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Recognise this silly song?

(29 Posts)
BradfordLass72 Tue 01-Jan-19 02:03:18

Way back in the mists of time (1940-50's), my mother used to sing what I assumed was a nonsense song. Now I'm wondering if it was actually a language... one I don't know.
So, if anyone recognises this ditty, will you let me know?

It sounded like this:

Coin-me nary, kiltie-cary
Coin-me nary, coin-me
Ring ting ranabunna, ranabunna ring ting
Ring ting ranabunam coin-me.

I know it doesn't sound like a language but not so long since, I found out that a 'nonsense' song my Granddad sang, was actually Burmese! So you never know. smile

Jane10 Tue 01-Jan-19 09:59:21

Sorry no I don't. However, what a craze there was for nonsense songs in those days. The Panto we attended reminded me of this. The DGSs were very impressed that I knew the words of the singalong - 'Gilly Gilly Ossenfeffer Kitzenellenbogan by the sea!'
Don't get me started on 'Mairzie Doates and Daisy Doates and little Nancy Tivy'!

MawBroon Tue 01-Jan-19 10:01:47

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mairzy_Doats

Chewbacca Tue 01-Jan-19 10:59:22

The Baby Shark song has been my ear worm for the whole of the Christmas period this year thanks grandchildren and it was also the "altogether now" song at the panto. Aaarggh!

Jane10 Tue 01-Jan-19 11:30:38

I must admit I quite like the 'Baby Shark' one. Grans even get a mention in it.

pensionpat Tue 01-Jan-19 11:42:20

Although Granny Shark has no teeth! Hi

Grannybags Tue 01-Jan-19 12:01:52

Ahh...memories of my Mum and I singing Mairzy Doats. Happy times smile

EllaKeat Tue 01-Jan-19 12:15:24

Oh dear - i remember about 30 years ago doing Maizy doates and Dozy doates in a game of charades.
Suprisingly, one person got it ?
Evefyone else thought it was a song they had never heard of until we sang it for them - cue much hilarity and jibes about 'the youth of today'!

JaneA Tue 01-Jan-19 12:44:34

Maizy Doates and Dozy Doates used to be my party piece when I was little.

Blinko Tue 01-Jan-19 12:48:11

I always thought the song was: Mares eat oats and does eat oats and little lambs eat ivy.... looks like I could be wrong.

I did hear about some smarty pants in the 70s who scrawled on an official looking notice board of Mersey Docks and Harbour Board '...and little lambs eat ivy'.

JaneA Tue 01-Jan-19 12:57:20

Blinko - yes it is. You're not wrong. It's just the way it's sung.

GabriellaG54 Tue 01-Jan-19 18:37:10

BradfordLass72
Before I read to the end of your post, I thought it sounded rather Indian in flavour.
Blinko
Yes, mum sang that song and many more.
'...a kid'll eat ivy too
Wouldn't you?'
Pack up your troubles...
The man who broke the bank at Monte Carlo
She's my lady love
MacNamara's band
My old man...
Dad's favourite was ' Tangerine...she is all they claim...' etc which he sang in spurts whilst shaving.
I know all the words to those songs plus the poems Hiawatha, The Pied Piper of Hamelin (favourite) and The Walrus and the Carpenter.
I love poetry, especially old funny ones where you can do accents.

BBbevan Tue 01-Jan-19 18:53:56

My Gran used to sing a song based on one's name
As in
Mary, tye tairy
Tiddly airy, fy fairy
Fy fairy, tiddly airy
That's how you spell Mary
Never heard it since though my DGDs love it

Also There was an old man called Michael Finnegan
And Tiddlywinks the barber

DoraMarr Tue 01-Jan-19 19:08:53

Bradfordlass, your song sounds Gaelic to me- I wonder if it is?
My grandparents and their parents were great music- hall goers in late 19th and early 20th century London, so the songs they sang to us were by Marie Lloyd and others. I’ve passed them on to my children and grandchildren. My granddaughter loves “My old man said follow the van” and “Oh, oh, Antonio.”

Blinko Tue 01-Jan-19 19:13:17

There's always Tarara Boom De Ay....

MissAdventure Tue 01-Jan-19 19:14:24

BBbevan
I've just been teaching a version of that, although I can't remember who taught me.

Davmars Tue 01-Jan-19 19:31:26

Dear Bradford lass72--I am 84yrs old and Welsh and my father used to sing this song to me and my brother and also my sons,who are now in their late fifties,and we all still remember the words!!! but to slightly different spellings??!!--coyminero, coyminero,coyminero,coymi--pinstrimstridadle arabone a ringtone,arigma,abullitin, macoymi!,!!!!?‍?‍?‍??‍?‍?‍? --definitely not Welsh,my Dad said it was Double Dutch ??!!--happy memories of simple,no cost FUN

lemongrove Tue 01-Jan-19 19:42:21

Hmmmm, sounds a bit like a nonsense song from a Disney film from way back when.

Blinko Tue 01-Jan-19 19:47:06

This is beginning to remind me of the old 17th Century song 'Liliburlero'. I'll try a link...

Lilliburlero - Folk Song Lyrics
folk-lyrics.co.uk/Lyrics/Lilliburlero

Blinko Tue 01-Jan-19 19:47:33

It hasn't worked. But you can google it and hear the tune too.

Devorgilla Wed 02-Jan-19 17:43:27

With the word 'kiltie' in it, it sounds Scottish or Scots Irish. Doesn't ring a bell with me and my Scottish grandmother had a wealth of these songs. As GabriellaG54 says it could be Indian. A lot of the Scottish and Irish regiments served in India and no doubt brought local songs and games back with them. I played one such a game as a child. I happened, in later life as a teacher, to show a video on Hinduism to my class and this game was in it. I said I'd played it as a child and was asked if I had been born in India by the pupils who hailed from that area. I wasn't. I assumed the troops had brought it home and played it with their kids. Look up old childhood songs on the net and you get several sites about them.

BradfordLass72 Fri 04-Jan-19 03:52:58

Thank you for all these lovely replies, Daymars especially. My Mum knew lots of silly songs, including the Mairsey Doazts so familiar to everyone here. Thank s again. smile

Lisigp60 Sun 27-Jan-19 19:47:14

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

pensionpat Sun 27-Jan-19 22:37:52

My FIL, had an army song called My Brother Sylveste. It had audience participation and was hilarious. We played it after his funeral. Thank goodness fir YouTube.

Nannarose Sun 27-Jan-19 22:44:32

Bellowhead's amazing version of Lillibulero:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLHYxoEgrKQ