Lyr Req: Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly

Subject: Old Woman who swallowed a Fly
From:
Date: 19 Feb 01 - 05:10 PM

Does anyone know the correct words? If so, please e-mail them to me or provide a link! Thanks! F. Lulham

Subject: RE: Old Woman who Swallowed a Fly
From: Kara
Date: 19 Feb 01 - 05:20 PM

There was an old women who swallowed a fly
I don't know why she swallowed a fly
prehaps she'll die

There was an old women who swallowed a spider
that wriggles and squiggled and giggled insider
she swallowed the spider to catch the fly
I don't know why she swallowed a fly
prehaps she'll die

.....who swallowed a bird
how obsurd to swallow a bird ect
a cat, fancy that ect
a dog,,, what a hog
a horse she died of course

Subject: RE: Old Woman who Swallowed a Fly
From: DougR
Date: 19 Feb 01 - 05:31 PM

The latest issue of "Sing Out," has all the lyrics to this and many other fine songs, as well as the music and chords.

DougR

Subject: RE: Old Woman who Swallowed a Fly
From: nutty
Date: 19 Feb 01 - 06:10 PM

after dog is - goat - she just opened her throat and swallowed a goat
then cow - I don't know how she swallowed a cow
then - horse

Subject: RE: Old Woman who Swallowed a Fly
From: SINSULL
Date: 19 Feb 01 - 07:44 PM

If singing this with young children, it is critical to tickle the nearest victim on "wriggle and jiggle and tickled inside her." Keeps their attention.

Subject: RE: Old Woman who Swallowed a Fly
From: Lucius
Date: 19 Feb 01 - 08:14 PM

THESE ARE NOT THE CORRECT WORDS. They are, however, the words that I sing when reading the book to my students. I'm a great believer in the folk process. I hope that the formating doesn't screw up.

There was an old woman who swallowed a fly
I don't know why she swallowed a fly
perhaps she'll die

There was an old woman who swallowed a spider
it wriggled and squiggled and tickled inside her
she swallowed the spider to catch the fly but
I don't know why she swallowed a fly
perhaps she'll die

There was an old woman who swallowed a bird
how absurd to swallow a bird
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
she swallowed the spider to catch the fly but
I don't know why she swallowed a fly
perhaps she'll die

There was an old woman who swallowed a cat
Imagine that! She swallowed a cat
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
that wriggled and squiggled and tickled inside her
she swallowed the spider to catch the fly but
I don't know why she swallowed a fly
perhaps she'll die

There was an old woman who swallowed a dog
She went whole hog to swallow the dog
She swallowed the dog to catch the cat
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
that wriggled and squiggled and tickled inside her
she swallowed the spider to catch the fly but
I don't know why she swallowed a fly
perhaps she'll die

There was an old woman who swallowed a cow
I don't know how she swallowed a cow
She swallowed the cow to catch the dog
She swallowed the dog to catch the cat
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
that wriggled and squiggled and tickled inside her
she swallowed the spider to catch the fly but
I don't know why she swallowed a fly
perhaps she'll die

There was an old woman who swallowed a horse
SHE DIED OF COURSE

Subject: RE: Old Woman who Swallowed a Fly
From: jeepman (inactive)
Date: 19 Feb 01 - 09:05 PM

Anyone know the tune? I would like to have the chords. Jeepman

Subject: RE: Old Woman who Swallowed a Fly
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 20 Feb 01 - 12:29 AM

I added a couple of verses which kids enjoy. I know an old lady who swallowed a hippopotamus
She just opened her epiglottamus and swallowed the hippopotamus.

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

All the best. Seamus

Subject: ADD: Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 Feb 01 - 02:05 AM

Here's the version from www.peterpaulandmary.com. I can't believe the original version has the woman alive and well. The way I sing it is, "She's dead, of course" - and I hold the word dead for about 16 measures, to show off my unnatural ability to hold notes for annoyingly long periods of time.

Nowadays, parents are very sensitive about exposing their dear children to thoughts of death (especially humorous thoughts about death), so I suppose PP&M were correct to correct the lyrics. [sigh....]
-Joe Offer (e-mail sent)-

---

I KNOW AN OLD LADY
written by Rose Bonne and Alan Mills-
©1952 Peer International ( Canada) Ltd. SOCAN

I know an old lady who swallowed a fly
I don't know why she swallowed the fly
Perhaps she'll die

I know an old lady who swallowed a spider
That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly
But I don't know why she swallowed the fly
Perhaps she'll die

I know an old lady who swallowed a bird
How absurd to swallow a bird
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly
But I don't know why she swallowed the fly
Perhaps she'll die

I know an old lady who swallowed a cat
Imagine that. She swallowed a cat.
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly
But I don't know why she swallowed that fly
Perhaps she'll die

I know an old lady who swallowed a dog
What a hog to swallow a dog!
She swallowed the dog to catch the cat
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly
But I don't know why she swallowed that fly
Perhaps she'll die

I know an old lady who swallowed a goat
Opened her throat and down went the goat!
She swallowed the goat to catch the dog
She swallowed the dog to catch the cat
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly
But I don't know why she swallowed that fly
Perhaps she'll die

I know an old lady who swallowed a cow
I don't know how she swallowed the cow
She swallowed the cow to catch the goat
She swallowed the goat to catch the dog
She swallowed the dog to catch the cat
She swallowed the cat to catch the bird
She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her
She swallowed the spider to catch the fly
But I don't know why she swallowed that fly
Perhaps she'll die

I know an old lady who swallowed a horse
She's alive and well of course!

(but everybody else in the entire world sings: She's dead, of course.)

Subject: RE: Old Woman who Swallowed a Fly
From: sian, west wales
Date: 20 Feb 01 - 04:17 AM

I was just listening to a recording of Pete Seeger singing The Once Was a Woman who Swallowed a Lie - a feminist version. Quite clever. I'd give chapter and verse but, as usual, the CDs at home and I'm at work!

sian

Subject: RE: Old Woman who Swallowed a Fly
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 20 Feb 01 - 08:55 AM

Jeepman:

The words and tune are in the DT. Search for the word "swallowed".

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Old Woman who Swallowed a Fly
From: Mrrzy
Date: 20 Feb 01 - 09:33 AM

We had it as "I gues she'll die" (Pete Seeger's Children's Concert at Town Hall, and somewhere else), but we used to sing it as "I hope she'll die" - little ghouls that we were...

Subject: RE: Old Woman who Swallowed a Fly
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 20 Feb 01 - 09:39 AM

And the last line, as I had it years ago from Burl Ives, was "She's dead, of course!" rather than "She died, of course" or "She'll die, of course." Distinction without a difference, I suppose.

I don't think anyone above gave this verse:

I knew an old lady who swallowed a rhinoceros.
Preposserous!

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Old Woman who Swallowed a Fly
From: Joe Offer
Date: 20 Feb 01 - 02:17 PM

Oh, yeah, it is in the database, with the tune...

We all knew that of course [grin], but the versions we posted were all a bit different from what's in the database, so our postings were significant contributions to the Body of Folk Knowledge.

For the record, here are the Digital Tradition versions of:
Swallowed a Fly
-and-
Swallowed a Lie

-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Old Woman who Swallowed a Fly
From: GUEST,John Green
Date: 05 Mar 07 - 04:17 PM

I know why she swallowed the fly! She was so hungry, she could eat a horse ...

Subject: RE: Old Woman who Swallowed a Fly
From: Jim Lad
Date: 05 Mar 07 - 04:43 PM

True story, Right?

Subject: RE: Old Woman who Swallowed a Fly
From: Joe_F
Date: 05 Mar 07 - 08:51 PM

I heard Pete Seeger sing "Swallowed a Lie" in Nyack, NY, or thereabouts, in 1970, or thereabouts. It did not go over well. He was not actually hissed, but there were semi-groans when people realized he was singing a feminist song.

The heavens did not smile on the undertaking either. The concert was interrupted by a torrential thunderstorm. I took refuge in my car & ate a sandwich. Then I drove into town & got laid. It's an ill wind....

Subject: RE: Old Woman who Swallowed a Fly
From: Dan Schatz
Date: 05 Mar 07 - 08:56 PM

Pete Seeger also sang the original - in a sense. I always appreciated his last verse:

"There was an old woman who swallowed a minister -
How sinister! It finished her!"

Dan Schatz

Subject: RE: Old Woman who Swallowed a Fly
From: GUEST,Art Thieme
Date: 05 Mar 07 - 09:06 PM

So, what's the big deal? Monica Lewinsky did the same thing---and Bill got impeached!

Art

Subject: RE: Old Woman who Swallowed a Fly
From: Jim Lad
Date: 05 Mar 07 - 09:24 PM

Ah, it was only a matter of time. I knew someone would bring it up.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Woman who Swallowed a Fly
From: GUEST,Jessie
Date: 18 Dec 07 - 08:23 PM

After the bird she had a big Turd. Then she died like Elvis!!!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Woman who Swallowed a Fly
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Sep 09 - 02:17 AM

There once was a woman who swallowed a turd
How absurd to swallow a turd!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Woman who Swallowed a Fly
From: clueless don
Date: 30 Sep 09 - 08:51 AM

I think many people know the song approximately, but make up the specific words as they sing. For example, for the cow verse, I sing "think of it now! she swallowed a cow!"

I believe I remember seeing a picture book very loosely based on this song, but the woman was far more ambitious, and ended up swallowing the ocean.

Don

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Woman who Swallowed a Fly
From: Tug the Cox
Date: 30 Sep 09 - 12:04 PM

I know an old lady who swallowed an Armadillo
Put her head on a pillow
and swallowed an Armadillo.

( awaits its first outing!)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Woman who Swallowed a Fly
From: Tug the Cox
Date: 02 Oct 09 - 08:05 AM

Last night at a session I included the Hippo, the Rhino and the Armadillo, twas well received.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Woman who Swallowed a Fly
From: eddie1
Date: 03 Oct 09 - 04:12 AM

When singing this, I always get the kids to "help me remember" the next verse. Be ready to give some clues.
Works for me in English & German.

Eddie

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Woman who Swallowed a Fly
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Oct 10 - 06:36 PM

uncle daveo said some people say ''shell die of course'' but all ive herd iis ''she did of course'' ''shes died of course'' and ''szhes dead of course''

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Jul 12 - 01:09 PM

full version:

i know an oold lady who swallowed a fly
i dunno why she swallowed a fly
perhaps shell die

i know an old lady who swallowed a spider
that wriggledandtickledandjiggled inside 'er
she swallowed the spider to catch the fly...

i know an old lady who swallowed a bird
how absurd to swallow a bird
she swallowed the bird to catch the spider...

i know an old lady who swallowed a cat
imagine that to swallow a kat
she swallowed the cat to catch the bird...

i know an old lady who swallowed a dog
what a hog to swallow a dog
she swallowed the dog to catch the kat

i know an old lady who swallowed a snake
she made a mistake in eating that snake
she swallowed the snake to catch the dog...

i know an old lady who swallowed a pig
yes her mouth was so big she could swallow a pig
she swallowed the pig to catch the snake...

i know an old laady who swallowed a goat
she just opened her mouth and he went down her throat
she swaallowed the goat to catch the pig...

i know an old lady who swallowed a sheep
what a feat to swallow a sheep
she swallowed a sheep to catch the goat...

i know an old lady who swallowed a cow
i dont know how but she swallowed the cow
she swallowed the cow to catch the sheep...

i know an old lady who swallowed a donkey
which maakes me feel a wee bit wonky
but she swallowed the donkey to catch the cow...

i know anold lady who swallowed a horse
she died of course