Lavender's Blue
Lavender's blue, dilly dilly, lavender's green,
When you are King, dilly dilly, I shall be Queen.
Who told you so, dilly dilly, who told you so?
‘Twas my own heart, dilly dilly, that told me so.
Call up your friends, dilly, dilly set them to work,
Some with a rake, dilly dilly, some with a fork.
Some to make hay, dilly dilly, some to thresh corn,
Whilst you and I, dilly dilly, keep ourselves warm.
When you are King, dilly dilly, I shall be Queen.
Who told you so, dilly dilly, who told you so?
‘Twas my own heart, dilly dilly, that told me so.
Call up your friends, dilly, dilly set them to work,
Some with a rake, dilly dilly, some with a fork.
Some to make hay, dilly dilly, some to thresh corn,
Whilst you and I, dilly dilly, keep ourselves warm.
A sweet and whimsical rhyme, Lavender’s Blue has a light royal charm, and is often sung softly at bedtime or playtime. The repeated “dilly dilly” gives it a gentle, bouncing rhythm that children love.
Alternative (original) ending
If you should die, dilly dilly, as it may hap,
You shall be buried, dilly dilly, under the tap;
You shall be buried, dilly dilly, under the tap;
Who told you so, dilly dilly, pray tell me why?
That you might drink, dilly dilly, when you are dry.
That you might drink, dilly dilly, when you are dry.
The Story Behind Lavender's Blue
Lavender’s Blue is one of the oldest known English folk songs still sung today. Its earliest known version was printed between 1672 and 1679 under the rather bold title “Diddle Diddle, Or The Kind Country Lovers”.
Unlike the child-friendly lyrics we know today, the original was full of earthy humour, drinking, and romance—typical of folk songs from the time!
From Folk Ballad to Nursery Rhyme
By 1805, the song had been rewritten into a gentler form and published in Songs for the Nursery, with lyrics focused on imaginary royal play, farm work, and warmth:
“Lavender blue and Rosemary green,
When I am king, you shall be queen...”
This version became popular as a lullaby, thanks to its soft melody and dreamlike imagery.
🎬 A Hollywood Moment
In 1949, Lavender’s Blue reached a whole new audience when Burl Ives performed it in the Disney film So Dear to My Heart. His version was even nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song (it lost out to “Baby, It’s Cold Outside”). That same year, Vera Lynn—the beloved British wartime singer—also recorded her own version.