Words & Music: Phyl Lobl

There was a little man long long ago
Who lived far away in the Hills of Dorrigo,
He had a little rabbit and he had a little cat
He had a little mouse in a big top hat.
‘Squeak’ said the rabbit, ‘Mia-ow’ said the cat.
‘Ooops’ said the man in the big top hat.

There was a little lady long ,long ago,
Who lived far away in the Hills of Dorrigo,
She had a singing kangaroo,a super-sonic bat,
A technocolour bunyip and a striped Numbat.
‘Lah’ sang the kangaroo, ‘Zoom’ went the bat,
‘BOO’ said the bunyip to the striped numbat.

(Hold child close and accentuate animal sounds. Allow child to slip a bit on ‘Ooops’ and ‘Wizz’ around for Zoom)

Hokey pokey penny a lump.
That the stuff to make you jump
If you jump you’re sure to fall,
Hokey pokey that is all.

Diddle diddle dumpling my son John,
Went to bed with his trousers on.
One shoe off and one shoe on,
Diddle diddle dumpling my son John.

(On the word off, drop the child gently to the floor, on the word on ring the child back to your knee.)

This is the way the ladies ride, jig jig jig, (gentle jog)
This is the way the gentlemen ride, jog jog jog, (rougher)
Farmers ride to market a hobble-de-hoy, (straighten leg)
Baby rides to market bumpetty bumpetty off.

(Replace the word baby with child’s name. On the word off open knees and let baby drop through)

To market, to market to buy a pavlova,
Home again home again shopping is over.
Shopping is over the money is spent,
But baby I do not know where it all went.

Dance to your daddy my little laddie,
Dance to your daddy my little man,
You shall have a fish you shall have a fin.
You shall have a haddock when the boat comes in,
You shall have a codlin’ boiled in a pan,
Dance to your daddy my little man.