My Mummy Told Me is a lesser-known but ancient nursery rhyme that could have been a clapping, rope-skipping, or ball-throwing song.
As with most nursery rhymes, little is known about the song’s origins, although the song has endured through oral tradition to be still relevant today.
The song has several variants most likely because of different geographical locations.
It is also known as the clap song.
Lyrics for My Mummy Told Me
Here is version 1:
My mother told me, if I was goody
Then she would buy me, a rubber dolly
But then I told her, I kissed a soldier,
Now she won’t buy me, a rubber dolly.
Version 2:
My Mother told me
If I was goody
That she would buy me
A rubber dolly
My Auntie told her
I’d kissed a soldier
Now she won’t buy me
A rubber dolly.
Version 3
My Momma done told me
When I was in pigtails that
I’d get a rubber dolly
But someone done told her
That I kissed a soldier
So I didn’t get my rubber dolly
Bum bolly.