Do you know this song about the presidents?

November 15, 2008 8:41 PM

President Song: Does anyone know the rest of this? It is not a mnemonic device, it is just a song to teach all the names of the presidents in order.

"Washington then John Adams followed by Jefferson number three,

Madison, Monroe, John Quincy Adams and Jackson Ol' Hickory,

Martin Van Buren a little obscure an' he was number eight,

William Henry Harrison died too early, or came too late . . ."

This song was taught to us at camp, oh thirty five years ago, so it must have ended way before Kennedy/Nixon. Can anyone finish it for me, or add to it? I have already tried other avenues. Much obliged.

posted by emhutchinson to society & culture (5 answers total)

I immediately thought of the Animaniacs Presidents Song, too recent though.
posted by Korou at 8:52 PM on November 15, 2008

Here are some more of the words (see also the comments).
posted by Knappster at 9:13 PM on November 15, 2008

This is probably based on the mnemonic poem for English Monarchs, "Willy, Willy, Harry, Ste".
posted by dhartung at 10:11 PM on November 15, 2008

I know one that begins "Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe: These are the US Presidents all lined up in a row! Adams, Jackson, Van Buren, Harrison and Tyler, Polk, Taylor, Fillmore, Pierce, Buchanan, Lincoln, Johnson!" But yours sounds a lot more catchy.
posted by millipede at 7:54 AM on November 16, 2008

With due respect, it's not a song unless it can be sung. Is it set to the music of some other well-known song? Or is it just a sort-of-poem?
posted by JimN2TAW at 11:04 AM on November 17, 2008