The Bog Down in the Valley (The Rattlin' Bog), an Irish folk song

Folk Songs

The Bog in the Valley (The Rattlin’ Bog)
Irish Folk Song
The Bog in the Valley (also known as The Rattlin' Bog) is a popular Irish folk song. The song speaks of a "rattlin" (or splendid) bog in a valley, the tree in this bog, and the various things found on the tree – the limb, the branch, the twig, the leaf, the bug and the hair on the bug. It is a lively song taught to children but also sung in pubs (see here and here) and other popular gatherings.

It is a cumulative song, with each verse building upon the previous verses, ultimately serving as a memory challenge for the singer, and often increasing in speed as the song progresses. There are many variations of this song, with lyrics varying as well. The song has inspired many diverse performances, such as that of a Dutch shanty choir version here, a lively flute duet here, a fiddle version here, and bagpipe versions here, here and here.

The Bog in the Valley is here interpreted by the Irish Rovers.

Listen to The Bog in the Valley

Lyrics:

Refrain:
Ho ro the rattlin' bog
The bog down in the valley-o
Ho ro the rattlin' bog
The bog down in the valley-o

1. Now in this bog there was a tree
A rare tree, a rattlin' tree
Tree in the bog
And the bog down in the valley-o
(Refrain)

2. And on this tree there was a limb
A rare limb, a rattlin' limb
The limb on the tree
And the tree in the bog
And the bog down in the valley-o
(Refrain)

3. And on this limb there was a branch
A rare branch, a rattlin' branch
The branch on the limb
And the limb on the tree
And the tree in the bog
And the bog down in the valley-o
(Refrain)

4. And on this branch there was a twig
A rare twig, a rattlin' twig
The twig on the branch
And the branch on the limb
And the limb on the tree
And the tree in the bog
And the bog down in the valley-o
(Refrain)

5. And on this twig there was a leaf
A rare leaf, a rattlin' leaf
The leaf on the twig
And the twig on the branch
And the branch on the limb
And the limb on the tree
And the tree in the bog
And the bog down in the valley-o
(Refrain)

6. And on this leaf there was a bug
A rare bug, a rattlin' bug
The bug on the leaf
And the leaf on the twig
And the twig on the branch
And the branch on the limb
And the limb on the tree
And the tree in the bog
And the bog down in the valley-o
(Refrain)

7. And on this bug there was a hair
A rare hair, a rattlin' hair
The hair on the bug
And the bug on the leaf
And the leaf on the twig
And the twig on the branch
And the branch on the limb
And the limb on the tree (love it)
And the tree in the bog
And the bog down in the valley-o
(Refrain)

For a high resolution JPG version, click here.

For a PDF version, click here.

For a version in D Major, click here.

Painting by Arthur Fitzpatrick, from here.