Goosey Goosey Gander - The Nursery Rhyme Collections

The Nursery Rhymes Collections 1-4 contain a total of 277 children's songs. Each double CD album showcases the highest quality children's music ever recorded with a total playing time in excess of 10 hours!

Goosey Goosey Gander (Audio Sample and Lyrics)

Goosey Goosey Gander
Where shall I wander?
Upstairs and downstairs,
In my Lady's chamber;
There I met an old man
Who wouldn't say his prayers,
I took him by the left leg and
Threw him down the stairs.

Goosey Goosey Gander
Where shall I wander?
Upstairs and downstairs,
In my Lady's chamber;
Where I'll find a cup of sack*
And a race of ginger
And you'll find a family
Harbouring this singer.

Goosey Goosey Gander
Where shall I wander?
Upstairs and downstairs,
In my Lady's chamber;
Old father Long-Legs
Can't say his prayers,
Take him by the left leg
And throw him down the stairs.


Words & Music: Traditional
Arrangement: Ian J Watts



Origin and background

* Let's talk about some terms first:

The word origin of the english term "sack" is quite interesting. It derives from Shakespeare's time and is also found in one of his works: 

Your lordship please will't drink a cup of sack? I ne'er drank sack ... in my life ... (from: The Taming of the Shrew, 1594). 


The term is so obviously not a subject that has something bag-like in itself - even if this is the meaning of "sack" in modern English. In this context "sack" actually refers to a dry French wine. The explanation is simple: The term "sack" (also "seck") originates from the French word "sec", or "dry". The French "sec" derives from the Latin word "siccua" (=dry). A "cup of sack" so becomes a glass of French dry wine.

But what is this all about? This is one of the countless nursery rhymes referring to the agitation, persecutions and riots caused by Henry VIII, seperating the English Church from the Roman Catholic Church. Catholic priests were persecuted in those days and there were spies around everywhere, looking out for priests who would say their prayers in the "wrong" way (in Latin). If a priest was caught, harboured by a family, he was punished. We suppose that the punishment was worse than being thrown down the stairs. The term "take him by the left foot" refers to the fact that Catholics were called "left-footer," for whatever reason.

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