London Bridge is Falling Down is one of the most popular nursery rhymes. It’s possible that this rhyme and the game associated with it, dates back as far as the fourteenth century, and versions of it are found all over Europe.
Some theorize that it refers to the destruction of London Bridge in the eleventh century by King Olaf and his Norsemen.
There are many tales and superstitions surrounding bridges, one being that the water spirits object to a bridge being built as it is an invasion of their territory. To prevent the possible repercussions of this ‘invasion,’ sacrifices were made to the spirits when the bridge building began. This usually involved killing someone, most often a child, and burying their body in the bridge’s foundations. In the 19th century, an old bridge was demolished in Bremen and the skeleton of a young child was discovered in its foundations.
London Bridge is Falling Down Lyrics
London Bridge has fallen down,
Fallen down, fallen down,
London Bridge has fallen down,
My fair Lady.
Build it up with wood and clay,
Wood and clay, wood and clay,
Build it up with wood and clay,
My fair Lady.
Wood and clay will wash away,
Wash away, wash away,
Wood and clay will wash away,
My fair Lady.
Build it up with bricks and mortar,
Bricks and mortar, bricks and mortar,
Build it up with bricks and mortar,
My fair Lady.
Bricks and mortar will not stay,
Will not stay, will not stay,
Bricks and mortar will not stay,
My fair Lady.
Build it up with iron and steel,
Iron and steel, iron and steel,
Build it up with iron and steel,
My fair Lady.
Iron and steel will bend and bow,
Bend and bow, bend and bow,
Iron and steel will bend and bow,
My fair Lady.
Build it up with silver and gold,
Silver and gold, silver and gold,
Build it up with silver and gold,
My fair Lady.
Silver and gold will be stolen away,
Stolen away, stolen away,
Silver and gold will be stolen away,
My fair Lady.
Set a man to watch all nigh,
Watch all night, watch all night,
Set a man to watch all night,
My fair Lady.
Suppose the man should fall asleep,
Fall asleep, fall asleep,
Suppose the man should fall asleep?
My fair Lady.
Give him a pipe to smoke all night,
Smoke all night, smoke all night,
Give him a pipe to smoke all night,
My fair Lady.
London Bridge is Falling Down Music Sheet
