Seeger's father was Charles Seeger (1886–1979), an important folklorist and musicologist; her mother was Seeger's second wife, Ruth Porter Crawford Ruth Crawford seeger (1901–1953), a modernist composer who was one of the first women to receive a Guggenheim Fellowship. ... (family photo)
One of her brothers is Mike Seeger, and the well-known songwriter Pete Seeger is her half-brother.
One of Peggy Seeger's first recordings was "American Folk Songs for Children" (1955), considered one of her most enduring, and probably the best-selling, collection of children's songs ever recorded.
Together with MacColl, Seeger joined The Critics Group, performing satirical songs in a mixture of theatre, comedy and song. Seeger and MacColl recorded as a duo and as solo artists; MacColl wrote "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" in Seeger's honor.
London Bridge
Peggy Seeger Lyrics
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Falling down, falling down.
London Bridge is falling down,
My fair lady.
Take a key and lock her up,
Lock her up, lock her up.
Take a key and lock her up,
How will we build it up,
Build it up, build it up?
How will we build it up,
My fair lady?
Build it up with silver and gold,
Silver and gold, silver and gold.
Build it up with silver and gold,
My fair lady.
Gold and silver I have none,
I have none, I have none.
Gold and silver I have none,
My fair lady.
Build it up with needles and pins,
Needles and pins, needles and pins.
Build it up with needles and pins,
My fair lady.
Pins and needles bend and break,
Bend and break, bend and break.
Pins and needles bend and break,
My fair lady.
Build it up with wood and clay,
Wood and clay, wood and clay.
Build it up with wood and clay,
My fair lady.
Wood and clay will wash away,
Wash away, wash away.
Wood and clay will wash away,
My fair lady.
Build it up with stone so strong,
Stone so strong, stone so strong.
Build it up with stone so strong,
My fair lady.
Stone so strong will last so long,
Last so long, last so long.
Stone so strong will last so long,
My fair lady.
The song "London Bridge" has a long and fascinating history. The lyrics, which are believed to date back to the 18th century, describe the various attempts to build London Bridge, which famously spans the River Thames in the heart of the city. The song begins with the ominous refrain, "London Bridge is falling down," which suggests that the bridge has suffered damage and is in danger of collapsing. The second verse suggests a solution: "Take a key and lock her up," which could refer to locking the bridge in place to prevent it from falling further. The third verse asks the question, "How will we build it up?" and suggests using silver and gold to make it strong and beautiful. However, the singer then admits that he has no silver or gold, and suggests using needles and pins instead. Unfortunately, this solution proves to be ineffective, as the needles and pins "bend and break." The song then suggests building the bridge with wood and clay, but admits that these materials will "wash away" over time. Finally, the song suggests using strong stone to build the bridge, which will "last so long."
The song "London Bridge" has been the subject of many interpretations over the years. Some have suggested that the lyrics have a deeper meaning, referring to the instability of political and social structures. Others have seen the song as a commentary on the importance of building things to last, even at great cost. Regardless of its meaning, the song has remained popular over the years and has been sung by generations of children.
Line by Line Meaning
London Bridge is falling down,
London Bridge is collapsing and breaking apart.
Falling down, falling down.
It is crumbling and tumbling apart to the ground.
London Bridge is falling down,
The iconic bridge of London is falling apart and in ruins.
My fair lady.
An affectionate way of addressing a beloved person, possibly referring to the people of London who have to deal with the tragedy of the bridge's collapse.
Take a key and lock her up,
A suggestion to lock up the wreckage or to imprison someone or something that caused the bridge's collapse.
Lock her up, lock her up.
Emphasizing the importance of locking up the person or thing responsible for the bridge's collapse.
Take a key and lock her up,
Reiterating the suggestion to lock up whoever or whatever caused the damage.
My fair lady.
Possibly referring to the people affected by the tragedy, who deserve justice or retribution for what happened.
How will we build it up,
A question about how the bridge will be reconstructed or repaired.
Build it up, build it up?
Asking how can the bridge be reconstructed or repaired after its dramatic collapse.
How will we build it up,
Reiterating the question of how to rebuild the bridge.
My fair lady?
Possibly addressing the people of London again, asking how they will rebuild the bridge in spite of the damage that has occurred.
Build it up with silver and gold,
Suggesting to rebuild the bridge using expensive and valuable materials.
Silver and gold, silver and gold.
Emphasizing the use of valuable materials, although this may not be a practical or realistic solution.
Build it up with silver and gold,
Reiterating the suggestion to rebuild the bridge with valuable materials.
My fair lady.
Again, possibly addressing the people of London, but also acknowledging the impracticality of using silver and gold to rebuild the bridge.
Gold and silver I have none,
Admitting the lack of resources to use expensive materials for the bridge's reconstruction.
I have none, I have none.
Reiterating the lack of resources and emphasizing the inability to use silver and gold to rebuild the bridge.
Gold and silver I have none,
Again, acknowledging the lack of resources available for the rebuilding of the bridge.
My fair lady.
Again, addressing the people of London and possibly asking for their understanding or assistance in rebuilding the bridge using alternative materials.
Build it up with needles and pins,
Suggesting to rebuild the bridge using basic materials such as needles and pins.
Needles and pins, needles and pins.
Emphasizing the use of simple and inexpensive materials, although this may not be practical or realistic.
Build it up with needles and pins,
Reiterating the suggestion to use simple and inexpensive materials for the reconstruction of the bridge.
My fair lady.
Addressing the people of London and acknowledging the potential difficulty of rebuilding the bridge using limited resources.
Pins and needles bend and break,
Admitting the potential fragility of using simple and inexpensive materials for the bridge's reconstruction.
Bend and break, bend and break.
Reiterating the vulnerability of using basic materials, which may not be able to withstand the strain or pressure of the bridge's structure.
Pins and needles bend and break,
Again, acknowledging the potential vulnerability of using simple materials for the rebuilding of the bridge.
My fair lady.
Addressing the people of London and possibly asking for their patience or understanding despite the potential challenges of reconstructing the bridge.
Build it up with wood and clay,
Suggesting an alternative solution to rebuild the bridge using more robust and practical materials such as wood and clay.
Wood and clay, wood and clay.
Emphasizing the use of more durable and practical materials for the reconstruction of the bridge.
Build it up with wood and clay,
Reiterating the suggestion to use more robust and practical materials for the reconstruction of the bridge.
My fair lady.
Possibly acknowledging the challenges of rebuilding but also hopeful about finding more viable solutions.
Wood and clay will wash away,
Admitting that wood and clay are not entirely immune to environmental factors such as water or erosion.
Wash away, wash away.
Reiterating the vulnerability of wood and clay to environmental factors that could damage or erode the bridge.
Wood and clay will wash away,
Again, acknowledging the vulnerability of wood and clay as materials for the rebuilding of the bridge.
My fair lady.
Possibly addressing the people of London and acknowledging the potential risks involved in using wood and clay, but also hopeful about finding more viable solutions.
Build it up with stone so strong,
Suggesting to rebuild the bridge using materials that are more durable and resistant to environmental factors, such as stone.
Stone so strong, stone so strong.
Emphasizing the strength and durability of stone as a material for the reconstruction of the bridge.
Build it up with stone so strong,
Reiterating the suggestion to use stone as a material for the rebuilding of the bridge.
My fair lady.
Addressing the people of London and acknowledging the viability of using stone as a more lasting and practical solution for the rebuilding of the bridge.
Stone so strong will last so long,
Emphasizing the longevity and strength of stone as a material for the bridge's reconstruction.
Last so long, last so long.
Reiterating the lasting properties of stone and its ability to withstand environmental factors over long periods of time.
Stone so strong will last so long,
Again, emphasizing the viability and practicality of using stone as a lasting solution for the rebuilding of the bridge.
My fair lady.
Addressing the people of London and expressing hope that using stone as a material for the bridge's reconstruction will bring about a lasting and viable solution.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave
Written by: TRADITIONAL, JOSEPH K PHILLIPS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind