Children standing around in a circle, singing along to the tunes of "The ants go marching" and stomping and moving their hands around in wild gestures - we've all witnessed such scenes. If not as parents, we have played this fascinating game while giggling our way through it.
But did you know that this happy and childish song does not have such happy roots? In fact, its origins might have something to do with the American Civil War. Sounds crazy! If you, too, are enthused by the poem and wish to dig deep into its history, then you're at the right place! Read on to find the truth yourself.
"The Ants Go Marching" Written Lyrics
The lyrics to "The ants go marching" are:
The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching one by one,
The little one stops to suck his thumb
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The ants go marching two by two, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching two by two, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching two by two,
The little one stops to tie his shoe
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The ants go marching three by three, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching three by three, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching three by three,
The little one stops to climb a tree
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The ants go marching four by four, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching four by four, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching four by four,
The little one stops to shut the door
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The ants go marching five by five, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching five by five, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching five by five,
The little one stops to take a dive
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The ants go marching six by six, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching six by six, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching six by six,
The little one stops to pick up sticks
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The ants go marching seven by seven, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching seven by seven, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching seven by seven,
The little one stops to pray to heaven
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The ants go marching eight by eight, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching eight by eight, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching eight by eight,
The little one stops to roller skate
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The ants go marching nine by nine, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching nine by nine, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching nine by nine,
The little one stops to check the time
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The ants go marching ten by ten, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching ten by ten, hurrah, hurrah
The ants go marching ten by ten,
The little one stops to shout "The End",
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain.
Printable lyrics
Download this fantastic poem to teach your children or decorate their room. Find "The ants go marching" here.
Photo lyrics
Video links
Help your children learn the words to "The ants go marching" nursery rhyme faster through an adorable video with a catchy tune. Watch below:
Origins and history
No doubt, "The ants go marching" is a rhyme that we loved in our childhood, and now our children do as well, but the origins of its tune are not as friendly and happy. The lyrics themselves were written later specifically to help children learn. However, the tune was taken from another song, in fact, a drinking song.
The tune for "The ants go marching" comes from a drinking song sung during the American Civil War. The song was called "Johnny Fill Up the Bowl". The song was later morphed to "When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again" to resemble the war's end and the soldiers' return.
The song talked about Johnny, a soldier who lost both legs during the war and could no longer walk, dance or run. This story also closely resembles "The ants go marching" as it talks about how ants get lost or left behind after each instance.
"The ants go marching," written by Robert D. Singleton and tuned to "When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again," first appeared in Barney's Campfire Sing Along in 1990.
FAQ
- Where did The Ants Go Marching come from?
The tune for "The Ants Go Marching" comes from the American Civil War song "When Johnny Comes Marching Home." - Who wrote the song The ants go marching one by one?
Robert D. Singleton wrote the lyrics to "The Ants Go Marching." - How do you play Ants Go Marching?
The "Ants Go Marching" game is best played in large groups. The kids must stand in a circle and march in place while holding up as many fingers as the verse says. When the "ants stop marching" part comes up, they'll put their fingers in front of them, and during the "ants go down" line, they'll bend their knees and become tiny.
During the "Boom boom boom" line, the kids will jump and shout the line out!
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