Skip to My Lou

""'Skip to My Lou

(Skip to The Lou)" is a popular"' children's song.

History

"Skip to My (The) Lou" was a popular partner stealing dance from America's frontier period. Since instruments were frowned upon, particularly the fiddle, the dancers had to create their own music by clapping and singing.

Couples would dance around a lone male who sang "lost my partner, what'll I do." At the appropriate point in the lyrics, he would "steal" the partner of a dancing man as he sang "I'll find another one prettier than you." The displaced man would take his place in the circle.

"Lou" is apparently a corruption of "loo," the Scottish word for love.

An unconventional arrangement of this tune is featured in the 1944 Motion Picture "Meet Me in St. Louis"

Lyrics (Common Version)

Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,

Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,

Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,

Skip to my Lou, my darlin'.

Fly's in the buttermilk,

Shoo, fly, shoo,

Fly's in the buttermilk,

Shoo, fly, shoo,

Fly's in the buttermilk,

Shoo, fly, shoo,

Skip to my Lou, my darlin'.

Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,

Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,

Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,

Skip to my Lou, my darlin'.

Cows in the cornfield,

What'll I do?

Cows in the cornfield,

What'll I do?

Cows in the cornfield,

What'll I do?

Skip to my Lou, my darlin'.

Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,

Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,

Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,

Skip to my Lou, my darlin'.

There's a little red wagon,

Paint it blue

There’s a little red wagon,

Paint it blue

There’s a little red wagon,

Paint it blue

Skip to my Lou, my darlin'.

Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,

Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,

Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,

Skip to my Lou, my darlin'

What'll I do?

Lost my partner,

What'll I do?

Skip to the lou, my darlin'.

Skip, skip, skip to the Lou,

Skip, skip, skip to the Lou,

Skip, skip, skip to the Lou,

Skip to the Lou, my darlin'.

I'll get another one

Prettier than you,

I'll get another one

Prettier than you,

I'll get another one

Prettier than you,

Skip to the Lou, my darlin'

Skip, skip, skip to the Lou,

Skip, skip, skip to the Lou,

Skip, skip, skip to the Lou,

Skip to the Lou, my darlin'.

Can't get a red bird,

Jay bird'll do,

Can't get a red bird,

Jay bird'll do,

Can't get a red bird,

Jay bird'll do,

Skip to my Lou, my darlin'.

Skip, skip, skip to the Lou,

Skip, skip, skip to the Lou,

Skip, skip, skip to the Lou,

Skip to the Lou, my darlin'.

Fly's in the buttermilk,

Shoo, fly, shoo,

Fly's in the buttermilk,

Shoo, fly, shoo,

Fly's in the buttermilk,

Shoo, fly, shoo,

Skip to my Lou, the darlin'.

Skip, skip, skip to the Lou,

Skip, skip, skip to the Lou,

Skip, skip, skip to the Lou,

Skip to the Lou, my darlin'.

Cat's in the cream jar,

Ooh, ooh, ooh,

Cat's in the cream jar,

Ooh, ooh, ooh,

Cat's in the cream jar,

Ooh, ooh, ooh,

Skip to my Lou, the darlin'.

Skip, skip, skip to the Lou,

Skip, skip, skip to the Lou,

Skip, skip, skip to the Lou,

Skip to the Lou, my darlin'.

Off to Texas,

Two by two,

Off to Texas,

Two by two,

Off to Texas,

Two by two,

Skip to my Lou, the darlin'.

Skip, skip, skip to the Lou,

Skip, skip, skip to the Lou,

Skip, skip, skip to the Lou,

Skip to the Lou, my darlin'.

References

[http://www.oldtownschool.org/resources/songnotes/songnotes_S.html Old Town School of Folk Music Resource Page]