Oranges and Lemons
Encyclopedia
"Oranges and Lemons" is an English
nursery rhyme
and singing game
which refers to the bells of several churches, all within or close to the City of London
. It is listed in the Roud Folk Song Index
as #3190.
Here is a longer version:
with the same name, in which the players file, in pairs, through an arch made by two of the players (made by having the players face each other, raise their arms over their head, and clasp their partners' hands). The challenge comes during the final lines:
On the last word, the children forming the arch drop their arms to catch the pair of children currently passing through, who are then "out" and must form another arch next to the existing one. In this way, the series of arches becomes a steadily lengthening tunnel through which each set of two players have to run faster and faster to escape in time.
Alternative versions of the game include: children caught "out" by the last rhyme may stand behind one of the children forming the original arch, instead of forming additional arches; and, children forming "arches" may bring their hands down for each word of the last line, while the children passing through the arches run as fast as they can to avoid being caught on the last word.
s; that it describes Henry VIII
's marital difficulties. Problematically for these theories the last two lines, with their different metre, do not appear in the earlier recorded versions of the rhyme, including the first printed in Tommy Thumb's Pretty Song Book
(c. 1744), where the lyrics are:
There is considerable variation in the churches and lines attached to them in versions printed in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, which makes any overall meaning difficult to establish. The final two lines of the modern version were first collected by James Orchard Halliwell in the 1840s.
Oranges and Lemons was the name of a square-four-eight-dance, published in Playford's, Dancing Master in 1665, but it is not clear if this relates to this rhyme. Similar rhymes naming churches and giving rhymes to their names can be found in other parts of England, including Shropshire and Derby, where they were sung on festival days, on which bells would also have been rung.
The identity of the churches is not always clear, but the following have been suggested, along with some factors that may have influenced the accompanying statements:
, and the intonation of each line is said to correspond with the distinct sounds of each church's bells. Today, the bells of St. Clement Danes ring out the tune of the rhyme.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
nursery rhyme
Nursery rhyme
The term nursery rhyme is used for "traditional" poems for young children in Britain and many other countries, but usage only dates from the 19th century and in North America the older ‘Mother Goose Rhymes’ is still often used.-Lullabies:...
and singing game
Singing game
A singing game is an activity based around a particular verse or rhyme, usually associated with a set of actions and movements. They have been studied by folklorists, ethnologists and psychologists and are seen as important part of childhood culture...
which refers to the bells of several churches, all within or close to the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
. It is listed in the Roud Folk Song Index
Roud Folk Song Index
The Roud Folk Song Index is a database of 300,000 references to over 21,600 songs that have been collected from oral tradition in the English language from all over the world...
as #3190.
Lyrics
Common modern versions include:Oranges and lemons,
Say the bells of St. Clement's.
You owe me five farthings,
Say the bells of St. Martin's.
When will you pay me?
Say the bells of Old Bailey.
When I grow rich,
Say the bells of Shoreditch.
When will that be?
Say the bells of Stepney.
I do not know,
Says the great bell of Bow.
Here comes a candle to light you to bed,
And here comes a chopper to chop off your head!
Here is a longer version:
Gay go up and gay go down,
To ring the bells of London town.
Oranges and lemons,
Say the bells of St. Clements.
Bull's eyes and targets,
Say the bells of St. Marg'ret's.
Brickbats and tiles,
Say the bells of St. Giles'.
Halfpence and farthings,
Say the bells of St. Martin's.
Pancakes and fritters,
Say the bells of St. Peter's.
Two sticks and an apple,
Say the bells of Whitechapel.
Pokers and tongs,
Say the bells of St. John's.
Kettles and pans,
Say the bells of St. Ann's.
Old Father Baldpate,
Say the slow bells of Aldgate.
You owe me ten shillings,
Say the bells of St. Helen's.
When will you pay me?
Say the bells of Old Bailey.
When I grow rich,
Say the bells of Shoreditch.
Pray when will that be?
Say the bells of Stepney.
I do not know,
Says the great bell of Bow.
Here comes a candle to light you to bed,
Here comes a chopper to chop off your head.
Chop chop chop chop
The last man's dead!
As a game
The song is used in a children's singing gameSinging game
A singing game is an activity based around a particular verse or rhyme, usually associated with a set of actions and movements. They have been studied by folklorists, ethnologists and psychologists and are seen as important part of childhood culture...
with the same name, in which the players file, in pairs, through an arch made by two of the players (made by having the players face each other, raise their arms over their head, and clasp their partners' hands). The challenge comes during the final lines:
- Here comes a candle to light you to bed.
- Here comes a chopper to chop off your head.
On the last word, the children forming the arch drop their arms to catch the pair of children currently passing through, who are then "out" and must form another arch next to the existing one. In this way, the series of arches becomes a steadily lengthening tunnel through which each set of two players have to run faster and faster to escape in time.
Alternative versions of the game include: children caught "out" by the last rhyme may stand behind one of the children forming the original arch, instead of forming additional arches; and, children forming "arches" may bring their hands down for each word of the last line, while the children passing through the arches run as fast as they can to avoid being caught on the last word.
Origins and meaning
Various theories have been advanced to account for the rhyme, including: that it deals with child sacrifice; that it describes public executionPublic Execution
Public Execution is a Mouse and the Traps retrospective album that has been released in both LP and CD formats. The LP has an unusually large number of tracks , while the CD includes 4 bonus tracks and catalogues almost all of the released music by Mouse and the Traps and their associated bands: ...
s; that it describes Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
's marital difficulties. Problematically for these theories the last two lines, with their different metre, do not appear in the earlier recorded versions of the rhyme, including the first printed in Tommy Thumb's Pretty Song Book
Tommy Thumb's Pretty Song Book
Tommy Thumb's Pretty Song Book is the earliest extant printed collection of English language nursery rhymes, published in London in 1744. It was a sequel to the lost Tommy Thumb's Song Book and contains the oldest version of many well-known and popular rhymes, as well as several that have been...
(c. 1744), where the lyrics are:
Two Sticks and Apple,
Ring yeThorn (letter)Thorn or þorn , is a letter in the Old English, Old Norse, and Icelandic alphabets, as well as some dialects of Middle English. It was also used in medieval Scandinavia, but was later replaced with the digraph th. The letter originated from the rune in the Elder Fuþark, called thorn in the...
Bells at Whitechapple,
Old Father Bald Pate,
Ring ye Bells Aldgate,
Maids in White Aprons,
Ring ye Bells a St. Catherines,
Oranges and Lemmons,
Ring ye bells at St. Clemens,
When will you pay me,
Ring ye Bells at ye Old Bailey,
When I am Rich,
Ring ye Bells at Fleetditch,
When will that be,
Ring ye Bells at Stepney,
When I am Old,
Ring ye Bells at Pauls.
There is considerable variation in the churches and lines attached to them in versions printed in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, which makes any overall meaning difficult to establish. The final two lines of the modern version were first collected by James Orchard Halliwell in the 1840s.
Oranges and Lemons was the name of a square-four-eight-dance, published in Playford's, Dancing Master in 1665, but it is not clear if this relates to this rhyme. Similar rhymes naming churches and giving rhymes to their names can be found in other parts of England, including Shropshire and Derby, where they were sung on festival days, on which bells would also have been rung.
The identity of the churches is not always clear, but the following have been suggested, along with some factors that may have influenced the accompanying statements:
- St. Martin's may be St Martin OrgarSt Martin OrgarSt Martin Orgar was a church in the City of London in Martin Lane, off Cannon Street, most famous as being one of the churches mentioned in the nursery rhyme "Oranges and Lemons". Most of the building was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666, but the tower and part of the nave were left...
or St. Martin's LaneSt. Martin's LaneSt. Martin's Lane is a street on the edge of Covent Garden in Central London, which runs from the church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, after which it is named, near Trafalgar Square northwards to Long Acre.A narrow street with relatively little traffic, St...
in the city, where moneylenders used to live. - St Sepulchre-without-NewgateSt Sepulchre-without-NewgateSt Sepulchre-without-Newgate, also known as the Church of the Holy Sepulchre , is an Anglican church in the City of London. It is located on Holborn Viaduct, almost opposite the Old Bailey...
(opposite the Old BaileyOld BaileyThe Central Criminal Court in England and Wales, commonly known as the Old Bailey from the street in which it stands, is a court building in central London, one of a number of buildings housing the Crown Court...
) is near the Fleet PrisonFleet PrisonFleet Prison was a notorious London prison by the side of the Fleet River in London. The prison was built in 1197 and was in use until 1844. It was demolished in 1846.- History :...
where debtors were held. - St Leonard's, ShoreditchSt Leonard's, ShoreditchSt Leonard's, Shoreditch is the ancient parish church of Shoreditch, often known simply as Shoreditch Church. It is located at the intersection of Shoreditch High Street with Hackney Road, within the London Borough of Hackney. The current building dates from about 1740...
is just outside the old city walls - St Dunstan's, StepneySt Dunstan's, StepneySt Dunstan's, Stepney is an Anglican Church which stands on a site which has been used for Christian worship for over a thousand years. It is located in Stepney High Street, in Stepney, London Borough of Tower Hamlets.-History:...
is also just outside the city walls - Bow is St Mary-le-BowSt Mary-le-BowSt Mary-le-Bow is an historic church in the City of London, off Cheapside. According to tradition, a true Cockney must be born within earshot of the sound of the church's bells.-Bells:...
in CheapsideCheapsideCheapside is a street in the City of London that links Newgate Street with the junction of Queen Victoria Street and Mansion House Street. To the east is Mansion House, the Bank of England, and the major road junction above Bank tube station. To the west is St. Paul's Cathedral, St... - St. Helen's, in the longer version of the song, is St Helen's BishopsgateSt Helen's BishopsgateSt Helen's Bishopsgate is a large conservative evangelical Anglican church, in Lime Street ward, in the City of London, close to the Lloyd's building and the 'Gherkin'.-History:...
, in the city. - St. Clements's may be St Clement DanesSt Clement DanesSt Clement Danes is a church in the City of Westminster, London. It is situated outside the Royal Courts of Justice on the Strand. The current building was completed in 1682 by Sir Christopher Wren and it now functions as the central church of the Royal Air Force.The church is sometimes claimed to...
or St Clement EastcheapSt Clement EastcheapSt. Clement Eastcheap is a Church of England parish church in Candlewick Ward of the City of London. It is located on Clement's Lane, off King William Street, and close to London Bridge and the River Thames....
both of which are near the wharves where merchantmen landed citrus fruits.
The tune
The tune is reminiscent of change ringingChange ringing
Change ringing is the art of ringing a set of tuned bells in a series of mathematical patterns called "changes". It differs from many other forms of campanology in that no attempt is made to produce a conventional melody....
, and the intonation of each line is said to correspond with the distinct sounds of each church's bells. Today, the bells of St. Clement Danes ring out the tune of the rhyme.
Cultural references
The song is one of the nursery rhymes most commonly referred to in popular literature:In literature
- In George OrwellGeorge OrwellEric Arthur Blair , better known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English author and journalist...
's Nineteen Eighty-FourNineteen Eighty-FourNineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell is a dystopian novel about Oceania, a society ruled by the oligarchical dictatorship of the Party...
(1949) it is used as a snippet of nursery rhyme part of which the protagonist Winston Smith cannot remember. Various characters contribute snippets of the rhyme as the book goes on, and the last lines figure symbolically into the closing events of the second section. It serves as an example of the near-complete eradication of shared culture, and is foreshadowed as being lost forever after the final few civilians who remember it die. The book uses the verse "you owe me three farthings" instead of "five".
- The novel "The First Verse" by Barry McCreaBarry McCreaBarry McCrea is an Irish writer and academic. He grew up in Dalkey, Co. Dublin, and was educated at the Jesuit Gonzaga College, and Trinity College, Dublin where he studied French and Spanish literature...
features a mysterious character named Pablo Virgomare whose appearance is marked or brought on by a line from "Oranges and Lemons". - In the novel Private PeacefulPrivate PeacefulPrivate Peaceful is a novel for older children by Michael Morpurgo, first published in 2003. It is about a soldier called Thomas "Tommo" Peaceful, who is looking back on his life from the trenches of World War I. Structurally, each chapter of the book brings the reader closer to the present until...
(2004) by Michael MorpurgoMichael MorpurgoMichael Morpurgo, OBE FKC AKC is an English author, poet, playwright and librettist, best known for his work in children's literature. He was the third Children's Laureate.-Early life:...
the song is the favourite of the character Big Joe. He sings this song continuously throughout the novel and the children use it as a song of resistance to the authoritarian Grandma Wolf. - In the script book Sepia and Song, in A Memory Of Lizzie, a play about Lizzie Borden, who was accused of killing her parents, the children often sing this.
- In Roald DahlRoald DahlRoald Dahl was a British novelist, short story writer, fighter pilot and screenwriter.Born in Wales to Norwegian parents, he served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War, in which he became a flying ace and intelligence agent, rising to the rank of Wing Commander...
's short story A Piece of Cake, the song is part of Dahl's dreams while recovering from the crash of his fighter plane. - In Edward Rutherford's novel LondonLondon (novel)London is a historical novel by Edward Rutherfurd, published in 1997. The story begins with the birth of the River Thames. It then moves to 54 BC and details the life of the young boy Segovax, a curious character with slightly webbed hands and a flash of white hair...
(1997), "Oranges and Lemons" is one of the nursery rhymes invoked by the characters. - In Martin Langfield's 2009 novel The Secret Fire, "Oranges and Lemons" is said to reveal, in coded form, the path of the London (or "St Paul's") ley lineLey lineLey lines are alleged alignments of a number of places of geographical and historical interest, such as ancient monuments and megaliths, natural ridge-tops and water-fords...
. - In issue # 17 of Neil Gaiman's comic book series "the Sandman", a novel written by the character Erasmus Fry is called "Here Comes a Candle".
- In the Newbery Medal award-winning book, "The Graveyard Book" (Neil Gaiman, 2008) two villainous characters have trapped the protagonist, "Bod", a boy of eight years age, in a back room. One character explains his forthcoming plan to turn Bod over to hyper-villain "Jack", waving Jack's calling card and reciting the second to last line of this verse: "Here comes a candle to light you to bed". The other antagonist intones with the finishing couplet "and here comes a chopper to chop off your head."
- In Warren EllisWarren EllisWarren Girard Ellis is an English author of comics, novels, and television, who is well-known for sociocultural commentary, both through his online presence and through his writing, which covers transhumanist themes...
' ongoing comic, "Gravel", issue #21 makes extensive use of this rhyme; and the art even references this particular wikipedia entry. - In Brad Thor's thriller "Full Black" it is referenced in a terrorist plot.
In music
- 'Oranges and Lemons' has been coveredCover versionIn popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
by the pop-synth band Book of Love. - A setting of the full Tommy Thumb's Pretty Song BookTommy Thumb's Pretty Song BookTommy Thumb's Pretty Song Book is the earliest extant printed collection of English language nursery rhymes, published in London in 1744. It was a sequel to the lost Tommy Thumb's Song Book and contains the oldest version of many well-known and popular rhymes, as well as several that have been...
version for choir was written by Bob ChilcottBob ChilcottRobert "Bob" Chilcott is a British choral composer, conductor, and singer, based in Oxford, England.Born in Plymouth, Chilcott sang in the Choir of King's College, Cambridge, both as a boy and as a university student. He performed the Pie Jesu of Fauré's Requiem on the 1967 recording. In 1985 he...
. Entitled "London Bells", it is the third movement of "Songs and Cries of London Town". - The text and melody are set in the art song "Rhyme" from William WaltonWilliam WaltonSir William Turner Walton OM was an English composer. During a sixty-year career, he wrote music in several classical genres and styles, from film scores to opera...
's song cycle "A Song for the Lord Mayor's Table." - "Oranges & Lemons" is the name of an album by British post-punk/alternative-rock band XTCXTCXTC were a New Wave band from Swindon, England, active between 1976 and 2005. The band enjoyed some chart success, including the UK and Canadian hits "Making Plans for Nigel" and "Senses Working Overtime" , but are perhaps even better known for their long-standing critical success.- Early years:...
(their most successful album, by chart position). "orange and lemons..." is also the opening lyric to their song "Ballet for a Rainy Day" on the 1986 album SkylarkingSkylarkingSkylarking is XTC's eighth studio album, released on 27 October 1986 and produced by American musician Todd Rundgren. Skylarking is a "life-in-a-day" semi-concept album which displayed songwriting and arranging heavily influenced by The Beatles, The Beach Boys and The Kinks...
. - The widely covered folk musicFolk musicFolk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
song "The Bells of RhymneyThe Bells of Rhymney"The Bells of Rhymney" is a song first recorded by folk singer Pete Seeger, using words written by Welsh poet Idris Davies. The lyrics to the song were drawn from part of Davies' poetic work Gwalia Deserta, which was first published in 1938...
", with words by Idris DaviesIdris DaviesIdris Davies was a Welsh poet. He was born in Rhymney, near Caerphilly in South Wales, the Welsh-speaking son of colliery chief winderman Evan Davies and his wife Elizabeth Ann. Davies became a poet, originally writing in Welsh, but later writing exclusively in English...
and music by Pete SeegerPete SeegerPeter "Pete" Seeger is an American folk singer and was an iconic figure in the mid-twentieth century American folk music revival. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, he also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of The Weavers, most notably their recording of Lead...
, closely follows the metrical form of the classic nursery rhyme and is based upon the similar idea of bells "saying" mnemonic phrases, using place names from WalesWalesWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. - The song "Clash City RockersClash City Rockers"Clash City Rockers" is a song and single by The Clash. First released in February 1978 with the b-side "Jail Guitar Doors," a re-worked version of a song from Joe Strummer's pub rock days, it was later included as the opening track of the belated US version of the band's eponymous debut album.The...
" by The ClashThe ClashThe Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
features a parody on the rhyme with a verse altered to reflect the music scene of that time: "'You owe me a moveThe MoveThe Move, from Birmingham, England, were one of the leading British rock bands of the 1960s. They scored nine Top 20 UK singles in five years, but were among the most popular British bands not to find any success in the United States....
', say the bells of St. GrooveThe Groove (band)Formed in mid 1967, The Groove are considered to be Australia's first "supergroup" in that all members had considerable experience behind them in a number of successful bands...
/'Come on and show me', say the bells of Old BowieDavid BowieDavid Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
/'When I am fitter', say the bells of Gary GlitterGary GlitterGary Glitter is an English former glam rock singer-songwriter and musician.Glitter first came to prominence in the glam rock era of the early 1970s...
/'No one but you and I', say the bells of Prince Far-I". - The ClashThe ClashThe Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
also reproduced the melody of the nursery rhyme in the very first notes of the introduction to "Ivan Meets G.I. Joe", on their 1980 Sandinista!Sandinista!Sandinista! is the fourth studio album by the English punk rock band the Clash. It was released on 12 December 1980 as a triple album containing 36 tracks, with 6 songs on each side...
album. - In the song "Stop Crying" (1979) by Th' Dudes, the last two lines of the chorus are the same as that of the nursery rhyme: "Here comes the candle to light you to bed, here comes the chopper to chop off your head."
- Benjamin TillBenjamin TillBenjamin Till , is an English composer, director and film maker, who specializes in furthering the unusual genre of the through-composed Musical Documentary, where contributors often tell their stories through the medium of specially written song.- Early years :Till was born to Richard Till and...
composed music based upon the nursery rhyme and performed 11 July 2009 at St Mary Le Bow Church, London to honour 150 years of the great bell, Big Ben. - "Oranges & LemonsOranges & LemonsOranges & Lemons is a Japanese band formed by a duo of music composers and performers, Masumi Itō and Yōko Ueno. The duo is most notable for performing the opening theme , and closing theme to the television anime Azumanga Daioh.Itō and Ueno, still under the title of 'Oranges & Lemons' also...
" is the name of a Japanese folk pop band. - John BakerJohn Baker (Radiophonic musician)John Baker was a British musician and composer who worked in jazz and electronic music. He was educated at the Royal Academy of Music where he studied piano and composition. In 1960 he joined the BBC as a sound mixer, before transferring, in 1963, to the BBC Radiophonic Workshop where he remained...
produced a theme titled "Oranges and Lemons" for the BBC Radiophonic WorkshopBBC Radiophonic WorkshopThe BBC Radiophonic Workshop, one of the sound effects units of the BBC, was created in 1958 to produce effects and new music for radio, and was closed in March 1998, although much of its traditional work had already been outsourced by 1995. It was based in the BBC's Maida Vale Studios in Delaware...
. - On SupertrampSupertrampSupertramp are a British rock band formed in 1969 under the name Daddy before renaming to Supertramp in early 1970. Though their music was initially categorised as progressive rock, they have since incorporated a combination of traditional rock and art rock into their music...
's album Brother Where You BoundBrother Where You BoundBrother Where You Bound is the ninth album by progressive rock band Supertramp, released in 1985 . It was their first album after original member Roger Hodgson left the band, leaving Richard Davies to handle the songwriting and singing on his own...
these two lines are used in the intro part of the title cut.
In video games
- The 1991 game LemmingsLemmings (video game)Lemmings is a puzzle computer game developed by DMA Design and published by Psygnosis in . Originally developed for PC and Commodore Amiga, Lemmings was one of the most popular computer games of its time, and several gaming magazines gave it some of their highest review scores at the time...
contains a level named "Origins and Lemmings". - In the game Silent Hill: Origins (2007), the protagonist finds a note saying 'here comes a candle to light you to bed, here comes the butcher to chop off your head'. The Butcher is a monster similar to Pyramid Head/Boogeyman monster in the series.
- In the game Half Life 2 (2004), graffiti of Oranges and Lemons can be seen spray painted on a wall.
- In the game The Lost Crown: A Ghost-Hunting AdventureThe Lost Crown: a ghost-hunting adventureThe Lost Crown: A Ghost-Hunting Adventure is a British graphic adventure video game released in 2008. The Lost Crown is the third full title to be written and developed by Jonathan Boakes, author of Dark Fall: The Journal and Dark Fall 2: Lights Out...
(2008), Nigel and the ghost of a little girl converse, and trade off lines from the end of the rhyme.
In film and television
- In the 1951 film ScroogeScrooge (1951 film)Scrooge, released as A Christmas Carol in the United States, is a 1951 film adaptation of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol. It starred Alastair Sim as Ebenezer Scrooge and was directed by Brian Desmond Hurst, with a screenplay by Noel Langley.The film also features Kathleen Harrison in an...
, the tune "Oranges and Lemons" is heard when Ebenezer Scrooge (Alastair Sim) sees the Ghost of Christmas Present for the first time. He enters a room and finds it brightly decorated by the ghost. - An instrumental version of the rhyme's melody appears in the 1973 film The Wicker Man as "Chop Chop". The tune soundtracks a scene in which characters, chanting "chop chop", conduct a ceremony with swords reminiscent of the children's party game mentioned above.
- The tune makes a brief appearance in Howard BlakeHoward BlakeHoward Blake, OBE is an English composer , particularly noted for his film scores, although he is prolific in several fields of classical and light music...
's score for the 1982 animated film The SnowmanThe SnowmanThe Snowman is a children's book by English author Raymond Briggs, published in 1978. In 1982, this book was turned into a 26-minute animated movie by Dianne Jackson for the fledgling Channel 4. It was first shown on Channel 4 late on Christmas Eve in 1982 and was an immediate success. The film was...
, in a scene in which the Snowman is trying different fruits for his nose. - The Interrogator sings the last two lines near the end of the 1991 film Closet LandCloset LandCloset Land is a 1991 independent film written and directed by Radha Bharadwaj. It stars Madeleine Stowe as a young author of children's books and Alan Rickman as a ruthless interrogator.-Synopsis:...
. - Steve Martland's arrangement of "Oranges and Lemons" is used in Songs for Dead Children, a 24-minute animated film by the Quay Brothers (2003).
- In The AvengersThe Avengers (TV series)The Avengers is a spy-fi British television series set in the 1960s Britain. The Avengers initially focused on Dr. David Keel and his assistant John Steed . Hendry left after the first series and Steed became the main character, partnered with a succession of assistants...
episode "Too Many Christmas Trees," Mrs. Peel and John Steed sing this song to close their minds from telepathic influences. - In The Old Dark HouseThe Old Dark House (1963 film)The Old Dark House is a comedy-horror film directed by William Castle. It is a remake of the 1932 film of the same name directed by James Whale. The film was based on the novel by J. B. Priestley originally published under the name Benighted, and the new screenplay was written by Robert Dillon...
(1963), Casper frequently quotes lines from "Oranges and Lemons". - In Being HumanBeing Human (TV series)Being Human is a British supernatural drama television series. It was created and written by Toby Whithouse and is currently broadcast on BBC Three. The show blends elements of flatshare comedy and horror drama...
Season 2, Coroner Stephen Quinn quotes this to the vampire, John Mitchell, "Here comes the candle to light you to bed, Here comes the chopper to chop off your head." - In NCIS (TV series)NCIS (TV series)NCIS, formerly known as NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service, is an American police procedural drama television series revolving around a fictional team of special agents from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which conducts criminal investigations involving the U.S...
Season 2, Episode 8, Donald "Ducky" Mallard sings the line "Here comes a candle to light you to bed, Here comes a chopper to chop off your head. Chop chop chop chop" - In Doctor WhoDoctor WhoDoctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
Series 6 Episode 11 The God ComplexThe God Complex"The God Complex" is the eleventh episode of the sixth series of the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It was first broadcast on BBC One, BBC America and Space on 17 September 2011.-Plot summary:...
, Joe (the first captive "guest" to be sacrificed) refers to the line "Here comes a candle to light you to bed, Here comes a chopper to chop off your head. Chop chop chop chop"
In bartending
- A half-and-half mixture of orange juice and bitter-lemon soda water is known as a "St Clements".
See also
- Dong, Dong, DongdaemunDong, Dong, DongdaemunDong, Dong, Dongdaemun is a nursery rhyme sung among Korean children, usually while playing a game. It is also the name of the game....
, Korean nursery rhyme for playing a similar game to Oranges and Lemons - London Bridge is Falling DownLondon Bridge is Falling Down"London Bridge Is Falling Down" is a well-known traditional nursery rhyme and singing game, which is found in different versions all over the world. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 502.-Lyrics:...
, another English nursery rhyme for playing a similar game to Oranges and Lemons
External links
- Audio of song at Museum of Childhood site
- The British Library - Singing and dancing Audio recording of Oranges and Lemons with accompanying text