In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Three six nine, the goose drank wine
The monkey chew tobacco on the streetcar line
The line broke, the monkey got choked
(And) they all went to heaven in a little rowboat
Clap pat
Clap pat
Clap pat
Clap slap
Clap pat
Clap your hand, pat it on your partner's hand
Right hand
Clap pat
Clap pat clap your hand, cross it with your left arm
Pat you partner's left palm
Clap pat
Clap your hand, pat your partner's right palm
With your right palm again
Clap slap
Clap your hand, slap your thighs
And sing a little song, go
My mother told me
If I was goody
That she would buy me
A rubber dolly
My aunty told her
I kissed a soldier
Now she won't buy me
A rubber dolly
Three six nine, the goose drank wine
The monkey chew tobacco on the streetcar line
The line broke, the monkey got choked
(And) they all went to heaven in a little rowboat
Clap clap (clap your hands and prepare to pat)
Pat (take your right arm put your partner's right palm with your right palm)
Clap (take your hand back and clap)
Pat (take your right arm, cross your right arm with your left arm
Pat your partner's left palm with your left palm)
Clap (take your hand back and clap)
Pat (take your right arm, cross your left arm
Pat your partner's right palm with your right palm)
Clap (now back, with a clap)
Slap (take the pats of your palms and slap your thighs
And watch the fun materialize
As you sing this little song)
My mother told me
If I was goody
That she would buy me
A rubber dolly
My aunty told her
I kissed a soldier
Now she won't buy me
A rubber dolly
Clap pat
Clap pat
Clap pat
Clap slap
Clap pat
Clap pat
Clap pat
Clap slap
The monkey chew tobacco on the streetcar line
The line broke, the monkey got choked
(And) they all went to heaven in a little rowboat
Clap pat
Clap pat
Clap pat
Clap slap
Clap pat
Clap your hand, pat it on your partner's hand
Right hand
Clap pat
Clap pat clap your hand, cross it with your left arm
Pat you partner's left palm
Clap pat
Clap your hand, pat your partner's right palm
With your right palm again
Clap slap
Clap your hand, slap your thighs
And sing a little song, go
My mother told me
If I was goody
That she would buy me
A rubber dolly
My aunty told her
I kissed a soldier
Now she won't buy me
A rubber dolly
Three six nine, the goose drank wine
The monkey chew tobacco on the streetcar line
The line broke, the monkey got choked
(And) they all went to heaven in a little rowboat
Clap clap (clap your hands and prepare to pat)
Pat (take your right arm put your partner's right palm with your right palm)
Clap (take your hand back and clap)
Pat (take your right arm, cross your right arm with your left arm
Pat your partner's left palm with your left palm)
Clap (take your hand back and clap)
Pat (take your right arm, cross your left arm
Pat your partner's right palm with your right palm)
Clap (now back, with a clap)
Slap (take the pats of your palms and slap your thighs
And watch the fun materialize
As you sing this little song)
My mother told me
If I was goody
That she would buy me
A rubber dolly
My aunty told her
I kissed a soldier
Now she won't buy me
A rubber dolly
Clap pat
Clap pat
Clap pat
Clap slap
Clap pat
Clap pat
Clap pat
Clap slap
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
The Clapping Song Lyrics as written by Sue Werner Kay Werner
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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