Bug Song & Translations
The Bug Song
The Bug Song may be sung with or without the Intro. The Bug Song lyrics can be found below along with various translations. Click here for the tune or go to: www.youtube.com/watch
Enjoy!
The Bug Song
Intro: When my daughter Anna was your age, she loved bugs.
She loved bugs so much that she would let a bug climb right up onto her hand. (Encourage the children to say the words as you point at your hand, arm, etc.)
Anna loved bugs so much that she would let a bug climb up her arm … (children say 'arm')
Onto her shoulder … (children say 'shoulder')
Up her neck … (children say 'neck')
Right up on top of her chin ... (children say 'chin')
But there was one place Anna did not like bugs ...
In her mouth. (Stick your finger in your mouth and keep it there until you wipe your finger off.)
Do you like bugs in your mouth? (To one child.)
Do you? (To another child.)
Do you? (To a thrid child.)
(Wipe your wet finger dry.
It’s wet and messy, yuck.
Anna liked bugs so much that I wrote a song for her, and it goes like this. You can help me.
There’s a bug in my hand, (Point at an imaginary bug in your hand.)
And it climbed on my nose, (Point at your nose.)
And it played a bass drum.
Bum, bum, bum, bum. (Play an imaginary bass drum.)
Can you do it with me? Don't forget the movements.
There’s a bug in my hand,
And it climbed on my nose,
And it played a bass drum.
Bum, bum, bum, bum.
(Repeat one more time.)
What if it was a big hairy bug?
Can you do a big hairy bug?
(Solicit hairy bug faces and voices from the children.)
There’s a bug in my hand,
And it climbed on my nose,
And it played a bass drum.
Bum, bum, bum, bum.
What if it was bigger? What if it was hairier and scarier?
(As above, but bigger.)
There’s a bug in my hand . . .
What if it was the biggest, the hairiest, the scariest bug you have ever seen. Ready?
(As above, but humongous.)
There’s a bug in my hand . . .
Wow that was really scary.
Now, what if it was a little bug?
Can you do a little bug?
(Make your voice small and quiet.)
There’s a bug in my hand . . .
(Make your voice smaller and quieter.)
There’s a bug in my hand . . .
What if it was smaller?
What if it was really teany tiny? (This time move your lips, but don't make a sound.)
There’s a bug in my hand,
And it climbed on my nose,
And it played a bass drum.
(Roar the following line.)
Bum, bum, bum, bum.
Wasn't that fun?
Now, let's try The Bug Song in a different language. Suggesteions follow.
Most Recent Version
Dosla je buba na moju ruku,
Pa popela se na moj nos,
Svirala je bas bubanj
Bum, Bum, Bum, Bum.
- Ljiljana Lazarevic
Daar is 'n goga in my kop
en dit klim in my neus
en dit speel 'n drom
Boem, boem, boem, boem
- Helena Sullivan, Afrikaans.
Combination of Dutch, German & French.
South African.
Der er et insekt i min hånd
Og det kravlede op på min næse
Og det spillede en bass tromme
Bum, bum, bum, bum
- Anne Carlsen Digemose, Danish
Er zit een beestje op mijn hand
Nu klimt hij op mijn neus
En daar speelt hij de grote trom
Bom, bom, bom, bom
- Marjo Kuilman, Dutch
Da ist ein insekt in meiner hand
Ist auf meine nase geklettert
Un spielte eine bass trommel
Bum, bum, bum, bum
- Barbara Haubold, German
Hay un bicho en mi mano,
Que trepó a mi nariz,
Y tocó el tambor.
Bom, bom, bom, bom.
- Silvana Goldemberg, Spanish
Hay un insecto (mosquito) en mi mano
Y subio a mi nariz
Y toco un tambor bajo
Bum, bum, bum, bum
- Patrick Mayo, Spanish variation
A special thanks to Patrick Mayo for making this page possible by contacting his fellow interpreters and starting the ball rolling.
If you would like to add a translation in a language not yet included, please see notes on translating poetry below. Email your translation, along with your name and email address to robert@maxtell.ca.
Notes on Translating Poetry
I cannot speak for other languages, but when speaking of the rhythm of poetry written in English, we think in terms of stressed and unstressed syllables. To simplify matters, only stressed syllables will be dealt with here.
Strong stresses are usually marked with a forward slash (/). Each slash indicates where you might clap your hands. The Bug Song would look like this.
/ /
There's a bug in my hand
/ /
And it climbed on my nose
/ /
And it played a bass drum.
/ / / /
Bum, bum, bum, bum.
To get a better feel for the stresses, read The Bug Song out loud, while clapping your hands once for each of the stressed syllables.
If stress, as described above, is an important poetic device in the language you choose for your translation, then include two strong stresses in each of the first three lines. The lat line speaks for itself.
For other languages, please stick to the poetic rhythm style common to the poetry of that language.
Have fun!
