The Big Ship Sails on the Alley-Alley-O is a traditional singing circle game with actions which is great fun for a group of children to sing together.
This was sung in many English playgrounds in the 1950’s and 60’s and the Alley-O refers to the Manchester Ship Canal, Liverpool Docks and the Atlantic Ocean. This canal is often referred to as the gateway to the Atlantic.
The Big Ship Sails On The Alley-Alley-O
(refrain)
The big ship sails on the alley-alley-o,
The alley-alley-o, the alley-alley-o,
The big ship sails on the alley-alley-o,
On the last day of September.
The captain says that’ll never never do,
Never never do, never never do.
The captain says that’ll never never do,
On the last day of September.
(refrain)
The big ship sank to the bottom of the sea
The bottom of the sea, the bottom of the sea,
The big ship sank to the bottom of the sea
On the last day of September.
(refrain)
We all dip our heads in the deep blue sea,
The deep, blue sea, the deep, blue sea,
We all dip our heads in the deep, blue sea,
On the last day of September.
Print the FREE SHEET MUSIC here!
How To Do The Actions
- At least five children are needed to do this, but the more the better. These instructions sound a lot more complicated than they actually are when you do them!
- Everyone hold hands in a long line and the one on the end puts his free hand up high against the wall to form an arch.
- The person at the other end leads the line under the arch ( like threading a needle), as everybody sings.
- As the last one goes through the arch, he twists the first person round so that they are now facing the other way with their arms crossed across their front.
- The line of children come back round and through the next arch which is now made between the first player and their neighbour.
- Repeat the first verse until all children have crossed arms and have been the next arch.
- Then the children now form a circle together, holding hands but with their arms still crossed.
- Verse 2 – everybody shakes their head gravely.
- Verse 3 – the ring sinks down and then rises up again keeping arms crossed.
- Verse 4 – everybody bows their heads as low as possible.
- Finish off the song by all jumping in the air and shaking off all the water!
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