Youth Activity Archive

A song featuring unexpected twists in familiar nursery rhymes.

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Any nursery rhyme could be added.

Recordings

• YouTube – Kat in a Hat Music

Lyrics

Mary had a little lamb, its fleece was white as snow.
And everywhere that Mary went,
she threw it out the window.
The window, the second story window,
and everywhere that Mary went,
she threw it out the window!

Old Mother Hubbard went to the cupboard
To fetch her poor dog a bone
But when she got there the cupboard was bare
So she threw it out the window,
The window, the second story window,
But when she got there the cupboard was bare
So she threw it out the window.

Old King Cole was a merry old soul
And a merry old soul was he
He called for his pipe and he called for his bowl
And he threw them out the window,
The window, the second story window,
He called for his pipe and he called for his bowl
And he threw them out the window.

Little Bo Peep has lost her sheep
And doesn’t know where to find them
But leave them alone, when they come home
She’ll throw them out the window,
The window, the second story window,
But leave them alone, when they come home
She’ll throw them out the window.

Oh where, oh where has my little dog gone
Oh where, oh where can he be?
With his ears cut short and his tail cut long
I’ll throw him out the window
The window, the second story window,
With his ears cut short and his tail cut long
I’ll throw him out the window.

Yankee Doodle went to town
A-riding on a pony
He stuck a feather in his cap
And he threw it out the window
The window, the second story window,
He stuck a feather in his cap
And threw it out the window.

The Grand Old Duke of York.
The Grand Old Duke of York;
he had ten thousand men;
he marched them up to the top of the hill,
and he threw them out the window.
The window, the second story window,
he marched them up to the top of the hill,
and he threw them out the window.

Yankee Doodle came to town, riding on a pony.
He stuck a feather in his hat, and he threw it out the window.
The window, the second story window,
he stuck a feather in his hat,
and he threw it out the window.

Simple Simon met a Pie Man going to the fair,
said Simple Simon to the Pie Man
“Throw me out the window.”
The window, the second story window,
said Simple Simon to the Pie Man
“Throw me out the window.”

Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow?
With silver bells, and cockle shells,
so throw them out the window.
The window, the second story window,
with silver bells, and cockle shells,
so throw them out the window.

Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water,
Jack fell down and broke his crown,
so he threw it out the window.
The window, the second story window,
Jack fell down and broke his crown,
and he threw it out the window.

Little Jack Horner sat in the corner, eating his Christmas pie.
He stuck in his thumb, and he pulled out a plum,
and he threw it out the window.
The window, the second story window,
he stuck in his thumb, and he pulled out a plum,
and he threw it out the window.

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall,
all the king’s horses and all the king’s men
threw him out the window.
The window, the second story window,
all the king’s horses and all the king’s men
threw him out the window.

Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet,
Eating her curds and whey;
When along came a spider, Who sat right down beside her,
She threw him out the window,
The window, the second story window,
If you don’t know what this is about,
We’ll throw you out the window.

(Often performed with the group pointing at the audience at the end.)

History

“The Second Story Window” (or “The Window Song”) is a traditional American campfire parody. It evolved through the folk process, a communal method of songwriting where no single author is credited. While its musical structure mimics 19th-century parlor songs, its modern form emerged in mid-20th century youth camps. It is classified as an iterative song, meaning its core purpose is to be adapted. By replacing the endings of standard Mother Goose rhymes with a nonsensical chorus, the song creates high-energy “gallows humor” that has been a staple of Scouting and 4-H campfire programs for decades.

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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.

• Cole. “Scout Songs: The 7 Best Campfire Songs to Sing with Your Troop – ScoutSmarts.” ScoutSmarts, 9 July 2021, https://scoutsmarts.com/scout-campfire-songs/. Accessed 19 Apr. 2025.
• Rosen, Michael. “Throw It out the Window.” Plumtopia – the Michael Rosen Wiki, Fandom, Inc., 2017, https://michaelrosen.fandom.com/wiki/Throw_It_Out_The_Window. Accessed 19 Apr. 2025.
• “Throw It out the Window Song and Lyrics from KIDiddles.” Kididdles.com, 2025, https://www.kididdles.com/lyrics/t015.html. Accessed 19 Apr. 2025.
• “Throw It out the Window – USA.” Mama Lisa’s World of Children and International Culture, 2025, https://www.mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=4249. Accessed 19 Apr. 2025.

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