Children’s Song, U.S.A.
Skip to My Lou was a popular American partner-stealing dance from the 1840s and today it is a popular children’s song. The “lou” in the title comes from the word “loo”, a Scottish word for “love”. Skip to My Lou also used to be a popular lyrical game in Abraham Lincoln’s youth in southern Indiana and Kentucky (1826).
In early America, some Puritans regarded the fiddle as a tool of the devil (since it led to dancing, which was regarded as sinful). Faced with such a religious obstacle to socializing, young people developed the “play-party,” in which the objectionable features of dancing were removed or masked. The dancers sang and the audience clapped to create rhythm for their own music. The play-party became a popular pastime for teenagers and young married couples. As people moved westward square dancing and barn dancing became acceptable, at least to some.
Today the song “Skip to my Lou” is often used as a love song for kids.
Table of Contents
- Karaoke Video with Lyrics
- Free karaoke MP3 download
- MP4 Video File | Free Download
- Sheet music with chords
- Free Printable sheet music PDF with Lyrics
- Teaching idea & activities
Karaoke Video with Lyrics
Lyrics
1. Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip to my Lou, my darlin’.
2. Fly in the buttermilk, Shoo, fly, shoo.
Fly in the buttermilk, Shoo, fly, shoo.
Fly in the buttermilk, Shoo, fly, shoo.
Skip to my Lou, my darlin’.
3. Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip to my Lou, my darlin’.
4. Little red wagon, Paint it blue.
Little red wagon, Paint it blue.
Little red wagon, Paint it blue.
Skip to my Lou, my darlin’.
5. Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip to my Lou, my darlin’.
6. Lost my partner, What’ll I do?
Lost my partner, What’ll I do?
Lost my partner, What’ll I do?
Skip to my Lou, my darlin’.
7. Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip to my Lou, my darlin’.
8. I’ll get another, prettier than you
I’ll get another, prettier than you
I’ll get another, prettier than you
Skip to my Lou, my darlin’.
9. Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip to my Lou, my darlin’.
Free karaoke MP3 download
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“Skip to my Lou” (instrumental, 1:40 – 2/4 – 91 bpm)
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MP4 Video File | Free Download
To watch the karaoke video of this song on your mobile device, click on the following link to download the video file (mp4 format).
Skip to my Lou | Free mp4 Video File Download
Sheet music with chords
To save this free music sheet of “Skip to my Lou” to your computer, right click (or tap and hold, on mobile devices) and choose “Save Image As…”.
Free Printable sheet music PDF with Lyrics
To download a ready-to-print PDF of this song for music activities with a music sheet, lyrics and a drawing for kids to paint, right click (or tap and hold) on the following link, then choose “Save link as…”.
“Skip to my Lou” free PDF download – Singing Bell
Teaching idea & activities
“Skip to My Lou” is a simple game of stealing partners (or swapping partners as in square dancing). It begins with any number of couples skipping hand in hand around in a ring. A lone boy in the center of the moving circle of couples sings, “Lost my partner, what’ll I do?” as the girls whirl past him. The young man in the center hesitates while he decides which girl to choose, singing, “I’ll get another one just like you.” When he grasps the hand of his chosen one, the latter’s partner moves to the center of the ring the game. It is an ice-breaker, providing an opportunity for the participants to get acquainted with one another and to get into a good mood.
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