“Old MacDonald Had a Farm” is popular nursery rhyme and animal song for kids, first recorded in the USA.
A similar version of this song called “Ohio (Old Macdougal Had a Farm) was first published in Tommy’s Tune collection, a compilation of songs dating back to the WWI era published in 1917. Some other different versions of the song were recorded even earlier than Tommy’s Tune book. Still it seems that this one is referred as first appropriate recorded variant.
An even older version of this song was discovered in 1908 in England, in “Workhouse Marylebone” a rest home in London”. The song was sung by an old lady, Mrs. Goodey and published in Cecil Sharp’s Collection of English Folk Songs.
The oldest known melody with an appropriate theme dating back to around 1719 is an opera piece, “The Kingdom of the Birds”, found in Thomas D’Urfey’s songs collection “Wit and Mirth: Or Pills to Purge Melancholy”
“Old MacDonald Had a Farm” Lyrics
Modern Version
Old MacDonald had a farm, EE-I-EE-I-O,
And on that farm he had a [animal name], EE-I-EE-I-O,
With a [animal noise twice] here and a [animal noise twice] there
Here a [animal noise], there a [animal noise], everywhere a [animal noise twice]
Old MacDonald had a farm, EE-I-EE-I-O.
Example: COW
Old MacDonald had a farm, EE-I-EE-I-O.
And on that farm he had a cow, EE-I-EE-I-O.
With a moo moo here and a moo moo there
Here a moo, there a moo, everywhere a moo moo
Old MacDonald had a farm, EE-I-EE-I-O.
Or (removing the “with a” part)
Old MacDonald has a farm, EE-I-EE-I-O.
And on the farm he has a cow, EE-I-EE-I-O.
Moo moo here, moo moo there
Here a moo, there a moo, everywhere a moo moo
Old MacDonald has a farm, EE-I-EE-I-O.
“Old MacDonald Had a Farm”
Original Version
Old Macdougal had a farm in Ohio-i-o,
And on that farm he had some dogs in Ohio-i-o,
With a bow-wow here, and a bow-wow there,
Here a bow, there a wow, everywhere a bow-wow.