Tune Req: Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly

Subject: There was an old woman who swallowed a fly
From:
Date: 28 Oct 98 - 06:42 PM

I'm looking for the sheet music to this children's son.

Subject: RE: There was an old woman who swallowed a fly
From: Bob Landry
Date: 28 Oct 98 - 07:32 PM

Do a search for Spider in the Digitrad Database and you'll find the lyrics. You can also click on the link at the bottom to hear the tune. But I haven't a clue where the sheet music is.

Bob

Subject: RE: There was an old woman who swallowed a fly
From: JAMES STANLEY
Date: 28 Oct 98 - 11:03 PM

I have the sheet music for this song from a Pete Seeger songbook which I purchased in 1965. I have logged on to this site only today, and have noticed that the words and chords are not on the database for guitar players. I was wondering if, by showing sheet music on this site, I would be violating any copyright laws. If not, I would have no problem doing so. Perhaps, someone could advise me by reply. If there is no problem I will follow-up.

Pax

Subject: RE: There was an old woman who swallowed a fly
From: BSeed
Date: 28 Oct 98 - 11:35 PM

James, if you can get actual musical notation to print on this thread, go ahead. I can't see that it would be any more of a violation of copyright than publishing the words and a sound file of the song. Also, if you can get the notation on, please teach us all how. We have enough trouble getting chords in the right places. --seed

Subject: RE: There was an old woman who swallowed a fly
From: Art Thieme
Date: 29 Oct 98 - 12:40 AM

The song was written by ALAN MILLS, a fine song collector and folklorist, folksinger, joke teller and gentleman from Canada. He did many albums of Canadian songs and folklore on Folkways Records.

Art

Subject: RE: There was an old woman who swallowed a fly
From: JAMES STANLEY
Date: 29 Oct 98 - 12:58 AM

Quarter Note @ 80

Played in 6/8 time Key of G q=quarternote h=half w=whole
e=eighth
first line is time
second line is tone
third line is lyric
fourth line is chord
bars separated by |
( I hope this works!)
--------------------------------------------------------
e | e e e e e e | e e e q...
D | G G B G G D | G G B G...
I |KNOW AN OLD LADY WHO| SWALLOWED A FLY
| G |
e e e q. e |e e e q. | (1/8rest) q.| q.q.|q..
A A A A G |F D D D | D | E F |G
I DON'T KNOW WHY SHE|SWALLOWED THE FLY|I GUESS SHE'LL DIE
A7 | D7 | D

(follow the same pattern for each verse, adjust timing of notes for syllables)

2. There was an old lady who swallowed a spider that wiggled and jiggled and tiggled inside her, She swallowed the spider to catch the fly. I guess she'll die.

3. There was an old lady who swallowed a bird, to catch the spider, who wiggled and jiggled and tiggled inside her, she swallowed the spider to catch the fly, I don't know why she swallowed the fly. I guess she'll die.

4. There was an old lady who swallowed a cat. She swallowed the cat to catch the bird , She swallowed the bird to catch the spider, who wiggled and jiggled and tiggled inside her. She swallowed the spider to catch the fly, And I don't know why whe swallowed the fly. I guess she'll die.

(similarly)

5. There was an old lady who swallowed a dog. Wasn't she a hog, to swallow a dog. She swallowed the dog to catch the cat, etc.----

6. There was an old lady who swallowed a goat. Just opened her throat and swallowed a goat. She swallowed the goat to catch the dog, etc.

7. 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 etc.

8. I know an old lady who swallowed a Rhinoceros, How preposterous, to swallow a Rhinocerous....etc

9. (Last verse) I know an old lady who swallowed a minister. How sinister!! It finished her.

Pete's notes from the original songbook...
"Alan Mills, ebullient Canadian singer came across these these verses in a magazine, changed them a bit, added a few more, and added a tune. Countless, future generations of children will enjoy the result."
{Words by Rose Bonne. Music by Alan Mills (c) 1962 Peer International Corp.)

As a further comment on this song. Upon playing the songs of Pete Seeger as an eager 15 year old folk-singer-guitar-player I determined that this song was not what I wanted to sing and play. Several years later as a young father I realized how effective this song is with kids. My suggestion is not to sing this yourself, unless you want to see a group of five year olds rolling their eyes at you. We tried to alternate the repeating verses among kids or divide the kids into groups and make each group responsible for its verse. This also is evidence that Pete sings to all the people in the world, including the little ones.

Pax

(Line breaks <br> added by Joe Offer)

Subject: RE: There was an old woman who swallowed a fly
From: JAMES STANLEY
Date: 29 Oct 98 - 01:06 AM

Following up on my own thread, I noticed that I could not format the song with lines above each note. Try to separate the bars on a separate sheet and line up the notes and chords underneath. Just play the notes out. It is a simple tune.

Pax

Subject: RE: There was an old woman who swallowed a fly
From: Jon W.
Date: 29 Oct 98 - 11:08 AM

We have a child's book at home that is an illustrated version of this song, with the sheet music on the inside front and back covers. I don't recall the book author/illustrator but it's probably available in the average local library.

I like the verses about the rhinocerous and minister, but the more traditional last verse (that is, the one I've always sung and heard) goes "There was an old lady who swallowed a horse. She's dead, of course."

Subject: RE: There was an old woman who swallowed a fly
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 30 Oct 98 - 12:39 AM

For sheet music seekers: We expect to (within the next 60 days or so) be able to distribute a freeware program that will print scores from SongWright, MIDI or ABC format.

We beg for patience.

Subject: RE: There was an old woman who swallowed a fly
From: GUEST,english to spanish
Date: 03 Jun 08 - 11:38 AM

Subject: RE: There was an old woman who swallowed a fly
From: Art Thieme
Date: 03 Jun 08 - 03:00 PM

Somewhere between the last two posts Alan Mills passed away. Dick Greenhaus is still around here--- over at Camsco Music, I suspect. I just ordered Jeff Davis' CD from Dick, so I know he's back from Alaska and lurking. He'll be here sometime soon to update the situation I am pretty sure. ;-)

Art

Subject: RE: There was an old woman who swallowed a fly
From: Rumncoke
Date: 03 Jun 08 - 05:27 PM

The words above this are not what I learned - close, but not quite - maybe should have checked the database - I expect these are some in there. Oh well - should have thought of that before typing....

There was an old lady who swallowed a fly
Oh me oh my 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
But that's absurd, she swallowed a bird?
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider etc

There was an old lady who swallowed a cat
Well fancy that, she swallowed a cat.
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird etc

There was an old lady who swallowed a dog,
Went the whole hog, she swallowed a dog
She swallowed the dog to catch the cat etc

There was an old lady who swallowed a cow,
I don't know how, but she swallowed a cow
She swallowed the cow to catch the dog etc

There was an old lady who swallowed a horse
She's dead, of course.

Subject: RE: There was an old lady who swallowed a fly
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 14 Nov 08 - 01:04 AM

When I do my kids' show, I add a few extra verses:


I know an old lady who swallowed a horse,
She's very coarse to swallow a horse.
She swallowed the horse to catch the cow, goat, dog, cat, etc

I know an old lady who swallowed a hippopotamus,
She just opened her epiglottamus and swallowed the hippopotamus.
She swallowed the hippopotamus to catch the horse, etc

I know an old lady who swallowed a rhinoceros,
That's really preposserous to swallow a rhinoceros...

I know an old lady who swallowed a dinosaur,
I bet she was kinda sore when she swallowed the dinosaur...


Seamus

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Oct 20 - 01:19 AM

The theme for Davis (Calif) Pickers and Singers was instruments, including voice. The host was my wonderfully crazy French friend, Marc Vayssières.

This is the song her sang, such as it is.

I KNOW AN OLD LADY

I know an old lady who swallowed a mosquito

I know an old lady who swallowed a mosquito.
Incognito she swallowed a mosquito,
And kept playing her kazoo.

I know an old lady who swallowed a bat,
That rang bells in her belfry and up into her hat.
She swallowed the bat to catch the mosquito
Incognito she swallowed a mosquito,
Now she plays a banjo.

I know an old lady who swallowed a jaguar
How bizarre to swallow a jaguar.
She swallowed the Jaguar to catch the bat,
That rang bells in her belfry and up into her hat.
She swallowed the bat to catch the mosquito.
Incognito she swallowed a mosquito,
Oh, and she plays the guitar.

I know an old lady who swallowed a giraffe.
Now that was a gaffe to swallow a giraffe.
She swallowed the giraffe to catch the jaguar,
She swallowed the Jaguar to catch the bat,
That rang bells in her belfry and up into her hat.
She swallowed the bat to catch the mosquito.
Incognito she swallowed that mosquito,
And she plays her cello.

I know an old lady who swallowed a hippopotamus.
Hocus pocus, she swallowed a hippopotamus.
She swallowed the hippopotamus to catch the giraffe,
She swallowed the giraffe to catch the jaguar,
She swallowed the Jaguar to catch the bat,
That rang bells in her belfry and up into her hat.
She swallowed the bat to catch the mosquito.
Incognito she swallowed that mosquito,
And she plays her grand piano.

I know an old lady who swallowed an elephant
How blatant to swallow an elephant.
Now all she plays is the sousaphone.

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly
From: GUEST,Anon
Date: 22 Oct 20 - 02:15 AM

Is this a song or a recipe for the coronavirus? ;0)

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Oct 20 - 02:34 AM

Hard to tell, but when Marc sings it with his French accent, you have to love it.

;-)

Subject: RE: Tune Req: Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly
From: Ged Fox
Date: 24 Oct 20 - 05:20 PM

By coincidence, I've just seen the words of this song in "The Second Gilwell Camp Fire Book," 1962. Apparently the words were recited as a monologue at least as early as 1943.