The Ants Go Marching

A column of ants marches one by one, two by two, all the way to ten, while "the little one" keeps stopping to suck his thumb or tie his shoe. "The Ants Go Marching" borrows its tramping tune from the Civil War song "When Johnny Comes Marching Home."

Origins

The melody of "The Ants Go Marching" is borrowed from the American Civil War-era song "When Johnny Comes Marching Home." Written in 1863 by the Irish-American bandmaster Patrick Gilmore, the original song expressed a hope for the safe return of soldiers from the battlefield. The melody itself has even older roots in traditional Irish anti-war ballads, such as "Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye."

During the mid-twentieth century, the melody was adapted into the secular children's counting song we know today, replacing the returning soldiers with marching ants. A widely cited version of the modernized children's lyrics is credited to songwriter Robert D. Singleton. This version grew in popularity after featuring in the 1990 children's television special Barney's Campfire Sing-Along.

Meaning & Interpretation

The lyrics serve as a counting and rhyming game, where the number of ants increases with each verse while a single "little one" stops to perform a rhyming action, such as sucking his thumb, tying his shoe, or climbing a tree. The column of ants then marches "down to the ground to get out of the rain" to the sound of "BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!"

This repetitive structure helps toddlers practice counting from one to ten, learn simple rhymes, and develop language skills. The marching tempo also encourages children to march in place or stamp their feet to the beat, assisting in physical coordination and rhythm training.

What song is the melody of The Ants Go Marching based on?

The melody is taken from the American Civil War song "When Johnny Comes Marching Home," composed by Patrick Gilmore in 1863. The tune itself has older roots in Irish folk music.

When did The Ants Go Marching originate?

While the melody dates to 1863, the children's version about marching ants evolved through oral tradition during the mid-twentieth century. Its popular contemporary lyrics were featured in the 1990 special Barney's Campfire Sing-Along.