The Wheels on the Bus
The classic action song with wheels, wipers, horns and a crying baby
Listen
Arrangement: Ian J. Watts / Mike Wilbury · Singalongasong Band / ClassicRocks
Lyrics
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
Round and round, round and round,
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
All day long.
The wipers on the bus go "Swish, swish, swish,
Swish, swish, swish, swish, swish, swish,"
The wipers on the bus go "Swish, swish, swish,"
All day long.
The door on the bus goes open and shut,
Open and shut, open and shut,
The door on the bus goes open and shut,
All day long.
The horn on the bus goes "Beep, beep, beep,
Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep,"
The horn on the bus goes "Beep, beep, beep,"
All day long.
The diesel on the bus goes "Glug, glug, glug,
Glug, glug, glug, glug, glug, glug,"
The diesel on the bus goes "Glug, glug, glug,"
All day long.
The money on the bus goes "Clink, clink, clink,
Clink, clink, clink, clink, clink, clink,"
The money on the bus goes "Clink, clink, clink,"
All day long.
The baby on the bus goes "Wah, wah, wah!
Wah, wah, wah, wah, wah, wah!"
The baby on the bus goes "Wah, wah, wah!"
All day long.
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
Round and round, round and round,
The wheels on the bus go round and round,
All day long.
Traditional lyrics — public domain. Arrangement © Singalongasong Band / ClassicRocks.
History & Background
History & Origin
"The Wheels on the Bus" is one of the most widely sung children's action songs in the world, performed in nurseries, playgroups and primary schools across dozens of countries. The song is generally attributed to Verna Hills, an American songwriter who published it in 1939, though the tune draws on older folk song traditions.
The song's great strength is its expandability. Each verse introduces a new element of the bus — the wheels, the wipers, the horn, the passengers — and pairs it with a repeated sound or action. Children naturally join in on the refrains, and the physical gestures that accompany each verse make it a perfect song for groups of any age.
This recording gives the song a proper rock arrangement: punchy, driving and full of energy, with the repeated refrains delivered with enough commitment to make even the wipers feel exciting. The "Glug, glug, glug" of the diesel and the "Clink, clink, clink" of the money are details not always found in versions of the song, lending this recording a distinctly British flavour.
It remains one of the most requested songs in early years settings, and for good reason — it is genuinely hard to sit still to.
