The lyrics of our beloved nursery rhymes and songs are curious, strange, and occasionally rather gruesome when considered at face value. Let’s take a trip back to our preschool days with Mother Goose and these rather concerning lines.

Rock-a-Bye Baby

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

It is terribly unsettling that the words we sing to put young children to sleep are the words illustrating an infant falling from a tree. This seems disconnected.

Humpty Dumpty

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall

All the king’s horses and all the King’s men

Couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty together again

This common preschool lyric never mentions poor Humpty being an egg. How horrid it is to reflect on this favorite rhyme without the euphemism and realize the grotesque reality of an unfortunate man’s end.

Ring around the Rosy

Ring around the rosy

A pocketful of posies

“Ashes, Ashes”

We all fall down

How did a poem about the symptoms and ultimately outcomes of the Bubonic Plague become a childhood song and dance activity? Representative of the “rosy” red rash, the aromatic deterrence of the disease through “posies,” and the deaths and “ashes” of the dead, this song has unwarranted popularity among the preschool population.

Jack and Jill

Jack and Jill went up the hill

To fetch a pail of water.

Jack fell down and broke his crown,

And Jill came tumbling after.

This childhood favorite seems rather innocent, until you find out that Jack is actually King Louis XVI and Jill is Queen Marie Antoinette. And, that crown that “Jack” lost? That would be his head. And, “Jill” lost hers soon after.

Sadly, this is not where the list ends. Numerous childhood songs continue this trend of horrible visuals and grotesque descriptions including Mary, Mary Quite Contrary, Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater, London Bridge, and many more. How shocking to think we were raised on these awful lyrics!