The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

THERE'S A HOLE IN THE BUCKET

THERE'S A HOLE IN THE BUCKET DEAR
LIZA, DEAR LIZA, THERE'S A HOLE IN THE BUCKET DEAR LIZA, A HOLE.
THEN FIX IT DEAR HENRY, DEAR HENRY, DEAR HENRY, THEN FIX IT DEAR
HENRY, DEAR HENRY, THEN FIX IT. WITH WHAT SHALL I FIX IT DEAR LIZA,
ETC. WITH THE STRAW DEAR HENRY, ETC. BUT THE STRAW IS TOO LONG,
ETC. THEN CUT IT, ETC. WITH WHAT SHALL I CUT IT, ETC. WITH THE AXE,
ETC. BUT THE AXE IS TOO DULL, ETC. THEN SHARPEN IT, ETC. WITH
WHAT SHALL I SHARPEN IT, ETC. WITH THE STONE, ETC. BUT THE STONE'S
IN THE BARN, ETC. THEN FETCH IT, ETC. BUT THE BARN'S ON FIRE, ETC.
THEN PUT IT OUT, ETC. WITH WHAT SHALL I PUT IT OUT, ETC. WITH
WATER, ETC. WITH WHAT SHALL I FETCH IT, ETC. WITH THE BUCKET, ETC.
BUT THERE'S A HOLE IN THE BUCKET, ETC.

Submitter comment: I CAN'T REMEMBER HOW LONG I'VE KNOWN THIS SONG OR WHO I LEARNED IT
FROM, BUT IT'S BEEN WITH ME FOR A LONG TIME.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; GROSSE POINTE WOODS

Date learned: CA03001974