Frère Jacques music box
“Are you sleeping, are you sleeping, Brother John?” Frère Jacques is a wake-up song as much as a sleepy one, and a favourite for little ones who love to sing along.
- Tune
- Frère Jacques
- Composer
- Traditional French round
- Origin
- Printed in the late 18th century
The story behind the tune
Frère Jacques is a French round, written so that several voices can start at different times and still fit together. It was first printed in the late 18th century, and its true author is unknown.
The song is about a friar who has slept through the bells for morning prayers. Gustav Mahler borrowed it for his First Symphony, slowing it down and putting it in a minor key, which shows how much character is packed into a few notes.
How it sounds on a music box
Built from short, repeating phrases, it is instantly recognisable even from the first few notes, which makes it a cheerful choice for a drawer opened many times a day. Final arrangements for the Musical Drawer are still being developed.
Lovely for
- Morning routines and getting dressed
- Families learning French
- Kids who love to sing in rounds