Some Bingo Related History

The Bingo Song

The actual origins of the Bingo Song are quite obscure and little if anything is known about who might have composed it.

The version most commonly known is normally used in primary education to illustrate rhythm theory. It is also used at times as a military cadence.

Below are the lyrics to the contemporary version:

                       There was a farmer who 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 who had a dog,

                       And Bingo was his name-o.

                       (clap)-I-N-G-O

                       (clap)-I-N-G-O

                       (clap)-I-N-G-O

                       And Bingo was his name-o.

                       There was a farmer who had a dog,

                       And Bingo was his name-o.

                       (clap)-(clap)-N-G-O

                       (clap)-(clap)-N-G-O

                       (clap)-(clap)-N-G-O

                       And Bingo was his name-o.

                       There was a farmer who had a dog,

                       And Bingo was his name-o.

                       (clap)-(clap)-(clap)-G-O

                       (clap)-(clap)-(clap)-G-O

                       (clap)-(clap)-(clap)-G-O

                       And Bingo was his name-o.

                       There was a farmer who had a dog,

                       And Bingo was his name-o.

                       (clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-O

                       (clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-O

                       (clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-O

                       And Bingo was his name-o.

                       There was a farmer who had a dog,

                       And Bingo was his name-o.

                       (clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)

                       (clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)

                       (clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)-(clap)

                       And Bingo was his name-o.

Here, however, is one of the oldest examples of the song, found in a book of college songs published in 1906:

The miller's big dog lay on the barn-floor, And Bingo was his name; (repeat)
B-I-N-G-O, B-I-N-G-O, B-I-N-G-O, Bingo was his name.
B-I-N-G-O,
Bingo was his name.

They cut him into sausage meat, And Bingo was his name; (repeat)
B-I-N-G-O, B-I-N-G-O, B-I-N-G-O, Bingo was his name.
B-I-N-G-O,
Bingo was his name.

They whistled at that sausage meat; and Bingo wagged his tail; (repeat)
B-I-N-G-O, B-I-N-G-O, B-I-N-G-O, Bingo wagged his tail.
B-I-N-G-O,
Bingo wagged his tail.

(Whistle the melody); and Bingo wagged his tail. (repeat)
B-I-N-G-O, B-I-N-G-O, B-I-N-G-O, Bingo wagged his tail.
B-I-N-G-O,
Here's to good old Brown, drink it down (drink it down).
Here's to good old Brown, drink it down (drink it down).

This older version certainly puts a different, somewhat darker spin on the popular folk song, doesn’t it?

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