[Surprising!] A children’s song that originated overseas. That familiar nursery rhyme is actually…

O BureneliSwiss folk song

O Bureneli

‘O Vreneli’ by Kernser Singbuben(from Switzerland)

The Swiss folk song, known for its yodel-like chorus that echoes mountain calls and its lively melody, is in fact a prime example of a children’s song with origins abroad.

The original lyrics were written in 1910 by Swiss soldier-poet Zybeli, and the song has an intriguing history of traveling through the United States before reaching Japan.

In 1949, Minoru Matsuda produced a Japanese translation, shaping it into an approachable piece that depicts a dialogue with a girl living by the shores of Switzerland’s beautiful lakes.

Spreading alongside the rise of recreational activities during the postwar reconstruction period, the song became a cross-generational staple for campfires and school events, and it has also been featured on NHK’s “Minna no Uta.”

Grandfather's ClockOriginated in the United States

Nursery rhyme “Grandfather’s Clock”

My Grandfather’s Clock (The Big Old Clock)

“Ooki-na Furudokei” (“Grandfather’s Clock”), which also drew attention when Ken Hirai covered it in 2002, is based on “Grandfather’s Clock” by American composer Henry Clay Work and was hugely popular in the United States.

In Japan, it first appeared in 1940 under the title “Ojiisan no Tokei” (“Grandfather’s Clock”), and later became widely known after being broadcast in 1962 on NHK’s Minna no Uta under its current title.

The lyrics depict the relationship between the grandfather and the clock, but the original American version describes that relationship in greater detail.

We Look Up to You with RespectOriginated in the United States

Revered We Look Up To [Chorus] by Himawari 🌻×3 with Lyrics [One of Japan’s 100 Noted Songs]

Song for the Close of School [Aogeba Totoshi, original arrangement]

As a classic graduation song, Aogeba Tōtoshi is sung across generations.

The lyrics express gratitude to the teachers who supported us and the friends who shared the same time, and depict taking those feelings to heart as we spread our wings toward tomorrow.

While the nuances and content of the lyrics are very Japanese, the song actually originated in the United States! The piece said to be its source is Song for the Close of School.

Like the Japanese lyrics, it evokes the day of graduation, but its melody, closer to a hymn, is wrapped in a more solemn atmosphere.

A quiet lakesideOriginated in the United States

Quiet Lakeside [Children’s Song] Vocals, Chorus, and Performance by akiurara [Pop-style Arrangement] With Lyrics | With Romaji | Shizukana kohan (cover) DTM/DAW

Sweetly sings the Donkey

A children’s song that depicts the quiet, beautiful scenery of a lakeside forest, it’s beloved as a classic that evokes the feeling of camping.

The original is said to be the American nursery rhyme “Sweetly Sings the Donkey,” which portrays a braying donkey.

In Japan, it’s commonly sung in a round while imitating animal sounds, and the original also features the donkey’s bray, showing its influence.

With a light melody that conveys a sense of nature, the song has been widely embraced, used for things like train departure chimes and commercials with adapted lyrics.

Sky of my hometownScottish folk song

Song 'Furusato no Sora'

Robyn Stapleton – Comin’ Through the Rye

It is a gentle school song that depicts gazing at scenery as the seasons change while thinking of people living in one’s hometown.

Using a Scottish folk melody as its original tune, Kenju Owada wrote the lyrics to complete the piece.

It is sometimes said that “Comin’ Thro’ the Rye” is the original, but these lyrics were not created together with the melody, and it is said that Owada wrote “Furusato no Sora” without knowing the lyrics to “Comin’ Thro’ the Rye.” In Japan, “Furusato no Sora” has become established as a standard school song, but there are many other versions—such as The Drifters’ “Darekasan to Darekasan,” which further develops the lyrics of “Comin’ Thro’ the Rye.” Comparing the different versions might be interesting.

My Humble CottageEnglish folk song

The Humble Abode of Hanyu

From the Creator: Comparing “Home, Sweet Home” and “Hanyū no Yado (埴生の宿)”

Hanyu no Yado has been featured in various Japanese films, dramas, and commercials, such as Grave of the Fireflies, Massan, and Twenty-Four Eyes.

Based on the English song Home! Sweet Home!, it has also been beloved overseas, appearing as an aria in operas and in jazz arrangements.

The lyrics are largely the same in both the original and the Japanese versions: although one’s home isn’t a mansion and is quite modest, no matter what others say, it is the best and most wonderful home, and one feels proud of it.

It reminds us that regardless of country, appearance or size doesn’t matter—every home has its own kind of happiness.

Flowers and Sunshine of a Spring DayIrish songs

Flowers of a Spring Day, Shining — Saori Yuki & Sachiko Yasuda

John McDermott – Believe Me (If All Those Endearing Young Charms)

It is a beautiful piece based on the Irish poet Thomas Moore’s 1808 poem “Believe Me, If All Those Endearing Young Charms,” themed around eternal love.

It pledges unchanging love even when a beloved’s youth and beauty fade, and is said to reflect Moore’s feelings when his wife suffered from smallpox, expressing steadfast devotion like a sunflower ever seeking the sun.

The Japanese lyrics were translated by music critic Keizo Horiuchi and included in Volume 2 of the Irish Song Collection.

The melody is also used in Harvard University’s alma mater “Fair Harvard,” and is well known from the animated series Looney Tunes.

Its calm, lyrical tune is perfect for moments when you want to reaffirm your feelings for someone dear, or for quiet times surrounded by beautiful nature.