Hop Little Bunny

[undyingking]

A friend (WINOLJ) recently posted a video of one of her children singing a song called "Hop Little Bunny". (Note: this is not the song for very young children in which the bunnies are asleep, are they ill? and wake up.) It goes "Ho-op, ho-op, hop little bunny / Ho-op, ho-op, hop little bunny / Ho-op, ho-op, hop little bunny / Ear-lye in the morning."

Now when I was young we sang a different song to this same tune. But ours was not about little bunnies hopping: instead, it dealt with the very serious question of how best to discipline alcoholism in the serving ranks of Her Majesty's Navy. In successive verses, various punishments were suggested, each crueller and more unusual than the last. It certainly impressed me with a profound respect for the dedication (and ingenuity) of those who defend our freedom on the high seas. I'm not sure if today's generation will really gain the same lesson from the travails of the little bunny in the modern version. But maybe that's a good thing?

[Poll #1528940]

[Edit: I'm blethering on about the song called "What Shall We Do with the Drunken Sailor?"]

Comments

[bateleur.livejournal.com]

From the studio that brought you "baa baa pink sheep" and "four and twenty fat birds, baked in a pie". Kids gets a lot of that these days.

[gbsteve.livejournal.com]

I suppose if it turns out that verses two and three are different recipes for rabbit then perhaps I might change my vote.

[secretrebel.livejournal.com]

I'd forgotten how excellent the original version of that song was.

[killalla]

I'm pleased by all the right thinking people here.

[brixtonbrood.livejournal.com]

Sleeping Bunnies (the other song you refer to) > both of them.

[jackfirecat.livejournal.com]

Having suffered singing the Jack-tar version far too many times at primary school, I cannot possibly rate it as 'better' than anything.

[cuthbertcross.livejournal.com]

That's terrible! Children love songs about gore, viciousness and cautionary tales.

[onebyone.livejournal.com]

Leaving out "ream him up the arse with an eight-foot ramrod" is already political correctness gone mad. Might not have been in the original lyrics, mind, but that's military types for you.