Are You Sleeping?
Baby Genius Lyrics

In the popular nursery rhyme "Are You Sleeping?" by Baby Genius, the lyrics describe the familiar scene of someone trying to wake up a sleeping person by calling their name, in this case, it's Brother John. The lines "Are you sleeping, are you sleeping?" are repeated twice, emphasizing the urgency in trying to rouse the sleeping person. The second and third lines, "Brother John, Brother John?" is a call to Brother John, to acknowledge the attempt to wake him up. The fourth and fifth lines of "Morning bells are ringing, morning bells are ringing," suggest that it's already morning and time to wake up. The lines "Ding ding dong, ding ding dong" represent the sound of the church bells ringing, signaling the start of the day.

The rhyme's origins are uncertain, but it's believed to have originated in the 1700s in France under the name “Frère Jacques.” The original French lyrics were about waking the monk, Jacques, to ring the bells for morning prayers. The song has since undergone several translations, with lyrics changed to suit different cultures and religions across the world, resulting in various versions. Today, it's regarded as a classic children’s song, used to teach young children about morning routines and sleeping habits and promote good behavior. The catchy tune, simple melody, and repetitive lyrics make it easy for children to learn and sing along, making it a popular nursery rhyme all over the world.