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Phillips and several of the other officers sat in the front row of the Rest Room, really the dressing room on concerts nights. One of the officers recited and I have never laughed so much as I did that night she told us about the woman who swallowed a fly and then swallowed a cat to eat that fly and a dog to eat the cat, and so on: her "swallows" each time were so realistic.
281:) in its December 1947 edition. The editor calls it a "cumulative tale", and asks readers for information on its origins. All three versions begin with a lady swallowing the fly and end with her dying after swallowing a horse, but there are variations in what animals are swallowed and the rhymes for each animal.
250:
Our first Wren evening was a "knockout," in the spring of 1943. The Hall was so packed that men were even perched on the window ledges. No audience could possibly have been more enthusiastic or shown their appreciation in a greater degree. I am sorry I have not that first program. Third
Officer
719:
Catalog of
Copyright Entries, Third Series, Volume 6, Part 5B, No. 1, January–June 1952 (US Copyright Office), p. 86. The submission date is given as March 28, 1952. The 1954 edition relists it, providing the same date and giving Alan Mills as a pseudonym for Albert
1193:
245:
increasingly large animals, each to catch the previously swallowed animal, but dies after swallowing a horse. There are many variations of phrasing in the lyrics, especially for the description of swallowing each animal.
1186:
1179:
293:
copyrighted a version of the song, respectively contributing lyrics and music. At that time it was entitled simply "I Know an Old Lady." A widely distributed version of the song was released on
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617:. Three of the lines changed into "Imagine That! She swallowed a cat.", "She went whole hog to swallow the dog." and "She died, of course!"
1316:
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555:, in which the woman finally "throws up" the lies she swallowed. Pete Seeger performed the work during a 1980 concert at the
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Martin, Lee; McIntosh, Eva H.; Newcomb, Mildred (December 1947). "The Little Old Lady Who
Swallowed a Fly".
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149:
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In 1973, illustrator Pam Adams used the song and its title as the basis of a children's book.
230:". An early documentation of the story appears in English author Dorothy B. King's 1946 book
1237:
309:, the song was "derived from an old ballad", rewritten by Alan Mills, and passed to Ives by
1303:
1251:
1164:
946:
589:
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211:
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included a version of "The Old Lady Who
Swallowed A Fly" on their 1988 compilation album
333:
The following is one version of the lyrics to demonstrate the song's cumulative nature:
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50:
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733:, September 12, 1953, p. 36. The record label also indicates the Mills-Bonne credit.
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published three versions of the story from different parts of the United States (
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765:"words by Rose Bonne; music by Alan Mills; illustrated by Abner Graboff…"]"
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801:. Alan Mills, music; Abner Graboff, illustrations. Skokie, IL: Rand McNally.
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recorded a version for
Scholastic Records released on his children's album
1019:
1003:
774:. No. Part 4, Section 2. Chicago: Chicago Tribune. p. 34, col. 3
572:
performed the song in duet with 8-year-old
Charlene Wong on an episode of
1432:
1321:
609:
In 1997, the song's lyrics were used as the text of a children's book by
548:
270:
1149:
706:
992:
One of the
Classic Books-with-Holes that have been around for 30 years.
819:. Classic books with holes. Swindon, UK: Child's Play (International).
1415:
Blah Blah Blah: Stories About Clams, Swamp
Monsters, Pirates and Dogs
560:
544:
318:
317:. The 1961 illustrated book by Rose Bonne also indicates that the
203:
278:
107:
1175:
1037:
Judy
Collins – "Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly" Muppet Show 1977
772:
Chicago Sunday
Tribune, Magazine of Books (Books for Children)
289:
In 1952, Rose Bonne (lyrics) and Canadian/English folk artist
305:—which debuted in late summer, 1953. According to the album
1402:
Marlo Thomas and Friends: Thanks & Giving All Year Long
486:
I don't know why she swallowed a fly – perhaps she'll die!
451:
I don't know why she swallowed a fly – perhaps she'll die!
420:
I don't know why she swallowed a fly – perhaps she'll die!
393:
I don't know why she swallowed a fly – perhaps she'll die!
370:
I don't know why she swallowed a fly – perhaps she'll die!
351:
I don't know why she swallowed a fly – perhaps she'll die!
340:
I don't know why she swallowed a fly – perhaps she'll die!
241:
The song tells the nonsensical story of an old woman who
1465:
Julie Andrews' Collection of Poems, Songs, and Lullabies
1203:
Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for Children
1332:
1209:
1151:
Childrens Songs and Stories with the Muppets (1985)
174:
155:
143:
133:
125:
117:
106:
23:
1368:Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf/Beintus: Wolf Tracks
794:
874:"Birds, Beasts, Bugs and Fishes (Little and Big)"
479:That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her,
444:That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her,
413:That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her,
386:That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her,
363:That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her,
345:That wriggled and jiggled and tickled inside her;
335:
248:
811:For a further example remaining in print, see
489:There was an old lady who swallowed a horse...
1187:
936:"There was a young woman who swallowed a lie"
8:
529:released the award-winning 5-minute cartoon
425:Just opened her throat and swallowed a goat!
343:There was an old lady who swallowed a spider
1485:In 2011, the category was merged back into
1389:The Train They Call the City of New Orleans
982:"There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly"
848:"There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly"
553:There Was a Young Woman Who Swallowed a Lie
423:There was an old lady who swallowed a goat;
396:There was an old lady that swallowed a dog;
354:There was an old lady who swallowed a bird;
182:"There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly"
24:"There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly"
1194:
1180:
1172:
587:with shadow puppets, on a 1977 episode of
483:She swallowed the spider to catch the fly;
475:She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
454:There was an old lady who swallowed a cow;
448:She swallowed the spider to catch the fly;
440:She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
417:She swallowed the spider to catch the fly;
409:She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
390:She swallowed the spider to catch the fly;
382:She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
373:There was an old lady who swallowed a cat;
367:She swallowed the spider to catch the fly;
359:She swallowed the bird to catch the spider
348:She swallowed the spider to catch the fly;
338:There was an old lady who swallowed a fly,
224:There Was an Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly
20:
1453:Aaaaah! Spooky, Scary Stories & Songs
1354:There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly
816:There was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Fly
301:. Ives' rendition appears on his album,
200:There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly
910:"I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly"
471:She swallowed the cat to catch the bird,
463:She swallowed the goat to catch the dog,
459:She swallowed the cow to catch the goat,
436:She swallowed the cat to catch the bird,
428:She swallowed the goat to catch the dog,
405:She swallowed the cat to catch the bird,
378:She swallowed the cat to catch the bird,
1542:Songs about fictional female characters
668:
613:. This version is narrated and sung by
467:She swallowed the dog to catch the cat,
432:She swallowed the dog to catch the cat,
401:She swallowed the dog to catch the cat,
228:I Know an Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly
105:
1129:"1998 Caldecott Medal and Honor Books"
531:I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly
375:Well, fancy that, she swallowed a cat!
220:I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly
511:LP (Folkways Records FC7610) in 1955.
456:I don't know how she swallowed a cow!
7:
1428:Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
761:"Songs with Pictures [review of
1317:Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
596:San Francisco-based punk rock band
14:
1058:"6/21/1977 – 'Judy Collins (MS)'"
941:Atlanta Lesbian Feminist Alliance
303:Folk Songs, Dramatic and Humorous
1441:Yes to Running! Bill Harley Live
1219:Audrey Hepburn's Enchanted Tales
745:Folk Songs Dramatic and Humorous
628:
321:are hers, whereas the music was
265:Shortly afterwards, the journal
92:
85:
74:
67:
60:
49:
42:
35:
916:. National Film Board of Canada
896:Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
878:Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
139:Children's rhyme, nonsense song
297:in 1953, where it was sung by
214:. Alternative titles include "
1:
1247:Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf
1158:. Compilation containing the
682:. Dorchester, UK: Henry Ling.
527:National Film Board of Canada
356:How absurd to swallow a bird!
1512:Traditional children's songs
1409:& Various Artists (2005)
1240:& Various Artists (1994)
1133:American Library Association
759:M.B.K. (November 12, 1961).
650:The Twelve Days of Christmas
636:Children's literature portal
508:Birds Bugs and Little Fishes
398:What a hog to swallow a dog!
1004:Biography for Charlene Wong
729:Decca DL 5467, reviewed in
1563:
1288:The Children's Shakespeare
1103:"Flipper – Sex Bomb Baby!"
1076:"Flipper – Sex Bomb Baby!"
579:The song was performed by
505:released a version on the
1483:
1296:Listen to the Storyteller
676:King, Dorothy B. (1946).
192:
179:
170:
28:
1507:English children's songs
1290:– Various Artists (1998)
1233:The Lion King Read-Along
768:(children's book review)
749:. Retrieved May 4, 2022
491:She's dead, of course!
1517:American picture books
1020:"The Bobby Darin Show"
494:
263:
18:1953 song by Burl Ives
1532:1961 children's books
1487:Best Children's Album
1062:Jim Henson's Red Book
216:There Was an Old Lady
1473:Emma Walton Hamilton
1135:. November 30, 1999.
968:Smithsonian Folkways
852:allnurseryrhymes.com
793:Bonne, Rose (1961).
574:The Bobby Darin Show
232:Happy Recollections.
1537:Songs about old age
813:Adams, Pam (1973).
763:I Know an Old Lady,
679:Happy Recollections
585:Statler and Waldorf
258:Happy Recollections
210:of a kind known as
202:" is a children's
854:. October 26, 2020
797:I Know an Old Lady
514:In 1956, composer
1547:Songs about death
1494:
1493:
1377:Mikhail Gorbachev
1056:(June 21, 2012).
1022:. March 23, 1973.
892:"Animals, Vol. 1"
658:, cumulative song
652:, cumulative song
646:, cumulative song
295:Brunswick Records
256:Dorothy B. King,
196:
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150:Brunswick Records
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1522:Cumulative songs
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520:Animals, Vol.1
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570:Bobby Darin
545:poetic form
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311:Edith Fowke
307:liner notes
1501:Categories
1457:Buck Howdy
1393:Tom Chapin
1359:Tom Chapin
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1266:David Holt
1261:Stellaluna
1054:Jim Henson
826:0859530213
663:References
644:Chad Gadya
543:used this
535:Derek Lamb
516:Alan Mills
291:Alan Mills
212:cumulative
165:Alan Mills
1333:2001–2010
1210:1993–2000
1113:March 13,
1086:March 13,
987:BookTrust
731:Billboard
315:CBC Radio
299:Burl Ives
285:Recording
112:Burl Ives
1433:Jim Dale
1322:Jim Dale
1107:AllMusic
943:archives
707:27649913
622:See also
549:feminist
323:composed
271:Colorado
254:—
243:swallows
126:Released
118:Language
1080:Discogs
1042:YouTube
970:. 2019.
832:June 9,
778:June 9,
720:Miller.
598:Flipper
275:Georgia
237:Content
226:" and "
187:YouTube
121:English
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561:Boston
329:Lyrics
319:lyrics
260:(1946)
964:(PDF)
703:JSTOR
551:poem
204:rhyme
145:Label
135:Genre
1471:and
1156:IMDb
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780:2016
583:and
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108:Song
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