Oranges and Lemons

First recorded: 1744

Origin: England

Lyrics

Oranges and lemons,Say the bells of St. Clement's.

You owe me five farthings,Say the bells of St. Martin's.

When will you pay me?Say the bells at Old Bailey.

When I grow rich,Say the bells at Shoreditch.

When will that be?Say the bells of Stepney.

I do not know,Says the great bell at Bow.

Here comes a candle to light you to bed,And here comes a chopper to chop off your head!Chip chop chip chop the last man is dead

Each line of "Oranges and Lemons" is sung in the voice of a different London church bell, from St Clement's to the great bell of Bow. It ends far darker than it begins, with a candle to light you to bed and a chopper to chop off your head, the cue for a children's catching game.

Origins

The earliest documented version of the rhyme was printed around 1744 in London in Tommy Thumb's Pretty Song Book. However, oral traditions of singing games referencing London church bells likely date back to the late seventeenth century. The rhyme is cataloged in the Roud Folk Song Index under number 13190. In 1920, the bells of St. Clement Danes church in London were restored and tuned to play the melody of the rhyme.

Meaning & Interpretation

The lyrics list several London churches, with each name paired with a phrase that mimics the sound or historical association of its bells. St. Clement's refers to St. Clement Danes or St. Clement Eastcheap, near the Thames docks where citrus fruits were unloaded. St. Martin's corresponds to St. Martin-in-the-Fields or St. Martin Orgar. The mention of the Old Bailey refers to the bell at St. Sepulchre, which was rung during executions at Newgate Prison. The rhyme concludes with a dramatic couplet describing a candle and a chopper, which was added to the song in the nineteenth century to accompany a playground game where children pass under an arch of hands, and the last child is caught.

What is the meaning of the Oranges and Lemons rhyme?

The rhyme lists several historic churches in London, with the words mimicking the unique sounds of their bells. The references also reflect historical landmarks, such as docks and prisons.

Which churches are mentioned in Oranges and Lemons?

The song mentions several London churches, including St. Clement Danes, St. Martin-in-the-Fields, St. Sepulchre (Old Bailey), St. Leonard's (Shoreditch), St. Dunstan's (Stepney), and St. Mary-le-Bow.