nursery rhyme "Oranges and Lemons"

E1020224

"Oranges and Lemons" is a traditional English nursery rhyme and singing game that references the bells of several London churches and is known for its distinctive, rhythmic verse.

All labels observed (2)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (53)

Predicate Object
instanceOf English nursery rhyme
children's song
nursery rhyme
singing game
associatedWithLocation City of London
East End of London
collectedBy Iona Opie
Peter Opie
collectedIn The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes
countryOfOrigin England
dateOfFirstAttestation 18th century
describes bells of London churches
genre children's music
nursery rhyme
traditional song
hasCharacteristic call-and-response pattern
repetitive structure
rhymed couplets
strong rhythm
hasEarliestPrintedVersion mid-18th century
hasForm counting-out game
singing game
hasGameMechanic capturing a child on the final line of the rhyme
other children passing under the arch in a line
two children forming an arch with their arms
hasLine Here comes a candle to light you to bed
Here comes a chopper to chop off your head
I do not know, says the great bell of Bow
Oranges and lemons, say the bells of St Clement's
When I grow rich, say the bells of Shoreditch
When will that be? say the bells of Stepney
When will you pay me? say the bells of Old Bailey
You owe me five farthings, say the bells of St Martin's
hasTheme London church bells
debt and payment
execution imagery
hasVariant regional text variations in Britain
influenced popular culture depictions of London bells
intendedAudience children
language English
mentions Bow
Old Bailey
Shoreditch
St Clement's Church
St Martin's Church
Stepney
modeOfPerformance chanted
sung
referencedIn Nineteen Eighty-Four
linked to: 1984

works of English children's literature
usedIn children's playground games
circle games
singing games

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (2)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

St Clement Eastcheap associatedWith nursery rhyme "Oranges and Lemons"
subject linked to: St Clement Eastcheap church
St Clement Eastcheap bellsAssociatedWith "Oranges and Lemons"
subject linked to: St Clement Eastcheap church
linked to: nursery rhyme "Oranges and Lemons"