Lyrics & Devotional Notes

Roly Poly

I could tell many stories about how my songs were kick-started but one stands out. At one country school in South Australia, as the children were gathering for my chapel presentation, one little wide-eyed boy asked me excitedly if I would be singing the roly poly song. At the time I had no song by that name or even including that lyric and so I figured that he was referring to some actions he’d seen me do while singing on a previous visit. However as I set off on the four hour drive home I quickly decided that a song called Roly Poly had to be on my song-writing agenda. The song was completed in my head by the time I arrived home. After ten to fifteen minutes on my guitar that evening Roly Poly was born.

I wrote the song as a fun song with lots of actions for kids to enjoy but in amongst the lyrics which celebrate a very tasty dessert is a reassuring message: Like roly poly life sometimes gets very sticky but Jesus is always there to help us get unstuck.

Matthew 11:28, 1 Peter 5:7, John 14:27, Philippians 4:7, Romans 8:28, Matthew 6:25, John 16:33, Psalms 27:1, Romans 8:38-39, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Psalms 23:4, Psalms 120:1

Roly poly. roly poly round and round

To the left, to the right, and high off the ground.

Roly poly, roly poly down between your feet.

Jesus is the best friend you’ll ever meet.

Roly poly to the left, roly poly to the right,

Roly poly down to the ground,

Roly poly way up high, way up high, to the sky.

Roly poly’s that dessert that my mother used to make.

It’s kinda like a pie and nicer than a cake.

With jam in the middle and pastry outside

It tastes so good it makes me wanna sigh….mmm that’s good!

Roly poly, roly poly with a friend

Up and down, around the bend,

Back to back and side to side.

Spin around in circles and take ‘em for a ride.

Roly poly back to back. Roly poly side to side.

Roly poly head to head. Roly poly way up high, way up high.

High, low, high, low, high, low, high!

Roly poly’s nice but it gets kinda sticky

Like life when it’s good but gets kinda tricky.

You’re stuck in a jam. You don’t know what to do

But Jesus is there. He’ll help you through.

Roly poly now with some clever moves.

Make up your own, that’s what you can do.

Get your hands rolling round and round.

Get ‘em spinning and twisting to the moves you’ve found.

Roly poly to the left, roly poly to the right,

Roly poly to the ground,

Roly poly way up high, way up high, to the sky.

Roly poly. roly poly round and round

To the left, to the right and high off the ground.

Roly poly, roly poly down between your feet.

Jesus is the best friend you’ll ever meet.

< Back