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I know an old lady who swallowed a fly
Last updated: 11.10.23
I do not know when I first heard and learned "I know an old lady who swallowed a fly" but it must have been in my early teens, perhaps when I was a sea scout, and the singer was probably Burl Ives. I sing it very often and it goes down well with German audiences. Because they are generally first-time listeners, the punch line "She's dead, of course!" always brings laughter.

Since writing the above sometime in 1999, I've now (July, 2019) found that the song was the work of Alan Mills who, together with ose Bonnet (lyrics) copyrighted it in 1952.
     Performer CD Title Supplier
       
cd15.gif Alan Mills Animals Vol. 1 CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif Various Artists Big Rock Candy Mountain CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif Peter Paul and Mary Peter, Paul & Mommy, Too flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
cd15.gif Pete Seeger Birds, Beasts, Bugs & Fishes Little & Big: Animal Folk CD(s) & MP3 Album(s) flag15us.gif flag15uk.gif flag15de.gif flag15fr.gif flag15ca.gif flag15it.gif flag15es.gif
     Title Performer Composer
       
youtube15.jpg I Know An Old Lady (2:40) Burl Ives