One of the best-loved lullabies, Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star has its origins in an early-19th-century English poem, The Star, written by Jane Taylor. This hugely popular nursery rhyme has no fewer than five verses, although only the first verse is well known. Here are the lyrics in full.
What are the lyrics to ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’?
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.
Who wrote the lyrics to ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’ ?
It was written by poet Jane Taylor and first published in Jane and her sister Ann’s book Rhymes for the Nursery, back in 1806.
What are the lyrics to the nursery rhyme ‘Oranges and Lemons’?
And where does the tune come from?
Its tune is the late 18th century French melody ‘Ah! vous dirai-je, maman’ which has been used for a number of different songs. Mozart also used it in his Twelve Variations on ‘Ah vous dirai-je, Maman’.
What is a lullaby?
A lullaby is a piece of soothing music that is sung or played to soothe and settle children and help them sleep. Famous composers who have composed lullabies include Brahms (Wiegenlied) and George Gershwin, who composed Lullaby for String Quartet.