Category: Songs
| a.k.a. | “The Button Factory Song” |
|---|---|
| Tune | See video below |
| Type of Song | Actions, Build Upon/Take Away |
| Actions | See lyrics below |
| Similar Songs |
Lyrics
v.1
Hi, my name is Joe
And I work in a button factory
I got a wife and two kids
One day, my boss says, “Joe, are you busy?”
I said, “no”
“Then push this button with your right hand” / push an imaginary button with your right hand
v.2
Hi, my name is Joe
And I work in a button factory
I got a wife and two kids
One day, my boss says, “Joe, are you busy?”
I said, “no.”
“Then push this button with your left hand.” / push imaginary buttons with right and left hands
v.3
Hi, my name is Joe
And I work in a button factory
I got a wife and two kids
One day, my boss says, “Joe, are you busy?”
I said, “no.”
“Then push this button with your right foot.” / push imaginary buttons with right hand, left hand, and right foot
v.4
Hi, my name is Joe
And I work in a button factory
I got a wife and two kids
One day, my boss says, “Joe, are you busy?”
I said, “no.”
“Then push this button with your left foot.” / push imaginary buttons with right hand, left hand, right foot, and left foot
v.5
Hi, my name is Joe
And I work in a button factory
I got a wife and two kids
One day, my boss says, “Joe, are you busy?”
I said, “no.”
“Then push this button with your bum.” / push imaginary buttons with right hand, left hand, right foot, left foot, and bum
v.6
Hi, my name is Joe
And I work in a button factory
I got a wife and two kids
One day, my boss says, “Joe, are you busy?”
I said, “no.”
“Then push this button with your head.” / push imaginary buttons with right hand, left hand, right foot, left foot, bum, and head
v.7
Hi, my name is Joe
And I work in a button factory
I got a wife and two kids
One day, my boss says, “Joe, are you busy?”
I said, “no.”
“Then push this button with your tongue.” / push imaginary buttons with right hand, left hand, right foot, left foot, bum, head, and tongue
v.8
Hi, my name is Joe
And I work in a button factory
I got a wife and two kids
One day, my boss says, “Joe, are you busy?”
I said, “YES!”
This is a version by Sharon, Lois, and Bram. The song doesn’t start until 4:50, so I suggest skipping to that part.
Camp Songs 
My version goes,
Hello, my name is joe,
I’ve got a house, 2 kids, and a spouse,
and I’m working at a button factory,
and one day, my boss comes up to me,
he says,
“hey joe, are you busy?”
I said “no”
then press this button with your………….
ours at brownies was
hi
my names joe
and i work in a button factory
i’ve got a wife
and three kids
one day my body came up to me
he said joe
i said yo
he said busy?
i said no
he said press this button with your __
Does anyone know who wrote the original?
So many different versions! This is the version I know, some bits of the rhythm are different but the melody is the same:
Hi my name is joe, and I work in a button factory
I’ve got a wife, and three kids
and one day the boss said to me:
he said JOE!
I said YO!
he said YOU BUSY?
I said NO!
he said push this button with ur right hand..
Then it goes to left hand, right foot, left foot, nose, then tongue!
My version is: Hello, My name is Joe, And I work in a button factory, I’ve got a wife and 3 kids, and One day my boss came up to me and said ” Hey Joe Are you busy?” I said ” No “. ” So turn the wheel with your right arm”. (etc) That is just the way I learned it, so please don’t pick on me if you have different versions.
We said “Hi, my name is Joe. I got a wife, three kids and I work in a button factory. One day my boss said Joe are you busy I said no. Well good. Work this button with your…..”
my versions are:
Hi, my name is Joe
And I work in a button factory
I got a wife to kiss and a salary
One day, my boss says, “Joe, are you busy?”
I said, “no”
“Push a button (etc.)
or
Hello, my name is Joe
And I work in a button factory
I got a wife, a dog, and a family
One day, my boss says, “Joe, are you busy?”
I said, “no”
“Then push this button (etc.)
both with different tunes from each other, and probably from the ones in the above song
It goes:
Hi, my name is Joe.
And I work In a button factory
I’ve got a wife and two kids
And a dog named spot
Woof woof
One day my boss said
Hey joe are you busy
I said no
Then push this button with your right hand
the original version of the song uses the name jean, also he has a dog & two kids, no wife is mentioned. Also the second and first lines of each verse are mixed up. other wise it was Okay.
I’ve heard the versions with a dog before but I had completely forgotten until now! I will add it along with this one. As far as the verses go, did you mean that it goes:
Hi, my name is Jean
I got a dog and two kids
And I work in a button factory
Let us know so that we can make that version available to everyone!