Song Video
Lyrics
Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou
Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou
Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou
Skip to my Lou, my darlin!
Fly's in the buttermilk,
Shoo, fly, shoo,
Fly's in the buttermilk,
Shoo, fly, shoo,
Fly's in the buttermilk,
Shoo, fly, shoo,
Skip to my Lou, my darlin'.
Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou
Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou
Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou
Skip to my Lou, my darlin!
Lost my partner, what'll I do
Lost my partner, what'll I do
Lost my partner, what'll I do
Skip to my Lou, my darlin!
Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou
Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou
Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou
Skip to my Lou, my darlin!
I'll find another one, prettier, too.
I'll find another one, prettier, too.
I'll find another one, prettier, too.
Skip to my Lou, my darlin!
Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou
Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou
Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou
Skip to my Lou, my darlin!
I've got a friend his name is bill,
He used to have a house on the side of a hill,
One leg's longer than the other one still.
Skip to my Lou my darling.
Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou
Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou
Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou.
Skip to my Lou, my darlin!
Information About Skip To My Lou
Skip To My Lou is a song that originated during the American frontier period. At the time, the young people brought up in strict protestant communities developed play-parties as a way to socialize without depicting themselves as "sinful", - regular dancing was considered to be sinful at the time.
Skip To my Lou is a game that involves stealing or swapping partners, much like in square dancing. The dancers sing as the audience claps to create rhythm for the music.
The song typically involves a number of couple's hand-in-hand, skipping around a ring. A lone boy in the centre of the moving circle sings "Lost my partner, what'll I do?' as the girls whirl past him.
The young man searches for another partner, singing "I'll get another one prettier than you". Once he chooses one of the girls, her previous partner steps in to the middle of the circle, and the game continues.
The "loo" in the title is the Scottish word for "love", but the Anglo-Americans changed the spelling to "lou", an Americanized version.
The Carter Family, Judy Garland, Nat King Cole and Pete Seeger have all recorded versions.
Alternative Lyrics & Related Songs
Add this verse to keep the song going
There's a little red wagon,
Paint it blue
There's a little red wagon,
Paint it blue
There's a little red wagon,
Paint it blue
Skip to my Lou, my darlin'.
You can use this to teach your kids letters A, B, and C
Ants on the apple A A A
Skip to my Lou my darling.
Balls are bouncing B B B
Skip to my Lou my darling.
Caterpillars coughing C C C
skip to my Lou my darling.
We found a longer version that is also fun to sing along to
Fly's in the buttermilk,
Shoo, fly, shoo,
Fly's in the buttermilk,
Shoo, fly, shoo,
Fly's in the buttermilk,
Shoo, fly, shoo,
Skip to my Lou, my darlin'.
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip to my Lou, my darlin'.
Cat's in the cream jar,
Ooh, ooh, ooh,
Cat's in the cream jar,
Ooh, ooh, ooh,
Cat's in the cream jar,
Ooh, ooh, ooh,
Skip to my Lou, my darlin'.
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip to my Lou, my darlin'.
Off to Texas,
Two by two,
Off to Texas,
Two by two,
Off to Texas,
Two by two,
Skip to my Lou, my darlin'.
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip to my Lou, my darlin'.
Lost my partner,
What'll I do?
Lost my partner,
What'll I do?
Lost my partner,
What'll I do?
Skip to my lou, my darlin'.
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip to my Lou, my darlin'.
I'll get another one
Prettier than you,
I'll get another one
Prettier than you,
I'll get another one
Prettier than you,
Skip to my Lou, my darlin'
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip to my Lou, my darlin'.
Can't get a red bird,
Jay bird'll do,
Can't get a red bird,
Jay bird'll do,
Can't get a red bird,
Jay bird'll do,
Skip to my Lou, my darlin'.
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip to my Lou, my darlin'.
Another version of the song that lets you insert actions
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou;
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou;
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou;
Skip to my Lou my darling.
Little red wagon painted blue;
Little red wagon painted blue;
Little red wagon painted blue;
Skip to my Lou my darling.
Fly's in the buttermilk, shoo fly, shoo!
Fly's in the buttermilk, shoo fly, shoo!
Fly's in the buttermilk, shoo fly, shoo!
Skip to my Lou my darling.
Chicken in the bread pan, skip to my Lou;
Chicken in the bread pan, skip to my Lou;
Chicken in the bread pan, skip to my Lou;
Skip to my Lou my darling.
Cows in the cornfield, what'll I do?
Cows in the cornfield, what'll I do?
Cows in the cornfield, what'll I do?
Skip to my Lou my darling.
Lost my partner, what'll I do?
Lost my partner, what'll I do?
Lost my partner, what'll I do?
Skip to my Lou my darling.
Salute your partners, skip to my Lou;
Salute your partners, skip to my Lou;
Salute your partners, skip to my Lou;
Skip to my Lou my darling.
Change your partners, skip to my Lou;
Choose your partners, skip to my Lou;
Change your partners, skip to my Lou;
Skip to my Lou my darling.
I've got a dandy, skip to my Lou;
I've got a dandy, skip to my Lou;
I've got a dandy, skip to my Lou;
Skip to my Lou my darling.
Now shake a light foot, skip to my Lou;
Now shake a light foot, skip to my Lou;
Now shake a light foot, skip to my Lou;
Skip to my Lou my darling.
You can use this version to start a class
How do, how do you do
How do, how do you do
How do, how do you do
How do you do my darling.
Creep, creep, creep to my lou
Creep, creep, creep to my lou
Creep, creep, creep to my lou
Creep to my lou, my darling
Skip, skip, skip to my lou
Skip, skip, skip to my lou
Skip, skip, skip to my lou
Skip to my lou my darling.
Run, run, run to my lou
Run, run, run to my lou
Run, run, run to my lou
Run to my lou my darling