Liputan6.com, Jakarta Who doesn't know Twinkle Twinkle Little Star?
A universally used lullaby by parents to lull their children to sleep or just being used to accompany their babies.
Besides being a lullaby, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star has been translated into many languages, adapted into countless versions, and referenced in literature, film, and popular culture.
Furthermore, this song also has a fairly long history before finally becoming a lullaby known throughout the world.
'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' Lyrics
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
When the blazing sun is gone,
When he nothing shines upon,
Then you show your little light,
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.
Then the traveler in the dark
Thanks you for your tiny spark,
How could he see where to go,
If you did not twinkle so?
In the dark blue sky you keep,
Often through my curtains peep
For you never shut your eye,
Till the sun is in the sky.
As your bright and tiny spark
Lights the traveler in the dark,
Though I know not what you are,
Twinkle, twinkle, little star.
History Behind the 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star'
"Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" is derived from Jane Taylor's early 19th-century English poem "The Star."
The poem, in couplet form, was first published in 1806 in Rhymes for the Nursery, a collection of poems by Taylor and her sister, Ann.
Today, it is sung to the French melody "Ah! vous dirai-je, maman," first published in 1761 and later arranged by several composers, including Mozart in his Twelve Variations on "Ah vous dirai-je, Maman."
The English lyrics have five stanzas, although only the first is widely known.
The location where Jane Taylor wrote the lyrics is disputed, with Colchester and Chipping Ongar each claiming the location.
However, Ann Taylor wrote (in The Autobiography and Other Memorials of Mrs. Gilbert) that Jane first saw the village of Ongar in 1810, and the poem was published in 1806.
"In the summer of 1810, Jane, when visiting London, had enjoyed a pic-nic excursion in Epping Forest, and observed on a sign post at one of the turnings, 'To Ongar.' It was the first time she had seen the name."
In the 19th century, Jane Taylor's blend of lyrics and French melodies spread widely in English-speaking countries.
It became a staple of children's music, taught in nurseries and schools, and passed down through generations.
Its simple structure and soothing rhythm make it ideal as a lullaby for children.