The Grand Old Duke of York
| "The Grand Old Duke of York" | |
|---|---|
| Nursery rhyme | |
| Published | 1642 |
| Songwriter(s) | unknown |
"The Grand Old Duke of York" is an English children's nursery rhyme, often performed as an action song. The eponymous duke has been argued to be a number of the bearers of that title, particularly Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany (1763–1827), and its lyrics (where the duke marches ten thousand soldiers up and down a hill for no apparent reason) have become proverbial for futile action. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 742.
"The Grand Old Duke of York" is also sung to the tune of "A-Hunting We Will Go".