Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star is the English name of a popular French melody named Ah! Vous dirais-je, Maman. It was first published in 1761, but the true origin is unknown. Today it is one of the most popular nursery rhymes. (see also: twinkling)
- Ah ! vous dirais-je, Maman,
- Ce qui cause mon tourment
- Papa veut que je raisonne,
- Comme une grande personne.
- Moi je dis que les bonbons
- Valent mieux que la raison
what causes my torment.
Papa wants me to reason
Like an adult.
Me, I say that candy
Is worth more than reason.)
Variants also exist:
- Ah ! vous dirais-je, Maman,
- ce qui cause mon tourment
- Papa veut que je demande
- de la soupe et de la viande...
- Moi, je dis que les bonbons
- valent mieux que les mignons.
- Ah ! vous dirais-je, Maman,
- ce qui cause mon tourment
- Papa veut que je retienne
- des verbes la longue antienne*...
- Moi je dis que les bonbons
- valent mieux que les leçons.
*antienne = texte répétitif et lassant comme une ritournelle
Table of contents |
2 English lyrics 3 Parodies |
Melody
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star in sol-fa notation (d r m f s l t d = do re me fa so la ti do)
- d d s s l l s
- f f m m r r d
- s s f f m m r
- s s f f m m r
- d d s s l l s
- f f m m r r d
- CCGGAAG
- FFEEDDC
- GGFFEED
- GGFFEED
- CCGGAAG
- FFEEDDC
The melody of Baa Baa Black Sheep is very similar. Several famous compositions are based on it:
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Theme and Variations K265
- Joseph Haydn, "Surprise" Symphony #94
English lyrics
The English lyrics are normally as follows:
The English words are from the poem in couplet form, "The Star", by Ann Taylor (1782-1866) and her sister Jane Taylor (1783-1824) first published in 1806. The Alphabet song is also set to the melody.
Parodies
A transliteration of the English lyrics into deliberately obfuscated English was made. Though it rhymes well, this version is difficult to sing as it does not fit the traditional melody. (anyone know who and when?)
- Scintillate, scintillate, globule vivific
- Fain would I fathom thy nature specific.
- Loftily poised on ether capacious
- Strongly resembling a gem carbonaceous.
- Twinkle, twinkle, little bat!
- How I wonder what you're at!
- Up above the world you fly,
- Like a teatray in the sky.
- Twinkle, twinkle --(little bat!
- How I wonder what you're at)
A Latin translation appears in Mary Dodge's When life is young (1894):
- Mica, mica, parva stella,
- Miror quaenam sis tam bella.
- Super terra in caelo,
- Alba gemma splendido.
- Mica, mica, parva stella,
- Miror quaenam sis tam bella.