This Old Man

Words & Music:

Traditional Children's

 

Correspondent David Coles notes that the version he learned has these rhymes for numbers 8, 9 & 10:  eight="on my gate", nine="on my twine" & ten="on my pen".

 

C                            F  C      G7    C     G  C  G7

This old man, he played one, he played knick-knack on my thumb.

 

CHORUS:  [sing after every numbered lines]

       C

With a knick-knack, paddy-whack, give a dog a bone.

G7                C  G    C

This old man came rolling home.  CHORUS:

 

This old man, he played two, he played knick-knack on my shoe.  CHORUS:

 

This old man, he played three, he played knick-knack on my knee.  CHORUS:

 

This old man, he played four, he played knick-knack on my door.  CHORUS:

 

This old man, he played five, he played knick-knack on my hive.  CHORUS:

 

This old man, he played six, he played knick-knack on my sticks.  CHORUS:

 

This old man, he played seven, he played knick-knack up in heaven.  CHORUS:

 

This old man, he played eight, he played knick-knack on my pate.  CHORUS:

 

This old man, he played nine, he played knick-knack on my spine.  CHORUS:

 

This old man, he played ten, he played knick-knack once again.  CHORUS:

 

 

Together with correspondent Susan Murphy, we think we have the motions to this song:

"knick" - while holding your left arm up at a 90-degree angle, hand in front of your face, touch your right hand to the left elbow.

"knack" - do same with your right arm & touch your left hand to the right elbow.

"paddy whack" - we're not sure...anyone remember?

"give a dog a bone" - throw an invisible bone over your shoulder.

"rolling home" - roll one arm over the other in front of your body.

 

ARE THERE OTHER MOTIONS WE MISSED?  PLEASE SEND 'EM IN!