Skip to My Lou: About the Song

In frontier communities throughout the country, young and old alike skipped, marched, clapped, and swung each other by the hand to this play-party song.

Lyrics

chorus:
Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou
Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou
Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou
Skip to my Lou, my darling

verses:
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 darling

I’ll get another one prettier than you (x 3)
Skip to my Lou, my darling

Little red wagon, painted blue (x 3)
Skip to my Lou, my darling

Fly in the sugar-bowl, shoo fly shoo (x 3)
Skip to my Lou, my darling

Pigs in the parlor, what’ll I do? (x 3)
Skip to my Lou, my darling

Rats in the bread tray, how they chew (x 3)
Skip to my Lou, my darling

Catch that red bird, skip to my Lou (x 3)
Skip to my Lou, my darling

Can’t get a red bird, a blue bird’ll do (x 3)
Skip to my Lou, my darling

Can’t get a blue bird, a black bird’ll do (x 3)
Skip to my Lou, my darling