The lyric “The bear went over the mountain to see what he could see” completes the song’s central refrain.
“The Bear Went Over the Mountain” is an English-language children’s song based on the older folk tune “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.” Its lyrics use a simple repeated journey and discovery structure.
The punch line is that the bear sees another mountain, giving the song a circular ending. Because the melody is familiar, groups can easily add verses or actions.
The song is sometimes confused with “The Bear Went Over the Mountain,” a military cadence or camp song, but the core children’s lyric remains the same.