Youth Activity Archive

Paired with a movement game like a dancing version of musical chairs.

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This song is paired with a movement game where all scouts begin paired up and form a circle. One scout is left out and stands in the center as the “Tucker.” Music starts and scouts all dance, even the lone Tucker. At a signal, scouts release partners and form a grand chain (linked hands in a circle) and dance/skip around. At the next signal, everyone breaks the chain and quickly finds a new partner. The scout left without a partner becomes the new Tucker in the center. (Kind of like a dancing version of Musical Chairs).

Printable Music

• See pg. 36 of The Brownie Book for the notes to sing.

Recordings

• YouTube – David Hudspeth
• YouTube – Jesse Miller

Lyrics

Chorus:
Oh, clear the way for old Dan Tucker
Came too late to get his supper,
Supper’s over and dinner’s cookin’
Old Dan Tucker’s just standin’ there lookin’

Sing each Verse followed by the Chorus:

Old Dan Tucker was a nice old man,
He used to ride the darby ram,
He sent him whizzing to the foot of the hill
If he’s not got up he’s lying there still.

Now Old Dan Tucker is a fine old man,
Washed his face in a frying pan,
Combed his head with a wagon wheel,
Died with a toothache in his heel.

Now Old Dan Tucker is come to town,
Riding on a billygoat, leading a hound,
Hound dog bark and the billygoat jump,
Landed Dan Tucker on top of a stump.

Went to town the other night
to hear a noise and see a fight,
All the people was jumping around
saying Old Dan Tucker’s coming to town.

Now Old Dan Tucker, is come to town,
Swinging the ladies round and round,
First to the right and then to the left
And then to the one that he loves the best.

History

“Old Dan Tucker” was composed in 1843 by Dan Emmett. It changed from the professional stage to become an American play song. In 1922, the song was featured on page 36 of the original Brownie Book as a movement activity.

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Click Here -> To see information References:

Disclaimer: The information published on Youth Activity Archive and The Badge Archive is built from the references listed below. These sources demonstrate that our content is grounded in facts and research, not opinion or speculation. Readers may consult them directly when looking for additional material.

• The Brownie Book: A Manual for Leaders of Junior Girl Scouts. United States of America, Girl Scouts, Inc., 1922. pp. 36-37.
• Emmett, Daniel Decatur. Old Dan Tucker. Charles H. Keith, 1843. Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection, Johns Hopkins University.
• “Old Dan Tucker: Children’s Song Lyrics and Sound Clip.” Songsforteaching.com, 2025, https://www.songsforteaching.com/folk/olddantucker.php. Accessed 1 Aug. 2025.
• “Old Dan Tucker (Song).” Mayberry Wiki, Fandom, Inc., 2025, https://mayberry.fandom.com/wiki/Old_Dan_Tucker_(Song). Accessed 1 Aug. 2025.

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