Rounds – Nursery Rhymes

Autumn Leaves Are Falling Down

All Nursery Rhymes — Tue, 20 Dec 2022 20:37:54 +0000

With so many variations, Autumn Leaves Are Falling Down is also known as All the Leaves Are Falling Down and is typically sung to the tune of London Bridge. It is a song that is perfect for the autumn season and teaches children about the characteristics of autumn to help them understand how the world changes as each season come and goes.

As the song goes on, children are told what they should do to the leaves that fall, culminating in them jumping into the leaf pile and having lots of fun. The great thing about this rhyme is that there are no sinister messages, unlike other, traditional nursery rhymes.

This song is often sung in rounds to teach children about different parts of music. The bigger the group of children, the more rounds that can be sung and you can end up with an endless version that only stops when the last entrant to the round finishes their go.

Autumn Leaves Are Falling Down Lyrics

Autumn leaves are falling down
Falling down, falling down
Autumn leaves are falling down.
All around the town.
The wind will blow them round and round
Round and round, round and round.
The wind will blow them round and round
All around the town.
They’re drifting gently to the ground,
to the ground, to the ground.
They’re drifting gently to the ground.
All around the town.
Take a rake and rake them up,
Rake them up, rake them up.
Take a rake and rake them up
All around the town.

Kookaburra Song

All Nursery Rhymes — Tue, 27 Oct 2020 11:18:39 +0000

Kookaburra is an Australian children’s song and round, well known in all English-speaking countries, composed by professor Marion Sinclair in 1932.
It refers to the Kookaburra, a bird that lives in Australia that “sits in the old gum tree”, a common name for the eucalyptus tree.

“Kookaburra Song” Lyrics

Kookaburra* sits in the old gum tree**,
Merry, merry king of the bush is he,
Laugh Kookaburra, laugh Kookaburra
Gay your life must be.

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree,
Eating all the gumdrops he can see,
Stop Kookaburra, stop Kookaburra,
Leave some there for me.

Are you sleeping, brother John?

All Nursery Rhymes — Tue, 23 Jul 2019 12:24:52 +0000

Brother John is the English variation of one of the most popular French nursery rhymes called Frère Jacques. The original French song was translated in many languages including Dutch, Polish, Hebrew, Finnish, Arabic or Vietnamese.

It was first published in a manuscript under the name “Frère Blaise” in 1780 but its author is unknown despite some theories that the song’s author was French composer Jean-Philippe Rameau.

The English lyrics do not preserve the meaning of the song, as in French the third verse “Sonnez les matines! Sonnez les matines!” is imperative and means that Brother John should ring the matins (bells).

“Are you sleeping, brother John?” Lyrics

Are you sleeping? Are you sleeping?
Brother John, Brother John,
Morning bells are ringing! Morning bells are ringing!
Ding, dang, dong. Ding, dang, dong.

Three Blind Mice

All Nursery Rhymes — Wed, 15 Apr 2015 11:45:18 +0000

“Three Blind Mice” is one of the most beloved nursery rhymes and musical rounds for children.

The origin of this rhyme goes back in the 1609 when the first written version of the song was published by Thomas Ravenscroft in “Deuteromelia” or “The Seconde part of Musicks melodie”.

According to some claims the “three blind mice” are the three Protestants executed by Queen Mary I of England, in the Catholicism and Protestantism conflict. It is about the Oxford Martyrs who were tried for heresy and burnt at the stake in 1555.

The modern version of the song was first included in children’s literature much later, at the beginning of 19th century, and its lyrics are different than the original one.

“Three Blind Mice” Lyrics

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?

Christmas Is Coming

All Nursery Rhymes — Tue, 14 Apr 2015 13:05:53 +0000

“Christmas Is Coming” is a well known traditional carol talking about the meaning and symbol of Christmas: a time of celebration and goodness.

We don’t know the exact origins of the Christmas Is Coming poem. The musical sheet belongs to the writer Edith Nesbit (Bland) (1858-1924), the author of some popular children’s literature.

It became popular in the 1960s when The Kingston Trio band included it on their album “The Last Month of the Year” titled “A Round About Christmas”.

Over the years “Christmas Is Coming” has become one the most popular rounds and Christmas songs for children, both in the USA and the UK.

“Christmas Is Coming” Lyrics

Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat
Please to put a penny in the old man’s hat;
If you haven’t got a penny, a ha’penny will do,
If you haven’t got a ha’penny then God bless you!