Humpty Dumpty
Songs For Children Lyrics
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Humpty Dumpty had a great fall
All the king's horses and all the king's men
Couldn't put Humpty together again
Humpty Dumpty sat on the ground
Humpty Dumpty looked all around
Gone were the chimneys, gone were the roofs
Poor old Humpty
Poor old Humpty
Poor old Humpty
Dumpty
Poor old Humpty
Poor old Humpty
Poor old Humpty
Poor old Humpty Dumpty
Humpty Dumpty counted to ten
Humpty Dumpty built up again
All the king's horses and all the king's men
Are happy that Humpty is together again
The popular nursery rhyme Humpty Dumpty paints a rather grim picture of a once-great character who has been brought down to his knees. In the first verse, we are introduced to Humpty Dumpty, who is sitting atop a wall before falling off in the second line of the rhyme. The third line introduces us to the numerous individuals who tried and failed to fix Humpty Dumpty's shattered self. The final line affirms that despite the combined efforts of all those around him, nothing seemed to be able to put Humpty Dumpty back together again.
The second verse of the rhyme provides us with a more vivid image of Humpty Dumpty's fall from grace. He is no longer sitting on a wall, but is now on the ground, and all he can see are the ankles and hooves of those passing him by. The use of this imagery creates a sense of loneliness for Humpty Dumpty, as he is left to piece himself back together in solitude. The chorus, with its repetition of "poor old Humpty Dumpty," drives home the despair that comes with such a fall from grace.
Humpty Dumpty's final act in the rhyme is one of resilience and determination. He counts to ten and builds himself up again, with the help of no one except himself, showing that strength can come from within. The final line of the rhyme suggests that, having succeeded in coming back from such a humiliating fall, Humpty Dumpty is once again welcomed back into the fold.
Line by Line Meaning
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall
Humpty Dumpty was sitting on a tall structure.
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall
Humpty Dumpty fell down from the wall and got damaged.
All the king's horses and all the king's men
The king's entire military force was called upon to help Humpty.
Couldn't put Humpty together again
Despite all their efforts and resources, they couldn't repair Humpty's damage.
Humpty Dumpty sat on the ground
Humpty was now sitting on the flat surface of the ground, after falling.
Humpty Dumpty looked all around
Humpty was observing the surroundings after his fall.
Gone were the chimneys, gone were the roofs
The structures that were visible from the wall were now destroyed or missing.
All he could see were ankles and hooves
The only visible body parts were of the people and animals passing by.
Poor old Humpty
Humpty was feeling bad for himself.
Poor old Humpty
Humpty was still feeling pity for himself.
Poor old Humpty
Humpty was still feeling sorry for himself.
Dumpty
This word is added as a part of Humpty's name.
Humpty Dumpty counted to ten
Humpty took some time to regain his composure after the fall.
Humpty Dumpty built up again
Humpty rebuilt himself and recovered from the damage.
Are happy that Humpty is together again
The king's army is relieved and pleased that their efforts were fruitful in repairing Humpty.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Traditional
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