"Polly Wolly Doodle" is a song first published in a Harvard student songbook in 1880.
"Polly Wolly Doodle" appears in the existing manuscript for Laura Ingalls Wilder's These Happy Golden Years exactly as it is used in the published version. It was not mentioned in any of the Pioneer Girl manuscripts. It is sometimes credited to Dan Emmett. The melody of this song as it is usually sung formed the basis for Boney M.'s hit Hooray! Hooray! It's a Holi-Holiday in 1979, and is common in children's music, appearing in a Sunday school song called "O-B-E-D-I-E-N-C-E", the German group die Lollipops' Radio Lollipop, and is the tune of the Barney & Friends song Alphabet Soup (though only using the first verse's tune). Popular early 20th century child actor Shirley Temple also sang "Polly Wolly Doodle" in the 1935 film, "The Littlest Rebel". The song is also featured prominently in the 1938 Best Picture winning film You Can't Take It With You directed by Frank Capra and S.O.B. (1981) directed by Blake Edwards.
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Allan Sherman sang a parody of this song, on the subject of his being overweight: "Fare thee well / Metrecal / And all others of that ilk / Though my diet starts tomorrow / Today I'll drown my sorrow / In a double malted milk."
There was a song written to that tune called "If I Had One Wish" on Barney and Friends about how B.J. wanted to go fishing, but had to stay home because it was raining and it was also used in "Barney's Magical Musical Adventure" when Barney and the gang go to visit a king in a castle and the king sings about how he wants to go fishing, but has to stay and take care of the castle and rule the kingdom.
Alvin and the Chipmunks recorded the song on their album The Chipmunk Songbook in 1962.
Leon Redbone recorded the song on his album On the Track in 1975.
The song appears in an episode of the 4th season of the TV series Monk. In the episode, called "Mr. Monk Stays in Bed", Mr.Monk is sick in bed with the flu and the daughter of Natalie Teeger, Julie, brings him a musical greetings card which reproduces Polly Wolly Doodle continuously.