Tom wrote:
Maybe you can help me.
I seem to recall a Polish children’s song from 50 years ago. The opening lines sounded like Sheevey coy, sheevey coy. The only parts of the song I remember go something like this with English sounds as I do not know the actual Polish words. It was a short 4 line ditty that went:
First line – Sheevy coy, sheevy coy
Second line – unknown
Third line – Coya zhim, coya zhim
Fourth line – something, something, something, kocham cieMy father used to sing this to us when we were quite small 50 years ago. He is gone and I cannot find anyone who knows this rhyme.
Does this sound familiar to you or any of your contacts?
Thanks,
Tom Wisniewski
If anyone can help Tom, please comment below.
Thanks!
Mama Lisa
This article was posted on Monday, November 3rd, 2008 at 10:31 am and is filed under Children's Songs, Countries & Cultures, Languages, Poland, Polish, Polish Kids Songs, Questions, Readers Questions. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
25 Responses to “Can Anyone Help with a Polish Kids Song that Sounds Like, “Sheevey Coy”?”
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November 11th, 2008 at 1:18 am
We were just in Poland and sounds like a song we were looking for, we thought it sounded more like Shanate but we knew it meant so far away, she’s so far away, could this be the same song, I’d like to know where I can find this song
November 18th, 2008 at 8:47 pm
It’s Siwy Kon (Gray Horse). If you Google it you’ll find lots of information. You can even find it on You TubeQ
December 6th, 2008 at 12:13 am
My Dad remembers this song, too. His father and mother sang it. It means Gray Horse. His parents were from south east Poland.
February 18th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
I think this is the song you’re looking for. It is called: Siwy Kon (Gray Horse)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6wB4a98gmg
February 18th, 2009 at 9:36 pm
FYI The song in the video above is about 2 1/2 minutes into the video.
I found these lyrics in Polish below (if anyone could provide an English translation that would be great!)… -Mama Lisa
Siwy Kon
Siwy kon, siwy kon malowane sanki
Pojechal, pojechal do swojej kochanki.
Pojechal, zajechal, ona go czekala
Gdy go zabaczyla, buziaka mu dala.
Buziaka mud ala, do ucha szeptala
Zostaj zemna jasiu, bede cie kochala.
Nikt nie wie, nikt nie wie, nikt nie bedzie wiedzial
Za co Jas kochany, we wiezieniu siedzial.
April 8th, 2010 at 2:00 pm
OMG my granny used to sing this to me and I sing it to my granddaughter, like a lot of you, I can’t remember all the words, just the siwy kon, but I knew it meant Grey Horse.
November 16th, 2010 at 1:53 am
My grandparents sang this. My dad told me once with a smile that it’s meaning was not so innocent…but didn’t explain.
When I went to Google Translate, the translation was only so so, but it starts with the guy riding the gray horse to his loved one’s house…. but the last half is weird. Something about a kiss, and her whispering something in his ear… and THEN:
Nobody knows, nobody knows, why he sits in prison!
Yikes!
October 7th, 2011 at 6:16 am
I remember this song too! I learned it from my mom in elementary school and used part of it to get a Girl Scout badge.. I’m in the same boat as you all though..she didn’t know the full meaning either, just that it was something about a gray horse.
October 10th, 2011 at 2:08 pm
My translation doesn’t rhyme maybe, I guess it’s quite accurate though :)
A grey horse, a grey horse, painted sleigh,
He went, he went to his lover.
He went and arrived, she waited for him,
and when she saw him, she gave him a kiss.
She gave him a kiss, whispered in his ear
Jasiu (that’d be Johnny in English :), stay with me, I’ll love you.
No one knows, no one knows, and no one will know
why our beloved Jaś was in prison!
October 30th, 2011 at 6:19 pm
Szary koń, szary koń, malowane sankach,
Udał, udał się do jego kochanek.
On udał się i przybył, ona czekała przed dla niego,
i gdy she saw mu, dała mu pocałunek.
Dała mu kiss, whispered in jego ucha
Jasiu (który może być Johnny w języku angielskim:), stay with me, I love you.
Nikt nie wie, nikt nie wie, i nie będą wiedzieć
Dlaczego naszego ukochanego Jaś został w więzieniu!
October 30th, 2011 at 6:22 pm
this is how you spell it in polish, my mother sang it all the time, she was irish, cherokee indian, norweigian, and my dad was polish. I never heard it in english but i asked my aunt and she sent it to me the correct spelling.
February 3rd, 2012 at 1:38 pm
Justyna’s translation is perfect.. It is very accurate.
You might want to look up another v ery popular kids song. (Miala Baba Koguta)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtP7cHz2UGg
March 13th, 2012 at 6:57 pm
Stan Wolowic and the Polka Chips recorded a version back in the 60’s.
Though not a literal translation it is quite pleasant to the ear.
Still available on LP.
March 13th, 2012 at 7:07 pm
Stan Wolowic and the Polka Chips recorded a version back in the 60’s.
Though not a literal translation it is quite pleasant to the ear.
Still available on LP. Just up on you tube. grey horse polka.
April 21st, 2012 at 1:37 pm
My Great-Grandfather used to try teaching this song to me while my Great-Grandmother was making kapusta 50 years ago and it’s one of the many memories I have of them. And I’ve never forgotten the first line…but I thought it was about a white horse. I’m so glad I found the real name of the song and the words. Thank you!!!!
January 3rd, 2016 at 4:06 pm
Pulaski football team.Pulaski,WI. We sang this song. Most of us did not know the meaning in English. 1950-1953.
March 27th, 2016 at 4:46 pm
Stan Wolowic and the Polka Chips version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvG62ioyHB4
July 15th, 2016 at 4:28 am
My Polish mother was a Brownie Troop leader and taught us girls the song and the dance to go with it. We performed it many times in different occasions. 50 years later, I still remember the song and dance. Great memories of my mom.
March 26th, 2018 at 6:55 am
Ok so when I was younger my Great grandmother used to sing us this Polish folk song and it went something like bevish Vew a Moya something something something alish tinya Moya
December 6th, 2018 at 1:27 am
My polish grandma lived with us because she was a widow. I only grasped some words and phases, but sivy kon was one of them. I am old and in failing health. I have only one surviving brother and especially at this time of year memories flood back, so I am happy to have found this information on the internet.
August 7th, 2019 at 12:03 am
Hi, everyone, thank you so much for all of your memories! I found this thread while looking for another nursery song my grandmother used to sing to me when I was little. I would sit on her knees, facing her and she would hold my hands like reigns, and she would bounce me on her knees. I remember she told me it was about a rider and a horse and the rider telling the horse to “hurry”.
All I remember is the phonetic bits and pieces of words
something ya ney
yach – she – ma- shea
can’t remember
can’t remember
hush – ti – tu
hush! ti tu!
Does anybody remember anyting that can help me piece it together?
Many thanks
Andrea
September 19th, 2020 at 5:37 am
Here is the song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvG62ioyHB4&feature=share
August 14th, 2022 at 1:36 am
This is one song I remember hearing as a child. Thank you!
Also looking for a song or rhyme about a little red wagon. Thanks in advance for your time.
January 28th, 2024 at 3:53 pm
I’m 74, Polish, and remember hearing this song at every Polish wedding I went to as a child and young adult in Chicago. I asked one one my uncles why everyone laughs at a certain line of lyrics toward the end of the polka. He told me that was because after riding to his girlfriends house, he finds her sleeping, he puts his hand under the down comforter (pujinna) and she poops (slawa) in his hand. Sorry that I don’t know the spelling of the polish words in the parentheses.
March 15th, 2024 at 12:53 pm
This was my mother’s English version:
Gray horse, gray horse,
The color of the sleigh,
We will go, we will go,
To see our friends today.