“A Was an Apple Pie” rhyme was an extremely popular method of teaching the alphabet to young children in the 19th century when it appeared in many nursery rhyme books, including “The Big Book of Nursery Rhymes” circa 1920.
However it dates back as least as far the reign of Charles II. Together with Bingo song, Apple Pie ABC or the Alphabet Song it is still one beloved alphabet and spelling songs for kids. See the lyrics below:
“A Was an Apple Pie” Lyrics
A was an apple pie
B bit it,
C cut it,
D dealt it,
E eat it,
F fought for it,
G got it,
H had it,
I inspected it,
J jumped for it,
K kept it,
L longed for it,
M mourned for it,
N nodded at it,
O opened it,
P peeped in it,
Q quartered it,
R ran for it,
S stole it,
T took it,
U upset it,
V viewed it,
W wanted it,
X, Y, Z and ampersand
All wished for a piece in hand.