What Did Delaware, Boys?
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What did Delaware, boys,
What did Delaware?
What did Delaware, boys,
What did Delaware?
What did Delaware, boys,
What did Delaware?
I ask you now as a personal friend,
What did Delaware?
She wore her New Jersey, boys,
She wore her New Jersey
She wore her New Jersey, boys,
She wore her New Jersey
She wore her New Jersey, boys,
She wore her New Jersey
I tell you now as a personal friend,
She wore her New Jersey
What did Idaho, boys,
What did Idaho?
What did Idaho, boys,
What did Idaho?
What did Idaho, boys,
What did Idaho?
I ask you now as a personal friend,
What did Idaho?
She hoed her Maryland, boys,
She hoed her Maryland
She hoed her Maryland, boys,
She hoed her Maryland
She hoed her Maryland, boys,
She hoed her Maryland
I tell you now as a personal friend,
She hoed her Maryland
What did Ioweigh, boys,
What did Ioweigh?
What did Ioweigh, boys,
What did Ioweigh?
What did Ioweigh, boys,
What did Ioweigh?
I ask you now as a personal friend,
What did Ioweigh?
She weighed a Washington, boys,
She weighed a Washington
She weighed a Washington, boys,
She weighed a Washington
She weighed a Washington, boys,
She weighed a Washington
I tell you now as a personal friend,
She weighed a Washington
How did Wiscon-sin, boys,
How did Wiscon-sin?
How did Wiscon-sin, boys,
How did Wiscon-sin?
How did Wiscon-sin, boys,
How did Wiscon-sin?
I ask you now as a personal friend,
How did Wiscon-sin?
She stole a New-brass-key, boys,
She stole a New-brass-key
She stole a New-brass-key, boys,
She stole a New-brass-key
She stole a New-brass-key, boys,
She stole a New-brass-key
I tell you now as a personal friend,
She stole a New-brass-key
What did Tennessee, boys,
What did Tennessee?
What did Tennessee, boys,
What did Tennessee?
What did Tennessee, boys,
What did Tennessee?
I ask you now as a personal friend,
What did Tennessee?
She saw what Arkansaw, boys,
She saw what Arkansaw
She saw what Arkansaw, boys,
She saw what Arkansaw
She saw what Arkansaw, boys,
She saw what Arkansaw
I tell you now as a personal friend,
She saw what Arkansaw
How did Flora-die, boys,
How did Flora-die
How did Flora-die, boys,
How did Flora-die
How did Flora-die, boys,
How did Flora-die
I ask you now as a personal friend,
How did Flora-die?
She died in Missouri, boys,
She died in Missouri
She died in Missouri, boys,
She died in Missouri
She died in Missouri, boys,
She died in Missouri
I tell you now as a personal friend,
She died in Missouri
Where has Oregon, boys,
Where has Oregon?
Where has Oregon, boys,
Where has Oregon?
Where has Oregon, boys,
Where has Oregon?
I ask you now as a personal friend,
Where has Oregon?
She's gone to Oklahom, boys,
She's gone to Oklahom
She's gone to Oklahom, boys,
She's gone to Oklahom
She's gone to Oklahom, boys,
She's gone to Oklahom
I tell you now as a personal friend,
She's gone to Oklahom
Why did Califon-ya, boys,
Why did Califon?
Why did Califon-ya, boys,
Why did Califon?
Why did Califon-ya, boys,
Why did Califon?
I ask you now as a personal friend,
Why did Califon?
She phoned to say Hawai-ya, boys,
She phoned to say Hawai-ya
She phoned to say Hawai-ya, boys,
She phoned to say Hawai-ya
She phoned to say Hawai-ya, boys,
She phoned to say Hawai-ya
I tell you now as a personal friend,
That's why Califoned.
What did Mississip, boys,
What did Mississip?
What did Mississip, boys,
What did Mississip?
What did Mississip, boys,
What did Mississip?
I ask you now as a personal friend,
What did Mississip?
She sipped a Minnisota, boys,
She sipped a Minnisota
She sipped a Minnisota, boys,
She sipped a Minnisota
She sipped a Minnisota, boys,
She sipped a Minnisota
I tell you now as a personal friend,
That's what Mississipped.
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What Did Delaware, Boys? Alternative Lyrics
Why did Ohi-oh! boys,
Why did Ohi-oh!?
Why did Ohi-oh!, boys,
Why did Ohi-oh!?
Why did Ohi-oh!, boys,
Why did Ohi-oh!?
I ask you now as a personal friend,
Why did Ohi-oh!?
She heard an Illi-noise, boys,
She heard an Illi-noise.
She heard an Illi-noise, boys,
She heard an Illi-noise.
She heard an Illi-noise, boys,
She heard an Illi-noise.
I tell you now as a personal friend,
She heard an Illi-noise.
How did Connecti-cut, boys,
How did Connecti-cut?
How did Connecti-cut, boys,
How did Connecti-cut?
How did Connecti-cut, boys,
How did Connecti-cut?
I ask you now as a personal friend,
How did Connecti-cut?
She used her New Hamp-shears, boys,
She used her New Hamp-shears.
She used her New Hamp-shear, boys,
She used her New Hamp-shears.
She used her New Hamp-shears, boys,
She used her New Hamp-shears.
I tell you now as a personal friend,
She used her New Hamp-shears.
Why was Pennsyl-vain, boys,
Why was Pennsyl-vain?
Why was Pennsyl-vain, boys,
Why was Pennsyl-vain?
Why was Pennsyl-vain, boys,
Why was Pennsyl-vain?
I ask you now as a personal friend,
Why was Pennsyl-vain?
She looked down on Lousy-ann, boys,
She looked down on Lousy-ann.
She looked down on Lousy-ann, boys,
She looked down on Lousy-ann.
She looked down on Loosey-ann, boys,
She looked down on Lousy-ann.
I tell you now as a personal friend,
She looked down on Lousy-ann.
What did Massa-chew, boys,
What did Massa-chew?
What did Massa-chew, boys,
What did Massa-chew?
What did Massa-chew, boys,
What did Massa-chew?
I ask you now as a personal friend,
What did Massa-chew?
Just a moment and I'll ask-her, boys,
Just a moment and Al-ask-a.
Just a moment and Al-ask-a, boys,
Just a moment and Al-ask-a.
Just a moment and Al-ask-a, boys,
Just a moment and Al-ask-a.
I tell you now as a personal friend,
Just a moment and Al-ask-a.
What did Ala-bam, boys,
What did Ala-bam?
What did Ala-bam, boys,
What did Ala-bam?
What did Ala-bam, boys,
What did Ala-bam?
I ask you now as a personal friend,
What did Ala-bam?
She bammed that big Tex-ass, boys,
She bammed that big Tex-ass.
She bammed that big Tex-ass, boys,
She bammed that big Tex-ass.
She bammed that big Tex-ass, boys,
She bammed that big Tex-ass.
I tell you now as a personal friend,
She bammed that big Tex-ass.
Additional lyrics
What did Io-weigh, boys
She weighed a Washing-ton, boys.
Where has Michi-gone, boys?
She's gone to see Georgie, boys.
What did Mass- shew, boys?
He chewed New Mexi-Chow, boys.
Short Version
Where has Oregon, boys,
Where has Oregon?
If you want Alaska,
(I'll-ask-a) where she's gone.
She went to pay her Texas
She went to pay her Texas
She went to pay her Texas,
That's where she has gone.
Information About What Did Delaware, Boys?
Lyrics and music by Irving Gordon, 1959
User Comments What Did Delaware, Boys? (48)
By James from Fort Wayne Allen on 30 January 2009
What Did Ohi-owe? A Lot of Tax-es
By Hydie from Wa,usa on 9 March 2009
This song was written in 1959 they did not have a problem with it and you sang it in school so get over your self! Amanda.
By Jean from Jackson, Mi on 17 March 2009
Other alternative verses that I remember are, What did Ohi-owe? She owed her back Taxes. What did Mississipp? She sipped her Old Virgin.
By Kirsty from Sussex, Uk on 4 April 2009
I agree with Amanda, using the word 'ass' in a childrens song is inappropriate. And as for people in 1959 not having a problem with it, over the years the meaning of words change as does how and when they are deemed suitable for use.
By Carol from Antwerp,usa on 11 April 2009
Are you sure that it was written in 1959? I thought my older sisters taught it to me long before that.
By Rene' from Hampton on 17 April 2009
Oh it sounds wonderful i would sing this song for my mother
By Moira from St. Petersburg, Florida on 28 May 2009
Thanks so very much - I heard this years ago and could only remember a few of the states involved and during a conversatioin tonight several people remembered other states - and now I have all the words
By Bonnie from Ohio, U.s.a. on 11 July 2009
I think this song is from the 20's or 30's. I graduated in 1958, and I don't remember hearing it after that, but years and years before that.
By Div Bigger from Scotland on 1 August 2009
what did missip boy? She sipped a minnisoda.
By Mary from Ocala Usa on 12 September 2009
I don't remember this from my childhood but my mother and her siblings knew it quite well - they were born around 1908 - 1916. They taught it to everyone at family reunions starting in 1976 so I think the original version must be quite old.
By Cheryl from Dallas ,usa on 25 September 2009
This is hysterical my dad knew this song from his childhood. This song is old. I have to say some of the verses were not taught to me as my dad is a preacher. I can not wait to share my new knowledge with him. As for the kids song "controversy" . Do what parents have be doing for thousands of years. ---censor.
By Janet from Colorado Springs, Co on 6 October 2009
I was happy to find the lyrics to this song on this website today. I was GOOGLING to try to find this because the residents in the senior home where I work learned their 50 states by singing it. They range in age from 80 to 96. I continue to learn something new from them every day. Now this would have been a FUN way to learn the 50 states, I think!
By Christine from Wales Uk on 24 January 2010
watching a tv programme this song was just played. I sang and learnt the staes of America as a child, I am now nearly sixty and it has brought back happy memories of when I sang it, what negative thoughts people conjure up, it is a pity we consider this as harmful, what about the language heard daily on out streets...that's what I find offensive. Sorry but who sang it? I have a bet on with my husband.
By Tara from Aurora U.s.a on 29 March 2010
I think it simply is unaceptable for a childerns song to have the word ass in it. It is not a word young kids should be saying! If i said that when i wa little, my mom would slap my mouth. It is unaceptable!
By Loyd from Portersville U.s.a. on 20 April 2010
I too agree with Steve, I am so tired of political correctness and the thought police that it is not even funny. Let kids be kids. You can't protect them from everything. Also this song was not written in 1959, I am 74 years old and it was in an old songbook we had at home when I was a little boy.
By Betty from Kansas City Usa on 3 May 2010
There may be a version published in 1959, but we sang a version in the late 1940's and early 1950's. I think I learned it in Girl Scouts but it was a favorite on road trips. We didn't have unacceptable words-all clean.
By Tim from Alaska on 3 May 2010
I'm sure if kids were singing this on a bus ride the driver would get a huge kick out of it and a simple word like ass would ensure even the biggest of trouble makers would participate. I don't know about a teacher actually teaching kids to say "he bammed that big ass" though... these days kids know much worse and it could be taken multiple ways. I'm kinda on the fence on this one.
By Leanna from Pomona Usa on 3 May 2010
I lost my mom in january and I thought I lost the words forever - we sang this on the way to utah every summer when I was a kid - I can't thank you enough for saving all the memories for me - now I can teach my grandson and make out own memories! Bless you!
By Mitzi from Bristol, Usa on 9 June 2010
I looked everywhere for this song, as this is how I learned the states as a child in elementary school. Nobody in my entire family claims to have heard it, even though I'm the youngest at 62. Thank you for publishing this for us oldies but goodies. I can now prove to my husband that it truly does exist!
By Jim from Tempe, Az, Usa on 23 June 2010
I remember singing this song on a school trip to Washington, DC, about 1948.
By Linda from Usa on 1 August 2010
I first heard this song on "My Hit Parade" in the fifties, if anyone remembers. It was a weekly variety tv show that performed the current popular songs. The theme was a french girl wanting to come to the USA. The first verse was, "Sailor boys come talk to me in english. Sailor boys come tell me what to say. Sailor boys come talk to me in english. Now I know all about the USA! Then she sang the "Delaware" song. I never knew it was a childrens song but, it was done really cute and I remembered parts of it just from that one performance. Does anyone else remember this?
By Jill Holsen from Pelican Rapids, Us on 6 August 2010
On a road trip, I started singing this song, and my husband, who's from Minnesota (and aged 63) said he'd never heard it. I'm from England originally and remembered so many of the states, but I was asking him if he remembered what they sang about Missouri (we were in Hannibal at the time). I was shocked he just didn't recognize it!
By Pam from Largo Fl on 16 September 2010
I was driving to work this AM and trying to recall all of the lyrics to this fun song. I learned it at school back in the 60s. I believe it was a song sang in music classs and it helped teach us the names of the United States. Cute song
By Dee from United States on 30 September 2010
Lots of songs have censored or changed versions. ( A great example is "My Blue Heaven") I'm sure the controversional verses came from those and were not sung at school. They were not part of the song when I learned it in school.
By William from United States on 11 January 2011
I'm only 43, but growing up I've heard a few of these questions. I was told that it was a song but had never heard it or seen it written. I was asking my son who is 13, some of the ones that I knew and had mentioned that there was supposed to be a song with all of the states. When we Googled one of the lines the results page was longer than I expected since I had never heard this in school. It was fun reading some of the verses that I've not heard before.
By Andy from United States on 19 January 2011
this is very old song. i believe, i could be wrong, but if i remember correctly this song was written just before the civil war era. as we added states verses were added.
By Norman from United States on 31 January 2011
I heard it was a marching tune used in one of the World Wars, which would explain the foul language.
By Ann from United States on 30 March 2011
Great song. I learned it at church camp in the late l940's. Love it.
By Lou from United States on 12 August 2011
I am delighted to find the words to this song I sang as a child. I really did not expect to fine it when I Googled it. I will teach it to my grandchildren and great grandchildren !
By Janet from United States on 24 August 2011
Thank you for the lyrics. I could only remember Delaware, and of course New Jersey, we were singing just that first line and since I was the one who started it was put in charge of finding all of the lyrics to the song. It's a fun song and if you're going to emphasize the word ass then children will think there is something wrong with the word. Grow up people, ass is an animal and short for jackass.
By Graham, Glasgow from United Kingdom on 9 October 2011
Magic, I used this song to EDUCATE my wife on your States.. :-) so, it's an educational tool as well now..
By Nara from United States on 26 November 2011
I seem to remember the Kingston Trio doing this song, back in the 50s or early 60s
By Jill from Australia on 19 January 2012
I was born and brought up in Scotland and remember a great aunt teaching this song to me when I was about 4 or 5, in 1960. I wouldn't hesitate to sing it to any one of my 8 grandchildren! It's fun!
By Crksgirl from United States on 5 February 2012
This is such a great song & it gives me good memories of my granny driving us to Illinois for our family reunion. We that were in the car would sing this song. Thanks for sharing.
By Sue from United States on 5 March 2012
Have been going on several sites and have found lines for 28 states
By Wade from United States on 20 April 2012
Hey. It's one on the most "fun" novelty songs there is. (Children's song? The commonality of "opinions" and "donkey-holes" -- everyone has one.) 1959 would be about right. "We" got an Interstate system. Anyway, I'm glad someone was listening.
By Wade from United States on 20 April 2012
I'd like to give a Score greater than '1'!
By Libby from United States on 7 August 2012
This is obviously not a children's song, but an army marching song. Note the use of "boys" common name for soldiers up to WWII- also-original song covered all the 50 states- an obvious need to build unity in the ranks of soldiers. I bet if you looked at when and where it originated-it was during a war.
By Annette from United States on 25 January 2013
Ass? Really, I am 70 yrs. old and I remember that song. Ass is not a vulgar name when you compare it to so many other words the children use today especially at school. Yes your children curse at school. If you think ass is bad you should here the filth that comes out of their mouths when your are not around you would die. Yea, I know. A lot of parents will say my kids never hear words like ass, sure they don't. GET OVER THE WORD ASS! teach them to ignore profanity. EDUCATE, EDUCATE!
By Samantha from Australia on 23 February 2013
the word ass that is not a children song and plus who ever wrote this song is a bitch.
By Karen from United States on 26 March 2013
This is not a children's song, and it wasn't written in 1959. My mother is 95 and learned it when she was a teenager (somewhere in the 1930s.) I remember singing it in the car in the early 1950s, too. Lighten up about that one word, for heaven's sake. As Annette points out, children learn--and say--it and far worse words at school and among their friends. Besides, who says you have to sing every single verse of the song? It's still a cute song...just leave out that verse!
By Ryan from United States on 25 April 2013
its Where has Oregon, Where has Oregon? Where has Oregon, Where has Oregon? Where has Oregon, boys, Where has Oregon? I ask you as a friend of mine, Where has Oregon? She went to pay her Taxes She went to pay her Taxes She went to pay her Taxes She went to pay her Taxes She went to pay her Taxes She went to pay her Taxes i tell you now as a friend of mine She went to pay her Taxes
By Wade from United States on 16 May 2013
I remember Mom singing this song when I was a kid, I'm 60 now. Her Mom taught her. I like it. Not inappropriate at all. Even the mythological book the bible has ass in it. Get over it.
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Score: -2 Down Up
By Amanda from Ca,usa on 23 January 2009
This is a childrenʻs song and using the a-s-s in one of the verses is inappropriate.