Let's Learn a Japanese Traditional Song: Sparrows School 雀の学校 Suzume no Gakkou

For more on this song (and other traditional Japanese songs):
https://thejapanesepage.com/sparrows-song/

チイチイパッパチイパッパ雀[すずめ]の学校[がっこう]の先生[せんせい]はむちを振[ふ]り振[ふ]りチイパッパ

This song’s lyrics were written by 清水かつら (Shimizu Katsura) and the melody by 弘田龍太郎 (Hirota Ryuutarou) in 1921.

Apparently, the ちいちいぱっぱ was inspired by the sound of his young daughter learning to talk (ちいちい) and by the sound of the fluttering of sparrow’s wings (ぱっぱ).

チイチイパッパ チイパッパ
chii chii pappa chii pappa
Chii chii pappa chiipappa

雀[すずめ]の学校[がっこう]の先生[せんせい]は
suzume no gakkou no sensei wa
The teacher of the sparrow’s school

むちをふりふり チイパッパ
muchi o furi furi chii pappa
swings about a whip

生徒[せいと]の雀[すずめ]は 輪[わ]になって
seito no suzume wa wa ni natte
The sparrow students make a circle

お口[くち]をそろえて チイパッパ
o kuchi o soroete chii pappa
All together they open their mouths with chiipappa

まだまだいけない チイパッパ
madamada ikenai chii pappa
It’s still no good

も一度一緒いちどいっしょにチイパッパ
mo ichido isshou ni chii pappa
One more time all together now, chiipappa
* normally this is もう一度 but shortened for the song

チイチイパッパ　チイパッパ
chii chii pappa chii pappa
chiichii pappa chiipappa

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