The Grand Old Duke of York – lyrics

“The Grand Old Duke of York” is an English nursery rhyme, often performed as an action song. The lyrics are often used in the English language as a metaphor for a series of useless actions.

“The Grand Old Duke of York” lyrics

Oh, the grand old Duke of York,
He had ten thousand men;
He marched them up to the top of the hill,
And he marched them down again.

And when they were up, they were up,
And when they were down, they were down,
And when they were only half-way up,
They were neither up nor down.

They all marched up to the top of the hill,
With a hup, two, three, four, drilling their drill.