Merry Are the Bells Lyrics
Bells ringing, people singing, friends meeting and parting happily. Every line of this old song uses the word merry, and it is impossible to say it in a gloomy voice.
Merry Are the Bells
Merry are the bells, and merry would they ring;
Merry was myself, and merry could I sing;
With a merry ding-dong, happy, gay, and free,
And a merry sing-song, happy let us be!
Merry have we met, and merry have we been;
Merry let us part, and merry meet again;
With our merry sing-song, happy, gay, and free,
And a merry ding-dong, happy let us be!
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/merry-are-the-bells/
- Type
- Mother Goose
- Tune
- Sung
- Best for ages
- 3 to 9 years
What Does Merry Are the Bells Mean?
Merry means happy and cheerful. The singer describes bells ringing for a celebration and everyone joining in a "merry sing-song". The last verse is a goodbye: "Merry let us part, and merry meet again", a hope that friends will see each other soon.
History and Origin
Walter Jerrold included this song in The Big Book of Nursery Rhymes (1903). Church bells once rang for weddings, holidays and good news, so "merry are the bells" would have meant that something worth celebrating had happened.
Learning Activities
- Bell ringing: ring small bells or tap a glass with a spoon on each "ding-dong".
- Goodbye song: use the last verse to end a party or a class.
- Count the merries: how many times does the word appear?