Recorded versions
* The Limerick Song has been commercially recorded many times. The earliest version of limericks being sung is 1905 under the title Fol-The-Rol-Lol as sung by Edward M. Favor on Edison records. The earliest date for limericks being sung to the "Gay Caballero" tune is May 11, 1931 on the recording titled Rhymes sung by Jack Hylton which was issued onPrinted versions
The earliest printed date for limericks being sung is 1928 in the book ''A Collection of Sea Songs and Ditties from the Stores of Tom E. Jones''.Jones. Unpaginated. Song #48. Since many of the verses used for this song are bawdy the song tended to get issued in rare, underground mimeographed songbooks. Some of these are (in chronological order): :* 1934. Leech.Variant choruses
There are several different choruses for this song. One of the most popular in the United States of America is sung to the tune of the traditional Mexican song, " Cielito Lindo" and usually goes like this: ::I-Yi-Yi-Yi, ::In China, they never eat chili ::So here comes another verse worse than the other verse ::So waltz me around again, Willie.Cray, Ed. ''The Erotic Muse: American Bawdy Songs''. pg. 217. Or, alternatively: ::I-Yi-Yi-Yi, ::In China, they do it for chili ::So let's get a verse that's worse than the other verse ::And waltz me around by my willie. Sometimes, the second line of the chorus is varied from chorus to chorus, while the rest remains the same. When the song is sung in a group, the line may be left open for someone to shout a joke line, then the group finishes the chorus together. ::I-Yi-Yi-Yi, ::My sister's in love with a carrot... Another chorus, to an unknown tune, is also not uncommon in the UK: ::That was a cute little rhyme ::Sing us another one, do--oo-- A less commonly reported chorus goes: ::Sweet Violets, sweeter than all the roses, ::Covered all over from head to toe, ::Covered all over with hitref name="Cray"/> In the children's rendition of this song, the chorus goes: ::Ay-yi-yi-yi, ::In China they never grow chili (chilly) ::So sing one more verse ::that's worse than the first ::Be sure that it's foolish and silly.Lyrics
The lyrics for the Limerick Song are usually ribald and sometimes original. Here are some from theReferences
* Cray, Ed. ''The Erotic Muse: American Bawdy Songs'' (University of Illinois, 1992). * "Jones, Dave E." ''A Collection of Sea Songs and Ditties from the Stores of Dave E. Jones''. No publisher. No date (1928). Unpaginated. * Legman, Gershon. ''The Limerick''. * Legman, Gershon. ''The Horn Book''. (New York: University Press, 1964). * Reuss, Richard A. ''An Annotated Field Collection of Songs From the American College Student Oral Tradition'' (Bloomington: Indiana Univ. Masters Thesis, 1965). {{DEFAULTSORT:Limerick (Song) Drinking songs