Mary Had a Little Lamb

USA

HISTORY AND SONG NOTES

Mary Had a Little Lamb was first published as a poem by American poet Sarah Josepha Hale in 1830. The story goes that Ms. Hale, who was teaching school at the time, had a young student named Mary who indeed brought her pet lamb to school one day. The song shares a melody with another folksong, Merrily We Roll Along.

This song works well as a song for beautiful group singing, particularly since this song is familiar to most young children and can be sung with confidence.

In addition to the first verse in the score above, there are additional verses to Mary Had a Little Lamb that the children may enjoy listening to or singing:

And everywhere that Mary went,
Mary went, Mary went,
Everywhere that Mary went,
The lamb was sure to go.

It followed her to school one day,
School one day, school one day.
It followed her to school one day,
Which was against the rules.

It made the children laugh and play,
Laugh and play, laugh and play.
It made the children laugh and play
To see a lamb at school.

"Why does the lamb love Mary so?
Mary so, Mary so?
Why does the lamb love Mary so?"
The eager children cry.

"Why, Mary loves the lamb, you know,
Lamb, you know, lamb, you know,
Mary loves the lamb, you know,"
The teacher did reply.

AUDIO RECORDING FOR LISTENING, SINGING ALONG, AND LEARNING: 

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