Sing a Song of Sixpence is a traditional English nursery rhyme with roots in the 19th century.
The whimsical and nonsensical nature of the rhyme has contributed to its enduring appeal among young audiences.
Lyrics for Sing a Song Sixpence
Sing a song of sixpence,
A pocket full of rye
Four-and-twenty blackbirds
Baked in a pie
When the pie was opened
The birds began to sing
Now wasn’t that a dainty dish
To set before the King?
The King was in his counting house,
Counting out his money
The queen was in the parlor,
Eating bread and honey
The maid was in the garden,
Hanging out the clothes
There came along a blackbird
And pecked off her nose.
Videos for Sing a Song of Sixpence
Short History for Sing a Song of Sixpence Nursery Rhyme
How the song came to be is unclear, although some accounts suggest it was a pirate song popularized by famous pirate captain Blackbeard.
Another interpretation suggests that the rhyme may have originated as a coded message or political satire, reflecting events in the English royal court.
Another theory links the rhyme to the entertainment at medieval feasts, where live birds might be placed in a pie and released when cut open.
One interpretation suggests that the rhyme may have originated as a coded message or political satire, reflecting events in the English royal court.
Some believe that the “blackbirds” in the pie may refer to the 24 hours a day, with the pie representing the sky.
Regardless of its origins, Sing a Song of Sixpence has endured as a popular nursery rhyme and children’s song, with countless variations and adaptations.