Sing a song of sixpense

Enertia

Member
While I was reading about nursery rhymes on the internet, I found the actual meaning behind Sing a Song of Sixpence. It stated that the song actually had its origins with pirates. I thought it was interesting. I wonder what other nursery rhymes, had not so savory meanings.
Here is the article on Snopes: http://www.snopes.com/lost/sixpence.asp
 

Toni

Active Member
Many of them!!!! Most were politically inclined. For example, Jack Sprat delt with the economic situation of the day. There was not enough money for a man to feed his family and no jobs for the man to work. Ha, Ha! Much like our economy today. Maybe we should revise this old nursery rhyme.
 

jerri

Member
I knew Ring Around the Rosie was about the bubonice plague until I looked it up on Snopes. They say it had nothing to do with the plague and probably started when there was a ban on dancing for Protestants.
 

Nadai

Active Member
I knew Ring Around the Rosie was about the bubonice plague until I looked it up on Snopes. They say it had nothing to do with the plague and probably started when there was a ban on dancing for Protestants.

I'd thought so too. Maby some of the same songs have some different meanings. I'd always thought London Bridges was about the Black Death...
Go figure:confused:
 
While I was reading about nursery rhymes on the internet, I found the actual meaning behind Sing a Song of Sixpence. It stated that the song actually had its origins with pirates. I thought it was interesting. I wonder what other nursery rhymes, had not so savory meanings.
Here is the article on Snopes: http://www.snopes.com/lost/sixpence.asp
I think we can see a similar trend in fairytale/folktales; children love them, but the unexpurgated versions—and even some of the sanitised retellings—include some very disturbing content.
 
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