number 6 wrote:My Dad was massive fan of Lonnie Donegan & I must have heard this particular song a thousand & one times as I was growing up. I didn't complain, but I much preferred it when he played Battle of New Orleans, though!
I'm not a chewing gum fan either - I find it has no taste after five minutes and chewing it beyond that point makes me feel sick! People often offer me gum and I have to turn it down.
I've never heard of that song before. Brodie's asleep so I can't play it but I'm imagining it sung to the tune of:
Do your ears hang high? Do they wave up to the sky? etc.
"It's the ash! It's falling!" yelled Julian, almost startling Dick out of his wits...
"Listen to its terrible groans and creaks!" yelled Julian, almost beside himself with impatience.
Deviating still further from the thread subject... Fiona I know that song as "Do your ears hang low, can you wave them to and fro..." which we sang in Guides.
Back to recycling - our bins are being emptied whenever they can get to us! We have to keep referring to the website for updates.
'Tis loving and giving that makes life worth living.
Daisy wrote:Deviating still further from the thread subject... Fiona I know that song as "Do your ears hang low, can you wave them to and fro..." which we sang in Guides.
I only know the rude version.
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
Snap! And I was taught it by my Auntie when I was about 6!! My parents would have been horrified if they'd known, but luckily I had the insight not to go around repeating it in the way little children usually do with new songs, which was most fortunate for my Aunt as they would have known instantly where I'd picked it up from and it wouldn't have ended well .
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I'm just an old fashioned girl with an old fashioned mind
Not sophisticated, I'm the sweet and simple kind
I want an old fashioned house, with an old fashioned fence
And A̶n̶ ̶o̶l̶d̶ ̶f̶a̶s̶h̶i̶o̶n̶e̶d̶ ̶m̶i̶l̶l̶i̶o̶n̶a̶i̶r̶e̶
That song has both verses though you're right it starts with low.
Do your ears hang low, do they wobble to and fro?
Can you tie them in a knot, can you tie them in a bow?
Can you throw them over your shoulder like a regimental soldier?
Do your ears hang low?
Do your ears hang high, can you wave them to the sky?
Do they crinkle when they're wet, do they straighten when they're dry?
Can you wave them at your neighbour with the minimum of labour?
Do your ears hang high?
Don't know a rude version!!
And on topic: our bins have gone back to normal thankfully. I had to bring the kerbside food one in and give it a good wash yesterday, bleurgh...
"It's the ash! It's falling!" yelled Julian, almost startling Dick out of his wits...
"Listen to its terrible groans and creaks!" yelled Julian, almost beside himself with impatience.
Fiona1986 wrote:That song has both verses though you're right it starts with low.
Do your ears hang low, do they wobble to and fro?
Can you tie them in a knot, can you tie them in a bow?
Can you throw them over your shoulder like a regimental soldier?
Do your ears hang low?
Do your ears hang high, can you wave them to the sky?
Do they crinkle when they're wet, do they straighten when they're dry?
Can you wave them at your neighbour with the minimum of labour?
Do your ears hang high?
Don't know a rude version!!
Yes, that first verse is the version we always sang as kids, as featured on Play School as well. I'd never heard the second verse, but I like it too. I don't know "the rude version" either, nor do I really want to!!
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It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
Ah yes well I can never resist finding these things out. There are two rude versions, male and female. Wonder if Icemaiden and Robert sang the same one?
"It's the ash! It's falling!" yelled Julian, almost startling Dick out of his wits...
"Listen to its terrible groans and creaks!" yelled Julian, almost beside himself with impatience.
I couldn’t find it. I wrote “do your ears hang low, do they wobble to and fro” and all the results showed the lyrics that you have put here and history behind the song only. My curiosity is killing me now. Help!
Wikipedia concludes (and I agree with them) that the dirty version is probably older, although the "clean" version was written down first. I think that probably when it was first written down the body part in question was changed to ears to avoid offending the readers . . .
I too would conclude that this rhyme started with the rude version! I was told it by an old sailor friend who knew many a ribald rhyme! In fact until I heard the clean version, I hadn't even realised there was any version but the dirty one!
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
