Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

Lyrics

The English lyrics were written as a poem by Jane Taylor (1783–1824) and published with the title "The Star" in Rhymes for the Nursery by Jane and her sister Ann Taylor (1782–1866) in London in 1806:

Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are! Up above the world so high, Like a diamond in the sky.

When the blazing sun is gone, When he nothing shines upon, Then you show your little light, Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.

Then the trav'ller in the dark, Thanks you for your tiny spark, He could not see which way to go, If you did not twinkle so.

In the dark blue sky you keep, And often thro' my curtains peep, For you never shut your eye, Till the sun is in the sky.

'Tis your bright and tiny spark, Lights the trav'ller in the dark: Tho' I know not what you are, Twinkle, twinkle, little star.

The lyrics were first published with the tune "Ah! vous dirai-je, maman" in The Singing Master: First Class Tune Book in 1838. When sung, the first two lines of the entire poem are repeated as a refrain after each stanza.

Melody

"Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" is sung to the French melody "Ah! vous dirai-je, maman". The melody is used in other nursery rhymes, including the ABC Song and "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep".

\relative c' { \key c \major \time 4/4 c4 c4 g'4 g4 a4 a4 g2 | f4 f4 e4 e4 d4 d4 c2 \break g'4 g4 f4 f4 e4 e4 d2 | g4 g4 f4 f4 e4 e4 d2 \break c4 c4 g'4 g4 a4 a4 g2 | f4 f4 e4 e4 d4 d4 c2 \bar "|." }

\addlyrics { Twin -- kle, twin -- kle, lit -- tle star, How I won -- der what you are! Up a -- bove the world so high, like a dia -- mond in the sky. Twin -- kle, twin -- kle, lit -- tle star, How I won -- der what you are! }

Other versions

Additional variations of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star include:

From the 1840 novel Poor Jack (chapter 4), by Frederick Marryat:

Pretty little twinkling star, How I wonder what you are; All above the earth so high, Like a diamond in the sky.

From 1896 in Song Stories for the Kindergarten by Mildred J. Hill:

Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How we wonder what you are. Up above the world so high, Like a diamond in the sky.

When the glorious sun has set, And the grass with dew is wet, Then you show your little light, Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.

When the golden sun doth rise, Fills with shining light the skies, Then you fade away from sight, Shine no more 'till comes the night.

A parody of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" titled "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Bat" is recited by the Mad Hatter in chapter seven of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

There is also a version using synonyms from Roget's Thesaurus.

The opening lyrics are also used to begin the traditional murder ballad "Duncan and Brady."

The song can also be played as a singing game.

References

References

1. "First publication of 'Twinkle, twinkle, little star'". British Library.
2. "LISTSERV 15.5 – OPERA-L Archives".
3. "The Autobiography and Other Memorials of Mrs. Gilbert".
4. M. Cryer, ''Love Me Tender: The Stories Behind the World's Best-loved Songs'' (Frances Lincoln, 2009), pp. 83–5.
5. [[I. Opie and P. Opie]], ''The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes'' (Oxford University Press, 1951, 2nd edn., 1997), pp. 397–8. [https://www.bl.uk/collection-items/first-publication-of-twinkle-twinkle-little-star First publication of 'Twinkle, twinkle, little star'] {{Webarchive. link. (12 August 2023)
6. Mildred J. Hill. (26 July 1896). "Song Stories for the Kindergarten".
7. Gardner, Martin. (1998). "[[The Annotated Alice]]". [[Random House]].
8. Geoffrey Hughes, ''A History of English Words'' (Wiley-Blackwell, 2000), p. 40. {{ISBN. 9780631188551
9. "Free Lead Sheet – Twinkle Twinkle Little Star".