Row, row, row your boat
Row, row, row your boat,
Gently down the stream.
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
Life is but a dream.
Origin
This rhyme is popularly supposed to have been composed by Eliphalet Oram Lyte, and found in the publication The Franklin Square Song Collection in 1881.
Sometimes people try and find a meaning behind the words of this little ditty, however, personally I think you’d have to be rather sad to think there’s any kind of meaning behind them!
It’s usually sung ‘in the round.’
Variations of row your boat can be found in lots of countries and some funny ones are often heard as well.
This is my favourite:
- Row, row, row the boat
- Gently down the stream
- Throw your teachers overboard
- And listen to them scream!