Full Lyrics
Baa, baa, black sheep,
Have you any wool?
Yes, sir, yes, sir,
Three bags full.
One for my master,
And one for my dame,
And one for the little boy
Who lives down the lane.
Baa, baa, black sheep,
Have you any wool?
Yes, sir, yes, sir,
Three bags full.
About This Song
"Baa Baa Black Sheep" is one of the oldest English nursery rhymes, first recorded in 1744 in Tommy Thumb's Pretty Song Book. Interestingly, the familiar tune is shared with both "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" and "The ABC Song" — all three are based on the French melody "Ah! vous dirai-je, maman".
Some historians have suggested the rhyme may have originated as commentary on the medieval wool tax of 1275 in England. Under that tax, a third of wool's value went to the king (the master), a third to the church (the dame), and only a third remained for the shepherd (the little boy down the lane). However, this interpretation remains debated among scholars.
Whatever its historical meaning, the song remains a delightful and simple sing-along that toddlers love for its animal sounds, repetitive structure, and satisfying three-verse form.