Yankee Doodle

  The melody is attributed to many tunes from various parts of the world with author ultimately unknown. Apparently a derisive Dr. Richard Shackburg gave the tune and lyrics to the colonial soldiers while telling them it was a martial song. The British were amused by the song. We may conclude that the song was no longer amusing after the colonials won the War of Independence.
   Verse  Chorus
  Fath'r and I went down to camp,
Along with Captain Good'in,
And there we saw the men and boys
As thick as hasty puddin'.		 Yankee Doodle keep it up,
Yankee Doodle dandy,
Mind the music and the step,
And with the girls be handy.
  And there we see a thousand men,
As rich as Squire David;
And what they wasted ev'ry day,
I wish it could be saved.		 Yankee Doodle keep it up,
Yankee Doodle dandy,
Mind the music and the step,
And with the girls be handy.
  And there was Captain Washington
Upon a slapping stallion,
A-giving orders to his men;
I guess there was a million.		 Yankee Doodle keep it up,
Yankee Doodle dandy,
Mind the music and the step,
And with the girls be handy.
  And then the feathers on his hat,
They look'd so very fine, ah!
I wanted peskily to get
To give to my Jemima.		 Yankee Doodle keep it up,
Yankee Doodle dandy,
Mind the music and the step,
And with the girls be handy.
  And there I see a swamping gun,
Large as a log of maple,
Upon a mighty little cart;
A load for father's cattle.		 Yankee Doodle keep it up,
Yankee Doodle dandy,
Mind the music and the step,
And with the girls be handy.
  And ev'ry time they fired it off,
It took a horn of powder;
I made a noise like father's gun,
Only a nation louder.		 Yankee Doodle keep it up,
Yankee Doodle dandy,
Mind the music and the step,
And with the girls be handy.
  And then I see a little keg,
Its head all made of leather,
They knocked upon't with little sticks,
To call the folks together.		 Yankee Doodle keep it up,
Yankee Doodle dandy,
Mind the music and the step,
And with the girls be handy.
  And Cap'n Davis had a gun,
He kind of clapped his hand on't,
And stuck a crooked stabbing-iron,
Upon the little end on't.		 Yankee Doodle keep it up,
Yankee Doodle dandy,
Mind the music and the step,
And with the girls be handy.
  The troopers, too, would gallop up,
And fire right in our faces;
It scared me almost half to death
To see them run such races.		 Yankee Doodle keep it up,
Yankee Doodle dandy,
Mind the music and the step,
And with the girls be handy.
  It scared me so I hooked it off,
Nor stopped, as I remember,
Nor turned about till I got home,
Locked up in mother's chamber.		 Yankee Doodle keep it up,
Yankee Doodle dandy,
Mind the music and the step,
And with the girls be handy.
 

Return to Singing Songs Menu

 

Return to Main Menu

 

Graphics & Introduction Copyright © 1997 Elena Haskins. All Rights Reserved.