A special thanks to Nik for the image https://unsplash.com/@helloimnik
I was singing a song one morning as my wife was getting ready for work. She is from the Philippines. She asked, 'where did you get that song, did you make it up?'
'It's an old Glasgow street song,' I replied.
Perhaps you sung it as a child? I would be interested to know if some of you from various countries sung it. When I did a bit of research on it, it seems it originated from Tonga in the 13th century. I guess Glasgow being a maritime city, it travelled with sailors from the area. We will never find out who the mystery wordsmith was who taught us how to hide from humans, and brought joy to countless millions of kids. Here is the melody at the end, if you wish to karaoke with it.
Nobody loves me, everybody hates me
I think I’ll go eat worms.
Big fat juicy ones
Emsie weensy squeensy ones
See how they wiggle and squirm
Down goes the first one, down goes the second one
Oh, how they wiggle and squirm!
Up comes the first one, up comes the second one
Oh, how they wiggle and squirm!
I bite off the heads, and suck out the juice
And throw the skins away
Nobody knows how fat I grow
On worms three times a day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3MZlRPEMBA&t=1s
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My partner sings a version of it - "nobody loves me, everybody hates me, I'm going down the garden to eat worns"!
I'd never heard of it before I knew him, I'm from London. He was born in north Essex but both his grandfathers were Scottish, and one was descended from a family who lived in the Gorbals so he has the Glasgow connection.
Alison
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Hi Alison,
Thank you. I was raised in Govan, next to the Gorbals. Say hello to your husband for me.