John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt
"John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt" is a traditional children's song that originates from the United States and Canada. The song consists of one verse repeated, each time increasing or decreasing in volume or tempo.
Lyrics and melody
There are various lyrics to the song; for example, in the following version, the verse is repeated four times, often while altering the volume or pitch. If the volume is lowered, the last line ("da da da" or “tra la la la” among other syllable sounds) often remains constant, shouted even as the rest of the song reduces to a whisper. [1]
Origin
While the origins of the song are obscure, some evidence places its roots with vaudeville and theatre acts of the late 19th century and early 20th century popular in immigrant communities. Some vaudeville acts during the era, such as the work of Joe Weber and Lew Fields, often gave voice to shared frustrations of German-American immigrants and heavily leaned on malapropisms and difficulties with the English language as a vehicle for their humor.[2] "John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt" shares many characteristics with "My Name Is Jan Jansen", a song that can trace its origin to Swedish vaudeville in the late 19th century.
The song appears to have already become widely known by the mid-twentieth century. It received a major boost when it was circulated throughout the country during scout troop gatherings in the late 1920s and early 1930s. In 1926,
The song is
Versions of the song appear in other languages, such as the Spanish rendition, "Juan Paco Pedro de la Mar".
References
- ^ "Bug Juice Days"[permanent dead link] Lynch, Dan
- ^ Wasson, Andrew. "John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt is not a Person". Dairy River. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
- ^ The Times, Munster, Indiana. "Girl Scout Hike". July 29, 1926, p. 6. Retrieved on February 2, 2021.
- ^ Portsmouth Daily Times. "Hold Reunion". January 18, 1927, p. 3. Retrieved on February 2, 2021.
- ^ Star-Gazette, Elmira. "Scouts Open Camp Seneca Term Sunday". July 6, 1931, p. 8. Retrieved on May 29, 2019.
- Milwaukee Journal. "Youth Finds Fun at Fair". August 17, 1941, p. 4. Retrieved on May 24, 2019.