 | Old MacDonald Had a FarmThomas d’Urfey (music), Frederick Thomas Nettleingham (words) |
Writer(s): Thomas d’Urfey (m), Frederick Thomas Nettleingham (w) (see lyrics here) First Published: 1706 First Charted: September 1, 1958 (The Chargers) Peak: 25 BB, 32 CB, 22 HR, 11 UK (Sinatra) (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): -- Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 7073.96 (combined versions) video, 105.06 streaming (combined versions) |
Awards:Click on award for more details. 
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About the Song:AmericanSongwriter.com’s Jacob Uitti says the children’s tune “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” (also known as “Old MacDonald”) “might very well be the most famous song of all time.” AS Each verse celebrates another farm animal, inviting the singer to make the appropriate animal noises. As Uitti says, the song has universal appeal because “Every country has farms. Every country has animals,” AS “not to mention the joy children have in making barnyard animal noises.” AS The earliest version of the song dates to 1706. WK The writer and composer Thomas d’Urfey wrote the song “In the Fields in Frost and Snow” for an opera, either The Kingdom of the Birds or Wonders of the Sun. TA It is unclear if he based his work on a traditional song that already existed. The music, specifically in the chorus, was a precursor to “Old MacDonald.” LA d’Urfey’s version also introduced the idea of animals making noises within the song. LA It became a popular folk song in the United Kingdom and America AS resulting in various version including “The Farmyard Song” (1880s), “Father’s Wood I O” (1906), and “The Farmyard” (1908). In October 1917, Frederick Thomas Nettleingham published the book Tommy’s Tunes which included a variation of the song called “Ohio” which features a farmer named “Old Macdougal” and includes animal noises from horses, dogs, chickens, and more. WK The earliest recorded version of “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” is by Sam Patterson’s Trio in 1925. WK Gid Tanner & His Skillet Lickers recorded the song in 1927. WK The Chargers had the first charted version of the song in 1958, reaching #95 on the Billboard Hot 100. Two years later, Frank Sinatra had the most successful version of the song, peaking at #25. In the 21st century, versions of the song by CoCoMelon and Bounce Patrol have logged more than two billion YouTube viewing each. Combined version of the song rack up more than seven billion views, behind only Pinkfong’s “Baby Shark” and Luis Fonsi’s “Despacito” as the most watched songs on YouTube. Resources:
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First posted 2/7/2025. |
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