Froggie Went A-courtin'

Song facts

From Wikipedia:

“Frog Went a-Courtin'” (Roud 16; see alternative titles) is an English-language folk song. Its first known appearance is in Wedderburn’s Complaynt of Scotland (1548) under the name “The Frog cam to the Myl dur”, though this is in Scots rather than English. There is a reference in the London Company of Stationers’ Register of 1580 to “A Moste Strange Weddinge of the Frogge and the Mouse.” There are many texts of the ballad; however the oldest known musical version is in Thomas Ravenscroft’s Melismata in 1611.

Frog rides to ask Miss Mouse to marry him. She is willing but must ask permission of Uncle Rat. In other versions such as “King Kong Kitchie Kitchie Ki-Me-O” by Chubby Parker, Frog fights and kills Miss Mouse’s other suitors (an owl, bat and bumblebee) after they interrupt his proposal. Uncle Rat’s permission received, the two work out details of the wedding. Some versions end with a cat, snake or other creature devouring the couple and wedding guests. Sometimes Frog gets away, but is later swallowed by a duck. See “Frog Went a-Courting” at Wikisource for one version of the lyrics.

Usually, the final verse states that there’s a piece of food on the shelf, and that if the listener wants to hear more verses, they have to sing it themselves. […]

Paul McCartney rehearsed this song in anticipation of his 1991 “Unplugged” concert. This rehearsal was officially broadcast as part of the Oobu Joobu radio show.

Last updated on June 21, 2019

Lyrics