the essence

Bill Grogan's Goat

This song was in one of my piano books as a child.

Megan, Keith, & I loved the song because we had our own little rendition. I'd play it, we'd sing it, but have our own little echoes & hand motions.
Many of my piano students use the same book & I was a bit disappointed when I saw that the lyrics had been changed.


Original (our made up echoes are in parenthesis):

Bill Grogan's Goat (Billy's goat!)
was feeling fine (oh so fine!)
Ate three red shirts (weren't they flannel?)
right off the line

Bill took a stick (don't do it Bill!
Gave him a whack (whack, whack, whack!)
And tied him to (tied him to what?)
The railroad track (choo! choo!)


Politically Correct:

(First paragraph is the same)

Bill saw his shirt
'twas in the dirt
Picked up the hose,
Gave it a squirt


So, I've googled Bill Grogan's Goat & came across an extremely disturbing children's video:



Maybe it's a good thing they changed the lyrics in the piano book....