The Origin of a Few Children’s Songs

by

We all grew up singing songs and some are quite old. Adam and Eve probably had some that they relied on if the truth was known.

In my current work in progress, my heroine and her sister start an orphanage for kids left without parents during a frightening yellow fever epidemic. The year is the fall of 1867. With the recent loss of their parents, the children are very distraught. Maura Taggart finds that singing is one thing that seems to help. So of course, I got curious and had to dive into research.

Here’s what I found.

Mary Had a Little Lamb was written and sung in 1830.

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star – 1838

Old McDonald Had a Farm – 1706

London Bridge – 1744

Hickory Dickory Dock – 1744

Frère Jacques – 1780

I remember singing in French “Frère Jacques” in the first grade and still remember a few of the words. It translates into “Are You Sleeping, Brother John?” I loved this song and I felt very grown up singing in French. HA! Doesn’t take much to impress a small child.

I was amazed at how far back these songs go. The children in my orphanage grow to love singing so Maura makes it part of a daily routine along with painting. Children love creating and they can forget the sad turns their lives have taken for a little while.

I’m really enjoying this story. I have no release date yet so I’m just having fun. Some of the children become very difficult to stay put. They’re not allowed around in the front but that’s exactly where they want to be. One day they find a puppy tied to a sign and insist it’s a gift from God to let them know their parents still love them and are watching over them. Then, they discover various other items that help make life easier for the orphans. But who is the mysterious benefactor? It’ll keep you guessing.

What other songs did you grow up with? A lot of these started out as poems or nursery rhymes before someone put music to them. I’d love to discuss this. I’ll give away a $10 Amazon gift card to someone who comments.

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Here in the Texas Panhandle, we do love our cowboys. There's just something about a man in a Stetson and jeans that makes my heart beat faster. I'm not much of a cook but I love to do genealogy and I'm a bit of a rock hound. I'm also a NY Times & USA Today bestselling author of historical western romance. You can contact me through my website and I'd love to connect with you on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and more. HAPPY READING!
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86 thoughts on “The Origin of a Few Children’s Songs”

  3. I’m actually familiar with all of these songs you mentioned and sung most of them in kindergarten. Except for Hickory Dickory Dock. I’m only familiar with Hickory Dickory Dock from one of Agatha Christie’s books. These days I’m also familiar with the very dark origins of these children’s songs.

    • Good morning, Minna. Yes, these songs sprang from nasty politics, murder and mayhem. But it gets me why they’d become children’s songs. That’s pretty weird. I hope you’re doing well, dear friend, and avoiding the sickness that’s everywhere. Stay safe.

  8. Ring-o-Round the Rosie (falsely attributed to the plague),

    London Bridge is Falling Down,

    Kookaburra,

    Mary, Mary Quite Contrary, (forgot to check if it’s really about Queen Mary)

    Bluebells, Cockle Shells

    I could go on…

    • Just checked, there doesn’t appear to be proof Mary, Mary is about either Queen Mary or Mary, mother of Jesus as attributed through folklore

      • Denise, you really know your nursery rhymes! Wow. I’m impressed. Interesting about Mary, Mary. So many of these nursery songs came from politics which was strange. I’m so happy you stopped by and prodded my memory. Ha! I needed that. Have a wonderful day.

  10. Wow I loved seeing the dates these were 1st brought to us and still going strong today.
    Rob and I both put our heads together. We came up with Row, Row, Row Your Boat!

    Thank you for giving us a brief look at your current book. I can’t wait to read it. Have a great day and enjoy our last day of warmth, I hear “Old Man Snow” is heading our way tomorrow.
    Love you My Sister Friend.

    • Good morning, Miss Tonya. You and Rob did good! And Row, Row, Row Your Boat is often sung in acapella with one group starting after the first. I love that arrangement. Yes, colder tomorrow. I don’t think we’re supposed to get snow down here. It’s as dry as a bone. Enjoy your day. Much love and hugs!

  11. Good morning Linda, your book sounds wonderful I can’t wait to read it! Ring Around the Rosie was a song I always heard and with my name being Rose guess who was always in the center as kids sang it. To this day I still cringe when I here it. Row Row Row Your Boat and every child in bible school singing Jesus Loves Me loud enough I’m sure they heard in the heavens. Thank you for starting my day with so many memories.

    • I’m glad to spark memories, Rose Ann! Yes, I imagine you were always put in the center. So sorry. I agree about Jesus Loves Me. Such an important song. Have a beautiful day.

    • Karijean, I heard that also about the origin which begs the questions why would anyone use something so gruesome for a children’s song. Guess we’ll never know. Enjoy your day and try to make it count for something.

  13. Grew up singing the ones you mentioned.

    Three blind mice
    Little miss muffet
    Kookaburra song
    A few others I can’t remember the name of but listened to on a cassette over and over again.
    A bunch from Sunday school.

    • Good morning, Lynsay! I’m so happy you stopped by with a list of songs you sang as a child. Singing makes us happy and puts a smile on our face. I have fond memories of singing. I sang a lot to my children as well as read to them. Have a beautiful day.

  14. I grew up singing several of those. Also several hymns at church. One of my favorites was The Crusader’s Hymn.

    • Good morning, Jess! With your lovely brood, I’m sure there is lots of singing in your house. Thanks for coming with memories of songs. Have a blessed and wonderful day.

    • Good morning, Teresa! I remember playing that game for hours and hours. Such fond memories of an innocent time. Thanks for spending part of your morning with us. Blessings and love.

  16. This Little Light of Mine, the B.I.B.L.E., Jesus Loves Me, Momma’s Little Baby Loves Shortnin’ Bread, etc.
    Thanks Linda for the walk down memory lane! Your new book sounds like fun with the orphans. Love you.

    • Good morning, Kathy. I’m so happy to see you with the songs you added. I sang those as well and loved the happiness that bubbled deep inside. Singing just makes us happy. I’m loving this new book about the orphans. They’re so funny and at times full of wisdom beyond their years. Kids can teach us how to be better people. Love you, lady. Have a blessed day.

  20. Crazy how far back some of these go! A few I was going to mention other people did – so we must all remember them from childhood. Mrs.O’Leary was my family favorite since we grew up on a dairy farm. Another one both hubby and I grew up with was the Skeeters and Bedbugs song. We taught it to our kids and they think its hilarious. I don’t know when that one came about!

  22. When we went on a car trip which was not more than 2 hours away we used to sing every single song that we knew. Au Clair de la lune, Clementine, Old Macdonald had a Farm.

  23. Wow, I had no idea these songs went back that far!! I remember singing these, and I used to have Mom sing Froggy Went a Courtin’ to me, especially when I didn’t feel well. Do Lord is one I remember, along with Jesus Loves Me. Ring around the rosy was done, too. All of the old hymns, like At Calvary, The Old Rugged Cross, and singing along with Daddy’s Johnny Horton album, Leroy van Dyke, Marty Robbins, and more!

  24. Linda, I loved Frere Jacques too! My dad always sang it with me. I had a lot of those little small colored records and played them over and over–had all kinds of children’s songs on them. But it wasn’t long before I began to gravitate toward folk music (I had two much older sisters in the house and that was popular!) and also rock and roll. We had a wide variety of music going on! LOL I do remember one thing though–we had some of those old THICK 78 speed records where the cowboy would tell a story and sing a song and one of those was where he told about the Ghost Riders in the Sky and then sang it. OH MY GOSH. Scared the livin’ fool out of me but I played that thing over and over again. LOL Great post–I cannot wait to read your book. That sounds wonderful! Hugs, filly sis!

    • Hi Cheryl, you had a musical household. Younger sister Jan and I had one of those small record players with some of the same records. We played that thing to death and sang at the top of our voice. Really happy times. Stay tuned on the new book. Glad it grabs you. Love and big Texas hugs, Filly Sis. 🙂

  28. Hush Little Baby Don’t Say A Word
    believed to have been started in the south . They are not sure of the exact origin. Google says “ possibly a slave lullaby, sang by black nannies to white children, to promise rewards if the child stayed quiet.
    Interesting to read about these childhood songs we know by heart!

  30. Hello Linda! We sang most of these songs as we grew up. Before reading the comments Row, Row, Row Your Boat came to mind. Then I saw Tonya’s comment! (Tonya and Rob, I guess great minds work alike!) The reason, I think, that I like this song is because it was sung in three, I guess, they were called courses or groups. But either way it was fun! Love this blog and can’t wait for the book about the Children’s home.

    • Hi Ruth! Thank you for coming. I love those two or three part harmony songs and this one is so fun for a group to sing. I’ll let you know more about this orphanage book later. Glad it intrigues you. Have a lovely day.

  31. Welcome today. I remember so many more. My mom was big into singing and had the five of us kids sing along all the time. It really did help work seem to go faster. Jesus Loves Me, Jesus Loves the Little Children. Ring around the Rosie, Farmer in the Dell, (this one we loved because we lived on a farm with a lot of animals) and so many more quilting dash lady at comcast dot net

    • Hi Lori! I’m so glad you came by. Your mom was a wise woman. Kids can’t fight, argue, whine, get into trouble as long as they’re singing. Very smart. Have a lovely day and stay warm.

  32. Oh, I loved every one of these songs!! I remember the words to them, too!! My mama taught me most of these, the rest I learned in elementary school. We had a music teacher at our school for every grade. The same person taught music in EVERY grade. Mrs. Eloise James was her name. She was quite a woman. And, every Sunday we sang at church, we little ones. We were called the “Booster Choir”. My favorites were Get thee behind me, satan and we always ended with Lord, Send a Revival and Let it Begin in Me. A funny thing: my little girls used to sing Do Lord, oh, do Lord, oh do you ‘ member me? I didn’t realize for the longest time. I think they were like ten and twelve before they actually told me that that’s what they thought it said! Lol

    • Lana, how funny! Your girls probably still sing the wrong words to this day. Sounds like you were a very enthusiastic singer. Mrs. James must’ve been a great music teacher. Thanks for coming to join the conversation. 🙂

  33. The Itsy Bitsy Spider climbed up the water spout. Always loved doing this with my kids when they where little.

  34. Baa Baa Blacksheep , The Farmer in the Dell, I loved your post, and Old King Cole, and Little Boy Blue. Thank you so much. Your book sounds like a great read, thank you for sharing about it.

    • Alicia, you have them all down. Singing is great for kids. And parents too because it entertains children. I’m glad my new story has caught your interest. I’ll be telling more about it later.

  38. “Frère Jacques,” “Baa, Baa, Black Sheep,” “Old McDonald Had A Farm,” and “London Bridge” were favorites. Ring Around the Rosie was a favorite. As an adult I heard this song was about the plague. Not true. The earliest records of the rhyme are in 1881 and the plague hit in 1347. I think it was a case of trying to make the words fit history. It makes sense since so many of them do refer to historical events. At a yard sale several years ago, I found a book printed in the 1880’s about children’s games and songs. It was water damaged, but the pictures and information are fascinating. How long will you be working on this book? We will be in San Antonio in April and have a stepson in Lubbock we will try to visit. If I can find the book, I could bring it along and let you see it. Let me know.

    • Oh, Pat! The possibility of seeing you makes me so happy. But this book will not be out until next year sometime. Not sure of a release date yet. If I self-publish it, I could put it out around Sept or October. That’s the earliest possible date. But….A Man of Legend comes out in March. You could bring that one. I do so hope you make it to Lubbock. I have a big hug for you. 🙂

  39. That’s really interesting, I didn’t realize how old some of those songs were! I always liked singing You are my sunshine and London Bridge is falling down.

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