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Arrangement: Ian J. Watts / Mike Wilbury · Singalongasong Band / ClassicRocks
Lyrics
Old MacDonald had a farm, ee-i-ee-i-oh!
And on that farm he had some chicks, ee-i-ee-i-oh!
With a chick-chick here and a chick-chick there,
Here a chick, there a chick, everywhere a chick-chick.
Old MacDonald had a farm, ee-i-ee-i-oh!
Old MacDonald had a farm, ee-i-ee-i-oh!
And on that farm he had some ducks, ee-i-ee-i-oh!
With a quack-quack here and a quack-quack there,
Here a quack, there a quack, everywhere a quack-quack.
Old MacDonald had a farm, ee-i-ee-i-oh!
Old MacDonald had a farm, ee-i-ee-i-oh!
And on that farm he had a cat, ee-i-ee-i-oh!
With a meow-meow here and a meow-meow there,
Here a meow, there a meow, everywhere a meow-meow.
Old MacDonald had a farm, ee-i-ee-i-oh!
Old MacDonald had a farm, ee-i-ee-i-oh!
And on that farm he had a dog, ee-i-ee-i-oh!
With a woof-woof here and a woof-woof there,
Here a woof, there a woof, everywhere a woof-woof.
Old MacDonald had a farm, ee-i-ee-i-oh!
Old MacDonald had a farm, ee-i-ee-i-oh!
And on that farm he had some sheep, ee-i-ee-i-oh!
With a baa-baa here and a baa-baa there,
Here a baa, there a baa, everywhere a baa-baa.
Old MacDonald had a farm, ee-i-ee-i-oh!
Old MacDonald had a farm, ee-i-ee-i-oh!
And on that farm he had some cows, ee-i-ee-i-oh!
With a moo-moo here and a moo-moo there,
Here a moo, there a moo, everywhere a moo-moo.
Old MacDonald had a farm, ee-i-ee-i-oh!
Old MacDonald had a farm, ee-i-ee-i-oh!
And on that farm he had some pigs, ee-i-ee-i-oh!
With a snort-snort here and a snort-snort there,
Here a snort, there a snort, everywhere a snort-snort.
Old MacDonald had a farm, ee-i-ee-i-oh!
Old MacDonald had a farm, ee-i-ee-i-oh!
And on that farm he had a horse, ee-i-ee-i-oh!
With a neigh-neigh here and a neigh-neigh there,
Here a neigh, there a neigh, everywhere a neigh-neigh.
Old MacDonald had a farm, ee-i-ee-i-oh!
Traditional lyrics — public domain. Arrangement © Singalongasong Band / ClassicRocks.
History & Background
History & Origin
"Old MacDonald Had a Farm" is one of the most universally known children's songs in the world, with versions in dozens of languages and a presence in virtually every nursery and primary school in the English-speaking world. The song's origins are somewhat unclear: an early version called "Old MacDonald" appeared in a collection by Thomas d'Urfey around 1706, and a version with the familiar "ee-i-ee-i-oh" refrain was published in 1917.
The song's structure is elegantly simple: each verse introduces a new farm animal and its sound, then the verse ends with the identifying refrain. The "ee-i-ee-i-oh" is thought to derive from an older phrase "eigh-i-eigh-i-ow", itself a representation of a farmyard call or shout. Whatever its origin, it has become one of the most recognisable nonsense refrains in children's music.
What makes the song endlessly replayable for children is the combination of animal sounds and the invitation to make those sounds themselves. Each verse is not just a story but a performance instruction, and children singing "quack-quack here and a quack-quack there" are not merely listening but doing.
Our arrangement visits eight animals — chicks, ducks, cat, dog, sheep, cows, pigs, and horse — giving each its due before moving to the next. The farm grows with each verse, building to a satisfying, noisy conclusion.
