Water, Water, Wallflower

Original Track ID

SA1976.78.A1

Original Tape ID

SA1976.078

Summary

Girls' singing game, 'Water, Water, Wallflower'.

The girls make a circle and go round singing:

Water, water, wallflower, growing up so high,
We are all maidens and we must all die,
Except Jeannie Rodgers who is the fairest one,
She can dance and she can sing and she can do the polka.
Fie, fie, fie for shame, turn your back to the wall again.

At "Fie, fie" everyone points to the person named, who then must turn and face the other way. Jean Rodger also had a different version of this rhyme given to her by an old lady from farther north.

Recording Location

Language

English

Genre

Song Information

Collection

SoSS

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good