Animal Fair (song) facts for kids
Animal Fair is a popular traditional folk song and children's song. It tells a fun story about animals. People have been singing this song for a long time. It was first written down around 1898. American sailors were known to sing it back then. In 1941, Life magazine even mentioned it. They said it was used as a rhythm for soft shoe tap dancing.
Song Lyrics
The words to "Animal Fair" have changed a little over the years. The version from 1898 had these lyrics:
- I went to the animal fair,
- The birds and the beasts were there;
- The big baboon by the light of the moon
- Was combing his auburn hair.
Later on, some versions used "the old raccoon" instead of "the big baboon." But many modern recordings still use "the big baboon." Popular children's shows like Barney & Friends and Captain Kangaroo also made their own versions. They sometimes changed other parts of the lyrics too.
Popular Recordings
Many artists and shows have recorded "Animal Fair." Here are some well-known versions:
- Woody Woodpecker sang it in the cartoon The Dizzy Acrobat in 1943.
- Tex Ritter recorded it in 1948. It was part of his album called Children's Songs and Stories.
- Captain Kangaroo sang it in 1958. He was joined by the Mitch Miller orchestra and The Sandpipers.
- Richard Dreyfuss's character, Moses Wine, sang it to his sons. This was in the 1978 film The Big Fix.
- Laurie Berkner sang her version in 1997.
- The song was also featured in Kidsongs. It was even used as Elmyra's theme song in Tiny Toon Adventures.
- Barney & Friends included the song in two episodes. These were The Dentist Makes Me Smile (1993) and Barney's Super Singing Circus (2000).
