A popular song from 1875.
Words and music by Septimus Winner.
Sheet music provided by Grant Mauger:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
- Come, let me see, I’ll try you all
Whatever age, both great and small
How well you know your A, B, C
Come, let us form a “Spelling Bee”
Some to the right will please to go
Some to the left, all in a row
Now let me see what you can do
And spell for me Bick-i-bi-bo-bu
Chorus
B, A, Ba, B, E, Be
B, I, Bick-i-bi, B, O, Bo
Bick-i-bi-bo, B, U, Bu
Bick-i-bi-bo-bu
- All very good, the task is plain
Quite a success, we’ll try again
Keep to the text, whate’er your about
He who shall fail must be drum’d out
Mind as you go, your P’s and Q’s
No second chance, it’s all no use
Come, now, again we’ll try anew
Now spell for me, Dick-i-di-do-du
Chorus
D, A, Da, D, E, De
D, I, Dick-i-di, D, O, Do
Dick-i-di-do, D, U, Du
Dick-i-di-do-du
Chorus
L, A, La, L, E, Le
L, I, Lick-i-li, L, O, Lo
Lick-i-li-lo, L, U, Lu
Lick-i-li-lo-lu
Chorus
P, A, Pa, P, E, Pe
P, I, Pick-i-pi, P, O, Po
Pick-i-pi-po, P, U, Pu
Pick-i-pi-po-pu
Sung here by Vancha March: