History of Nursery Rhymes

Nursery Rhymes - lyrics and origins!

The origins of individual nursery rhymes often reflect events in history and where available we have included both the meanings and origins . Two examples of these type of nursery rhymes are 'Ring a Ring o Rosies' which refers to the Bubonic plague and 'Remember Remember' which alludes to Guy Fawkes' attempt to blow up the English Houses of Parliament! Many of the words and lyrics were used to parody the royalty and politicians of the day, direct dissent could be punishable by death! Strange how these events in history are now remembered through children's nursery rhymes!
An adult's view of Nursery Rhymes!

A wise old owl
An apple a day
As I was going to St. Ives
Baa baa black sheep
Christmas is coming
Cry Baby Buntin
Diddle diddle dumpling
Ding dong bell
Doctor Foster
For want of a nail
Georgie Porgie
Goosie goosie gander
Hark hark the dogs do bark
Here is the church
Hey diddle diddle
Hickory dickory dock
Horsey horsey
Hot cross buns
Humpty Dumpty
Hush-a-bye baby
Incy wincy spider
Jack and Jill went up the hill
Jack be nimble
Jack Sprat could
Ladybird ladybird
Little Bo-peep
Little Boy Blue
Little hen
Little Jack Horner
Little Miss Muffet
Little Robin Redbreast
Little Tommy Tucker
Mary had a little lamb
Mary Mary quite contrary
Mondays child
Old King Cole
Old mother Hubbard
More nursery rhymes coming soon!

One two Buckle my shoe
One two three four five
Old Mother Hubbard
Oranges and lemons
Pease pudding
Pat a cake Pat a cake
Peter Peter pumpkin eater
Polly put the kettle on
Pussycat, pussycat
Rain rain go away
Red sky at night
Remember remember
Ride a cock-horse
Ring a ring o rosies
Rock a bye baby
See saw Marjory Daw
Simple Simon
Sing a song of sixpence
Star light star bright
There was a crooked man
Three blind mice
Three little kittens
The Grand old Duke of York
The lion and the unicorn
The North wind doth blow
The Owl and the Pussycat
The Queen of Hearts
There was an old lady
There was an old woman
Thirty days hath September
This is the house that Jack built
This little piggy
Tom Tom the pipers son
Twinkle twinkle little star
Two little dicky birds
Wee Willie Winkie
What are little boys made of?
Who killed Cock Robin

Every child loves being told nursery rhymes. All of the most popular nursery rhymes are listed here - perhaps they will bring back fond memories of your childhood! Can you remember the tunes to the nursery rhymes? The most requested nursery rhymes are Jack and Jill, Humpty Dumpty, Sing a song of sixpence and last but not least Hey diddle diddle!

As I was born and bred in London my favourite nursery rhymes have to be 'Oranges and Lemons' which recreate the sound of the chimes of many old churches once in London, however if you look at the origins of the lyrics for this nursery rhyme the meaning of the last sentences are quite sinister. The other is 'Pussycat Pussycat' - every child's dream must be 'to go up to London to visit the Queen'. Believe it or not the origins of 'Hey Diddle Diddle' have been found and at last I now know what a runcible spoon is - check out the 'Owl and the Pussycat' poem for the definition...
Knowledge of English History and the English language undoubtedly assisted in the analysis of the lyrics and origins of nursery rhymes however there is little definitive proof available other than author names and dates of the first publications.