Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush Nursery Rhyme- Lyrics, History, Video, Lesson Plans & More

Here We Go Around the Mulberry bush is a children’s singing game and nursery rhyme with roots in Britain. The song uses one of the most recognizable tunes, making it even more likable.

Let’s look at everything the song entails, from its history to why it uses such a famous tune.

LYRICS

Though the song has a spine of only one verse, the modern version comprises of several verses.

Lyrics for Here We go Round the Mulberry Bush as Sung Today

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.

After the first verse, the actions in the preceding lines can be anything the singer wants. You only have to ensure everything rhymes.

The term mulberry bush isn’t so common everywhere. Some singers prefer using bramble bush or barberry bush.

Full Original Lyrics for Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush

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

The original lyrics were only one verse before people added extra activities such as combing your hair, how a gentleman walks, and how we dry our clothes.

THE HISTORY BEHIND HERE WE GO ROUND THE MULBERRY BUSH

Who Wrote the Nursery Rhyme Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush?

The writer of this famous song has gotten lost in history, although the song has existed for many years. Tracking the writer of an old song, especially from a time when humanity didn’t document many things, is really difficult.

The earliest available form of the song in print is from an 1842 book called Popular Rhymes, Fireside Stories, and Amusements of Scotland” by W. & R. Chambers.

The song in the book doesn’t use the tune we’ve come to know so well. Instead, it uses a tune from another song called Nancy Dawson. But if you listen to the following version by Jerry Bryant and Starboard Mess of the traditional tune you will hear the similarities between the melody as sung today!

In 1849, James Orchard Halliwell, a nursery rhyme collector, recorded a variation of the song in his book, Popular Rhymes and Nursery Tales: a sequel to the Nursery Rhymes of England. He, however, didn’t take credit for the song since he wasn’t the writer.

Halliwell noted that the song’s earlier version didn’t mention a mulberry bush. The earlier version mentions a bramble bush instead.

The following historical theories, in particular about the song being sung by prisoners could explain the change in the bush although some claim it was for alliteration purposes – mulberry sounded better!

Two Theories to Explain the Origin and History of Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush

Like most nursery rhymes with a forgotten past, some theories try to explain the origin of this song.

1. The British Silk Industry Theory

There’s a theory that says the song is a derisory take on the struggles of the British silk industry.

In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Britain tried to mimic the success of the Chinese silk industry. For this, they needed to cultivate silkworms. Mulberry bushes are perfect for the survival of silkworms.

But Britain’s periodic harsh winters and frost didn’t allow the silkworm to thrive.

That placed considerable strain on the silk industry, making it struggle – thus the words on a cold and frosty morning.

2. The Theory of Exercising Prisoners at HMP Wakefield

Another theory claims prisoners exercising around under a mature mulberry tree inspired the song. The mulberry tree was at the exercise yard of HMP Wakefield, a female prison.

According to RS Duncan, a prison governor, prisoners would exercise and sing the song as they went around the tree. Although there is no way to prove this theory there is evidence of the tree which unfortunately was cut down in 2019 as it was dead, but you can read about it on the BBC website and see images of the tree here!

WHAT DO THE WORDS IN HERE WE GO ROUND THE MULBERRY BUSH MEAN? DEFINITIONS

What Does the Nursery Rhyme Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush Mean?

Though most people see the song only as a singing game, some think it to be a play on the struggles of the British silk industry, as explained before.

The song may be only a singing game for children to enjoy without worrying about deeper meanings.

What is a Mulberry Bush?

Mulberry is a small tree with broad leaves it sheds in the summer. The tree is native to East Asia countries but is grown worldwide.

Though the song says mulberry bush, mulberries don’t grow on bushes. Mulberries grow on trees. The term replaced bramble bush possibly because it rhymed better, or because of the histories discussed previously in this article.

What Does Cold and Frosty Mean?

These terms refer to chilly weather with ice covering everything. A cold and frosty morning is a freezing morning.

What is a Bramble Bush?

A bramble bush is any plant that grows as a shrub with a prickly, rough, or tangled appearance. The plant produces raspberries, dewberries, or blackberries.

INTERESTING FACTS & QUESTIONS ANSWERED

There Is No Such Thing as a Mulberry Bush!

Although the song says mulberry bush, mulberries don’t grow on bushes.

Mulberries grow on trees. The original lyrics were about a bramble bush which is basically any plant that looks thorny and bushy.

However, if we go by the theory that prisoners at HMP Wakefield in the UK sang the song whilst exercising and walking around a Mulberry tree, the change in lyrics makes sense!

What Songs Sound Like Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush

Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush sounds like the nursery rhymes Lazy Mary, Nuts in May, and The Wheels on the Bus.

That’s because they share the same tune. The three songs are, however, not alike or related in more ways than the tune.

It’s only a case of one song borrowing a matching tune from another.

Which Song Came First, Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush or Lazy Mary?

Both the songs are old, with little record of when they first appeared. Therefore, it is impossible to know which one of them came first.

If I were to guess, I’d say Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush came first. That’s because the song was available in print as far back as 1842.

The book Popular Rhymes, Fireside Stories, and Amusements of Scotland by W. & R. Chambers features the song to a different tune.

How to Play and Dance Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush Singing Game

Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush is a singing game that slightly resembles another rhyme and singing game, Ring Around Your Rosie.

Children hold hands and go around in a circle as they sing the song. Afterward, they mime the actions in the last lines, from washing the face to combing hair.

Is Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush in the Public Domain?

Yes, Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush is a public-domain song. That means that no one has the copyright to it and that if you want to use the song in your work, you can.

(Disclaimer: This is a general–not a legally confirmed fact, and you need to do more research into the laws in your jurisdiction/country to ensure you have the right to use this song)

Anything published or copyrighted before 1925 today is considered public domain.

Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush wasn’t published before 1925, but it was present long before the 1925 date, even if no one knew the original writer. That makes it a public-domain song.

BUT this does not apply to other people’s versions of it – for example, if you made a CD of you singing Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush, your version is not public domain. Therefore, I cannot resell it without your permission.

How Do you Sing Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush in Sign Language?

You can sing Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush in sign language. I found a resource on YouTube that can help you with that.

HERE WE GO ROUND THE MULBERRY BUSH INSPIRED LESSON PLANS

The following is a selection of Lesson Plans based on Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush. You need to click on the images to go to the websites to learn more and download the resources.

SHEET MUSIC FOR HERE WE GO ROUND THE MULBERRY BUSH

What is the Time Signature of Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush?

Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush is typically played in the 6/8 time signature.

HOW TO PLAY HERE WE GO ROUND THE MULBERRY BUSH ON AN INSTRUMENT

You can play Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush on an instrument with any of the below YouTube resources.