Like nursery rhymes, almost all children learn some simple songs at school.
Click on a song to read it.
| Baa, Baa, Black Sheep Baa, baa, black sheep Have you any wool? Yes, sir, yes, sir, Three bags full. One for the master, And one for the dame, And one for the little boy Who lives down the lane. | Three Blind Mice Three blind mice, three blind mice, See how they run! See how they run! They all ran after the farmer’s wife, Who cut off their tails with a carving knife, Did you ever see such a sight in your life, As three blind mice? |
| Hot Cross Buns Hot cross buns! Hot cross buns! One a penny, two a penny, Hot cross buns! If you have no daughters, Give them to your sons; One a penny, two a penny, Hot cross buns! | Sing a Song of Sixpence Sing a song of sixpence, A pocket full of rhye; Four and twenty blackbirds Baked in a pie. When the pie was opened, The birds began to sing; Wasn’t that a dainty dish To set before the king? The king was in his counting-house Counting out his money; The queen was in the parlor Eating bread and honey. The maid was in the garden Hanging out the clothes, Along came a blackbird And pecked off her nose. |
| Itsy Bitsy Spider Itsy bitsy spider Climbed the water spout. Down came the rain And washed the spider out. Out came the sun And dried up all the rain And the itsy bitsy spider Climbed up the spout again. | The Grand Old Duke of York The grand old Duke of York He had ten thousand men He marched them up to the top of the hill And he marched them down again. And when they were up, they were up And when they were down, they were down And when they were only half way up They were neither up nor down. |
| Oranges and Lemons “Oranges and lemons” Say the bells of St. Clements. “You owe me five farthings” Say the bells of St. Martin’s. “When will you pay me?” Say the bells of Old Bailey. “When I grow rich” Say the bells of Shoreditch. “When will that be?” Say the bells of Stepney. “I do not know” Say the great bells of Bow. Here comes a candle to light you to bed And here comes a chopper to chop off your head. | London Bridge is Falling Down London Bridge is falling down Falling down Falling down. London Bridge is falling down My fair lady. Build it up with wood and clay Wood and clay Wood and clay. Build it up with wood and clay My fair lady. Wood and clay will wash away Wash away Wash away. Wood and clay will wash away My fair lady. Build it up with bricks and mortar Bricks and mortar Bricks and mortar. Build it up with bricks and mortar My fair lady. Bricks and mortar will not stay Will not stay Will not stay. Bricks and mortar will not stay My fair lady. Build it up with iron and steel Iron and steel Iron and steel. Build it up with iron and steel My fair lady. Iron and steel will bend and bow Bend and bow Bend and bow. Iron and steel will bend and bow My fair lady. Build it up with silver and gold Silver and gold Silver and gold. Build it up with silver and gold My fair lady. Silver and gold will be stolen away Stolen away Stolen away. Silver and gold will be stolen away My fair lady. Set a man to watch all night Watch all night Watch all night. Set a man to watch all night My fair lady. Suppose the man should fall asleep Fall asleep Fall asleep. Suppose the man should fall asleep My fair lady. Give him a man to smoke all night Smoke all night Smoke all night. Give him a pipe to smoke all night My fair lady. |
| Pat a Cake Pat a cake, pat a cake Baker’s man Bake me a cake as fast as you can. Pat it and prick it and mark it with a ‘B’ And put it in the oven for baby and me. | Ring-a-ring O' Roses (version 1) Ring-a-ring o’ roses A pocket full of posies “Ashes, ashes” We all fall down. (version 2) Ring-a-ring o’ roses A pocket full of posies “A-tishoo, A-tishoo” We all fall down. |
| The Owl and the Pussycat The Owl and the Pussycat went to sea In a beautiful pea-green boat, They took some honey, and plenty of money, Wrapped up in a five pound note. The Owl looked up to the stars above, And sang to a small guitar, “O lovely Pussy! O Pussy, my love, What a beautiful Pussy you are, you are, you are, What a beautiful Pussy you are.” Pussy said to the Owl “You elegant fowl, How charmingly sweet you sing. O let us be married, too long we have tarried; But what shall we do for a ring?” They sailed away, for a year and a day, To the land where the Bong-tree grows, And there in a wood a Piggy-wig stood With a ring at the end of his nose, his nose, his nose, With a ring at the end of his nose. “Dear Pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling your ring?” Said the Piggy, “I will” So they took it away, and were married next day By the Turkey who lives on the hill. They dined on mince, and slices of quince, Which they ate with a runcible spoon. And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand. They danced by the light of the moon, the moon, the moon, They danced by the light of the moon. | Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star (short version) Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high, Like a diamond in the sky. Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are. (long version) Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high, Like a diamond in the sky. When the blazing sun is gone When he nothing shines upon, Then you show your little light Twinkle, twinkle all the night. Then the traveller in the dark Thanks you for your tiny spark, He could not see which way to go If you did not twinkle so. In the dark blue sky you keep And often through my curtains peep, For you never shut your eye ‘Till the sun is in the sky. As your bright and tiny spark Lights the traveller in the dark, Though I know not what you are Twinkle, twinkle little star. |
| Rock-a-bye Baby Rock-a-bye baby, on the tree top, When the wind blows, the cradle will rock, When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall, And down will come baby, cradle and all. |