Tom Tom, The Piper's Son - The Nursery Rhyme Collections

Tom, Tom, the piper's son
Stole a pig and away he'd run;
The pig was eat and Tom was beat,
And Tom ran howling down the street.

Tom with his pipe made such a noise,
That he pleased both the girls and boys,
And they all stopped to hear him play,
'Over the hills and far away'.

Tom with his pipe he played with such skill
That those who heard him could never keep still;
As soon as he played they began for to dance,
The pigs on their hind legs would after him dance.

Let's dance!

As Dolly was milking her cow one day,
Tom took his pipe and began to play;
So Dolly and the cow danced 'The Cheshire Round',
Till the pail was broken and the milk ran on the ground.

He met old Dame Trot with a basket of eggs,
He used his pipe and she used her legs;
She danced about till the eggs were all broke,
She began for to fret, but he laughed at the joke.

Tom, Tom, he was a piper's son
he learned to play when he was young;
The only tune that he could play
was 'Over the hills and far away'

Words & Music: Traditional
Arrangement: Ian J Watts/Mike Wilbury

Background notes

Tom, hero of this nursery rhyme, seems to cause a proper mayhem whereever he shows up. Even the cows get in the mood and start dancing as soon as Tom plays his pipe, so we are not surprised about damaged pails and broken eggs. At least they all seem to have some fun - so enjoy this uptempo arrangement!