Rub a Dub Dub — Nursery Rhyme Lyrics

Rub-a-dub-dub
Three men in a tub,
And how do you think they got there?
The butcher, the baker, the candlestick-maker --
They all jumped out of a rotten potato!
'Twas enough to make a fish stare.

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Learning from "Rub a Dub Dub"

Nursery rhymes are some of the best teachers of rhythm and rhyme. "Rub a Dub Dub" uses 6 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 Rub a Dub Dub?
The lyrics to Rub a Dub Dub are: Rub-a-dub-dub / Three men in a tub, / And how do you think they got there? / The butcher, the baker, the candlestick-maker -- / They all jumped out of a rotten potato! / 'Twas enough to make a fish stare.
How many lines does Rub a Dub Dub have?
"Rub a Dub Dub" has 6 lines of verse.

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