Polly Wolly Doodle

A nonsense song with origins in the American minstrel show tradition of the mid-19th century. It was first performed publicly in February 1843 by Dan Emmett's Virginia Minstrels at New York's Bowery Amphitheatre, with Emmett often credited as the composer despite its folk-like attribution. The lyrics feature humorous, nonsensical verses about comical mishaps during a journey south. Although performed in the 1840s, it was first published in written form in 1880 in a Harvard University student songbook, two years after the Yale Glee Club performed it. The song's simple, repetitive melody made it suitable for group singing, contributing to its widespread adoption as a children's tune and enduring popularity independent of its minstrel origins.