Introduction
A classic favorite among parents and children, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star has been a go-to nursery rhyme to sing children to sleep. Even if you don’t sing it yourself you can still recall the words without having to think about it. This song is sometimes the first kids learn to sing as well as a simple tune that’s easy to master on any instrument, but where did this song come from and has it always sounded like it does today?
Origin
The twinkle twinkle little star lyrics can be traced back to a 19th-century English poem, “The Star” by Jane Taylor who wrote the poem in couplet form. It was first published in 1806 in Rhymes For The Nursery a poetry book she published alongside her sister Ann Taylor. The melody itself is of an earlier French origin, dating back to 1761. The melody, “Ah! vous dirai-je, maman” garnered much attention since its induction, even being composed in various forms by Mozart.
Modern Uses
Teachers today have widely used the song to teach kids about rhymes and how they work. For example, the first stanza follows an AABB rhyme scheme and is an easy way to teach children how rhymes and poetry work. Some teachers have even used the lyrics to teach kids about the stars. Teachers and parents can also use this song as an introduction to music for their protege. With its simple tune and long history, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star can build children up with an appreciation of music. There are many other examples and teachers or parents, wishing to teach on this, can find many resources and lesson plans online that show step-by-step how another has taught on this song.
Changes Over Time
The most notable change throughout history is that modern day use of the song only recounts the first stanza. The original poem by Jane Taylor at its original publication has five stanzas. Also, in 1896 in “Song Stories for the Kindergarten” Author Mildred J. Hill rewrote the verses to just three stanzas, which still retains the original first stanza, but has completely different words for the remainder of the tune.
Closing Remarks
This song is a classic nursery rhyme and one of the few to have a popular parody written about it. In Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland“ you find his mad hatter singing a variation known as, “Twinkle Twinkle Little Bat” that has gleaned much fame and attention in modern culture since the introduction of the live movie, Alice in Wonderland. Also, since Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’s original introduction as “The Star” it has always retained its nursery rhyme title, whether it is the original five stanzas or the condensed one stanza we sing today. This song is historic and despite it not being repeated in its entirety, is still a beloved song to sing no matter your age.