# London Bridge Is Falling Down

"London Bridge Is Falling Down" is an English singing game, in print since about 1744, in which children make an arch and "catch" a player; its many dark origin theories are mostly unproven.

## At a glance

| | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Sung in | English |
| Words by | Traditional |
| First known | c. 1744 |
| Best for ages | 2–7 |
| Mood | playful, traditional, dancing |
| Page | https://littlesongbook.com/songs/london-bridge-is-falling-down/ |

## Lyrics

### Verse 1 (en)

London Bridge is falling down,
Falling down, falling down.
London Bridge is falling down,
My fair lady.

## How to sing it

1. Two players join hands and lift them high to make an arch — the "bridge".
2. Everyone else files through the arch in a line while the song is sung.
3. On the last words the arch drops to gently "catch" whoever is passing.
4. The caught player takes a turn making the bridge, and the game begins again.

## Common questions

**How is "London Bridge" played?**

It is a singing game. Two children hold hands and raise their arms to make an arch, and the others pass underneath in single file. At the end of the verse the arch comes down to "catch" whoever is under it — that player then helps make the next bridge.

**How old is the rhyme?**

It appears in print around 1744, in "Tommy Thumb's Pretty Song Book", and the tune most people sing was written down in the United States in 1879.

**Is "London Bridge Is Falling Down" really about human sacrifice?**

That is one theory — that the verses recall an old belief in burying a person in a bridge's foundations to keep it standing — but it is speculation with no firm evidence. More plausibly the song simply reflects how often the medieval Old London Bridge decayed, was damaged and had to be repaired.

**Who is the "fair lady"?**

Nobody knows for certain. Suggestions include the Virgin Mary, Matilda of Scotland or Eleanor of Provence (both connected to the bridge's history), and even the River Lea — but none is proven.

## Sources

- [Wikipedia — London Bridge Is Falling Down](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Bridge_Is_Falling_Down)
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q141433