A bouncy little song with a very sad message. Children enjoy making the letter shapes (see below the lyric) with their fingers as they sing, but adults looking after small children have to be careful about singing this kind of sad lyric to anyone who does not have a father present in their household.

I've a laddie in America
I've another in Dundee aye ee aye ee
I've another in Australia
And that's the one who's goin tae marry me aye ee aye ee

First he took me tae the dancin
Then he took me tae my tea aye ee aye ee
Then he ran away and left me
Wi three bonny bairnies on my knee aye ee aye ee

One was sittin by the fireside
Another was sittin on my knee aye ee aye ee
Another was sittin by the doorway
Singin ‘Daddy, daddy, please come back tae me aye ee aye ee.’

When you sing 'aye', hold up your index fingers to make the letter 'I'.
When you sing 'ee', hold up your thumbs, index and middle fingers to make the letter 'E'.

'I've a Laddie in America', performed by Ewan McVicar From Scottish Songs for Younger Children, Gallus recordings.