Old MacDonald Has A Lot of Different Versions
As I was walking my dog around the neighborhood this morning, we walked through the little farm down the street. I live in very much a suburban area, but down the street from my house is a township-owned farm with animals, a freshwater spring, and a little ice cream shop. And as I heard the rooster crow (seriously) I started thinking about all the different versions of Old MacDonald. There are so many different ones both focused on the original song and others that take on a completely different theme.
This song, turned traditional nursery rhyme most likely got its start over 300 years ago in an opera. It is of course different from what we’re used to and little is known if the composer wrote the song or pulled it from somewhere else. And although the opera was a bit of a flop, this song has been passed down through generations. The song we know today (even with all its variations) became popular at the turn of the 20th century across England and the United States.
Here are twelve different variations on this beloved tune, maybe you’ll find a new one to explore!
Old MacDonald Has A Lot of Different Versions
- EIEIO: How Old MacDonald Got His Farm (with a Little Help from a Hen) by Judy Sierra, Matthew Myers
- Old MacDonald Drives a Tractor by Don Carter
- Old MacDonald Had a Boat by Steve Goetz, illustrated by Eda Kaban
- Old MacDonald Had a Dragon by Ken Baker
- Old MacDonald Had a Farm by Anne Vittur Kennedy
- Old MacDonald Had a Farm by Jane Cabrera
- Old MacDonald Had a Truck by Steve Goetz, illustrated by Eda Kaban
- Old Macdonald Had A Woodshop by Lisa Shulman, illustrated by Ashley Wolff
- Old MacDonald Had A . . . Zoo? by Iza Trapani
- Old MacDonald Had Her Farm by JonArno Lawson, illustrated by Tina Holdcroft
- Old Macdonald’s Things That Go by Jane Clarke, illustrated by Migy Blanco
- Pete the Cat: Old MacDonald Had a Farm by James Dean
If you’re looking for a farm-themed storytime, check out this one – Down on the Farm.
One Comment
Steve
When I was in sixth grade (1963), I learned another version of this song. What I remember is from the fifth verse:
Old MacDonald had a farm, e i e i o. And on this farm he had a crooner, e . . . i . . . e . . . i . . . o.
Where the blue ( ba ba ba ba ba ba ba loo) of the night meets the gold of the day. (*1)
Down by the old (not the new but the old) mill stream (not the river but the stream) where I first (not last but first) met you (not me but you),. (*2)
Oh where, oh where has my little dog gone. Oh where, oh where can he be (arf! arf!) (*3)
East side, west side, all around the town. (*4)
Well they cut down the old pine tree (chop chop) and they hauled it away to the mill (vrooooom) (*5)
*1 From Where the blue of the night–Bing Crosby. (And on this farm he had a crooner . . .)
*2 Down by the old mill stream–John Denver, et.al. (And on this farm he had a mill . . .)
*3 Nursery rhyme–Septimus Winner. (And on this farm he had a dog . .)
*4 The Sidewalks of New York–Charles B. Lawlor, (I don’t recall what the lead verse was for this song’s verse)
*5 They cut down the old pine tree–Billy Hill. (And on this farm he had a tree . . .)