Children’s novelty songs are playful, humorous, or quirky tunes created specifically to entertain and engage young audiences.

These songs often feature catchy, simple melodies, repetitive lyrics, and themes that appeal to a child’s sense of fun and imagination, such as animals, silly situations, or nonsense words.

They are designed to be easy for kids to understand and remember, sometimes incorporating interactive elements like movement or call-and-response to involve listeners further.

Novelty songs stand out because of their unique or unusual qualities, often using comical effects or nonsensical lyrics to create a memorable listening experience.

About the Song

Do Your Ears Hang Low? is a fun and silly children’s song that asks playful questions about having long, floppy ears.

The lyrics imagine ears that can wobble, be tied in knots or bows, and even thrown over your shoulder, making kids laugh as they picture these silly possibilities.

History of the Song Do Your Ears Hang Low

Do Your Ears Hang Low? is a well-known children’s novelty song, often sung at camps and schools, with a catchy melody usually based on “Turkey in the Straw” or sometimes “Sailor’s Hornpipe”.

The song’s origins are complex and somewhat controversial. The melody traces back to the 19th-century minstrel tune “Zip Coon,” written by George Washington Dixon in 1838, which later evolved into “Turkey in the Straw”.

The lyrics most widely sung today are a sanitized version of earlier, vulgar soldiers’ songs—most notably Do Your Balls Hang Low?, which British soldiers sang during World War I.

Folklorists suggest that the crude version came first, with the children’s lyrics emerging later to make the tune more suitable for young audiences.

The phrase Can you throw them over your shoulder, like a continental soldier in the song has led to speculation about military origins. However, it is more likely a playful adaptation.

The tune and its various lyrics have a long tradition in both folk and popular culture, having been adapted for different audiences and purposes over time. Its catchy, repetitive structure has made it a staple in children’s music and campfire songbooks.

Despite its current innocent use, the song’s history is rooted in minstrel shows and bawdy soldier humor, highlighting the evolution of folk music. It is repurposed across generations and social contexts.

Read Full Lyrics Do Your Ears Hang Low

Verse 1

Do your ears hang low?
Do they wobble to and fro?
Can you tie ’em in a knot?
Can you tie ’em in a bow?
Can you throw ’em over your shoulder
Like a continental (regimental) soldier
Do your ears hang low?

Verse 2

Do your ears stand high?
Do they reach up to the sky?
Do they droop when they are wet?
Do they stiffen when they’re dry?
Can you summon over your neighbor
With a minimum of labor?
Do your ears stand high?

Verse 3

Do your ears flip-flop?
Can you use them as a mop?
Are they stringy at the bottom?
Are they curly at the top?
Can you use them for a swatter?
Can you use them for a blotter?
Do your ears flip-flop?

Verse 4

Do your ears stick out?
Can you waggle them about?
Can you flap them up and down
As you fly around the town?
Can you shut them up for sure
When you hear an awful bore?
Do your ears stick out?

Verse 5

Do your ears give snacks?
Are they all filled up with wax?
Do you eat it in the morning
Do you eat it in the bath?
Do you eat it with a scone
Or do you eat it on its own?
Do your ears give snacks?

Similar Songs Like Do Your Ears Hang Low

If you like “Do Your Ears Hang Low?”, here are other children’s songs with the same playful style:

• The Wheels on the Bus – This song tells about all the things you see and hear on a bus, like wheels going round and doors opening and closing. Kids enjoy making the sounds and actions for each part.
• If You’re Happy and You Know It – This is a cheerful song that asks you to show your happiness by clapping, stomping, or shouting “hooray!” It’s fun because everyone gets to move and join in together.
• Old MacDonald Had a Farm – Each verse introduces a new animal and its sound, like “moo” for cows or “quack” for ducks. Children enjoy making animal noises and learning about various farm animals.
• Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes – This song helps children learn about their body parts by singing and touching each one. It gets faster each time, making it a fun challenge.
• Row, Row, Row Your Boat – A gentle song about rowing a boat down a stream. It’s often sung in groups, with people starting at different times for a round, making a pretty sound together.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Do Your Ears Hang Low Used in Any Cartoons or Movies?

Yes, the song has appeared in various children’s shows and cartoons, such as episodes of Peppa Pig, usually as part of sing-alongs or music segments, often in short clips rather than full scenes.

Is Do Your Ears Hang Low Easy for kids to Learn?

Yes, it has simple, repetitive lyrics that are easy for kids to remember.

Who Wrote Do Your Ears Hang Low?

The writer is unknown; it’s a traditional folk song.