This Old Man
Easy6 notes32 keys to press4/4
Play it by colors: press Listen, then My turn. The next key lights up and waits for you.
C
D
E
F
G
A
Same color twice on the piano? the one on the left
The words of This Old Man
Every syllable sits under its note in the bubbles above. These words are in the public domain.
This old man, he played one,
he played knick-knack on my thumb;
with a knick-knack paddy-whack,
give the dog a bone,
this old man came rolling home.
About this song
This Old Man is a counting song: in each verse the old man plays knick-knack on something new, from one, on my thumb, up to ten. The tune starts with a little jump, G E G, and then walks down the white keys from A to D before coming back to C. Each note on this page is a colored bubble with its letter and its word. Listen plays the song with the keys lighting up; in My turn the next key glows and waits until your child finds it. When the first verse is easy, sing the next ones on the same notes: two, on my shoe; three, on my knee.
Where the song comes from
This Old Man is an English folk song collected in the early 1900s and sung as a counting rhyme in schools around the world. Each verse rhymes a number with something to tap: one, my thumb; two, my shoe; three, my knee; four, my door; five, my hive; and so on up to ten, "on my hen", or "once again".
Playing it together
Make the knick-knack a game: clap twice on "knick-knack", then play the keys. The middle of the song has a run of quick Cs for "knick-knack paddy-whack": bounce the thumb on the red key.
The real sheet music
When the colors are easy, the same song is waiting as a real score: This Old Man piano sheet music, with the melody on the staff, the note names and an easy left hand.
Frequently asked
What are the notes of This Old Man on piano?
G E G, G E G, A G F E D E F, E F G C C C C, C D E F G, G D D F E D C.
What are the words of This Old Man?
This old man, he played one, he played knick-knack on my thumb; with a knick-knack paddy-whack, give the dog a bone, this old man came rolling home. The next verses count up to ten.
Why is This Old Man good for young children?
It mixes counting, rhyming and a simple tune of white keys, and every verse is played on the same notes, so a child learns one tune and sings ten verses.
Play together in GOONS Studio
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