Oranges and Lemons — Nursery Rhyme 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,
And here comes a chopper to chop off your head!

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Learning from "Oranges and Lemons"

Nursery rhymes are some of the best teachers of rhythm and rhyme. "Oranges and Lemons" uses 14 lines to create a memorable verse — proof that effective poetry doesn't need to be long. Pay attention to the meter: the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables is what makes the rhyme stick in your head.

Songwriters and poets can borrow these patterns. Try writing your own lyrics using the same rhyme scheme and line length as this nursery rhyme. You can also use words from the poem above as starting points — click any word to find rhymes or look up its definition, then build from there.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the words to Oranges and Lemons?
The lyrics to Oranges and Lemons are: 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. ... Read the full 14-line nursery rhyme at Rhyme Buster.
How many lines does Oranges and Lemons have?
"Oranges and Lemons" has 14 lines of verse.

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