Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes

"Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" is a children's song. The song has been documented as early as the 1950s,[1] and is often sung to the tune of "There Is a Tavern in the Town".

"Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes"
Song
Released1950s
GenreChildren's song
Children in a Japanese elementary school singing the song.

Description

There is generally only one verse with lyrics similar to those below. The second line repeats the first line both in words and in melody, the third line has a rising tone, and the fourth line repeats the first two. Children might dance while they sing the song and touch their head, shoulders, knees, and toes in sequence while singing each word.

Lyrics
Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
knees and toes
Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
knees and toes
And eyes and, ears and, mouth and nose
Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
knees and toes.

The lyrics can also be sung in reverse, like this:

Toes, knees and shoulders, head,
shoulders, head
Toes, knees and shoulders, head,
shoulders, head
And nose and mouth and ears and eyes
Toes, knees and shoulders, head,
shoulders, head.

Each verse is repeated, with one word being omitted each time, just touching their body parts, without actually saying the word. For example:

Verse 2
----, shoulders, knees and toes
Verse 3
----, ----, knees and toes
Verse 4
----, ----, ----, ---- toes
Verse 5
----, ----, ----, ---- ----

This pattern continues until all the words are omitted. The last verse consists of no actual singing. The very last/final verse is to put all the body part words back in. Just touching what would have been sung or singing all lyrics, but sometimes at a much faster tempo.

There is a song that was adapted from the traditional; it uses another tune and says, "Eyes and ears", "Chin/Mouth and nose" and suggests touching the body parts as in the traditional song. [2] Another alternative from the traditional starts the line with "Eyes" and includes "chin;" however, it has the words in an order that causes the motions to zig zag.[3]

Today there are many derivative songs that teach the vocabulary of body parts.[4] One example, using the same tune, as featured on the Blue's Clues episode entitled, "Blue Wants to Play a Song Game!" is as follows:

Head, shoulders, back and belly,
back and belly
Head, shoulders, back and belly,
back and belly
And eyes and ears and mouth and nose
Head, shoulders, back and belly,
back and belly.
gollark: Great "poll", that.
gollark: Also TVs.
gollark: Samsung license core designs from ARM, tweak them slightly, put them in a chip with important stuff like modems and RAM interfaces, make them, and put them in phones.
gollark: And probably some reference boards, but mostly those.
gollark: ARM only make core designs.

References
  1. Witte Austin, Dorothy. "Troubadour Pleases Playground Audiences". Milwaukee Journal, July 18, 1961, Part 2-p. 6.
  2. http://www.preschoolexpress.com/music-station11/body-part-songs.shtml
  3. http://www.preschoolexpress.com/music-station11/body-part-songs.shtml
  4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2pUxxM8W3g
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