Mabel Louise is my two-year-old daughter. She is very smart, very funny, and very specific about the things she likes. For example, Bah Bah Black Sheep MUST be the first song I sing to her at night. And for a long time, it was the only song she allowed me to sing to her at night. As she rejected the time-honored lullaby songs that had served me so well with her brother one-by-one (NO to Somewhere Over the Rainbow, NO to Summertime, NO to Neil Young and Joni Mitchell, NO TO EVERYTHING) I was growing desperate.
Finally I asked her, what songs would she like to hear? Robot songs, was her answer. This was good and bad news, because I at least knew how to sooth the savage beast (yes I know that’s a misquote) but also literally there aren’t any robot songs. So, I made some up. They weren’t brilliant, but they were a hit and now we sing them every single night.
So if you have a Mabel Louise in your life, and you don’t have the energy to make up your own robot songs, please feel free to use ours:
BEEP BEEP ROBOT (Sung to tune of BAH BAH BLACK SHEEP)
Beep beep robot
Have you any data?
Yes ma’am, yes ma’am
Some that matters.
Some for the Doctor.
Some for the clerk.
Some for the lab assistant always hard at work.
Beep beep robot
Have you any data?
Yes ma’am, yes ma’am
Some that matters.
—
JINGLE JINGLE ROBOT FRIEND (Sung to the tune of TWINKLE TWINKLE LITTLE STAR)
Jingle jingle robot friend
I’m glad to see you again
I love coming here for tea
I love you and you love me
Jingle jingle robot friends
I’m glad to see you again
—
SIX ROBOTS (Sung to the tune of SIX LITTLE DUCKS by Raffi)
Six robots that I once knew
Big ones
Little ones
Square ones, too
And the one robot with the rockets in its feet
It led the others with a beep, beep, beep
Beep, beep, beep
Beep, beep, beep
It led the others with a beep, beep, beep
Down to the factory they would go
Wibble, wobble, wibble, wobble
To and fro
And the one robot with the rockets in its feet
It led the others with a beep, beep, beep
Beep, beep, beep
Beep, beep, beep
It led the others with a beep, beep, beep
Back from the factory they would come
Wibble, wobble, wibble, wobble
Rum tum tum
And the one robot with the rockets in its feet
It led the others with a beep, beep, beep
Beep, beep, beep
Beep, beep, beep
It led the others with a beep, beep, beep
—
I HAD A ROBOT (Sung to the tune of I HAD A ROOSTER)
I had a robot and my robot pleased me
And I fixed my robot in lab number three
And my little robot says beep, beep, beep
Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep.
I had an android and my android pleased me
And I fixed my android in lab number three
And my little android says “Affirmative!”
And my little robot says beep, beep, beep
Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep.
I had a cyborg and my cyborg pleased me
And I fixed my cyborg in lab number three
And my little cyborg says “Exterminate.”
And my little android says “Affirmative!”
And my little robot says beep, beep, beep
Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep.
I had a K-9 and my K-9 pleased me
And I fixed my K-9 in lab number three
And my little K-9 says “Woof BOOP Woof!”
And my little cyborg says “Exterminate.”
And my little android says “Affirmative!”
And my little robot says beep, beep, beep
Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep.
—
I’VE BEEN WORKING ON THE ROBOT
(sung to the tune of I’VE BEEN WORKING ON THE RAILROAD)
I’ve been working on the robot
All the live long day
I’ve been working on the robot
Just to pass the time away
Can’t you hear the robot beeping
Booting up so early in the morn?
Can’t you hear the robot calling
“I’ll do you no harm.”
Robot don’t you do
Robot don’t you do
Robot don’t you do no harm
Robot don’t you do
Robot don’t you do
Robot don’t you do no harm
Someone’s in the lab with robot
Someone’s in the lab I know oh oh oh
Someone’s in the lab with robot
Watching the robotic floor show
Beep boob beadily beep boop
Beep boob beadily beep boop boop boop boop
Beep boob beadily beep boop
Watching the robotic floor show
Good luck with your little robot fans!