Mack reminded me of another song I can't believe I forgot, as most of the ones falling into that category are ones I never particularly liked. But "Wausau the 42nd" (as I recall it) was an old workhorse of a round, a dependable, lively and easily sung tune.
As I sang it, the words were:
Wausau the 42nd
Wausau gone to war
Wausau the 42nd
Marching through the bramble briar
Zoom diddy boom diddy
boots and stockings
Zoom diddy boom diddy
Lay et twa
Zoom diddy boom diddy
boots and stockings
matching through the bramble briar
I was never sure if it was supposed to be "Warsaw" or "Wausau" or some other place; what war; and the second verse doesn't make any sense - is "lay et twa" French? Or did I have the words wrong? Etc.
So my first look into this turns up not a lot, but it did turn up these Scottish lyrics:
Wha saw the forty-second,/ Wha saw them gang awa',/ Wha saw the forty-second,/ Mairchin' doon the Broomielaw. / Some o' them had buits an' stockins,/ some o' them had nane at a',/ Some o' them had umberellas [4 syllables!]/ Mairchin' doon the Broomielaw
I like that; makes a litle more sense and evokes a vivid picture. And who doesn't like a Scottish brogue?
(PS - I have added a post with a recording of "Wha Saw" that I made at a summer camp; you can see it here)
As I sang it, the words were:
Wausau the 42nd
Wausau gone to war
Wausau the 42nd
Marching through the bramble briar
Zoom diddy boom diddy
boots and stockings
Zoom diddy boom diddy
Lay et twa
Zoom diddy boom diddy
boots and stockings
matching through the bramble briar
I was never sure if it was supposed to be "Warsaw" or "Wausau" or some other place; what war; and the second verse doesn't make any sense - is "lay et twa" French? Or did I have the words wrong? Etc.
So my first look into this turns up not a lot, but it did turn up these Scottish lyrics:
Wha saw the forty-second,/ Wha saw them gang awa',/ Wha saw the forty-second,/ Mairchin' doon the Broomielaw. / Some o' them had buits an' stockins,/ some o' them had nane at a',/ Some o' them had umberellas [4 syllables!]/ Mairchin' doon the Broomielaw
I like that; makes a litle more sense and evokes a vivid picture. And who doesn't like a Scottish brogue?
(PS - I have added a post with a recording of "Wha Saw" that I made at a summer camp; you can see it here)