Skidamarink

Children's sing-along song from North America

"Skidamarink" or "Skinnamarink"[1] is a popular preschool sing-along song from North America.[citation needed] Originally titled "Skid-dy-mer-rink-adink-aboomp"[2] or "Skiddy-Mer-Rink-A-Doo",[3] the initial version of the song was written by Felix F. Feist (lyrics) and Al Piantadosi (music) for the 1910 Charles Dillingham Broadway production The Echo.[3] Since the title is gibberish, it has had various spellings over the years.

In Canada, the song was popularised by the children's music band Sharon, Lois & Bram, who first released it on their debut album One Elephant, Deux Elephants, and then sang it on The Elephant Show. "Skinnamarink" became their signature song, and their next television show was named Skinnamarink TV after it.[4][5][6][7][8] A natural ice rink at the Sharon, Lois & Bram Playground in Davisville, Toronto has been named the "Skinnama-rink" in honour of the song.[9] Lois Lilienstein heard the song when she asked her cousin's daughter if she knew any good songs and the girl sang "Skinnamarink", which she had just heard at camp. None of the band members knew the origins of the song, and the track was attributed to "Traditional".[4]

In popular culture

  • A version recorded by Guy Lombardo (entitled Tiddley Winkie Woo) charted in Billboard magazine in May 1950.
  • The 1955 UK Christmas hit Christmas Alphabet is based upon the melody of the chorus.
  • The song began appearing on many song collections for children's shows in the 1980s.[citation needed] One version appeared on the Australian show Bananas in Pyjamas and Play School.
  • The song is sung by D.W. Read in Arthur It's Only Rock 'n' Roll.
  • Children can be heard singing the song in the background of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.[10]
  • The song is used at the beginning of the 1985 Wee Sing video Wee Sing Together.
  • On July 27, 1993, Cedarmont Kids sang the song.
  • It appeared in a 2015 advertisement for Bose music systems.[11]
  • "Skidamarink" appears in an advertisement for the Chevrolet Cruze in the United States.[12]
  • Otto Brandenburg's Danish Christmas song "Søren Banjomus" is based on "Skidamarink", with accompanying "danglified" versions of the gibberish.[citation needed]
  • The song is sung in the 2012 film Ruby Sparks.
  • The name of the level SL-8 in Arknights.
  • A phrase from the song is sung by Daymon Patterson in his viral video entitled Five Guys Burgers and Fries Review. The video was later remixed into "Oh My Dayum", a song by The Gregory Brothers, in which "Skidamarink" also appears.
  • The horror film Skinamarink was named after the song.

Lyrics

Original 1910 version

1. Down on a Boola Boola Isle,

Where the mermaids chant,

Reigns big chief Crocodile

Beneath an oyster plant.

He loved a sea-nymph selfishly,

Queen of the Gay White Wave.

Each night in his shell he'd go to sea

And in tuneful scales he'd rave:

CHORUS: Skiddy-mer-rink-a-dink-a-boomp, skiddy-mer-rink-a-doo,

Means I love you.

Skiddy-mer-rink-a-dink-a-boomp, skiddy-mer-rink-a-doo,

Means I'll be true

Skiddy-mer-rink-a-dink-a-boomp, skiddy-mer-rink-a-doo,

All the time he {sang/sings} this rhyme

Skiddy-mer-rink-a-dink-a-boomp, skiddy-mer-rink-a-doo,

Means I love you.

2. But when the midnight moon was pale,

King Fish Kokomo

Came floating over with his tale

To say he loved her so;

But she was true to Crocodile,

Said "Koko-Nut, go 'way;

I know, in a very little while

You will hear my lover say:"

CHORUS

Current version [13]

Skinnamarinky dinky dink Skinnamarinky do, I love you!

Skinnamarinky dinky dink Skinnamarinky do, I love you!

I love you in the morning, And in the afternoon I love you in the evening, Underneath the moon…

Skinnamarinky dinky dink Skinnamarinky do, I love you!

References

  1. ^ "What does "Skidamarink" mean?". Super Simple Learning.
  2. ^ [1] Archived 2016-03-24 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ a b [2] Archived 2016-03-24 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ a b Dixon, Guy (28 April 2015). "Lois Lilienstein: The 'Broadway babe' who sang to kids". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  5. ^ Kirst, Sean (3 May 2015). "Grateful message from Syracuse 'miracle kid' in final weeks of beloved member of Sharon, Lois and Bram". Syracuse.com. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  6. ^ Derdeyn, Stuart (13 September 2016). "Sharon and Bram still got the Skinnamarink". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  7. ^ Dooley, Danette (16 September 2008). "Sing along with Sharon and Bram - Living - The Telegram". The Telegram. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  8. ^ "Sharon, Bram still singing to fans". Richmond Hill Liberal. 14 October 2011. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  9. ^ Gallant, Paul (16 September 2015). "Sharon, Lois and Bram Playground getting an elephant and other improvements". YongeStreet. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  10. ^ "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof [Full Film]". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2017-04-06. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
  11. ^ "Music Deserves Bose: Night Moves". YouTube. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
  12. ^ eliasartsllc (6 May 2011). "Chevy - Guys Night 30sec". Archived from the original on 2021-12-12 – via YouTube.
  13. ^ "Skinnamarink Song Lyrics and Sound Clip". Songs for Teaching. Retrieved 25 June 2023.

External links

  • Images of original sheet music
  • Public Domain Music - transcription of original sheet-music
  • Retrojunk - The Elephant Show, 1984-88
  • Retrojunk - Skinnamarink TV, 1997-98