Song Lyrics and Free Sheet Music

Know a different version of the song? Share with us your own lyrics in the comment section

Lyrics and Chords
(first round can be sung as an echo with a leader and group)

My highland goat
Was feeling fine 
He ate three shirts 
Off my back line

I took a stick 
Gave him a whack 
And tied him to 
The railway track

The whistle blew 
The train drew nigh 
My highland goat 
Was sure to die

I took a knife 
And cut that rope 
And set him free 
My highland goat

My highland goatie-oatie-oatie-oatie-oat 
Was feeling finey-iney-iney-iney-ine 
He ate three shirty-irty-irty-irty-irts 
Off my back liney-iney-iney-iney-ine

I took a sticky-icky-icky-icky-ick
Gave him a whacky-acky-acky-acky--ack
And tied him tooey-ooey-ooey-ooey-oo
The railway tracky-acky-acky-acky-ack

The whistle blewie-ewie-ewie-ewie-ewe
The train drew nighey-ighey-ighey-ighey-igh
My highland goatie-oatie-oatie-oatie-oat
Was sure to die-ee-i-ee-i-ee-i-ee-i

I took a knifey-ifey-ifey-ifey-ife
And cut that ropey-opey-opey-opey-ope
And set him free-e-ee-e-ee-e-ee-e-ee
My highland goatie-oatie-oatie-oatie-oat

Variations: Bill Grogan's Goat

Free Coloring Page for My Highland Goat

About the Song

The exact authorship of "My Highland Goat" is a bit unclear. It's considered a traditional children's song, which means it's been passed down orally for many years. There isn't a record of a single person writing it.

Here are some facts

• The song is sometimes referred to as "Bill Grogan's Goat" or "Paddy McGinty's Goat" which suggests there might have been variations of the song circulating in different regions.

• Some recordings credit John Kane and Mark Walmsley, but it's likely they arranged or adapted the traditional song, not necessarily wrote it themselves.

Five Fun Facts about Goats

1. Mountain Masters: Forget scaling walls, goats are natural climbers! Their strong legs and hooves allow them to navigate steep terrain and even perch on top of rocks and precarious ledges.

2. Picky Eaters: Unlike the image of a goat happily munching on a tin can, goats are actually quite selective eaters. They have a sensitive upper lip that helps them choose tasty leaves, herbs, and flowers while avoiding dirt and unwanted twigs.

3. Super Senses: A goat's world is full of interesting smells and sounds. Their rectangular pupils give them almost 360-degree vision, perfect for keeping an eye out for predators. They also have a keen sense of smell and can communicate with each other through bleats and other vocalizations.

4. Fainting Falsehood: The saying "acting like a scared goat" might be misleading. Goats don't actually faint when scared! They might freeze, collapse, or even faint momentarily due to a surge of adrenaline, but they quickly recover.

5. Weather Woes: While goats are adaptable animals, they're not big fans of rain. Their thick fur can get heavy and uncomfortable when wet, so they'll often seek shelter during downpours.

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