Korn Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Ring around the roses
Pocket full of posies
Ashes, ashes, we all fall down

Ring around the roses
Pocket full of posies
Ashes, ashes, we all fall down

Nursery rhymes are said, verses in my head
Into my childhood they're spoon fed
Hidden violence revealed, darkness that seems real
Look at the pages that cause all this evil

One, two, buckle my shoe
Three, four, shut the door
Five, six, pick up sticks
Seven, eight, lay them straight

London bridges falling down, falling down, falling down
London bridges falling down, my fair lady

Nursery rhymes are said, verses in my head
Into my childhood they're spoon fed
Hidden violence revealed, darkness that seems real
Look at the pages that cause all this evil

Nick nack patty wack, give a dog a bone
This old man came rolling home
Nick nack patty wack, give a dog a bone
This old man came rolling home
Nick nack patty wack, give a dog a bone
This old man came rolling home
Nick nack patty wack, give a dog a bone
This old man came rolling home
Nick nack patty wack, give a dog a bone
This old man came rolling home
Nick nack patty wack, give a dog a bone
This old man came
Mary had a little lamb [Incomprehensible]

Mary had a little lamb whose fleece was white as snow
Mary had a little lamb whose fleece was white as snow
(Baa baa black sheep have you any wool)
Mary had a little lamb whose fleece was white as snow
(Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full)
Mary had a little lamb whose fleece was white as snow
(Baa baa black sheep have you any wool)
Mary had a little lamb
(Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full)

Mary had a little lamb whose fleece was white as snow
(Baa baa black sheep have you any wool)
Mary had a little lamb whose fleece was white as snow
(Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full)
Mary had a little lamb whose fleece was white as snow
(Baa baa black sheep have you any wool)
Mary had a little lamb
(Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full)

Ring around the roses
Pocket full of posies
Ashes, ashes, we all fall down

Ring around the roses
Pocket full of posies
Ashes, ashes, we all fall down

Nursery rhymes are said, verses in my head
Into my childhood they're spoon fed
Hidden violence revealed, darkness that seems real
Look at the pages that cause all this evil

Nick nack patty wack, give a dog a bone
Nick nack patty wack, give a dog a bone

Nick nack patty wack, give a dog a bone
Nick nack patty wack, give a dog a

Overall Meaning

bone

Chino Moreno's song Shoots and Ladders/Wicked is a haunting and thought-provoking exploration of the dark side of nursery rhymes. The lyrics are a blend of several well-known nursery rhymes, including "Ring around the Roses," "London Bridges," "One, two buckle my shoe," and "Mary had a little lamb." These seemingly innocent rhymes are transformed into a terrifying commentary on the hidden violence and darkness that exists within them. The repetition of certain phrases, such as "Nursery rhymes are said, verses in my head" and "Hidden violence revealed, darkness that seems real" create a sense of unease and discomfort, as though the singer is trying to expose something that has long been kept hidden.

The repetition of "Ring around the Roses" and "Ashes, ashes, we all fall down" is especially chilling, as these phrases are often said to refer to the bubonic plague and the mass graves where the dead were buried. The repeated use of "Nick nack patty wack, give a dog a bone" is also significant, as it is thought to refer to a gruesome practice in which dogs were given the bones of executed criminals to chew on. All of these references combine to create a dark and unsettling atmosphere that lingers long after the song is over.

Line by Line Meaning

Ring around the roses
Reminding us of how plagues were handled in the past

Pocket full of posies
People who carried flowers were thought to be protected from the disease

Ashes, ashes, we all fall down
Bodies were burned to prevent the spread of the disease

Nursery rhymes are said, verses in my head
The rhymes were taught to children in their formative years

Into my childhood they're spoon fed
Children learned these rhymes without questioning their meaning

Hidden violence revealed, darkness that seems real
These rhymes contain subtle references to violence and mortality

Look at the pages that cause all this evil
Examining the origin of the rhymes reveals a disturbing past

One, two, buckle my shoe
A counting game meant to help children learn numbers

Three, four, shut the door
A reminder to close the door

Five, six, pick up sticks
A game played with sticks

Seven, eight, lay them straight
Directions on how to place the sticks

London bridges falling down, falling down, falling down
A reference to the destruction of London bridges in history

London bridges falling down, my fair lady
The song was sung as people watched bridges being destroyed

Nick nack patty wack, give a dog a bone
A song about giving dogs bones as treats

This old man came rolling home
A reference to an old man who rolled to music

Mary had a little lamb [Incomprehensible]
The beginning of a nursery rhyme about a girl and her pet lamb

Mary had a little lamb whose fleece was white as snow
A comforting verse about a beloved pet

(Baa baa black sheep have you any wool)
A line from another nursery rhyme about a sheep with wool

(Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full)
The sheep had plenty of wool to share with everyone

Ring around the roses
Repeating the first verse as a reminder of past plagues

Pocket full of posies
A sign of hope that the disease would not spread

Ashes, ashes, we all fall down
A chilling reminder of the fate that awaited many

Nursery rhymes are said, verses in my head
The haunting nature of the rhymes stays with us throughout our lives

Into my childhood they're spoon fed
We cannot escape the early exposure to these dark rhymes

Hidden violence revealed, darkness that seems real
An acknowledgement of the unsettling nature of these verses

Look at the pages that cause all this evil
A warning to examine the origins of our childhood memories

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BRIAN WELCH, BRIAN PHILIP WELCH, DAVID SILVERIA, DAVID RANDALL SILVERIA, JAMES SHAFFER, JAMES CHRISTIAN SHAFFER, JONATHAN DAVIS, JONATHAN HOWSMAN DAVIS, REGINALD ARVIZU

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS