The Grand Old Duke of York

"The Grand Old Duke of York"
Nursery rhyme
Published	1642
Songwriter(s)	unknown

‘The Grand Old Duke of York’ (also sung as The Noble Duke of York) is an English children's nursery rhyme, often performed as an action song. The Duke of the title has been argued to be a number of the holders of that office, particularly Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany (1763–1827) and its lyrics have become proverbial for futile action. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 742.

The most common modern version is:

Oh, The grand old Duke of York,
He had ten thousand men;
He marched them up to the top of the hill,
And he marched them down again.

Now when you're up, you're up,
And when you're down, you're down,
And when you're only half-way up,
You're neither up nor down.

Sometimes added is:

Oh, a-hunting we will go,
A-hunting we will go,
We'll catch a fox, and put him in a box,
And then we'll let him go.

There may be almost as many slight or great variations to the actions as there are groups to regularly perform them and pass on their style, but the core movements are often based upon the performers standing whenever a clear "up" is sung, reseating themselves whenever "down" is mentioned and briefly taking an abbreviated half-standing/crouching position for the "only half-way up" phrase. A group of performers who, especially in an 'audience participation'-like situation, are originally seated (for example school children in an assembly, or the audience in a theatre - especially for a typical participative segment of a pantomime) will/should end the song back in their original positions.

The first verse is rather gentle one to react to, with one clear standing and one clear seating action, and so other actions may be given. For example: a stiff salute for the "Duke of York", indicating "ten" by clearly displaying ten fingers (optionally emphasising this on the further syllables of "thou-sand men") and/or forming the hands/arms into a some form depicting a 'hill' summit.

The second verse becomes far more rapid, especially between the two pairs of adjacent "up"s and "down"s (the performer may make a bob, between the two, to emphasise the separate positions, rather than just stay up/down), and synchronisation is easily lost by those who are not as quick or able to change positions, or who are new to the 'game' and not as practiced. This activity does help group-bonding in young children and encourages the following the teacher/leader of the activity, but its use is often more as an easily controlled game that promotes physical activity.

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