Jack And Jill - 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!

Jack And Jill (Full Audio and Lyrics)

Jack and Jill went up the hill
To fetch a pail of water.
Jack fell down and broke his crown,
And Jill came tumbling after.

Then up got Jack and said to Jill,
As in his arms he took her,
"Brush off that dirt for you're not hurt,
Let's fetch the pail of water."

So Jack and Jill went up the hill
To fetch the pail of water,
And took it home to Mother dear,
Who thanked her son and daughter.

Words & Music: Traditional
Arrangement: Ian J Watts/Mike Wilbury



Origin and background

Historian and linguist Andres Ehmann wrote an essay about historical nursery rhymes that are directly or indirectly related to Kings and Queens of the Stuart and Tudor families: Rock the Kings!

By means of these truly historical nursery rhymes he explains the meaning and the fascinating stories of English Kings and Queens throughout the centuries



Table of contents (chronological order)


1. Humpty Dumpty - Defeat of Charles I, King of England and Scotland
2. Georgie Porgie - Charles II defeated by Oliver Cromwell
3. Three Blind Mice - Queen Mary and the prosecution of English Protestants
4. Rock-A-Bye-Baby - From Charles II to James II
5. Jack And Jill - The French Revolution
6. Sing A Song Of Sixpence - King Henry VIII
7. Mary Mary Quite Contrary - "Bloody Mary", Queen Mary I
8. Skye Boat Song - The escape of Charles Edward Stuart
9. Bonnie Banks O' Loch Lomond - The last battle of the House of Stuart

History, origin and meaning of Jack And Jill

JackAndJillIt is a widely spread affirmation that this nursery rhyme is connected to the French Revolution, more exactly to the execution of the French King Louis XVI on the 21st January 1793 (…Jack fell down / and broke his crown) and his wife, Marie Antoinette, 9 months later on the 16 October 1793 ( and Jill came tumbling after…).

This theory can only be true if the information given by wikipedia about the time the song was published for the first time, 1765, is wrong:

http://en.wikipedia.org/ and the correct date is 1795, as suggested here:

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_history_of_the_nursery_rhyme_Jack_and_Jill

There seem to be differing opinions regarding the publication date of both the music and lyrics.

Obviously, it is very hard to believe that a song about the execution of Louis XVI could had been written before Louis XVI was actually beheaded! Nevertheless, the theory that this song has to do with the execution of Louis XVI can’t be completely excluded due to the discrepency in dates. In favour of the French Revolution theory, there is another song which very clearly deals with the execution of the french king.

When I was a little lad
And so my mother told me,
Way, haul away, we'll haul away Joe,
That if I did not kiss a gal
My lips would grow all moldy,
Way, haul away, we'll haul away Joe.

Chorus
Way, haul away, we'll haul for better weather,
Way, haul away, we'll haul away Joe.

King Louis was the King of France
Before the Revolution,
Way, haul away, we'll haul away Joe,
King Louis got his head cut off
Which spoiled his constitution.
Way, haul away, we'll haul away Joe.

Chorus

Oh the cook is in the galley
Making duff so handy
Way, haul away, we'll haul away Joe,
And the captain's in his cabin
Drinkin' wine and brandy
Way, haul away, we'll haul away Joe.

Although this song has been mixed later with more or less everything people had in mind, there is no doubt that it deals with the French Revolution as well.

King Louis was the King of France
Before the Revolution,
Way, haul away, we'll haul away Joe,
King Louis got his head cut off
Which spoiled his constitution.
Way, haul away, we'll haul away Joe.

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