Pantomime Songs

do re mi so
  • Cock Robin (Sharp Novello, vol. 1: n. p., Roberts: 188-189)
do re mi so la
  • Cocky Robin (Sharp & Karpeles 1932, vol. 2: 299, Winn 1966: 74)

Old Grimes


Perrow 1913.

This song can be sung with players representing the protagonist, the apple tree, and the old woman.
The protagonist's varies as Oliver Cromwell, Old Roger, Pompey, Old Crumpy, Old Grumble, Old Humpy, and Old Grimes.
Here is a more complete version, with stanzas gleaned from this Website:

Oliver Cromwell lay buried and dead, etc,
There grew an old apple-tree over his head, etc.
The apples were ripe and ready to fall, etc.
There came an old woman to gather them all, etc.
Oliver rose and he gave her a drop, etc.
Which made the old woman go hippety hop, etc.
The saddle and bridle, they lie on the shelf, etc.
If you want any more your can sing it yourself, etc.

do re mi so la do
  • Soldier, won't you marry me? (Roberts: 164-165)
do re mi so la do mi
  • Soldier, soldier, marry me (Randolph 1982, vol. 1: 289-290)
do mi so do
  • Oliver Cromwell (variant of Old Grimes under do re mi so la)
    (Sing Out! 1975: 20-21)
so do re mi so
  • Farmer in the field, The
    (can use Cox 1942 melody for The muffin man) (Cox 1942)


  • Old Pompey (version of Old Grimes)
    (Cox 1942, Bradford 1978: 70)
A Male Chauvinist Melodrama

This number can be done with cue cards saying "sigh," "hiss," and so forth.


O here's our dreadful villain, etc.
We want you all to hiss.

He captures the heroine, etc.
We want you all to scream.

O here's our noble hero, etc.
We want you all to cheer.

They fight a bloody battle, etc.
We want you all to gasp.

Our couple's getting married, etc.
We want you all to cry.

And now our song is over, etc.
We want you all to clap.

so do re mi so la
  • Farmer in the dell, The
    (The first stanza is the same as that of the familiar version.
    In subsequent stanzas, the farmer plants and harvests wheat.)
    (Stecher & Mueller 1941: 20-21)
  • Seed cycle, The (melody of The farmer in the dell)
    (Dykema: #63)
so la do re mi
  • Cocky Robin (variant of Sharp & Karpeles 1932, vol. 2: 299)
    (Sharp & Karpeles 1932, vol. 2: 300)
  • Cocky Robin (another variant of Sharp & Karpeles 1932,
    vol. 2: 299)
    (Sharp & Karpeles 1932, vol. 2: 301)
  • Old Billy Apple Tree (variant of Old Grimes under do re mi so la)
    (Sharp & Karpeles 1932, vol. 2: 370)
  • Old Mother Flip-Flop (Randolph 1982, vol. 1: 388-389)
so la do re mi so
  • Cocky Robin (variant of Sharp & Karpeles 1932, vol. 2: 299)
    (Sharp & Karpeles 1932, vol. 2: 302)
    (another variant in Gainer 1963: 47)
  • Mouse's courting song (Evanson [1949] 1960:, Korson: 461, Bradford 1978: 86)
so la do re mi so la
  • Soldier, soldier, won't you marry me?
    (Dallin & Dallin 1966, Sharp Novello: n. p.,
    Sharp & Karpeles 1932, vol. 2: 40)
la do re mi la
  • Cock Robin (Chase [1956] 19714: 178)
mi so la do re mi so
  • Old Mother Hippletoe (version of Old Mother Flip-Flop)
    (Rinzler 1978)
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