I’ve been having a lot of fun researching the history of the popular song Frog Went A Courtin’. There are many versions. It originated in Scotland over 450 years ago. There’s also a well-known British version called A Frog He Would A-wooing Go, which I’ve written about previously.
This song has also traveled around Canada and throughout the US. Along the way, many versions have cropped up – some with different tunes and names. One is called King Kong Kitchie Kitchie Ki-Me-O, while another is called Sing Song Kitty (Won’t You Ki-Me-O).
I think it would be interesting to collect and post different versions on Mama Lisa’s World. If you know any versions of King Kong Kitchie Kitchie Ki-Me-O or Sing Song Kitty, or any interesting variations of Frog Went A Courtin, please comment below.
We always welcome recordings if you’d like to sing it!
Thanks!
Lisa
This article was posted on Saturday, May 12th, 2007 at 6:06 pm and is filed under A Frog He Would A-wooing Go, American Kids Songs, Australia, British Children's Songs, Canada, Canadian Children's Songs, Children's Songs, Countries & Cultures, England, English, Frog Went A courtin', King Kong Kitchie Kitchie Ki-Me-O, Languages, Questions, Sing Song Kitty, There Was a Frog Lived in the Well, 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.
March 16th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
This version or very close to it appears in the old “Sergeant York” movie about WWI’s most decorated U.S. soldier. In the movie, the mail carrier is riding a mule and singing this song. I distinctly remember the sound of the “rinktum body meachy cambell” between every line. Here’s the link where I found the lyrics.
http://www.canacad.ac.jp:3445/25/174?view=print
Frog Went A-Courtin’
Kentucky Folk Song
1. Frog went a courtin’ and he did ride.
Rinktum body minchy cambo.
Sword and buckler by his side.
Rinktum body minchy cambo.
REFRAIN: Kimaneero down to Cairo, Kimaneero Cairo.
Shaddle-addle-adababa, ladababa linktum.
Rinktum body minchee cambo.
2. He rode right to Miss Mousie’s door,
Found Miss Mousie sweepin’ the floor. REFRAIN
3. He took Miss Mousie on his knee,
And said “Miss Mousie will you marry me?” REFRAIN
4. Without my Uncle Rat’s consent,
I could not marry the president. REFRAIN
5. Uncle Rat laughed and shook his sides,
To think his niece would be a bride. REFRAIN
6. Who will make the wedding gown?
Old Miss Rat from Pumpkin Town. REFRAIN
7. Where will the wedding supper be?
Way down yonder in a hollow tree. REFRAIN
8. What will the wedding supper be?
A fried mosquito and a black-eyed pea. REFRAIN
9. First to come was a bumblebee,
He set his fiddle on his knee. REFRAIN
10. Next to come was a doodle bug,
Carrying a water jug. REFRAIN
11. Next to come was a flying moth,
She laid out the table cloth. REFRAIN
12. Next to come was an itty-bitty flea
To dance a jig for the bumblebee. REFRAIN
13. Next to come was a big old cow,
She wanted to dance but she didn’t know how. REFRAIN
14. Next to come was a big black snake;
He ate up all the wedding cake. REFRAIN
15. Last to come was an old gray cat;
She swallowed up the mouse and ate up the rat. REFRAIN
16. Mr. Frog went hopping over the brook;
A duck came along and swallowed him up. REFRAIN
17. Now is the end of him and her;
Guess there won’t be no tadpoles covered with fur! REFRAIN
18. Little piece of cornbread lying on the shelf,
If you want any more you can sing it yourself. REFRAIN
May 25th, 2009 at 8:28 pm
Goodness, I’ve been singing this little ditty, from the movie, Sargent York, for years. I don’t know why it just stuck in my head. I never knew what the guy on the mule was saying. The only words I could make out were “…..Miss Mousie won’t you marry me.” and I thought I might have made that up!
So I want to thank you for solving this decade old mystery for me. Now I can happily sing the tune with correct words.
Rinktum body minchy cambo.
– Hallie
May 27th, 2009 at 12:36 pm
[…] I found interesting because it has the “kemo kimo” sound that we find some versions of Froggie Went a Courtin (which has Ki-Me-O in it)… …here’s another one we use to sing. ‘Member de […]
February 27th, 2010 at 1:34 pm
One version I heard (back in 1946!) was sung by one of my fourth-grade classsmates, who was from somewhere in the Ozarks. Her version was something like this:
Frog went a-courtin’ and he did ride,
Folderol de rinktum kinebo.
Sword and pistol by his side,
Folderol de rinktum kinebo.
Keel, keel, Captain Kale,
Folderol de rinktum kinebo.
The rest of the verses were like the first one you cite, except for the wedding supper verse:
What will the wedding supper be?
Folderol de rinktum kinebo.
One stringbean and a black-eyed pea,
Folderol de rinktum kinebo.
Keel, keel, Captain Kale,
Folderol de rinktum kinebo.
Since “kinebo” isn’t far removed from “ki-me-o,” I suspect a connection there.
I’ve heard many versions of the song, usually either the Seeger “Uh-huh,” or the old Celtic “Roly poly, gammon and spinach” refrain, but I believe the “Folderol de rinktum kinebo” and the “Keel, keel, Captain Kale” bits are unique. Incidentally, this version is the only one I ever heard in which the first line of each verse was never repeated.
May 26th, 2010 at 6:10 pm
hi lisa, I am looking for the words to an old children’s song, that went something like this….. there was a frog lived in the well sing a song kitty can’t you ki me o. me high me ho me in come sally sanger same time penny winker in step musrate bigger than a big cat sing a song kitty cant you ki me o.
also another children song i am looking for goes something like this, i had a pretty little kitty a pretty little kitty kat, i dressed him up in cowboy boots and a great big cowboy hat i sent him off a strolling on one summer day farmer brown’s old dog chased my kitty away.
If you know know the words to either song I would love to get them from you.
October 8th, 2010 at 9:34 pm
thanks for that. my son is learning this song in 2nd grade and even though I am a Kentucky native had never heard of it. We are grateful for the lyrics. We searched you tube but found nothing with the same lyrics they are giving him. These are great and accurate. Now if I can learn them, we will be doing great!
October 8th, 2010 at 9:38 pm
Thanks for writing! We put a lot of work into the site and love to hear when we’re helpful! -Mama Lisa
October 13th, 2010 at 6:31 am
I’m nearly 70 years old. My mother sang this to me while I was
in her lap….in the rocking chair…..probably one of the first
songs I heard. I’m a musician and have heard lots of versions.
The primary difference in all seems to be the many versions
of nonsense rhymes to finish off the verses.
True folk song tradition.
Unc
October 13th, 2010 at 8:57 am
Hi Uncle Reumus,
I totally agree with you… it’s neat to see the different versions.
If you’d ever like to sing this song for us, we’d love to post a recording!
Cheers!
Mama Lisa
October 14th, 2010 at 10:44 pm
From Sofia and Teresa in San Diego, California. Here’s the version we were raised with and taught by Grandma June. (Teresa’s mom, Sofia’s Grandma.) Grandma June learned it in school in the 1940’s or early 1950’s…in Michigan? in Ohio? Kansas?…she’s not sure where she lived at the time since they moved a lot. We hope you like it! :)
Frog went a courtin and he did ride, um-hum, um-hum
Frog went a courtin and he did ride
Sword and pistol by his side, um-hum, um-hum
He rode ’til he came to Mouse’s hall, um-hum, um-hum
He rode ’til he came to Mouse’s hall
He gave a knock and he gave a call, um-hum, um-hum
He said “Miss Mouse, are you within?”, um-hum, um-hum
He said “Miss Mouse, are you within?”
“Yes, kind sir, I sit and spin,” um-hum, um-hum
He took Miss Mouse upon his knee, um-hum, um-hum
He took Miss Mouse upon his knee
Said “Miss Mouse, will you marry me?”, um-hum, um-hum
“Oh, not without Uncle Rat’s consent”, um-hum, um-hum
“Oh, not without Uncle Rat’s consent,
Would I marry the president”, um-hum, um-hum
Uncle Rat laughed ’til he shook his sides, um-hum, um-hum
Uncle Rat laughed ’til he shook his sides
To think his neice to be a bride, um-hum, um-hum
Oh, where will the wedding supper be? um-hum, um-hum
Oh, where will the wedding supper be?
Yonder by that old oak tree, um-hum,um-hum
The first to come was a little moth, um-hum,um-hum
The first to come was a little moth
To spread and lay the table cloth, um-hum,um-hum
The next to come was a bumble bee, um-hum, um-hum
The next to come was a bumble bee
Bow and fiddle on his knee, um-hum, um-hum
The last to come was an old tom cat, um-hum, um-hum
The last to come was an old tom cat
He ate Miss Mouse and Uncle Rat, um-hum, um-hum
The frog he jumped into the lake, um-hum, um-hum
The frog he jumped into the lake
Was swallowed by a big black snake, um-hum, um-hum
So here is the end of 1,2,3, um-hum, um-hum
So here is the end of 1,2,3
Frog and mouse and bumble bee, um-hum, um-hum
Um-hummmmmmmmm….
August 15th, 2011 at 2:37 am
My grandfather, born in Georgia in 1880, used to sing the song to my mother and later, to me – he only sang the chorus, but this is his version:
“Ohhhh, tarinktum poppadiddle nip-cat pennywinkle, jump-back, sing-song kitty, can’t you carry me away? Away down yonder where the old folks stay, sing-song kitty, can’t you carry me away? OHHHHHH . . . ”
I’ve taught this to several very young children over the years, and all of them delighted in the song, just as I did, and my mother before me.
Any comments or further information would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Lee Millay
August 15th, 2011 at 9:33 am
Hi Lee – We’d love to hear your grandfather’s version (it’s so great!). If you’d ever like to sing it for us, we’d be thrilled! Cheers! Mama Lisa
November 10th, 2011 at 7:01 am
Hi Everyone..
My Grandpa who just recently passed away taught me and my cousins a different version too. We would sing it all the time.
There once was a frog who lived in a well
sing song kitty wont you ki me oh
he was so fat that he could not swim
sing song kitty wont you ki me oh
mi keeny oh mi kinny oh mi keeny oh me where
mi hi mi hoe mi
in comes sally singin
sometimes penny-winkle
in steps muskrat bigger than a big cat
sing song kitty wont you ki me ohh
Thats the version i learned as a kid and am now teaching my 4 year old the words. Gotta pass on my Grandpas version since i have yet to see it on any site ive looked at.
November 10th, 2011 at 8:51 am
That’s cool Sarah! If you’d ever like to sing it for us, we be happy to add this to our song pages with your recording! Perhaps your cousins would like to sing it with you! :)
April 5th, 2012 at 12:27 pm
I have been trying to find the words to the version that I learned way back in kindergarten (1978). I may not be spelling everything correctly, but the version that I learned went something like this:
There was a frog who was so fat
Sing Song Kitty Ketchie Ki Me O
He was so fat he could not swim
Sing Song Kitty Ketchie Ki Me O
Ma kee me o
Ma ki me o
My deary o
My wear
Me hi Me ho
Me in come sally single
Sometimes penny winkle
Sing Sing Kitty Ketchie Ki Me O
If anyone is familiar with my version, I would love to know all of the lyrics! I am not sure if I have them all in there. :o)
June 10th, 2012 at 8:22 pm
This song is the basis of “El Renacuajo Paseador” (The Traveling Tadpole), a nursery rhyme very popular in the country of Colombia. This adaptation to Spanish was written by Rafael Pombo when he worked at D. Appleton & Company in New York.
A musical version of Pombo’s work won the Latin Grammy for the Best Latin Children’s Album. You can listen to “El Renacuajo Paseador” at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHrifg4HalY.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rafael_Pombo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Renacuajo_paseador
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pombo_musical (in Spanish)
July 1st, 2012 at 5:06 pm
can’t believe I found this! it’s been an ear worm since I was a kid, and only recently heard that it was part of the “frog went a courtin”-here’s how I remember the refrain:
ke mio ma ki mio my deario my where
ma ki ma ko my income sally single
sometimes penny wingle
instep nip cat
hit ’em with a brickbat
sing song kitty catch a ki mio
July 3rd, 2012 at 8:05 pm
My father (from Brunswick Maine area) used to sing this song to us kids
There was a frog who could not sing,
Sing song kitty won’t you ki-me-o.
He had such a cold that he could not sing,
Sing song kitty won’t you ki-me-o.
Ke-mo ki-mo patta mick a murphy
Dinny o’ Flanagan, a rock-a-doyle.
Ruma jigga humstrum, hit-em on the hat-band
Swatnize Ebenezer, rans-a-low.
July 5th, 2012 at 12:21 am
My father used to sing a song back in the 1950’s that went something like:
Say-ro, Kay-ro, poppa doodle yellow bug,
Ring tom body won’t you combo”
or at least that’s what I remember. He was born and raised in the Ozarks and we have no idea of the origin, or even if the words are correct. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
August 26th, 2012 at 1:57 pm
Susan comes closest to the song i remember from primary school that went (More or less):
Ma hee ma hi, ma
In comes Sally Sinkel
Sometimes penny winkel
Instep nip cat
Hit ‘im with a brickbat
Sing song kitty cats a kee mee o
October 24th, 2012 at 11:51 pm
I believe the song you are discussing here is the same song my father taught me years ago. He called it The Bumble Bee. I’m not sure of spelling of some of these words as I wonder if some may be german, as my grandparents were german speaking swiss who had immigrated from Switzerland to the USA. I will put them here as they sound. My grandmother taught my father many old songs that he in turn taught me, lyrics and tunes. I know the tune, but can’t type it, but here are the words:
‘THE BUMBLE BEE’
Oh the first come in was a bumble bee,
Tum-a rig Tum-a bonnie minnie kimo.
To tune his fiddle on his knee,
Tum-a rig Tum-a bonnie minnie kimo.
Hime-a neiro captain keiro,
Hime-a neiro kimo
Tum an instam pomma nickle lam
Tum-a rig Tum-a rig, Tum-a bonnie minnie kimo.
Oh, the next come in was a nimble flea,
Tum-a rig Tum-a bonnie minnie kimo.
To dance a jig with the bumble bee,
Tum-a rig Tum-a bonnie minnie kimo.
Hime-a neiro captain keiro,
Hime-a neiro kimo
Tum an instam pomma nickle lam
Tum-a rig Tum-a rig, Tum-a bonnie minnie kimo.
January 29th, 2013 at 9:35 pm
Ok. Everyone listen up. Your songs don’t make any sense. This is the way I remember it, so it must be correct. :).
There was a frog lived in a pool.
Sing song kitty cat won’t ya ki me-oo
He lived there just like a fool.
Sing song kitty cat won’t ya ki me-oo
Day ro dime a key ro kime
subble bubble sip sope
Tip tap, tip tope
Sing song kitty cat won’t ya ki me-oo
Now that makes sense!
January 29th, 2013 at 9:41 pm
Here’s an Emerson original:
There was a dog who lived on a farm
What’s up?
I don’t know
Ruff ruff, kitty cat bam bam
Scratch scratch ding dong ding dong
Bam boosh bosh
March 3rd, 2013 at 11:53 pm
My father had a chorus for “The Frog He Would A-wooing ride” that I have never seen or heard anywhere else. He lived in Arkansas City, Kansas, and his father came originally from Harrison County, Ohio. Here are the words:
Kimo kimo, lum dum kimo
Kimo kimo Cairo (prn “Kay-ro)
Strim stram pommadiddle
Lolly bolly rigdum,
Rigdum yula met a kimo.
March 16th, 2013 at 2:11 pm
That’s cool Dave!
March 28th, 2013 at 12:10 am
My grandmother (we called her ma) used to sing this song to us as far back 1939. I don’t Know why it popped in my today, but I am glad I found it on your blog. Old songs really need to be preserved. Thank You.
May 26th, 2013 at 3:54 pm
At our family reunions from the late 1930s this was a standard.
As I saw passing by the lake,
My boat got swallowed by a snake.
tub a rink tum body won’t you kime-e-o
Kime an errol guilt a farro
Kime, kime, old tubby shim sham
Bammy to the bally boat
Tub-a-rink tum body won’t you kime-e-o!
August 16th, 2013 at 1:41 am
I was singing this song this afternoon. The way we sang it back home had nothing to do with a frog. It went like this:
“Makeemeo makimeo madeario me way
In stepped muskart
Hit him with a brickback
Sing song kitty can’t ya kimeo?”
It seems to be a chorus to some song I’m not sure I ever knew. A lady who was from TX kept us when we were little, so the SW influence could have crept in from there.
September 22nd, 2013 at 10:08 pm
My Dad keeps singing the Froggy song and his Chorus
goes:
NeMee Nimo rat trap pennywinkle ladder bugger won’t you carry me home.
Does this sound familiar?
Its driving me nuts!
January 4th, 2014 at 11:02 pm
My sister taught me this song when we were small. I did not know it was
part of Froggy Went A’Courtin
The part I remember is
Meow, Me-o, Me
In comes Sally Single,
Sometimes Penny Winkle,
In steps Nip Cat.
Hit him with a brick bat,
Sing song Kitty Cat,
Muh-ki-me-o.
January 11th, 2014 at 11:03 pm
My version:
There was a frog and he could not swim.
Sing song kitty catch me ki mayo
He was so fat that he could not swim
Sing song kitty catch me ki mayo
Madeario, makymeo, Madeario, mewhere
me hi
me ho
me in come sally single, sometimes pennywinkle
instep muskrat bigger than a tom cat
sing song kitty catch me ki mayo.
January 25th, 2014 at 1:34 am
My mom sang me this version of the song when I was child,
There once was a frog and he lived in a spring,
Sing a song of Polly kitcha ki me oh
Had such a cold that he could not sing,
Sing a song of Polly kitcha ki me oh
Kemo kimo Dairyo ma haym ma hiym mahome
a rumskiddy, bumskiddy, tiddy nip a nip cat
Sing a song of Polly kitcha ki me oh
March 18th, 2014 at 10:01 am
@ Tina Pedersen
Yours is the closest to my grandfather’s (Charles Burchfield, American artist) version, the chorus of which was recited with a giddy accelerando:
There once was a frog who lived in a spring
Sing-song kitchy-katchy ki-me-o
Who caught such a cold that he couldn’t sing
Sing-song kitchy-katchy ki-me-o
Kimo, karo, daro, ah,
Mehi, miho, merummediddy, pummediddy,
sad-bop pollywaddle, timmelinktum,
nip-cat, nip-cot
Sing-song kitchy-katchy kimeo.
March 18th, 2014 at 10:07 am
@ David Richter – would you like to sing your grandfather’s version for us? I love the sounds!
Anyone who would like to sing their version – we’d love to post it.
Mama Lisa
April 25th, 2014 at 6:30 am
I remember my older brother singing this song with the repeated chorus being:
kimbo karo haro jaro pennywinkle flamdoodle rigtime charlie won’t you combo.
April 28th, 2014 at 2:44 pm
The version I learned in school grade school in the late 70’s in NJ was:
There was a frog lived in the spring
Sing song kitty catch a kymeo
He was so fat he could not swim
Sing song kitty catch a kymeo
Oh kemeo oh kyemeo O kemeo a where
Me hi me ho Me some time pennywinkle
In step nip back him with a brick bat
Sing song kitty catch a kymeo
June 28th, 2014 at 12:55 pm
This is funny, I was researching songs to put in a scrapbook to share with my 9 grandchildren, something that could be passed down of family pictures and songs that their grandparents, aunts, uncles, parents and I have grown up with when I came across these different versions of a song my sister taught me 50 years ago and that our grandmother taught her as a young child. My sisters version is different and is the one I taught my children and they have taught their children
Frog went a courtin’ he did ride.
Rinktum bottom minchy cambo.
Come a niero down the Kiro
Come a niero Kiro
Shaddle-addle-adababa, ladababa rinktum.
Rinktum bottom minchee cambo.
July 2nd, 2014 at 5:55 am
My grandma taught us what I think is part of. the song above, it goes like this:
Makemio makimeo madearie oh ma where
Ma hi ma ho ma instep sally/selly sinkle
Bigger than a penny winkle
Instep muscrat bigger than a bearcat
Sing a song
kita kitcha kimeo
All of the grand kids who payed attention only learned this part of the song. thank you for helping me to make a connection to some veey special memories. I have passed on the song to my girls and wiil be having the last two lines along with two or three small. Easter lillies tatooed on my ankle to help keep those memories alive.
July 5th, 2014 at 12:14 am
Watch the movie “Sargent York” with Gary Cooper and you can hear a version of b song within first ten minutes.
October 3rd, 2014 at 10:30 pm
My dad taught me this version. I only know two verses
Mr. Froggy swam the lake
Rigdum potum and a kimo
And there was swallowed by a snake
Rigdum potum and a kimo
Kimo, Caro, Delto Daro
Kimo Caro Delto
Rigdum Potum and a had em an a rigdum
Rigdum Potum and a Kimo.
Mrs. Froggy dressed in bottleneck green
Rigdum Pottum and a Kimo
Said she’d never get married again
Rigdum Potum and a Kimo
Chorus again
October 17th, 2014 at 2:17 am
My older sister taught me this when I was little. I know there is more to it and plus I probably don’t have some of the wording right, but it’s what it sounded like to me at the time:
Me-he, Me-ho,
in comes Sally Single, sometimes Pennywinkle,
in step muskrat bigger than a tomcat.
Sing Song Kitty Ketcha-Ki-Me-O.
October 19th, 2014 at 4:38 am
‘Froggie Went A Courtin’ & ‘Sing Song Kitty Can’t Ya Kimeo’ are 2 different songs to me. ‘Froggie’ has many verses, & some were published because I can recall reading a book with all the lyrics & illustrations. ‘Sing Song’ was sung by my next older sister & had just what sounds like a chorus & could have been part of the ‘Froggie’ song…I don’t know…but it wasn’t sung that way @ my house. It went, ‘In stepped muskrat, hit ‘im with a brickbat, sing song kitty can’t ya kimeo. Ma keemeo ma kimeo my deario me way…’ repeat. I don’t think about it every day but it never truly goes away either.
October 21st, 2014 at 6:19 pm
I learned this fun song in elementary music class! I’ve been teaching it to my kids so that the tradition will continue. When we were kids we would have contests to see who could sing it the fastest without twisting their tongues. This is how we learned it:
There was a frog lived in the spring,
Sing-song Kitty Can’t-cha Ki-Me-oh,
He was so fat he could not swim,
Sing-song Kitty Can’t-cha Ki-Me-oh,
Kim-me-oh Ma-ki-me-oh Ma-kim-me-oh Ma-where?
Me-hi, Me-ho, Me-income Sally Single
Sometimes Pennywinkle, In-step Nip-cat
Hit ’em With a Brickbat
Sing-song Kitty Can’t-cha Ki-Me-oh.
One day he thought he’s swim in the lake,
Sing-song Kitty Can’t-cha Ki-Me-oh,
He got ate up by a big black snake,
Sing-song Kitty Can’t-cha Ki-Me-oh,
Kim-me-oh Ma-ki-me-oh Ma-kim-me-oh Ma-where?
Me-hi, Me-ho, Me-income Sally Single
Sometimes Pennywinkle, In-step Nip-cat
Hit ’em With a Brickbat
Sing-song Kitty Can’t-cha Ki-Me-oh.
October 22nd, 2014 at 1:26 am
My Dad used to sing this variation…
There was a frog lived in the spring
Sing song penny won’t ya Kay me o
The only song that he would sing
Sing song penny won’t ya Kay me o
Kee mo ky mo, dar o war
Ma he, ma hi, ma ho, ma humpledoodle
Sing song penny won’t ya lick a tom nit cat
Sing song penny won’t ya Kay me o
November 15th, 2014 at 3:55 pm
My father use to sing to me something similar but I don’t remember anything about a frog???
The lyrics I can remember go:
There was a girl that I once knew
Rinktom body mitcha cambo
Had one eye green and one eye blue
Rinktum body mitcha cambo
REFRAIN: Kimaneero down to Cairo, Kimaneero Cairo.
Shaddle-addle-adababa, ladababa linktum.
Rinktum body minchee cambo.
Anybody know anything about that version? I would love to know my father has passed and I now have my own child and would be interested to sing it but can’t find any lyrics to it. I’d love to know if he was just making up words or what.
November 15th, 2014 at 4:09 pm
Anybody see this? My husband remembered this as a kid when I told him about the song I was looking for;). Pretty funny
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xGC9mNwTwQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player
November 15th, 2014 at 4:49 pm
I found this version which has the “Rinktom body mitcha cambo” line:
What will the wedding supper be?
rintum body mitchy cambo
Fried mosquito and a roasted flea..
ringtum body mitchy cambo
Kemo dearo down to cairo,
kemo dearo cairo
Straddle-addle-addle boba laddle boba lingtum
ringtum body mitchy cambo
(Found on Mudcat)
November 23rd, 2014 at 8:27 am
My dad sang it like Joni’s but slightly different:
There was a frog lived in the spring,
Sing-song Kitty Can’t-cha Ki-Me-oh,
He was so fat he could not swim,
Sing-song Kitty Can’t-cha Ki-Me-oh,
Me-Kim-me-oh; Ma-ki-me-oh; Ma-dear-i-oh; Ma-where?
Me-hi, Me-ho, Me-in come Sally Single
Sometimes Pennywinkle,
Sing-song Kitty Can’t-cha Ki-Me-oh.
(Didn’t have the line: In-step Nip-cat
Hit ‘em With a Brickbat, when my Dad sang it).
December 13th, 2014 at 12:38 am
Joni posted the version I am familiar with. This was on a children’s record that I had back in the mid-60’s. I went looking for lyrics, and found this site, as well as a few others. I’ve never seen the words written before, but Joni’s are definitely the same as I remember.
December 13th, 2014 at 12:52 am
I also found this video. It’s a variant on the tune I remember. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Zvg6ud5nS0#t=94