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As a parent of three kids, the number of times I’ve sung “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” to quell a screaming child while driving is difficult to estimate. For whatever reason, “Old MacDonald” (along with “The Wheels on the Bus”) is good for calming kiddos who really don’t want to be strapped into a car seat.
Whoever Old MacDonald is, he has been tending that farm for a long time. Variants of the song go back centuries, even appearing in operas in the early 1700s. The actual name “Old MacDonald” didn’t appear until much later, though, in recordings by the Sam Patterson Trio and Gid Tanner and His Skillet Lickers in the 1920s (Yes, that’s the real name of a folk band.)
These early recorded versions were also the first ones known to include the refrain “E – I – E – I – O,” which in case you were wondering, means nothing at all. It’s just a catchy series of sounds that is easy to remember and sing.
“Old MacDonald Had a Farm” Playing Tips
I’ll be blunt. “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” is one of the easiest songs you will ever find to play on a low G ukulele. It’s nothing but open strings with the occasional second fret thrown in.
The only thing that could be challenging is the rhythm, especially in the later measures when the eighth notes start coming quickly, but since this is a melody virtually everyone knows already, you probably aren’t going to be caught off guard by it.
For a little more of a challenge, check out the sheet music for this song written for high G ukulele, which uses the 1st and 3rd frets in addition to the open strings and 2ns fret.
The high G version also features the somewhat uncommon B flat chord. Don’t be intimidated by the barre across the 2st fret. You can play the chord leaving the A string out entirely and just playing the first fret on the E string.
Click the link or the ‘Download’ button below to see the sheet music if your browser doesn’t display the embedded PDF. The sheet music for the high G version of the song is listed second, below the low G version.
“Old MacDonald Had a Farm” Low G Sheet Music Download
“Old MacDonald Had a Farm” High G Sheet Music Download
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