The Lonely Goatherd
Mary Martin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo
Loud was the voice of the lonely goatherd
Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo
Folks in a town that was quite remote heard
Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo
Lusty and clear from the goatherd's throat heard
O ho lay dee odl lee o, o ho lay dee odl ay
O ho lay dee odl lee o, lay dee odl lee o lay
A prince on the bridge of a castle moat heard
Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo
Men on a road with a load to tote heard
Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo
Men in the midst of a table d'hote heard
Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo
Men drinking beer with the foam afloat heard
Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo
One little girl in a pale pink coat heard
Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo
She yodeled back to the lonely goatherd
Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo
Soon her Mama with a gleaming gloat heard
Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo
What a duet for a girl and goatherd
Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo
Ummm (ummm)
Odl lay ee (odl lay ee)
Odl lay hee hee (odl lay hee hee)
Odl lay ee
One little girl in a pale pink coat heard
Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hoo hoo
She yodeled back to the lonely goatherd
Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo
Soon her Mama with a gleaming gloat heard
Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hmm hmm
What a duet for a girl and goatherd
Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo
Happy are they lay dee olay dee lee o
Soon the duet will become a trio
Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo
Odl lay ee, old lay ee
Odl lay hee hee, odl lay ee
Odl lay odl lay, odl lay odl lee, odl lay odl lee
Odl lay odl lay odl lay
Hoo!
"The Lonely Goatherd" is a song about a goatherd who sings to keep himself company on a hill. The song describes how, despite being alone, the goatherd's song travels far and wide, and is heard by many, including people in far-off towns. The song's chorus, "lay dee odl lay dee odl lay hee hoo," is meant to mimic the sound of the goatherd's yodel.
The first verse sets the scene for the song, describing the hill on which the goatherd sits and the sound of his singing. The second verse describes the various people who hear the goatherd's song, including a prince, people on the road, and people in a restaurant. The third verse introduces a little girl who joins in with the goatherd's singing, and her mother who listens in and is impressed with the duet.
The song is a cheerful and whimsical tune that reflects the joys of singing and community. Although the goatherd is alone on his hill, his song reaches out to others and connects him to the larger world around him.
Line by Line Meaning
High on a hill was a lonely goatherd
A solitary goatherd lived at a high point on a hill.
Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo
He used to yodel loudly and cheerfully, with abandon.
Loud was the voice of the lonely goatherd
His voice could be heard far and wide and was powerful.
Folks in a town that was quite remote heard
Those living in distant towns could hear him singing his tune without fail.
Lusty and clear from the goatherd's throat heard
His voice was loud, and his singing was unencumbered and confident.
A prince on the bridge of a castle moat heard
Even royalty heard his yodels, as in this instance where a prince hears them.
Men on a road with a load to tote heard
People on the road, carrying a heavy load, also heard him singing.
Men in the midst of a table d'hote heard
Even those dining at a table d'hote could hear the goatherd's yodels.
Men drinking beer with the foam afloat heard
Even those who drank beer and enjoyed their froth would hear the goatherd's yodels.
One little girl in a pale pink coat heard
One little girl with a pale pink coat heard his yodeling wherever she was.
She yodeled back to the lonely goatherd
She didn't hesitate before she yodeled back at him in response.
Soon her Mama with a gleaming gloat heard
Her mother also heard her yodeling and was delighted.
What a duet for a girl and goatherd
What a beautiful duet, and a marvelous singing partnership between girl and goatherd!
Soon the duet will become a trio
Pretty soon they'd be joined in singing by a third person, and the music would become a trio.
Happy are they lay dee olay dee lee o
They felt joyful, and their happiness was just as infectious as their beautiful singing.
Odl lay ee, old lay ee
Their yodeling took on a rhythmic quality with every repetition.
Odl lay hee hee, odl lay ee
Their yodeling became more cheerful, and their voices rang out.
Odl lay odl lay, odl lay odl lee, odl lay odl lee
This line builds upon their previous yodels and harkens back to previous lyrics.
Odl lay odl lay odl lay
Their yodeling was reaching its climax, and they became more enthusiastic.
Hoo!
A joyful and celebratory exclamation that signals the end of their song.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: OSCAR II HAMMERSTEIN, RICHARD RODGERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind