I never knew the name of this song

“This Old Man” is an English children’s song, counting song, and nursery rhyme. The origins of the traditional rhyme are unknown. Among the nearly 25,000 songs collected from oral tradition in the English language from around the world, “This Old Man” has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 3550. Former London librarian Steve Roud compiled and referenced the song in his well-known Index.

In 1937, the song appeared under the title of “Jack Jintle” in the “Journal of the English Folk Dance and Song Society” by Anne Gilchrist, who had learned the song from her Welsh nurse in 1870. In his autobiography “Life Is a Four Letter Word,” Nicolas Monsarrat refers to “This Old Man” as a “local and original Liverpool” song. Another variation was published in the 1906 “English Folk-Songs for Schools” by Sharp and Baring-Gould. In 1948, Seeger and Crawford included the song in their “American Folk Songs for Children,” which was followed by Pete Seeger’s 1953 recording. In 1958, composer Malcolm Arnold adapted the song as “The Children’s Marching Song” for the film “The Inn of the Sixth Happiness.” Subsequently, the film versions became hit singles for Cyril Stapleton and Mitch Miller. On his cherished and beloved, old 1953 Steinway grand piano, Charles Manning Improvises “This Old Man.” Using the lyrics printed below, sing along with “Old Man” Charles.