Pop Goes the Weasel – The Music
Contents
The popular children’s song “Pop Goes the Weasel” has a long history dating back to the 1700s. Learn about the origins of the song and listen to a few different versions of it.
The Origins of the Tune
The tune for “Pop Goes the Weasel” is derived from an English dance tune also called “The Weasel”. It was popular in the 18th century and was used for country dances such as the Cuban, Irish, English, and Scottish reels. The dance was accompanied by music that was played on the fiddle and the penny whistle.
The first known reference to the tune
The first known reference to the tune is in James Orchard Halliwell’s The Nursery Rhymes of England (1846), where he describes it as a “ring game” sung by street vendors. The music and lyrics were first published together in Carols for Christmas-tide (1851) by Henry Ramsden Bramley and John Stainer. In the edition, the lyrics are attributed to “Traditional – the words being supposed to have been originally written by a sailor on his way home from a trip to China”.
Theories on the origins of the tune
There are many theories on the origins of the tune for “Pop Goes the Weasel”, some more likely than others. One popular theory is that the melody is derived from an old English folk tune. Another theory suggests that the tune is of French origin, and may have come over to England during the Norman conquest in 1066.
Whatever the true origins of the tune, it has become firmly entrenched in English culture and is still widely known and sung today. “Pop Goes the Weasel” is a popular nursery rhyme and children’s song, with many different version existing. The lyrics of the song vary widely, but usually tell the story of a young man who is tricked out of his money by a weasel.
The Lyrics
Pop goes the weasel is a popular nursery rhyme and children’s song. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 7882. The tune is from an Old English dance called “Pop goes the weasel”.
The first known reference to the lyrics
The first known reference to the lyrics is in 1853, when it appeared in Halliwell’s Nursery Rhymes and Nursery Tales under the title “Pop goes the weasel (A nurses’ song)”. The lyrics as given there are:
All around the cobbler’s house
And up and down the row,
The monkey chased the weasel,
The weasel chased the crow;
Pop goes the weasel.
Theories on the origins of the lyrics
There are several theories on the origins of the lyrics to “Pop Goes the Weasel.” One theory is that the song is based on a children’s game in which a child spins a top and then tries to catch it before it falls. If the child succeeded, he or she would be given a treat, such as a penny or piece of candy.
Another theory is that the song is based on an old English folk tune called “The Derby Ram.” The tune was popular in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, and some believe that the lyrics to “Pop Goes the Weasel” were adapted from this tune.
Whatever the origins of the lyrics, “Pop Goes the Weasel” has been a popular song for centuries and shows no signs of waning in popularity any time soon.
The Meaning of the Lyrics
The lyrics to “Pop Goes the Weasel” are often described as a nonsense nursery rhyme. However, there are a few interpretations of the meaning of the lyrics. One interpretation is that the lyrics are about a mother who is trying to get her child to eat. Another interpretation is that the lyrics are about a young man who is spendthrift.
Interpretations of the lyrics
Pop goes the weasel is a much-loved nursery rhyme and sing-along song, but there is some debate over the meaning of the lyrics. The most popular interpretation is that they refer to the qualities of a good weasel hunter – someone who is quick, nimble, and able to think on their feet. However, there are other theories which suggest that the lyrics may have Their origins in 16th-century England, when ‘pop’ was slang for ‘pawn’. In this interpretation, the weasel is a symbol of greed and opportunism, and the song is warning against being too easily led astray by material possessions.
Theories on the meaning of the lyrics
There are many theories on the meaning of the lyrics to “Pop Goes the Weasel,” but no one really knows for sure where they came from. The most popular theory is that the lyrics are about a man who sells his soul to the devil in order to have enough money to buy a new coat. Another theory is that the lyrics are about a man who is so desperate for money that he steals a baby’s riches.
The Popularity of the Tune
The tune of “Pop Goes the Weasel” is one of the most recognizable tunes in the English-speaking world. The melody has been used in many different contexts and has been adapted to various purposes. The popularity of the tune is evident in its use in nursery rhymes, children’s songs, and even advertising jingles.
The tune’s popularity in different countries
The tune was extremely popular in England, and gained in popularity in the United States after the American Civil War. It continues to be a nursery staple in both countries, and has also been used extensively in literature, TV, film, and advertising. In addition, the tune has been adapted or appropriated by a number of musicians in a variety of genres.
The tune’s popularity in different eras
“Pop Goes the Weasel” is a nursery rhyme and music hall song. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 5249.
The rhyme was first printed in 1853 in a collection called Melodies for the Nursery, but it is possible that it is much older. It is thought to be related to an English dance called “Pop Goes the Weasel”, which was popular in the early 1800s.
The tune became popular in America in the late 1800s, and it was used in many vaudeville shows. In 1918, it was used in the musical comedy Irene, which starred Marion Davies.
The song became popular again in the 1950s, when it was used in several commercials, including one for Camel cigarettes. It has also been used in several cartoons and movies, including Popeye (1980), Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988), and Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003).
The Use of the Tune
Pop goes the weasel is a tune that was popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries. The tune was originally used for a children’s game and was later used for a variety of other purposes, such as dances, songs, and nursery rhymes. The tune is still used today and can be heard in many different contexts.
The tune in popular culture
The tune became popular in the vaudeville circuit in the United States in the late 1800s and early 1900s. It was often used as an accompaniment for plate spinning and other circus acts. The first known printed use of the tune was in 1853, in a song called “The Old Gray Mare”. It also became popular as a military marching song, and was often played during World War I.
In the early 20th century, the tune was used in a number of American popular songs, such as “A Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight” (1902), “Alexander’s Ragtime Band” (1911) and “Everybody’s Doing It” (1913). The tune also became popular in Britain, where it was often used as a nursery rhyme. It was first recorded there in 1914, on a78rpm record by singer/songwriter Dame Clara Butt.
The tune continues to be popular in both the United States and Britain, and has been used in a number of films and television shows over the years.
The tune in advertising
The tune has been used in advertising campaigns for a wide variety of products, [4] including automobile companies Nissan and Chevrolet , [5] [6] the airline Cathay Pacific , [7] the Scottish power company ScottishPower , [8] and the discount store Aldi in the United Kingdom. [9] The tune was used as incidental music in a number of television programmes in the United Kingdom, such as The Clangers , Ivor the Engine , Trumpton and Play School . It was also used in an episode of The Ren & Stimpy Show titled “Nurse Stimpy”.
The Legacy of the Tune
“Pop Goes the Weasel” is a much-beloved tune that has been around for centuries. The origins of the tune are unknown, but it is clear that it has been adapted and changed over time. The tune is often associated with children’s games and is a popular choice for nursery rhymes. The tune has also been used in popular culture, appearing in television shows, movies, and commercials.
The tune’s influence on other tunes
“Pop Goes the Weasel” is a much-loved tune with a long and fascinating history. The tune has been used by many other composers over the years, often in very surprising ways.
One of the most famous examples is “The Entertainer” by Scott Joplin, which was featured in the film “The Sting”. Joplin’s ragtime masterpiece quotes the “Pop Goes the Weasel” melody several times, giving the tune a whole new lease of life.
Other examples include “The Pink Panther Theme” by Henry Mancini, which makes use of the same descending chromatic scale as “Pop Goes the Weasel”, and James Bland’s “Carry Me Back to Old Virginny”, which uses the melody of “Pop Goes the Weasel” as its chorus.
The tune has also been appropriated by advertising jingles, including one for Schweppes mineral water in the UK, which was based on a 1920s advertising campaign that used the tagline “When you pop, we all fizz!”.
It seems that wherever you go in the world, you’re never far from “Pop Goes the Weasel”!
The tune’s influence on popular culture
“Pop Goes the Weasel” is a nursery rhyme and tune that has been around since the early 1800s. The melody is simple and distinctive, and the lyrics are easy to remember. For these reasons, the tune has been popular with musicians over the years. It has been used in many different genres of music, from classical to pop, and has even been adapted for use in film and television.
The tune first became popular in the United States in the early 1900s, when it was used in vaudeville and Tin Pan Alley songs. It continued to be used in popular music throughout the 20th century, appearing in such diverse recordings as Frank Sinatra’s 1945 hit “I Could Have Danced All Night” and The Beatles’ 1968 song “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da.” In recent years, the tune has been used in commercials and movies, including “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” and “The Simpsons Movie.”
Despite its widespread popularity, the origin of “Pop Goes the Weasel” is a mystery. The first known printed version of the lyrics appeared in 1853, but it is likely that the song was being sung long before that. Some believe that the tune is based on an old English folk song, while others believe it was created by a musician who was trying to come up with a catchy hook for a new song. Whatever its origins, “Pop Goes the Weasel” is sure to continue to be a favorite for many years to come.
