Sing a Song of Sixpence — Nursery Rhyme Lyrics

Sing a song of sixpence,
A pocket full of rye;
Four and twenty blackbirds
Baked in a pie.
When the pie was opened,
They all began to sing.
Now, wasn't that a dainty dish
To set before the King?
The King was in his countinghouse,
Counting out his money;
The Queen was in the parlor
Eating bread and honey.
The maid was in the garden,
Hanging out the clothes.
Along there came a big black bird
And snipped off her nose!
History:
First published in 1744, the rhyme is one of many rhymes depicting bakers putting "suprises" in baked items. Another popular rhyme is Little Jack Horner.

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Learning from "Sing a Song of Sixpence"

Nursery rhymes are some of the best teachers of rhythm and rhyme. "Sing a Song of Sixpence" uses 18 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 Sing a Song of Sixpence?
The lyrics to Sing a Song of Sixpence are: Sing a song of sixpence, / A pocket full of rye; / Four and twenty blackbirds / Baked in a pie. / When the pie was opened, / They all began to sing. ... Read the full 18-line nursery rhyme at Rhyme Buster.
How many lines does Sing a Song of Sixpence have?
"Sing a Song of Sixpence" has 18 lines of verse.

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