Miss Molly - Miss Molly had a Dolly
Our Version of Miss Molly had a Dolly
The narrator and the doctor are the two characters in this song. Tommo sings the narrator’s line and the doctor’s line is sung by Ed. Accordion, fiddle, banjo and flute play the musical links with mandola accompanying them. The musical links are part of the Irish traditional hornpipe called The Beggarman. We use this tune as counterpoint to the song because the start of the hornpipe is very similar to the song’s melody.
Classroom Ideas for Miss Molly had a Dolly
Physcal Education/Drama: There are great actions to this song:
“Miss Molly had a dolly who was sick, sick, sick” rock a dolly in your arms
“She called for the doctor to come quick, quick, quick” call the doctor on the phone
“The doctor came with his bag and his hat” hold a doctor’s bag in one hand and tip your hat with the other
“And knocked on the door with a rat, a tat, tat” knock on the door
“He looked at the dolly and he shook his head” shake your head
“And he said, ‘Miss Molly, put her straight to bed’” wag your finger at Miss Molly
“He wrote on some paper for a pill, pill, pill” write on the inside of your hand
“I’ll be back in the morning with my bill, bill, bill” make the universal money/cash symbol with your hand by rubbing your thumb quickly across your fingers
Social, Personal, Health Education: Imagine the dialogue between Miss Molly when she talked to the doctor on the phone. What was in the doctor’s bag? (A thermometer, stethoscope and bandages, etc) How did the doctor treat Miss Molly’s dolly? Outline the doctor’s role in society. Expand to include pharmacies and hospitals.
Lyrics for Miss Molly had a Dolly
Miss Molly had a dolly who was sick, sick, sick
So she called for the doctor to come quick, quick, quick
The doctor came with his bag and his hat
And he knocked on the door with a rat-a-tat-tat
He looked at the dolly and he shook his head
And he said "Miss Molly put her straight to bed"
He wrote on some paper for a pill, pill, pill
"I'll be back in the morning with my bill, bill, bill."
