The Origins of the Nursery Rhyme 'Bingo'
Origins of the Song
The origins of "Bingo" are somewhat elusive, as it has been sung for so long that historical records are scarce. It is believed to have originated in Scotland, with the earliest version published in 1780 in London under a different title, "The Farmer’s Dog Leapt o’er the Stile."
This early version is quite different from the modern one we know and love today. Over the decades, the song underwent various changes and evolved into the popular nursery rhyme we sing today.
There was a farmer who had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-O.
B-I-N-G-O!
B-I-N-G-O!
B-I-N-G-O!
And Bingo was his name-O!
(In the following verses, clap to replace the letters as you spell BINGO.)
There was a farmer who had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-O.
(clap)-I-N-G-O!
(clap)-I-N-G-O!
(clap)-I-N-G-O!
And Bingo was his name-O!
There was a farmer who had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-O.
(clap)-(clap)-N-G-O!
(clap)-(clap)-N-G-O!
(clap)-(clap)-N-G-O!
And Bingo was his name-O!
There was a farmer who had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-O.
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-G-O!
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-G-O!
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-G-O!
And Bingo was his name-O!
There was a farmer who had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-O.
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-O!
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-O!
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-O!
And Bingo was his name-O!
There was a farmer who had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-O.
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)!
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)!
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)!
And Bingo was his name-O!
Variations
There are various versions of the "Bingo" nursery rhyme, though they generally follow a similar pattern. The differences usually involve variations in the actions (like clapping or stomping) and occasionally changes in the verses to add different playful elements or educational spins. Here are a few alternative versions you might find interesting:
-
Action Variation:
- Some versions replace clapping with other actions like stomping feet or snapping fingers. For instance, the first letter can be accompanied by a stomp, the second by a snap, and so forth, adding a physical activity component that helps in teaching children motor skills.
-
Extended Story:
- Some renditions add more narrative about the dog or the farmer, providing a backstory or detailing the adventures of Bingo. These can be fun for storytelling sessions, making the song more engaging and longer.
-
Learning Elements:
- In educational settings, teachers might modify "Bingo" to reinforce different learning concepts, such as colors, numbers, or other vocabulary words, substituting these in place of the letters B-I-N-G-O.
-
Language Variations:
- "Bingo" is adapted into other languages, where the name of the dog and the actions might change to suit phonetic or linguistic preferences. This makes it a versatile rhyme that can be used in multilingual learning environments.
Here's an example of an extended version of the "Bingo" nursery rhyme that incorporates a bit more story and context around the farmer and Bingo, the dog. This version can be more engaging for children as it adds elements of storytelling and imagination:
Verse 1:
There was a farmer who had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-O.
B-I-N-G-O!
B-I-N-G-O!
B-I-N-G-O!
And Bingo was his name-O!
Verse 2:
One day the farmer and Bingo went,
To mend the old stone fence-O.
B-I-N-G-O!
B-I-N-G-O!
B-I-N-G-O!
And Bingo was his name-O!
Verse 3:
Bingo found a shiny key,
Underneath the old oak tree-O.
(clap)-I-N-G-O!
(clap)-I-N-G-O!
(clap)-I-N-G-O!
And Bingo was his name-O!
Verse 4:
The farmer used the key to open,
A chest full of golden pence-O.
(clap)-(clap)-N-G-O!
(clap)-(clap)-N-G-O!
(clap)-(clap)-N-G-O!
And Bingo was his name-O!
Verse 5:
They bought more land to grow their crops,
Thanks to Bingo's lucky hops-O.
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-G-O!
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-G-O!
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-G-O!
And Bingo was his name-O!
Verse 6:
So here’s a cheer for Bingo’s fame,
The dog that brought the farmer fame-O.
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-O!
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-O!
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-O!
And Bingo was his name-O!
Verse 7:
And now they live so merrily,
On the farm with glee and glee-O.
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)!
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)!
(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)!
And Bingo was his name-O!
