# The Muffin Man

"The Muffin Man" is an English nursery rhyme and singing game recorded by about 1820, remembering the door-to-door seller who once delivered fresh English muffins to Victorian homes.

## At a glance

| | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Sung in | English |
| Words by | Traditional |
| First known | c. 1820 |
| Best for ages | 2–7 |
| Mood | playful, traditional |
| Page | https://littlesongbook.com/songs/the-muffin-man/ |

## Lyrics

### Verse 1 (en)

Oh, do you know the muffin man,
The muffin man, the muffin man?
Oh, do you know the muffin man,
Who lives on Drury Lane?

### Verse 2 (en)

Oh, yes we know the muffin man,
The muffin man, the muffin man.
Oh, yes we know the muffin man,
Who lives on Drury Lane.

## Common questions

**Who was the muffin man?**

A real trade. Before shops and refrigeration, food came to the door: the muffin man was a street vendor who walked from house to house selling fresh muffins. These were English muffins — flat, savoury breads — not the sweet American kind.

**How old is the rhyme?**

The earliest known manuscript is from about 1820, held at the Bodleian Library in Oxford, with words very close to today's. A story that it was written about a Drury Lane baker named Frederick Lynwood is an urban legend — no such person can be found in the records.

**Is "The Muffin Man" a game?**

Yes. It has long been sung as a singing game, and the Opies noted that the game attached to it changed at least three times over the years — sometimes a forfeit game, sometimes a guessing game, sometimes a dancing ring.

## Sources

- [Wikipedia — The Muffin Man](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Muffin_Man)
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7752598