A cheerful tune about having fun despite life’s responsibilities.
Printable Music
Recordings
Lyrics
I’ve got sixpence
Jolly jolly sixpence
To last me all my life
I’ve got two pence to spend
And two pence to lend
And two pence to send home to my wife poor wife
No cares have I to grieve me
No pretty little girls to deceive me
I’m happy as a lark believe me
As we go rolling, rolling home.
Rolling home (rolling home)! Rolling home (rolling home)!
By the light of the silvery moon.
Happy is the day when we line up for our pay
As we go rolling, rolling home.
On the second verse sing fourpence
“. . . And no pence to sent home to my wife (poor wife).”
On the third verse sing twopence
“. . . And no pence to lend, and no pence to send home to my wife (poor wife).”
On the fourth verse sing no pence
“No pence to spend, and no pence to lend, and no pence to send home to my wife
(poor wife).”
Variations:
On the fifth verse sing credit
“I’ve got credit, credit to lend, credit to spend, and bills to send home to my wife.”
Swap “Happy is the day when we line up for our pay” for:
- “when the camp staff gets paid”
- “when the camp staff goes away”
- “when the campers go away”
History
While the exact author is unknown, the origins of this nursery rhyme date back at least 300 years. It was first published in 1744 in Tommy Thumb’s Pretty Song Book, though it likely existed much earlier. References to the song appear in 17th-century literature, including Beaumont and Fletcher’s 1614 play Bonduca. A similar line appears in Shakespeare’s play Twelfth Night.
The lyrics may be linked to a 16th-century tradition of serving pies containing live birds as a form of entertainment. Other theories suggest the characters represent celestial bodies like the sun and moon, or historical figures from the reign of Henry VIII, such as Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn. However, no definitive evidence exists for these theories, leaving the true meaning of the rhyme a mystery.
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For More Fun Ideas and Plans
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See other Recommended Facebook Groups for some Scouting Organizations
(No official Groups)
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Click Here -> To see information References:
Disclaimer: The information published on Youth Activity Archive and The Badge Archive is built from the references listed below. These sources demonstrate that our content is grounded in facts and research, not opinion or speculation. Readers may consult them directly when looking for additional material.
- BBC Music Magazine. “What Are the Lyrics to “Sing a Song of Sixpence”?” Classical Music, 6 May 2022, https://www.classical-music.com/articles/sing-a-song-of-sixpence-lyrics. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
- “I’ve Got Sixpence.” Sheet Music Singer, 13 Aug. 2022, http://www.sheetmusicsinger.com/ive-got-sixpence/. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
- “The Official Camp Horseshoe Song Book.” Horseshoe Scout Reservation Alumni Association, museum.hsraa.org/public_artifacts_1/4_1068.pdf. Accessed 8 May 2025.
- Sheet Music Singer. “I’ve Got Sixpence (1941).” Youtube.com, 14 Aug. 2020, https://youtu.be/BA4WvSLq-5M?si=kyWeOQsotdvAAm4f. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.
- “The Transatlantic Council Campfire Radio.” Jack Horntip Collection, http://www.horntip.com/html/books_&_MSS/2000s/2008-05-12_www-tac-bsa-org–tac_songbook_(PDF)/2008-05-12_www-tac-bsa-org–tac_songbook.pdf. Accessed 8 May 2025.
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