The great singing game of English nursery tradition, built from repeating verses that try one building material after another until stone finally holds. Its call-and-response structure and steady dance rhythm have made it a group favourite for centuries.
From Mother Goose / Nursery Rhymes (traditional). See the whole collection.
London Bridge is broken down,
Dance over my Lady Lee;
London Bridge is broken down,
With a gay lady.
How shall we build it up again?
Dance over my Lady Lee;
How shall we build it up again?
With a gay lady.
Build it up with silver and gold,
Dance over my Lady Lee;
Build it up with silver and gold,
With a gay lady.
Silver and gold will be stole away,
Dance over my Lady Lee;
Silver and gold will be stole away,
With a gay lady.
Build it up with iron and steel,
Dance over my Lady Lee;
Build it up with iron and steel,
With a gay lady.
Iron and steel will bend and bow,
Dance over my Lady Lee;
Iron and steel will bend and bow,
With a gay lady.
Build it up with wood and clay,
Dance over my Lady Lee;
Build it up with wood and clay,
With a gay lady.
Wood and clay will wash away,
Dance over my Lady Lee;
Wood and clay will wash away,
With a gay lady.
Build it up with stone so strong,
Dance over my Lady Lee;
Huzza! 'twill last for ages long,
With a gay lady.
Public domain. Text from The Real Mother Goose (Blanche Fisher Wright, 1916), via Project Gutenberg. View the source edition