Mary had a Little Lamb
Kids Party Music Players Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One fell off and bumped his head
So Momma called the doctor and the doctor said
No more monkeys jumping on the bed!
Four little monkeys jumping on the bed
One fell off and bumped his head
So Momma called the doctor and the doctor said
Three little monkeys jumping on the bed
One fell off and bumped his head
So Momma called the doctor and the doctor said
No more monkeys jumping on the bed!
Two little monkeys jumping on the bed
One fell off and bumped his head
So Momma called the doctor and the doctor said
No more monkeys jumping on the bed!
One little monkey jumping on the bed
He fell off and bumped his head
So Momma called the doctor and the doctor said
No more monkeys jumping on the bed!
No little monkeys jumping on the bed
None fell off and bumped his head
So Momma called the doctor and the doctor said
Put those monkeys back in bed!
The lyrics to "Five Little Monkeys" tell the story of five playful monkeys who jump on the bed, causing one after another to fall off and bump their head. Each time, their worried mother calls the doctor for advice, and the doctor admonishes the monkeys to stop jumping on the bed. Eventually, after all five monkeys have met with mishaps, the doctor finally commands them to stay in bed.
Though this simple children's song may seem frivolous, it actually teaches several important lessons. First and foremost, it emphasizes the importance of safety and the danger of roughhousing on furniture. Additionally, it teaches sequencing and counting skills as the children are able to keep track of how many monkeys are left on the bed. Finally, the obedient monkeys at the end of the song demonstrate the importance of listening to authority figures.
Interestingly, "Five Little Monkeys" was not originally a song at all. The rhyme has a long history dating back to at least 1890, and likely originated as a poem or nursery rhyme. The song version that we know now was first popularized in the 1940s by the Singing Lady herself, Ella Jenkins. In this way, the song reflects a tradition of cultural sharing and adaptation that has long characterized children's music.
Line by Line Meaning
Five little monkeys jumping on the bed
There were five little monkeys who were jumping on the bed
One fell off and bumped his head
One of the monkeys fell off the bed and hit his head
So Momma called the doctor and the doctor said
The monkey's mother called the doctor for advice
No more monkeys jumping on the bed!
The doctor advised that the monkeys should stop jumping on the bed to avoid further injuries
Four little monkeys jumping on the bed
There were four little monkeys remaining who continued to jump on the bed
Two little monkeys jumping on the bed
There were two little monkeys remaining who continued to jump on the bed
One little monkey jumping on the bed
There was one little monkey remaining who continued to jump on the bed
He fell off and bumped his head
The last monkey fell off the bed and hit his head
No little monkeys jumping on the bed
There were no more monkeys jumping on the bed
None fell off and bumped his head
None of the monkeys fell off the bed and hit their heads
Put those monkeys back in bed!
The doctor advised to put the monkeys back in bed to prevent further injuries
Contributed by Gabriella V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.