Bingo
Version 1
There was a farmer had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-O!
B-I-N-G-O, B-I-N-G-O, B-I-N-G-O,
And Bingo was his name-O!
There was a farmer had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-O!
*-I-N-G-O, *-I-N-G-O, *-I-N-G-O,
And Bingo was his name-O!
There was a farmer had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-O!
*-*-N-G-O, *-*-N-G-O, *-*-N-G-O,
And Bingo was his name-O!
There was a farmer had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-O!
*-*-*-G-O, *-*-*-G-O, *-*-*-G-O,
And Bingo was his name-O!
There was a farmer had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-O!
*-*-*-*-O, *-*-*-*-O, *-*-*-*-O,
And Bingo was his name-O!
There was a farmer had a dog,
And Bingo was his name-O!
*-*-*-*-*, *-*-*-*-*, *-*-*-*-*,
And Bingo was his name-O!
* = clap
(Mother Goose Club Version)
Version 2
The farmer's dog lay on the hearth,
And Bingo was his name oh !
B-I-N-G-O, B-I-N-G-O, B-I-N-G-O,
And Bingo was his name oh !
Source: Gomme, The Traditional Games Of England, Scotland, And Ireland (1894)
Version 3
A farmer's dog lay on the floor,
And Bingo was his name O!
B-I-N-G-O, B-I-N-G-O,
And Bingo was his name O !
The farmer likes a glass of beer,
I think he calls it Stingo!
S-T-I-N-G-O, S-T-I-N-G-O !
I think he calls it Stingo !
S-T-I-N-G-O ! I think he calls it Stingo !
Source: Gomme, The Traditional Games Of England, Scotland, And Ireland (1894)
Version 4
A Franklyn's dogge leped over a style,
And hys name was littel Byngo.
B with a Y—Y with an N,
N with a G—G with an O,
They call'd hym littel Byngo!
Thys Franklyn, syrs, he brewed goode ayle,
And he called it Rare good Styngo!
S-T-Y-N-G-O !
He call'd it Rare goode Styngo!
Nowe is notte thys a prettie song?
I thinke it is, bye Jyngo,
J wythe a Y—N, G, O—
I sweare yt is, bye Jyngo!
Source: In Praise of Ale (1888)
Version 5
The miller he bought a cask of ale,
And he called it right good Stingo.
S with a T, T with an I, I with an N, N with a G, G with an O,
And he called it right good Stingo.
The miller he went to town one day,
And he bought a wedding Ring-o!
R with an I, I with an N, N with a G, G with an O,
And he bought a wedding Ring-o !
Source: Gomme, The Traditional Games Of England, Scotland, And Ireland (1894)
Historical Background
The earliest known rendition of “Bingo” was published in 1888, with significantly different lyrics than the version most commonly sung today. This version was printed in “In praise of ale: or, Songs, ballads, epigrams, & anecdotes relating to beer, malt, and hops; with some curious particulars concerning ale-wives and brewers, drinking-clubs and customs” by W. T. Marchant as a drinking game. In 1894, English folklorist Alice Bertha Gomme recorded eight different version of the rhyme. The modern form of the song incorporates a dog named Bingo, replacing the letters of its name with claps after each verse of the song.
Download the sheet music of this rhyme
