Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush

Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush is a traditional nursery rhyme and singing game original from England. It shares the same tune with the American folk song from the nineties The Wheels On The Bus.

Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush Origin and Game

Its exact origins are quite unclear. James Orchard Halliwell, who first published the song in the 1840s also refers to a similar singing game “Here we go round the bramble bush” that might be an old version of it.

“Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush” is a very popular game with equivalent versions in Dutch and Scandinavian languages.

The game is very easy to play. At first everybody is holding the hands singing the first verse and moving around in a circle. When singing the next verse they have to stop and imitate the right actions, according to the lyrics.

Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush Lyrics

Here we go round the mulberry bush,
The mulberry bush,
The mulberry bush.
Here we go round the mulberry bush
On a cold and frosty morning.

This is the way we wash our face,
Wash our face,
Wash our face.
This is the way we wash our face
On a cold and frosty morning.

This is the way we comb our hair,
Comb our hair,
Comb our hair.
This is the way we comb our hair
On a cold and frosty morning.

This is the way we brush our teeth,
Brush our teeth,
Brush our teeth.
This is the way we brush our teeth
On a cold and frosty morning.

This is the way we put on our clothes,
Put on our clothes,
Put on our clothes.
This is the way we put on our clothes
On a cold and frosty morning.

Here we go round the mulberry bush,
The mulberry bush,
The mulberry bush.
Here we go round the mulberry bush
On a cold and frosty morning.

The last verse is often sung as:

This is the way we get dressed up, get dressed up, get dressed up,
This is the way we get dressed up, so early Sunday morning.

The structure of the rhyme allows for endless variation within the same framework, and as such lets children add their own everyday activities. It is also a good exercise for the little ones to remember the day of the week.