Yon Yonson


"Yon Yonson" is an infinitely recursive poem, nursery rhyme or song, perhaps best known from the novel Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut, although Vonnegut did not create it.

Origins of the song

The song is often sung in a Scandinavian accent. This accent is revealed by the name "Yon Yonson", which when recited in American English is usually rendered "Jan Jansen" or "John Johnson". The Swedish pronunciation "Yon Yonson" probably dates the origin of the song to soon after the Swedes' arrival in the United States.
A possible origin of the song is the dialect stage comedy Yon Yonson by Gus Heege and W. D. Coxey. The play's setting included a Minnesota lumber camp. However, no evidence shows that the song was actually performed as part of the play.

Lyrics

Numerous versions of the song exist, but all are similar to the following:


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Other occurrences of the song