dark things–it’s grown ups who insist on sweetness and light. Fascinating. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-songs-did-your-parents-sing-to-you-as-a-child/305779.md?page=3)