The song originates from the Appalachians and is one of many folk songs which have come from the region and have endured. It was first published in 1877 but the melody is typically credited to Harry Von Tizer in 1912. 

Some people recognize that the rhyme is very similar to an Irish version called Rattlin Bog but there are also a number of other versions that take inspiration from the original too. The song has been used in TV shows and continues to enjoy popularity in America.

And the Green Grass Grows All Around

… Oh in the woods there was a tree
The prettiest tree
You ever did see
And the tree was in the ground
And the green grass grew all around, all around, and the green grass grew all around
… And on that tree
There was a limb
The prettiest limb
That you ever did see
And the limb was on the tree
And the tree in the ground
And the green grass grew all around, all around, and the green grass grew all around
… And on that limb
There was a branch
The prettiest branch
That you ever did see
And the branch was on the limb,
And the limb was on the tree,
And the tree was in the ground
And the green grass grew all around, all around, and the green grass grew all around
… And on that branch
There was a nest
The prettiest nest
That you ever did see
And the nest was on the branch
And the branch was on the limb
And the limb was on the tree
And the tree was in the ground
And the green grass grew all around, all around, and the green grass grew all around
… And in that nest
There was an egg
The prettiest egg
That you ever did see
And the egg was in the nest
And the nest was on the branch
And the branch was on the limb
And the limb was on the tree
And the tree was in the ground
And the green grass grew all around, all around, and the green grass grew all around
… And in that egg
There was a bird
The prettiest bird
That you ever did see
And the bird was in the egg
And the egg was in the nest
And the nest was on the branch
And the branch was on the limb
And the limb was on the tree
And the tree was in the ground
And the green grass grew all around, all around, and the green grass grew all around

There’s a Hole in the Bottom of the Sea Lyrics

There’s a hole in the bottom of the sea
There’s a hole in the bottom of the sea
There’s a hole, there’s a hole
There’s a hole in the bottom of the sea
There’s a log in the hole in the bottom of the sea
There’s a log in the hole in the bottom of the sea
There’s a hole, there’s a hole
There’s a hole in the bottom of the sea
There’s a bump on the log in the hole in the bottom of the sea
There’s a bump on the log in the hole in the bottom of the sea
There’s a hole, there’s a hole
There’s a hole in the bottom of the sea
There’s a Frog on the bump, on the log, in the hole in the bottom of the sea
There’s a Frog on the bump, on the log, in the hole in the bottom of the sea
There’s a hole, there’s a hole
There’s a hole in the bottom of the sea
There’s a wart on the frog, on the bump, on the log, in the hole in the bottom of the sea
There’s a wart on the frog, on the bump, on the log, in the hole in the bottom of the sea
There’s a hole, there’s a hole
There’s a hole in the bottom of the sea
There’s a fly on the wart, on the frog, on the bump, on the log, in the hole in the bottom of the sea
There’s a fly on the wart, on the frog, on the bump, on the log, in the hole in the bottom of the sea
There’s a hole, there’s a hole
There’s a hole in the bottom of the sea
There’s a flea on the fly, on the wart, on the frog, on the bump, on the log, in the hole in the bottom of the sea
There’s a flea on the fly, on the wart, on the frog, on the bump, on the log, in the hole in the bottom of the sea
There’s a hole, there’s a hole
There’s a hole in the bottom of the sea
There’s a smile on the flea, on the fly, on the wart, on the frog, on the bump, on the log, in the hole in the bottom of the sea
There’s a smile on the flea, on the fly, on the wart, on the frog ,on the bump, on the log, in the hole in the bottom of the sea
There’s a hole, there’s a hole
There’s a hole in the bottom of the sea

“She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain” also knowns as “Round the Mountain” was published for the first time in Carl Sandburg’s “The American Songbag” in 1927. It appeared among railway workers in the late 19th century, probably about a new railroad line. The song, a cumulative tale is usually sung with each verse as an answer to the previous one.

Some verses like “pink pajamas” were probably incorporated later when it developed as a sing-along rhyme and it became later campfire song.

“She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain” Lyrics

She’ll be coming ’round the mountain when she comes, when she comes
She’ll be coming ’round the mountain when she comes
She’ll be coming ’round the mountain,
She’ll be coming ’round the mountain
She’ll be coming ’round the mountain when she comes.

She’ll be huffin’ and a-puffin’…

Oh, we’ll all come out to meet her …

We will kill the old red rooster…

She’ll be wearing pink pajamas…

(plus some bawdy ones)

Everybody asks her, did she come.
Everybody asks her, did she come.
They wouldn’t have to mention
If they only paid attention.
Everybody asks her, did she come.

She’s got a lovely titillating smile.
She’s got a lovely titillating smile.
She’s got a lovely titi-,
She’s got a lovely titi-,
She’s got a lovely titillating smile.

She’s got a lovely bottom set of teeth.
She’s got a lovely bottom set of teeth.
She’s got a lovely bottom.
She’s got a lovely bottom.
She’s got a lovely bottom set of teeth.

It was only later set up as a song and it had different melodic lines over time. The modern version sang today is a 1909 arrangement by Frederic Austin.

“12 Days of Christmas” is a cumulative song, each verse corresponding to a present offered for 12 days consecutively, starting with first day of Christmas Day, in which Each gift is added to the previous one.

12 Days of Christmas Meaning

The Twelvetide or the Twelve Days of Christmas is a Christian festivity celebrating the birth of baby Jesus, and Twelfth Night refers to evening of January 5th. Traditionally the Twelfth Day is the last day of Christmas season.

12 Days of Christmas Lyrics

On the first day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree.

On the second day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the third day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Three French hens,
Two turtledoves
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the fourth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the fifth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the sixth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the seventh day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the eighth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the ninth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the tenth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the eleventh day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Eleven pipers piping,
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the twelfth day of Christmas,
my true love sent to me
Twelve drummers drumming,
Eleven pipers piping,
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves
And a partridge in a pear tree!

The song can be a metaphor for many situations that seem simple or insignificant and can become complicated if we find inappropriate solutions or if we think we are invincible.

First known simply as “I know an old lady”, the lyrics of “There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly” was written in its current form by the author of the book with the same name, Rose Bonne and the music by artist Alan Millis, in 1952.

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly Lyrics

There was an old lady who swallowed a fly
I don’t know why she swallowed a fly – Perhaps she’ll die!
There was an old lady who swallowed a spider
That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her!

She swallowed the spider to catch the fly;
I don’t know why she swallowed a fly – Perhaps she’ll die!
There was an old lady who swallowed a bird;
How absurd to swallow a bird!

She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her!
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly;
I don’t know why she swallowed a fly – Perhaps she’ll die!
There was an old lady who swallowed a cat;
Fancy that! She swallowed a cat!

She swallowed the cat to catch the bird,
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her!
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly;
I don’t know why she swallowed a fly – Perhaps she’ll die!
There was an old lady that swallowed a dog;
What a hog, to swallow a dog!

She swallowed the dog to catch the cat,
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird,
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her!

She swallowed the spider to catch the fly;
I don’t know why she swallowed a fly – Perhaps she’ll die!
There was an old lady who swallowed a goat;
She just opened her throat and swallowed a goat!

She swallowed the goat to catch the dog,
She swallowed the dog to catch the cat,
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird,
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her!
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly;
I don’t know why she swallowed a fly – Perhaps she’ll die!
There was an old lady who swallowed a cow;
I don’t know how she swallowed a cow!

She swallowed the cow to catch the goat,
She swallowed the goat to catch the dog,
She swallowed the dog to catch the cat,
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird,
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her!
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly;
I don’t know why she swallowed a fly – Perhaps she’s dead
There was an old lady who swallowed a horse;

…She’s dead, of course!

This is not the story of building a house but as the story progresses the house is connected with all the other events, characters and objects in a very surprising way. It is very amusing and entertaining for children.

The rhyme was first published in 1755 in the “Nurse Truelove’s New-Year’s-Gift” or the Book of Books for Children” in London and afterwards in couple of other nursery rhymes collections. It is believed that the story is much older though.

“This Is the House That Jack Built” Lyrics

This is the house that Jack built.
This is the cheese that lay in the house that Jack built.
This is the rat that ate the cheese
That lay in the house that Jack built.
This is the cat that chased the rat
That ate the cheese that lay in the house that Jack built.

This is the dog that worried the cat
That chased the rat that ate the cheese
That lay in the house that Jack built.
This is the cow with the crumpled horn
That tossed the dog that worried the cat
That chased the rat that ate the cheese
That lay in the house that Jack built.

This is the maiden all forlorn
That milked the cow with the crumpled horn
That tossed the dog that worried the cat
That chased the rat that ate the cheese
That lay in the house that Jack built.

This is the man all tattered and torn
That kissed the maiden all forlorn
That milked the cow with the crumpled horn
That tossed the dog that worried the cat
That chased the rat that ate the cheese
That lay in the house that Jack built.

This is the judge all shaven and shorn
That married the man all tattered and torn
That kissed the maiden all forlorn
That milked the cow with the crumpled horn
That tossed the dog that worried the cat
That chased the rat that ate the cheese
That lay in the house that Jack built.

This is the rooster that crowed in the morn
That woke the judge all shaven and shorn
That married the man all tattered and torn
That kissed the maiden all forlorn
That milked the cow with the crumpled horn
That tossed the dog that worried the cat
That chased the rat that ate the cheese
That lay in the house that Jack built.

This is the farmer sowing his corn
That kept the rooster that crowed in the morn
That woke the judge all shaven and shorn
That married the man all tattered and torn
That kissed the maiden all forlorn
That milked the cow with the crumpled horn
That tossed the dog that worried the cat
That chased the rat that ate the cheese
That lay in the house that Jack built.

This is the horse and the hound and the horn
That belonged to the farmer sowing his corn
That kept the rooster that crowed in the morn
That woke the judge all shaven and shorn
That married the man all tattered and torn
That kissed the maiden all forlorn
That milked the cow with the crumpled horn
That tossed the dog that worried the cat
That chased the rat that ate the cheese
That lay in the house that Jack built.

 There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly is also a cumulative song although it tells a very different and more absurd story.