Oh Dear What Can The Matter Be? - 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!
Oh Dear What Can The Matter Be? (Full Audio and Lyrics)
Oh, dear! What can the matter be?
Dear, dear! What can the matter be?
Oh, dear! What can the matter be?
Johnny's so long at the fair.
He promised to buy me a bunch of blue ribbons,
He promised to buy me a bunch of blue ribbons,
He promised to buy me a bunch of blue ribbons
To tie up my bonnie brown hair.
Oh, dear! What can the matter be?
Dear, dear! What can the matter be?
Oh, dear! What can the matter be?
Johnny's so long at the fair.
He promised to bring me a basket of posies
A garland of lilies, a gift of red roses
A little straw hat to set off the blue ribbons
That tie up my bonnie brown hair.
Oh, dear! What can the matter be?
Oh, dear! What can the matter be?
Oh, dear! What can the matter be?
Johnny's so long at the fair.
Words & Music: Traditional
Arrangement: Ian J Watts/Mike Wilbury
This song was released on The Nursery Rhyme Collection 1
Download on iTunes
Listen for free on Spotify
Find this children's favorite on ‘The Nursery Rhyme Collection 1’ and also on our latest release ‘30 Best Traditional Nursery Rhymes For Children’
Origin and background
The oldest known version of this song was published in the Mansfield MS, a collection of Scots songs, between 1770 and 1780:
O what can the matter be
And what can the matter be
O what can the matter be
Johnny bydes long at the fair
He'll buy me a twopenny whistle
He'll buy me a threepenny fair
H'll buy me a Bunch o' Blue Ribbons
To tye up my bonny Broun Hair
O saw ye him coming
And saw ye him coming
O saw ye him coming
Hame frae the Newcastle fair
The song became familiar all over Englands and was included in Songs for the Nursery in 1805. It became a favourite in particular of young nurses with a romantic mind. The charming and unmasking aspect about this song is the fact that the girl first seems to be anxious about her friend (maybe fiancé) but during the song it gets quite clear that she is actually more concerned about the (cheap!) presents he promised to bring her from the fair. Anyway, the girl still comes across very likable, inspite of (or even because of) her simplicity.