Traditional · Key of G · Public domain
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This chart is written in G. Tap any key above the chart to see the whole song in that key, with every chord already worked out. To stay in G with different chord shapes, play it capo 3 with the E shapes, or capo 5 with the D shapes, or capo 7 with the C shapes. Singing with a group? Pick the key where the highest note is comfortable for everyone, then print that page.
The farmer's dog has been called Bingo since at least 1778, when an Edinburgh songbook called The Scots Nightingale printed Little Bingo: "The farmer's dog leapt over the stile, his name was little Bingo." Sheet music from about 1780 names the London actor William Swords as its singer, and the early versions were grown-up drinking songs, with a drink for anyone who misspelled the name. It was in America by 1842, and by the 1890s it had become a children's street game in London, printed in The Strand Magazine as Bobby Bingo.
The clapping came early too: when the folklorist Alice Gomme collected eight versions of the game in 1894, the children in one village were already clapping their hands as they spelled the letters. The words of the verse everyone sings today are all in print before 1895, and the tune is traditional, so the song is public domain and free to use anywhere.
Four chords in a brisk 4/4: G, C and D7 carry the story, and the Em on the third B-I-N-G-O gives the spelling its little lift before the last line. Sing it six times. Each time through, the first unsung letter becomes a clap, so the second round is clap, I, N, G, O and the last round is five claps. Keep strumming through the claps at the same tempo; the chord changes fall on the letters exactly as before, and holding the beat is what makes the game work. If the Em is one chord too many for a beginner, play G in its place and nobody will mind.
Bingo in other easy guitar keys: key of A, key of C, key of D, key of E, key of F. Every other key is at the top of the chart.
Tap any chord for its diagram, other voicings, and the notes inside it.
In the key of G, Bingo uses 4 chords: G, C, D7 and Em. The chords sit over the words in the chart above, and tapping a chord name under Chords in This Song opens its diagram.
This chart is in the key of G. The other easy guitar keys for it are the key of A, key of C, key of D, key of E, key of F, each with the whole song rewritten. Pick the key whose chords you know, or the one that sits best for the singers: all twelve are one tap away at the top of the chart, with capo options for keeping the open shapes.
Yes. The words and the melody of Bingo are in the public domain, which is why the full lyrics and chords are published here. You can print this sheet, hand it out, and perform or record the song anywhere without a license.
More farm animals: Old MacDonald Had a Farm chords and lyrics
All the kids' song chord sheets, each one in every key.
Further reading: Bingo (folk song) (Wikipedia)
