Frere Jacques (Brother John)
(source: "Musical Fun With The Brownie Pack", Girl Guides Association, 1986.)
(can be sung as a 4-part round)

Are you sleeping, are you sleeping

Brother John? Brother John?

Morning bells are ringing, morning bells are ringing

Ding, dang, dong. Ding, dang, dong.

Thanks very much to Britta Lindenbauer , who sent me the French and German translations of this song:

French:

Frere Jacques, frere Jacques,

Dormez-vous, dormez-vous?

Sonnent les mantines, sonnent les mantines:

Ding-dang-dong, ding-dang-dong!

German:

Bruder Jakob, Bruder Jakob,

Schlaefst Du noch, schlaefst Du noch?

Morgenglocken laeuten, Morgenglocken laeuten,

Ding-dang-dong, ding-dang-dong.

Thanks to Sally Jones, who sent me this Finnish translation:

Finnish:

Yacko Koolta, Yacko Koolta

Herio, herio

Kello yasa soita, kello yasa soita

Pim pom pume, pim pom pume

Thanks to Janet Castilleja, who sent me this Spanish translation:

Spanish:

Buenas dias! Buenas dias!

Como estas? Como estas?

Tocan las companas! Tocan las companas!

Ding-dang-dong! Ding-dang-dong!

Here's another Spanish version, sent in by Adam Christopher.

Fray Felipe, Fray Felipe

Duermes tu? Duermes tu?

Toca las companas, toca las companas

Ding dang dong, ding dang dong.

Thanks very much to an anonymous reader, who sent me the Swedish translation:

Swedish:

Broder Jakob, Broder Jakob,

Sover du? Sover du?

Hor du inte klockan? Hor du inte klockan?

Ding, ding, dong. Ding, ding, dong.

Thanks very much to Tim Hayes, who sent me the Italian translation:

Italian:

Fra Giovanni, Fra Giovanni,

Dormi tu? Dormi tu?

Suona la campana, suona la campana,

Ding-dang-dong, ding-dang-dong!

Thanks very much to Susanne Dybdahl, who sent me the Danish translation:

Danish:

Mester Jakob, mester Jakob

Sover du? Sover du?

Hører du ej klokken, hører du ej klokken

Bim bam bum, bim bam bum.

Thanks very much to Els Moens, who sent me the Dutch translation:

Dutch:

Broeder Jacob, Broeder Jacob

Slaapt gij nog, slaapt gij nog (or "slaap jij nog, slaap jij nog")

Hoor de klokken luiden, hoor de klokken luiden,

Bim, bam, bom, bim, bam, bom.

Thanks to Lucas Worwag, who sent me the Polish translation:

Polish:

Panie Janie, Panie Janie

Rano wstań, rano wstań

Wszystkie dzwony biją, wszystkie dzwony biją

Bim bam bom, bim bam bom

Actions: Form a circle. Each new action begins on the corresponding line in the song.

1) Circle left.

2) Shake right hand, finger pointed, then left hand.

3) Circle right.

4) Slap knees, clap hands, slap knees (twice).