Ol' Roger is Dead and Laid in His Grave
Ol' Roger is Dead and Laid in His Grave
Children's Song
1. Ol' Roger is dead and laid in his grave,
Laid in his grave, laid in his grave;
Ol' Roger is dead and laid in his grave,
Oh, oh, laid in his grave,
Oh, oh, laid in his grave.
2. They planted an apple tree over his head,
Over his head, over his head;
They planted an apple tree over his head,
Oh, oh over his head,
Oh, oh over his head.
3. The apples got ripe and all fell down,
All fell down, all fell down;
The apples got ripe and all fell down,
Oh, oh, all fell down,
Oh, oh, all fell down.
4. There came an old woman picking them up,
Picking them up, picking them up;
There came an old woman picking them up,
Oh, oh, picking them up,
Oh, oh, picking them up.
5. Ol' Roger got up and gave her a kick,
Gave her a kick, gave her a kick;
Ol' Roger got up and gave her a kick,
Oh, oh, gave her a kick,
Oh, oh, gave her a kick.
6. It made the old woman go hippity-hop,
Hippity-hop, hippity-hop;
It made the old woman go hippity-hop,
Oh, oh, hippity-hop,
Oh, oh, hippity-hop.
Notes
Nyango said this is a popular song in Cameroon.
Many thanks to Nyango M. Nambangi of the Minnesota African Women's Association for contributing and singing this song and for telling us about the singing traditions in Cameroon.