I always repeated rhymes like a parrot when in school. Then came the time to say goodbye and I did it without even thinking more about them.
One day, I was singing rhymes for my daughter and my husband said, did you notice the lyrics of all the rhymes you sang now? That’s how the discussion started. I told him that it is just with very few rhymes and not to be taken seriously. He asked me to list out few of the rhymes and he started pointing out the negatives and that’s when I started realizing how terrifying and absurd most of the rhymes really are.
I was very particular about what rhymes am I going to play for my kids.
When I was singing chubby cheeks, I realized that my girl doesn’t have curly hair or she is not that “FAIR” meant in the rhyme or does she have blue eyes. So, will she not be teachers favorite? For a while I changed lyrics and sang but still I was not so comfortable. But my baby enjoyed this song on YouTube chuchutv channel. I just played it for the sake of playing and entertaining.
- Rock a bye Baby, in the treetop , When the wind blows, the cradle will rock., When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall, And down will come baby, cradle and all
- Three blind mice. Three blind mice.Oh! See how they run. See how they run.Oh! They all ran after the farmer’s wife,Oh! Who cut off their tails with a carving knife,
- Jack and Jill, went up the hill… Jack fell down and broke his crown. and Jill came tumbling after
- Humpty dumpty sat on a wall. Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
- Five little Monkeys jumping on the bed… One fell down and broke his head…
- London bridge is falling down
- What are little boys made of? What are little boys made of? Snips and snails And puppy-dogs’ tails, That’s what little boys are made of.
- Who killed Cock Robin? I, said the Sparrow, with my bow and arrow, I killed Cock Robin.
- Goosey goosey gander, Whither shall I wander? Upstairs and downstairs, And in my lady’s chamber. There I met an old man, Who wouldn’t say his prayers, So I took him by his left leg, And threw him down the stairs.
- As I was going to St. Ives, I met a man with seven wives,
- There was a crooked man,
- Ladybird, ladybird fly away home, Your house is on fire and your children are gone, All except one, And her name is Ann, And she hid under the baking pan.
- There was an old woman who lived in a shoe. She had so many children, she didn’t know what to do; She gave them some broth without any bread; Then whipped them all soundly and put them to bed(Thankfully there was a revised version for this particular rhyme which sounded good and positive. here it is. There was an old woman Who lived in a shoe, She had so many children, And loved them all, too.She said, “Thank you Lord Jesus, For sending them bread.” Then kissed them all gladly and sent them to bed. ).
The researcher in me went to dig what’s wrong with those rhymes and I found that every rhyme of such negative meaning had a great origin behind it. But, do we know it to take the rhyme in to a positive note? OK, even as an adult if I see the rhyme as a good one with a great story, will children at age 1-4 realise the meaning and appreciate? Will it be of any use for them to know the horror behind the rhymes?
My answer would be NO.
I started searching for some good and happy rhymes and finally could see some change in rhymes and the lyrics and music. I am happy that change is initiated.
Chuchu TV, Super Simple Learning , Mother goose club etc., have included numerous new rhymes with learning and positivity but it needs a lot of courage to change the lyrics of old rhymes and make them more positive and Chuchu Tv did it beautifully. Have a look at the familiar ones below.
You can view them on YouTube and the lyrics are there in their website.
Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheChuChuTV
P.S: This is not a sponsored post.
the tin trunk 