Nursery Rhymes and Children's Songs

Oranges and Lemons - Chords, Lyrics and Origins

Origins

First printed in 1744, Oranges and Lemons is an enigmatic children's song from London, in which bells appear to talk. Each bell belongs to a different London church - some of which are easily identifiable, and some of which are a little more ambiguous. There is more than one St. Clements in London, for example, and there is no church called 'Old Bailey', though there is one near the Old Bailey.

acousticmusicarchive · Oranges and Lemons

Chords

C
"Oranges and lemons,"

              G7               C
Say the bells of St. Clement's.

C
"You owe me five farthings,"

              G7               C
Say the bells of St. Martin's.

C
"When will you pay me?"

              G7               C
Say the bells of Old Bailey.

C
"When I grow rich,"

              G7                   C
Say the bells of Shoreditch.

C
"When will that be?"

              G7                 C
Say the bells of Stepney.

C
"I do not know,"

                G7                 C
Says the great bell of Bow.

C                                       G7                C
Here comes a candle to light you to bed;

C                                          G7                    C
Here comes a chopper to chop off your head!

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 of Old Bailey.

"When I grow rich,"
Say the bells of Shoreditch.

"When will that be?"
Say the bells of Stepney.

"I do not know,"
Says the great bell of Bow.

Here comes a candle to light you to bed;
Here comes a chopper to chop off your head!