# Skip to My Lou

“Skip to My Lou” is an American play-party song from the 19th-century frontier tradition whose repeated verses accompany a partner-changing game.

## At a glance

| | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | United States |
| Sung in | English |
| Words by | Traditional |
| First known | Nineteenth-century American play-party tradition; exact first date not established |
| Best for ages | 3–8 |
| Mood | dancing, playful, traditional |
| Page | https://littlesongbook.com/songs/skip-to-my-lou/ |

## Lyrics

### Verse 1 (en)

Lost my partner, what’ll I do?
Lost my partner, what’ll I do?
Lost my partner, what’ll I do?
Skip to my Lou, my darling.

Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip, skip, skip to my Lou,
Skip to my Lou, my darling.

I’ll get another one, prettier than you,
I’ll get another one, prettier than you,
I’ll get another one, prettier than you,
Skip to my Lou, my darling.

## How to sing it

1. Begin slowly so everyone can hear the repeated words and the action cue.
2. Form a circle with partners, let one player skip inside, and change partners gently at the refrain without excluding anyone.
3. Repeat the song once and invite a different child to lead the cues.

## Common questions

**What does “Lou” mean in Skip to My Lou?**

The sources retrieved for this page do not establish a dependable meaning for “Lou.” Rather than repeat a popular but unsupported explanation, the page leaves the word unexplained.

**What kind of game was Skip to My Lou used for?**

It belongs to the American play-party tradition: singers formed partners, one player moved inside the group, and partners changed with the refrain. The retrieved sources establish the game tradition but not an exact first year.

## Sources

- [Library of Congress — Children’s Songs and the frontier dance tradition](https://www.loc.gov/collections/songs-of-america/articles-and-essays/musical-styles/traditional/childrens-songs/)
- [Smithsonian Folkways — American Playparties](https://folkways.si.edu/pete-seeger-mika-seeger-and-rev-larry-eisenberg/american-play-parties/childrens/music/album/smithsonian)
- [Kansas Historical Society — Kansas Play-Party Songs](https://www.kansashistory.gov/p/kansas-play-party-songs/12756)