Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star Lyrics

"Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" is arguably one of the most recognized songs in the English-speaking world. This timeless lullaby, sung to children for over two centuries, combines the poetic words of English author Jane Taylor with a French melody that predates Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's famous variations. Written in 1806 as "The Star," the poem originally had five stanzas filled with wonder and curiosity about the night sky. Today, while most people know only the first verse, the complete lyrics reveal a beautiful meditation on the guiding light that stars provide to travelers in the dark.

Complete Lyrics

Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are.

When the blazing sun is set, and the grass with dew is wet.
Then you show your little light, twinkle, twinkle all the night.
Twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are.

Then the traveler in the dark thanks you for your tiny spark.
How could he see where to go if you did not twinkle so?
Twinkle, twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are.

As your bright and tiny spark lights the traveler in the dark,
though I know not what you are, twinkle, twinkle, little star.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are.

The History of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star"

The beloved nursery rhyme, "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star," has a fascinating, split history between its words and its famous tune, a melody often mistakenly attributed to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The actual music originated from an 18th-century French folk song called "Ah! vous dirai-je, maman" (Oh! Shall I tell you, Mama). This melody, which appeared in a 1761 publication, became incredibly popular and was later used for various other songs, including the English-language "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep" and "The Alphabet Song." Mozart did contribute to the song's musical legacy, but he did not write the tune; he composed a set of Twelve Variations on "Ah! vous dirai-je, maman" for the piano around 1785.

The words we know today were penned by Jane Taylor, an English poet and author, in the early 19th century. Her poem, titled "The Star," was first published in 1806 within Rhymes for the Nursery, a collection she co-authored with her sister, Ann Taylor. The complete poem actually consists of five stanzas in couplet form, though only the first stanza is widely known and sung as the nursery rhyme. It wasn't until around 1838 that Taylor's poem and the French melody were first published together, creating the universally recognized lullaby enjoyed by generations across the globe.

Memorizing Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star

While most people know the first verse by heart, learning all four verses reveals the complete narrative arc of Jane Taylor's poem:

  1. Verse 1: Introduces the wonder of the twinkling star
  2. Verse 2: Describes when the star appears after sunset
  3. Verse 3: Thanks the star for guiding travelers
  4. Verse 4: Acknowledges the mystery while appreciating the star's light

Each verse follows the same rhyme scheme and melodic pattern, with the refrain "Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are" appearing at the beginning and end. This repetition makes the complete poem easier to memorize. The Lines app can help you master all verses of this beloved lullaby.