Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes

Last updated
"Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes"
Song
Released1912
Genre Children's song
Children in a Japanese elementary school singing a similar song (2003) Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes.jpg
Children in a Japanese elementary school singing a similar song (2003)
The traditional gestures for the "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" song demonstrated at a festival in Japan (2014)

"Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" is a children's song. The song was documented as early as 1912 [1] and in 1961. [2] It is often sung to the tune of "There Is a Tavern in the Town", although it is sometimes sung to the tune of "London Bridge Is Falling Down". It is commonly sung to the London version in Canada and other British influenced countries. [3] In Czech Republic it is sung to the tune "Když jsem přišel do Vršovic", which is known in USA as "Stodola, pumpa" or "Along the ranch path" in South Korea.

Contents

Description

The song typically has only one verse, with lyrics similar to those below. The second line repeats the first line both in words and in melody, the third line has a rising tone, and the fourth line repeats the first two. Children might dance while they sing the song and touch their head, shoulders, knees, and toes in sequence to the words. [4]

Lyrics

Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
knees and toes
Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
knees and toes
And eyes and ears and mouth and nose
Head, shoulders, knees and toes,
knees and toes.

The lyrics can also be sung in reverse, like this:[ citation needed ]

Toes, knees and shoulders, head,
shoulders, head
Toes, knees and shoulders, head,
shoulders, head
And nose and mouth and ears and eyes
Toes, knees and shoulders, head,
shoulders, head.

Each verse is repeated, with one word being omitted each time, just touching their body parts, without actually saying the word. For example:

Verse 2
----, shoulders, knees and toes
Verse 3
----, ----, knees and toes
Verse 4
----, ----, ----, and toes
Verse 5
----, ----, ----, and ----

This pattern continues until all the words are omitted. The last verse consists of no actual singing or singing all lyrics, but sometimes at a much faster tempo.[ citation needed ]

Similar works

One song was adapted from the traditional version, although it uses a different tune ( Frère Jacques ) with modified lyrical constructions, such as "Eyes and ears" and "Chin/Mouth and nose", and suggests touching the body parts as in the traditional song. [5]

Another variation starts the line with "Eyes" and includes "chin", but it has the words in an order that causes the motions to zig zag. [5]

Many derivative songs have been constructed over the years that similarly teach the vocabulary of body parts. [6] One example, using the same tune, as featured on the Kidsongs video "Boppin' with the Biggles", is as follows: [7]

Feet and tummies arms and chins,
arms and chins
Feet and tummies arms and chins,
arms and chins
And eyes and ears and mouth and shins
Feet and tummies arms and chins,
arms and chins
Hands and fingers legs and lips,
legs and lips
Hands and fingers legs and lips,
legs and lips
And eyes and ears and mouth and hips
Hands and fingers legs and lips,
legs and lips

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Surface anatomy</span> Study of the external features of the body of an animal

Surface anatomy is the study of the external features of the body of an animal. In birds, this is termed topography. Surface anatomy deals with anatomical features that can be studied by sight, without dissection. As such, it is a branch of gross anatomy, along with endoscopic and radiological anatomy. Surface anatomy is a descriptive science. In particular, in the case of human surface anatomy, these are the form and proportions of the human body and the surface landmarks which correspond to deeper structures hidden from view, both in static pose and in motion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Backstroke</span> Swimming style in which one swims on ones back

Backstroke or back crawl is one of the four swimming styles used in competitive events regulated by FINA, and the only one of these styles swum on the back. This swimming style has the advantage of easy breathing, but the disadvantage of swimmers not being able to see where they are going. It also has a different start from the other three competition swimming styles. The swimming style is similar to an upside down front crawl or freestyle. Both backstroke and front crawl are long-axis strokes. In individual medley backstroke is the second style swum; in the medley relay it is the first style swum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hokey Pokey</span> Participation dance

The Hokey Pokey or Hokey Cokey is a participation dance with a distinctive accompanying tune and lyric structure. It is well-known in English-speaking countries. It originates in a British folk dance, with variants attested as early as 1826. The song and accompanying dance peaked in popularity as a music hall song and novelty dance in the mid-1940s in the UK. The song became a chart hit twice in the 1980s. The first UK hit was by The Snowmen, which peaked at UK No. 18 in 1981.

Professional wrestling holds include a number of set moves and pins used by performers to immobilize their opponents or lead to a submission. This article covers the various pins, stretches and transition holds used in the ring. Some wrestlers use these holds as their finishing maneuvers, often nicknaming them to reflect their character or persona. Moves are listed under general categories whenever possible.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strike (attack)</span> Directed physical attack

A strike is a directed, forceful physical attack with either a part of the human body or with a handheld object, intended to cause blunt or penetrating trauma upon an opponent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Push-up</span> Calisthenics exercise

The push-up is a common calisthenics exercise beginning from the prone position. By raising and lowering the body using the arms, push-ups exercise the pectoral muscles, triceps, and anterior deltoids, with ancillary benefits to the rest of the deltoids, serratus anterior, coracobrachialis and the midsection as a whole. Push-ups are a basic exercise used in civilian athletic training or physical education and commonly in military physical training. They are also a common form of punishment used in the military, school sport, and some martial arts disciplines. Variations of push-ups, such as wide-arm push-ups, diamond push-ups target specific muscle groups and provide further challenges.

Canine terminology in this article refers only to dog terminology, specialized terms describing the characteristics of various external parts of the domestic dog, as well as terms for structure, movement, and temperament. This terminology is not typically used for any of the wild species or subspecies of wild wolves, foxes, coyotes, dholes, jackals or the basal caninae. Dog terminology is often specific to each breed or type of dog. Breed standards use this terminology in the description of the ideal external appearance of each breed, although similar characteristics may be described with different terms in different breeds.

Dance position is the position of a dancer or the mutual position of a dance couple assumed during a dance. Describing and mastering proper dance positions is an important part of dance technique.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">At attention</span> Military posture

The position of at attention, or standing at attention, is a military posture which involves the following general postures:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anatomical terms of motion</span> Terms describing animal motion

Motion, the process of movement, is described using specific anatomical terms. Motion includes movement of organs, joints, limbs, and specific sections of the body. The terminology used describes this motion according to its direction relative to the anatomical position of the body parts involved. Anatomists and others use a unified set of terms to describe most of the movements, although other, more specialized terms are necessary for describing unique movements such as those of the hands, feet, and eyes.

<i>The Naked Woman</i> 2004 book by zoologist Desmond Morris

The Naked Woman: A Study of the Female Body is a book by zoologist Desmond Morris first published in 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anthropological criminology</span> Subfield of anthropology

Anthropological criminology is a field of offender profiling, based on perceived links between the nature of a crime and the personality or physical appearance of the offender. Although similar to physiognomy and phrenology, the term "criminal anthropology" is generally reserved for the works of the Italian school of criminology of the late 19th century. Lombroso thought that criminals were born with detectable inferior physiological differences. He popularized the notion of "born criminal" and thought that criminality was a case of atavism or hereditary disposition. His central idea was to locate crime completely within the individual and divorce it from surrounding social conditions and structures. A founder of the Positivist school of criminology, Lombroso opposed the social positivism developed by the Chicago school and environmental criminology.

A GALS screen is an examination used by doctors and other healthcare professionals to detect locomotor abnormalities and functional disability relating to gait, arms, legs and the spine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Front crawl</span> Swimming stroke

The front crawl or forward crawl, also known as the Australian crawl or American crawl, is a swimming stroke usually regarded as the fastest of the four front primary strokes. As such, the front crawl stroke is almost universally used during a freestyle swimming competition, and hence freestyle is used metonymically for the front crawl. It is one of two long axis strokes, the other one being the backstroke. Unlike the backstroke, the breaststroke, and the butterfly stroke, the front crawl is not regulated by the FINA. Hence, in "freestyle" competitive swimming events, any stroke or combination of strokes is permissible. This style is sometimes referred to as the Australian crawl although this can sometimes refer to a more specific variant of front crawl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roberts syndrome</span> Medical condition

Roberts syndrome, or sometimes called pseudothalidomide syndrome, is an extremely rare autosomal recessive genetic disorder that is characterized by mild to severe prenatal retardation or disruption of cell division, leading to malformation of the bones in the skull, face, arms, and legs.

Jju is the native language of the Bajju people of Kaduna State in central Nigeria. As of 1988, there were approximately 300,000 speakers. Jju is one of the Southern Kaduna languages. Although usually listed separately from the Tyap cluster, Jju's separation, according to Blench R.M. (2018), seems to be increasingly ethnic rather than a linguistic reality.

"There Is a Tavern in the Town" is a traditional folk song, which first appeared in the 1883 edition of William H. Hill's Student Songs. The song was the college anthem of Trinity University College.

References

  1. "The Children's Friend, September 1912, No. 9, p. 484".
  2. Witte Austin, Dorothy. "Troubadour Pleases Playground Audiences". Milwaukee Journal , July 18, 1961, Part 2-p. 6.
  3. "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes: Canadian vs American Versions?". Quebec City 101. 2023-12-12. Retrieved 2023-12-16.
  4. "Heads, shoulders, knees and toes". BBC Teach. Retrieved 2024-06-22.
  5. 1 2 "Body part songs and rhymes". Preschool Express.
  6. Parts of the Body Song (Learn Body Parts for Kids – Audio). YouTube . Archived from the original on 2021-12-11.
  7. "Head, Shoulders, Knees And Toes". Kidsongs. Archived from the original on 2010-04-10.