The Little Shoemaker
The Gaylords Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Tap, tap, stitch and tap
Making a pair of shoes
Lei scarpini de bailar, bailar
Bailaremos tutusi
Lei scarpini de bailar, bailar
Bailaremos con cosí

In the shoemaker's shop this refrain would never stop
As he tapped away, working all the day
At his bench, there was he, just as busy as a bee
Little time to lose for the boots and shoes
But his heart went pop inside the little shop
When a lovely girl set them all a-whirl
She had come to choose some pretty dancing shoes
And he heard her say in a charming way

Shoes to set my feet a-dancing, dancing
Dancing, dancing all the day
Shoes to set my feet a-dancing, dancing
Dancing all my cares away

Then he tapped and he stitched for his fingers were bewitched
Then he sewed a dream into every seam
Making shoes, oh, so neat just like magic on her feet
And he hoped she'd know that he loved her so
But she danced, danced, danced as though she were entranced
Like a spinning top all around the shop
On her dainty feet she whirled into the street
And he heard her say as she danced away

Lei scarpini de bailar, bailar
Bailaremos tutusi
Lei scarpini de bailar, bailar
Bailaremos con cosí
Shoes to set my feet a-dancing, dancing




Dancing all my cares away
All my cares away

Overall Meaning

"The Little Shoemaker" is a song that tells the story of a shoemaker who falls in love with a woman who visits his shop to buy shoes for a dance. The lyrics are written in a mix of Italian and English and are filled with tapping and stitching sounds that evoke the hard work of the shoemaker. The song begins with the shoemaker tapping and sewing away, making a pair of shoes for a dance. A woman enters his shop and he falls in love with her at first sight. He makes her a pair of shoes that fit her dainty feet perfectly and hopes that she will know how much he loves her. She dances away, leaving the shoemaker heartbroken.


The song is a classic love story, told through the art of shoemaking and dancing. The tapping and stitching sounds of the shoemaker's work create a rhythm that is both catchy and meaningful. They form the backdrop for the shoemaker's love for the woman who dances away, leaving him to stitch and tap into the night.


Overall, "The Little Shoemaker" is a charming song that tells a lovely love story in a unique way.


Line by Line Meaning

Tap, tap, stitch and tap
The sound of the shoemaker's work as he taps and stitches away at his bench.


Making a pair of shoes
The shoemaker is creating a pair of shoes, working diligently to make them perfect.


Lei scarpini de bailar, bailar
The girl is looking for a pair of dancing shoes, and the shoemaker speaks to her in Italian.


Bailaremos tutusi
The shoemaker is excited to help the girl dance and envisions himself dancing with her.


In the shoemaker's shop this refrain would never stop
The shoemaker works tirelessly in his shop, with the sound of his work becoming a constant refrain.


As he tapped away, working all the day
The shoemaker occupies himself with his work, tapping and stitching away throughout the day.


At his bench, there was he, just as busy as a bee
The shoemaker is hard at work at his bench, much like a bee working industriously at its hive.


Little time to lose for the boots and shoes
The shoemaker is focused on his work, with little time to waste on anything else.


But his heart went pop inside the little shop
Despite his busy work, the shoemaker's heart is stirred when the girl comes into his shop.


When a lovely girl set them all a-whirl
The girl's presence in the shoemaker's shop causes everything to come alive and spin around.


She had come to choose some pretty dancing shoes
The girl's purpose in visiting the shoemaker's shop is to find a pair of shoes for dancing.


And he heard her say in a charming way
The shoemaker hears the girl speak with charm and is captivated by her voice.


Shoes to set my feet a-dancing, dancing
The girl is looking for shoes that will allow her to dance energetically and joyfully.


Dancing, dancing all the day
The girl envisions herself dancing for hours and hours with her new shoes.


Then he tapped and he stitched for his fingers were bewitched
The shoemaker is so entranced by the girl that he works on her shoes with enchantment in his fingers.


Then he sewed a dream into every seam
The shoemaker imbues the shoes with all of his hopes and dreams for the girl.


Making shoes, oh, so neat just like magic on her feet
The shoemaker takes great care in creating the shoes so that they will fit the girl perfectly and feel magical on her feet.


And he hoped she'd know that he loved her so
The shoemaker secretly loves the girl and hopes that she will feel the same way about him, though he doesn't directly express it.


But she danced, danced, danced as though she were entranced
The girl is so excited about her new shoes that she dances energetically and joyfully, as if under a spell.


Like a spinning top all around the shop
The girl moves around the shop swiftly, spinning like a top in her new shoes.


On her dainty feet she whirled into the street
The girl dances out of the shop and into the street, continuing to enjoy her new shoes.


And he heard her say as she danced away
The shoemaker hears the girl express her joy at having found the perfect dance shoes and knows that she has no idea of his true feelings for her.


Lei scarpini de bailar, bailar
The girl continues to speak in Italian, caught up in the excitement of her new shoes and dancing.


Bailaremos con cosí
The girl expresses her joy at the prospect of dancing with the same Italian phrase as earlier.


Shoes to set my feet a-dancing, dancing
The girl reiterates that her new shoes have transformed her into a dancing machine.


Dancing all my cares away
The girl is so caught up in her dancing that she forgets all her cares and worries.


All my cares away
Dancing in her new shoes brings the girl a sense of peace and freedom from her worries and problems.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Francis Lemarque, Geoffrey Parsons, James John Phillips, Rudi Revil

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Comments from YouTube:

Seventh Mist

My brother and I played this song in our grandparents' basement on their old Philco 78 rpm turntable when we were kids in the 60s.  What a great memory.

Lilian Gardner

Same here.

DE A

Omg... I can't believe I found this song from when I was little. I loved listening to it! Beautiful memories!

Sara Grant

So many thanks for the " Little shoemaker"! It was my first song I remember my father taught me and I used to perform it singing and dancing as a very little girl (about 3yrs old perhaps!)on the family gatherings, lol! Nostalgic and magic! Cheers!

Andrea Everson

I wore this record out. My mom would play it all the time.

John Smith

When I was small (about 6-7 years old) I remember hearing this song on the radio along with other music that was before rock and roll. Loved it.

Lee Bondy

I don't remember what year this song came but u knoe it in the early 50's. I was about 5 or 6. I kept playing it over and over till i couldn't sing anymore. I think i wore my vocal chords out.

jim young

I've had this song in my head since I first heard it a long time ago.

Jennie Anderson

What wonderful memories this little song brings back!!! I remember dancing all around our playroom, to it!!! 💃🏽✨✨✨

blsdaniel Munster

A favorite of my father. I lost him seven years ago but just recovered this. God bless YouTube.

More Comments

More Versions