Skip to My Lou - John McCutcheon

(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

"Skip to My Lou" is a popular children's song.

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 Theres a little red wagon, Paint it blue Theres 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'.

John McCutcheon's version of this song is one of many, as these songs belong to all of us.

(c) 1992 MFLP from the album "A Child's Celebration of Song."

Category:

Music

Tags:

• skip
• to
• my
• lou
• john
• mccutcheon
• folk
• fiddle
• partner
• frontier

[Nakutao]

love it!!!!

[annacronism]

This certainly brings back fond memories. I had the privilege of meeting John when he gave a performance at our local high school back in 1974. He was so very nice and encouraged me to keep up my singing. (I never became famous, John, but it's nice to see that you did.Thanks for the moral support just the same, my friend.) Nice to see him here on Youtube. Thanks for the walk down memory lane. Anna