I received this email recently:
Hi,
I’m looking for a children’s ditty and have had no luck so far. I think it may be British, because I got it from my mother, who although American herself, had Scottish parents. Here’s what I know of the song:
Once a lady had a pig, “Honey” said she, “Darling swine will you be mine?”
“Oink” (here the singer snorts, piggy-fashion), said he.
“You shall have a silver sty, Honey” said she, “and a piece of pumpkin pie.”
“Oink” said he.I’d love the rest of lyrics to this silly song. Pumpkin pie . . .
maybe it’s American. I don’t think Brits have pumpkin pie.Thanks.
SGC
If anyone knows anything about this song, please comment below.
Thanks!
Lisa
This article was posted on Wednesday, November 7th, 2007 at 3:30 pm and is filed under American Kids Songs, Australia, British Children's Songs, Children's Songs, Countries & Cultures, England, English, Languages, Nursery Rhymes, Questions, Readers Questions, Scotland, Scottish Children's Songs, United Kingdom, USA. 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.
February 21st, 2008 at 2:19 pm
That song is in a 4th grade music text book from the 50s. The book is SINGING EVERY DAY published by Ginn and Company. I was trying to find the origin too. I writing a thesis about folk songs.
March 29th, 2008 at 11:53 am
Dear Jené,
I’m so glad you’ve found the ditty! I kind of figured it was a lost cause by now. Thanks so much. Now I’m going to see if I can get hold of the book. Good luck with your thesis!
Sophronia Camp
July 29th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
Re. the “Darling Swine will you be mine”… it just hit me that it’s on Mama Lisa’s House of Nursery Rhymes under There Was a Lady Loved a Swine (click the link for the lyrics, midi tune and score). I originally found it in The Baby’s Opera by Walter Crane (1877).
October 13th, 2013 at 5:25 pm
Re: “Darling Swine will you be mine”… I learned that in our music class, also during elementary school in the 1950’s. I’m so glad other people remember it! It’s such a funny song… I like to sing it still.
October 13th, 2013 at 5:27 pm
That’s great Jan! Would you like to sing it for us? :) Mama Lisa