Gransnet forums

Chat

Old childhood songs

(208 Posts)
Foxglove77 Wed 03-Jun-26 19:12:04

I came across an article remembering old songs we used to sing as children. Like Soldier, Soldier (will you marry me?) and What Shall we do with the Drunken Sailor. I was surprised how many of the words came back to me.
Happy memories, my dear Mum used to sing these to me.

MissAdventure Thu 04-Jun-26 17:41:57

Oh, i really, really did.
It sparkedy imaginafion as a child, and it still does now.

I can picture that lady in her gypsy lovers' arms, with the stars shining down...
And the lord with his steeds hooves thundering along as he looks for her...

Grannynannywanny Thu 04-Jun-26 17:35:47

Glad you enjoyed it 😊

MissAdventure Thu 04-Jun-26 17:25:04

Ruddy marvellous!!
Exactly how the ex sang it, too.
Blooming lovely... thank you flowers

Marjgran Thu 04-Jun-26 17:23:16

Paddy McGynties Goat!

MissAdventure Thu 04-Jun-26 17:18:08

Oooh thank you!!! smile
I'll listen now.

Grannynannywanny Thu 04-Jun-26 17:16:52

Have a listen to this version by Irish band Planxty. This was recorded in 1973.

youtu.be/JyP407UnUWw?si=jDSWkWOMibfXGToU

MissAdventure Thu 04-Jun-26 17:10:04

Thank you grannynannywanny, and JamesandJon33. smile
I'll certainly have a listen to more versions.

JamesandJon33 Thu 04-Jun-26 17:06:59

* Miss Adventure * I think Steeleye Span sang a similar song.

Magenta8 Thu 04-Jun-26 16:30:44

Dodo43

I love this thread as singing has always been so enjoyable, and of course listening to music too.
Ten green bottles hanging on the wall was one we used to sing, along with many of the others already mentioned,
and She'll be coming round the mountain when she comes.
Also Molly Malone.
I still find myself singing some of these songs occasionally.
Another one we learned at School was a beautiful Welsh song called Y Deryn Pur. If anyone wanted to hear that it's on YouTube by Katie Hopkins.

It was Mary Hopkin* who sang Y Deryn Pur. Anyway, she has a lovely, pure voice and it is a beautiful song. I loved listening to it on Youtube.


*Katie Hopkins is right wing, Trump supporter and Youtube influencer.

Grannynannywanny Thu 04-Jun-26 16:28:32

It’s the other way round for me MissA. I had no knowledge of the Raggle Taggle Gypsies poem as a child but I’m very familiar with the song and have heard it sung by many different performers over the past 50 odd years.

MissAdventure Thu 04-Jun-26 16:07:12

In one of my poetry books as a child, was the tale of the lady who left her lord and went of with the raggle taggle gypsies oh!

My ex and I were talking about poems, and he sang the song for me, about the lady and the gypsies.

I'd never known it was a song!!!! smile

chicken Thu 04-Jun-26 15:47:28

I always wanted to hear more of Sparky, but they only ever played the first side of the record on the radio.

At grammar school, our music teacher, Miss Green, tried to keep the tradition of singing old songs alive—- my favourite lesson of the week. I remember the two Polly songs, Polly Perkins of Paddington Green and Sweet Polly Oliver, The Graceful Swaying Wattle, and one with a verse that went “And the raging seas did roar and the stormy winds did blow, and we jolly sailor boys were up and up and up, and the landlubbers lying down below, below, below.

Happy memories.

JamesandJon33 Thu 04-Jun-26 15:16:11

Oh I hated Sparky and the magic piano. It was the voice of the piano that frightened me.

Fallingstar Thu 04-Jun-26 15:14:41

I remember an old friend of the family who we called auntie Glad used to sing old George Formby songs and would do the whole nudge nudge wink wink act when singing ‘when I’m cleaning windows’.
She also played the spoons.
A real character who boasted she was related to Gracie Fields, but my mum told me to take that with a pinch of salt.

MissAdventure Thu 04-Jun-26 14:47:44

Sparky and the magic piano...

MissAdventure Thu 04-Jun-26 14:46:27

The runaway train came down the track and she blew (hoo hoooo!)

Padine Thu 04-Jun-26 14:43:20

Daddy wouldn’t buy me a bow-wow (bow-wow)
Daddy wouldn’t buy me a bow-wow(b-w)
I’ve got a pussy cat and I’m very fond of that,
But I’d rather have a bow-wow-wow!

That’s the first song I remember singing (to all and sundry who visited us!) about 1963!
I think Time and Tune was the radio programme on the wheelie thing we listened to (and then Singing Together), they were trying to replace music teachers way back then 🙈😡 but at least it was something 😇

I loved Ed Stu-pot on a Saturday morning too.

What shall we do with a drunken sailor? We used to have to make up more verses, but I can’t remember any.

Magenta8 Thu 04-Jun-26 14:37:07

merrellina I remember 'Singing Together' with William Appleby. I also remember 'Rhythm and Melody' on the radio.

Clawdy Thu 04-Jun-26 14:35:31

A friend of ours was appearing in a church music hall evening, and he had to sing "When Father papered the parlour ". He bounced merrily onto the stage and sang "When Father parloured the paper...!"
He never lived that down! 😁

Kathmaggie Thu 04-Jun-26 14:35:25

How much is that doggie in the window
The one with the waggley tail ……..

merrellina Thu 04-Jun-26 14:21:33

“There was a woman and she was a widow , Fair are the flowers in the valley ,With a daughter as fair as a bright sunny meadow, Fair are the flowers in the valley etc etc . “. Once a week we always used to have a radio programme at 11 o cllock with William Appleby called Singing Together , I think ?

Fallingstar Thu 04-Jun-26 14:17:03

FindingNemo15

I'm a little tea pot short and stout.....

and something about a toothbrush by Max Bygraves

I think it could be ‘I’m a pink toothbrush’ by Max. I remember him well, especially singing ‘tulips from Amsterdam’.

Dodo43 Thu 04-Jun-26 14:15:39

I love this thread as singing has always been so enjoyable, and of course listening to music too.
Ten green bottles hanging on the wall was one we used to sing, along with many of the others already mentioned,
and She'll be coming round the mountain when she comes.
Also Molly Malone.
I still find myself singing some of these songs occasionally.
Another one we learned at School was a beautiful Welsh song called Y Deryn Pur. If anyone wanted to hear that it's on YouTube by Katie Hopkins.

Nurseundercover Thu 04-Jun-26 14:15:35

I grew up in Northumberland as a child and still have my school song book. We learnt many songs every week;
Do you ken John Peel
Bobby Shaftoe
Oh we’ll deck the keel row
When the boat comes in
I have fond memories of practising the songs at home with my Mum.
Thank you for this post, ah happy carefree times.

FindingNemo15 Thu 04-Jun-26 14:09:04

I'm a little tea pot short and stout.....

and something about a toothbrush by Max Bygraves