There's a hole in the bucket,
Dear Liza, dear Liza,
Then mend it, dear Henry,
Dear Henry, mend it.
With what shall I mend it,
Dear Liza, dear Liza?
With a straw, then, dear Henry,
Dear Henry, with a straw.
If the straw is too long,
Then, dear Liza, dear Liza?
Then cut it, dear Henry,
Dear Henry, cut it.
With what shall I cut it,
Dear Liza, dear Liza?
With a knife, then, dear Henry,
Dear Henry, with a knife.
If the knife is too dull, then,
Dear Liza, dear Liza?
Then sharpen it, dear Henry,
Dear Henry, sharpen it.
With what shall I sharpen it,
Dear Liza, dear Liza?
With a whetstone, dear Henry,
Dear Henry, with a stone.
If the stone be too dry, then,
Dear Liza, dear Liza?
Then wet it, dear Henry,
Dear Henry, wet it.
With what shall I wet it,
Dear Liza, dear Liza?
With water, dear Henry,
Dear Henry, with water.
How shall I fetch it,
Dear Liza, dear Liza?
In a bucket, dear Henry,
Dear Henry, in a bucket.
There's a hole in the bucket,
Dear Liza, dear Liza,
Then mend it, dear Henry,
Dear Henry, mend it.
This song demonstrates futility in such a happy way.
2 comments:
This song brought back a fun memory!
I was about 16 and it was summer - I was up in Canada at the Cayuga canoe camp on Lake Temagami.
Every year 40 or so young men from England (that had been selected for the annual Rhodes Scholars) were taken on a tour of the "colonies" as part of their scholarship reward before settling down to their studies.
The last stop on their tour was another camp on Lake Temagami - all the local people, including campers, were invited for a big farewell party with them.
It was a great fun time - those young men were so witty with the various skits that they organized on the spur of the moment with people from the audience. They were really an amazing bunch of people.
At one point, they led the audience in this song. With much ado, clapping, improvised musical instruments and energy - they made singing along with this silly little song such a grand time!!
I can see, with just reading the words, the philosophical implications of futility but I'll refuse to linger on this - the other incarnation of this song was too much fun!
Speaking of futility and flying in the face of it - making up my bed every morning is such a drill that I put myself through every morning (after Stitch - the monster TX cat - gets herself up around 9 every morning - don't like to disturb her highness).
I think I prefer your associations with this song.
Good Morning Mom! I'm still waiting to find out what you are going to do with all those pipes at Poho.
This is just a quicky note, G and I are going to get out and about in the rain today and see some art.
Love you!
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