Little Boy Blue | Mother Goose Club Playhouse Kids Video

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Historical Background:
"Little Boy Blue" theoretically alludes to Cardinal Thomas Wolsey (1475-1530), a prominent English statesman and figure in the Roman Catholic Church during the reign of Henry VIII. Wealthy and arrogant ("blowing one's horn"), Wolsey was disliked among both the courtiers and commoners of England. The line "where's the boy who look after the sheep?" alludes to Wolsey's efforts to profit for himself rather than the good of the country. It is suggested that the title "Little Boy Blue" was derived from Wolsey's Blazon of Arms that featured the faces of four leopards as opposed to traditional scarlet cardinal robes. Because open criticism of the Cardinal would have been punished with harsh penalty or death, this rhyme is suggested to have been a masked message of rebellion opposing Wolsey's selfish greed.

Looking for lyrics? Turn on closed captions to sing along!

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Traditional. Arranged and adapted by Sockeye Media LLC © 2014. All rights reserved.

"Little Boy Blue" lyrics:
Little boy blue,
Come blow your horn.
The sheep's in the meadow.
The cow's in the corn.

Where is the boy
Who looks after the sheep?
He's under the haystack,
Fast asleep.

Additional versions:
Version 1

Little boy blue,
Come blow your horn.
The sheep's in the meadow.
The cow's in the corn.

Where is the boy
Who looks after the sheep?
He's under the haystack,
Fast asleep.

(Mother Goose Club Version)

Version 2

Little boy blue,
Come blow your horn,
There's sheep in the meadow
And cows in the corn;

Where is the boy
That looks after the sheep?
He's under the hay-cock
Fast asleep.

Source: Wier, Songs the Children Love to Sing (1916)

Version 3

Little boy blue,
Come blow your horn;
The sheep's in the meadow,
The cow's in the corn.

Where's the little boy
That looks after the sheep?
He's under the hay-cock,
fast a-sleep.

Will you wake him?
No, not I;
For if I do,
he'll be sure to cry.

Source: Smith, The Little Mother Goose (1912)

4 comments

  1. Turn on captions for “Little Boy Blue” to read along in Español, Português, 中國的 or Pусский!
    Encienda los subtítulos en Español por “Little Boy Blue” y leer a lo largo de!
    Ligue legendas em português para “Little Boy Blue” e ler junto!
    Включите российских подписи для “Little Boy Blue” и читать вместе!
    打開中國的字幕 “Little Boy Blue” 和陪讀!

  2. so cool. so so so cool sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssoooooooooooooooooooooooooo cccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooollllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllo

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