Talk:This Old Man

Hmm
What exactly is a knick-knack paddy whack? Sorry, I don't speak English very wellly. 65.40.22.137 (talk) 05:52, 3 May 2008 (UTC)

Does nobody know? :'-( 65.40.21.111 (talk) 04:27, 12 June 2008 (UTC)

The answer can be found right here in the Wikipedia and the Wiktionary:

knickknack - A small ornament of minor value.

Paddywhack - a strong elastic ligament or tendon in the midline of the neck of sheep or cattle

For whatever that's worth. Even knowing this, the song still doesn't make much more sense to me. (English is a foreign language for me, too.)

92.224.152.85 (talk) 10:02, 20 September 2008 (UTC)

If it's any comfort to the two of you, English (American)is my native language--and I can't really make sense out of this rhyme, either. 140.147.236.194 (talk) 19:21, 23 February 2009 (UTC)Stephen Kosciesza


 * When I was a kid, whenever my parents were about to spank me they would always say ``you're going to get a paddywhack`` or something similar, so I think a knick nack paddywhack is supposed to be the sound of something being hit. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 99.229.112.135 (talk) 18:20, 22 August 2011 (UTC)


 * Don't bother trying to find a meaning. As used in the song, these words are simply part of a nonsense phrase, like, "Hi diddle diddle" or "Hickory dickory dock."  Kostaki mou (talk) 02:06, 28 June 2013 (UTC)


 * The article refers only to a Welsh source of 1870 as the earliest known. However the dialect of the basic version is standard English, so more likely the origin was in the midlands or southern England. Its very obscurity of meaning suggests an earlier origin. Based on my reading of other folk rhymes, I would suggest 17th century- when many rounds originated.¬¬¬¬

A Rebus?
I don't see how this rhyme is a rebus. I can't see any pictures in the rhyme, so how can it use pictures to represent words?

Am I missing something?

--JimmyTheWig 13:12, 23 November 2005 (UTC)

French Origins?
The article claims the origins of the rhyme are unknown.

I was led to belive my some comments Flanders and Swan made in a recording of one thier rveues that the tune often used for it was French in origin (La Gaule)? would need a citation though..

ShakespeareFan00 22:17, 11 February 2007 (UTC)
 * In response to above - http://www.nyanko.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/fas/anotherhat_gall.html

appears to be a quote in the Flanders and Swan production that say's the tune is french in origin, although it could be an intentional joke... ShakespeareFan00 23:22, 30 March 2007 (UTC)

Korn's Version not Profane
I changed the claim that Korn's version of this nursery rhyme has profane words to say "it talks about the more sinister meanings behind nursery rhymes." I can not find anywhere that says Korn's lyrics have any profanity and all lyrics pages I have found do not list any. The lyrics are a little distorted at times but they seem to be the same words used in the nursery rhymes. They might have used profane words in live shows (most bands put a little something extra for the crowd) but not in the released version. Billy Nair 19:54, 10 October 2007 (UTC)

Early American source?
Has no one noted the similarity between this tune and the 1830's popular American song "Sich A Gittin Upstairs"? JD —Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.8.30.114 (talk) 23:18, 6 January 2010 (UTC)

Controversial lyrics / why not entire lyric?
Why does not the article have the entire lyrics? e.g., "He played eleven ... heaven..." See this reference to the full lyric through twelve: http://www.zelo.com/family/nursery/oldman.asp This one would not make it into modern American public schools. Dogru144 (talk) 20:24, 27 November 2011 (UTC) Dogru144 (talk) 20:24, 27 November 2011 (UTC)

When I was a 8 year old boy living out in the North, the original song sounded nothing like this modern version.

Nothing like this: "he played three he played knick knack on my knee," was not the original lyrics. The song originally went: "he played three he played knick knack on my tree." "this old man he played 10, he played knick knack on my hen." Not den, or did it again. Knick knack 11 originally did not say heaven. To number 12 it did say "delve."

I've noticed alot of nursery rhymes changing up over the years and people making false claims as to "That's the way it's always been," when there's no verified truth that it is so. There's plenty of books that HAS the original lyrics to them. ~StormKat34


 * It's beyond the scope of this article to pronounce an "official" set of lyrics or to list all the regional and historical variants. That might be something for WikiSource. —C.Fred (talk) 21:07, 17 March 2013 (UTC)

He played knick-knack up in heaven
The way I learned it was, "He played knick-nack on my Devon (which I believe is a breed of cattle). Rather lame, I agree.  I'm inclined to believe it is the original version.  (See Lectio difficilior potior, the principle that the more unusual word is the stronger reading.) (I learned it at school in 1958, soon after it was popularized in the film, The Inn of the Sixth Happiness. I believe this wording was used in the hit version at the time.  Kostaki mou (talk) 02:03, 28 June 2013 (UTC)

=. . . came rolling home=

The version I learned was "came marching home." Makes more sense, but not as much fun (and Gary Larson wouldn't have been able to make his cartoon about the song). Kostaki mou (talk) 21:10, 5 July 2013 (UTC)

Roud Folk Song Index number
Does the Roud Folk Song Index number really belong in the summary? It feels out of place. Perhaps it should go in the sidebar instead? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2601:5C2:201:4450:83C:DD7E:24F1:8170 (talk) 15:55, 17 July 2017 (UTC)

Early ending
I'm not sure whether or not this is worth mentioning, but there are versions of the song where seven is the last number, with the implication being that the old man died and went to heaven. If someone could find a source for this that would be great. 2A00:23C8:3F06:1700:92F:71F5:C8A3:6F98 (talk) 20:10, 1 July 2021 (UTC)

Quoted in popular music
The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band quotes the knick-knack line in their song Humanoid Boogie (Album: The Doughnut in Granny's Greenhouse, 1968) M has it in their hit Pop Muzik. Lützeljeman (talk) 12:18, 3 December 2023 (UTC)

Columbo
"Columbo’s unofficial theme tune is ‘This Old Man‘, which was first ad libbed into a scene in Any Old Port in a Storm, when Columbo hums it while making a phone call." (https://columbophile.com/columbo-facts-and-beginners-guide/) 2603:7000:39F0:8EC0:CDF8:94F0:695D:BB99 (talk) 00:49, 29 March 2024 (UTC)