Greetings, Gentle Colleagues!

I am interested in thoughts about possible origins of the insipid, yet strangely haunting, "TODAY IS MONDAY SONG", which lyrics are often instructive in helping non-native English speakers learn the language.

The lyrics are simple:

Today is Monday
Monday -- string beans
All you hungry children, come and eat it up!

Today is Tuesday
Tuesday -- spaghetti
All you hungry children, come and eat it up!

Today is Wednesday
Wednesday -- soup
All you hungry children, come and eat it up!

Today is Thursday
Thursday -- roast beef
All you hungry children, come and eat it up!

Today is Friday
Friday -- fresh fish
All you hungry children, come and eat it up!

Today is Saturday
Saturday -- chicken
All you hungry children, come and eat it up!

Today is Sunday
Sunday -- ice cream
All you hungry children, come and eat it up!

---------

Friends of mine remember hearing this on a Golden Record from the 1940s, but I know others who remember it from the 30s. Some posit that this may have to do with food rationing, and what was available on certain days of the week, others think it was just created to help kids learn the days of the week.

Ideas?

Thanks!

Deborah

Deborah Robins
Nut Hill Productions, Inc.
Executive Producer
THE MUSIC OF AMERICA: History Through Musical Traditions
a WETA-PBS co-production
www.themusicofamerica.org