Alligoshee Lyrics
A skipping game for pairs. Betsy Blue arrives in black with silver buttons, every lady turns around, and the pairs skip forward, skip back and spin.
Alligoshee
Betsy Blue came all in black,
Silver buttons down her back.
Every button cost a crown,
Every lady turn around.
Alligoshi, alligoshee,
Turn the bridle over my knee.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/alligoshee/
- Type
- Action Songs
- Tune
- Chanted skipping game
- Best for ages
- 4 to 9 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Betsy Blue came all in black | Stand side by side with a partner, arms linked behind your backs. |
| Every button cost a crown | Skip forward together, then skip back. |
| Every lady turn around | Turn round as a pair without letting go. |
| Turn the bridle over my knee | Lift one knee high as you finish the turn. |
What Does Alligoshee Mean?
Betsy Blue is dressed in black with a row of silver buttons down her back, and each one cost a crown, an old British coin worth five shillings. That makes her coat very grand indeed. Alligoshee is a nonsense word for the chorus, and turning the bridle, the strap used to steer a horse, fits the turning move of the game.
History and Origin
Alice Bertha Gomme gives several versions in The Traditional Games of England, Scotland, and Ireland (1894). This one is from Middleton in Shropshire. She describes pairs linking arms behind them, skipping forward and back while saying the words, and turning about at the end without losing hold.
Learning Activities
- Pair skip: link arms behind your backs and try the turn without letting go.
- Button count: draw Betsy Blue's coat and add silver buttons, counting as you go.
- Old money: learn what a crown, a shilling and a penny were.