![[Surprising!] A children’s song that originated overseas. That familiar nursery rhyme is actually…](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/U_AY5PZ6RXk/hqdefault.jpg)
Nursery rhymes we often sang as children in kindergarten, nursery school, or elementary school.
Among the ones we still remember as adults, quite a few actually originated overseas.
In this article, we’ll introduce nursery rhymes with roots abroad.
We’ve picked out a variety—from songs that make you think “Come to think of it, that makes sense,” to surprising ones that have you saying, “Wait, that song too?” They’re all familiar across generations, whether it’s something you sang as a child or a song your kids are learning in nursery school.
As you listen, be sure to notice the differences between the versions we often sing and the original tunes!
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[Surprising!] Nursery rhymes that originated overseas. Even those familiar nursery rhymes are actually (1–10)
Green GreenThe New Christy Minstrels
Listening to this song, with its bright, sprightly melody and memorable chorus, many people may feel a sense of nostalgia.
And no wonder: while it’s fondly remembered in Japan as the version sung by the Suginami Children’s Choir on NHK’s “Minna no Uta” in May 1967, it actually began life as an American folk song released in 1963 by The New Christy Minstrels.
The lyrics portray a young person setting out in search of freedom, filled with hopes for nature and new encounters—sentiments that have resonated across generations.
The song sold over a million copies, earned a Gold Disc, and climbed to No.
14 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Included on the album “Ramblin’ featuring ‘Green, Green,’” this classic remains etched in people’s hearts alongside joyful memories of field trips and school sports days—truly a soundtrack of youth.
Someone whistled.French Military March
Based on the French military march “Marche des Sambras et Meuse,” this piece possesses a gentle, poetic charm that seems almost unimaginable given its origins in martial music.
The lyrics by Hiroo Sakata beautifully depict a slice of everyday life—the sound of a whistle and footsteps resonating in the morning calm—evoking a peaceful scene in stark contrast to the original’s military background.
First broadcast on NHK’s “Minna no Uta” in 1965, the song was later included in junior high and high school music textbooks and has continued to be loved across generations.
Its unique atmosphere—born from the fusion of the march’s distinctive, vigorous rhythm with the soft sonorities of the Japanese language—makes it perfect for music classes and choral settings, and stands as a superb example of cultural fusion, in which music from another culture is reinterpreted through a uniquely Japanese sensibility.
Frog ChorusGerman nursery rhyme
It’s surprising to learn that the fun round song we all knew so well in childhood actually originated overseas as the German folk song “Froschgesang.” For this version, Toshiaki Okamoto created Japanese lyrics, carefully crafting them so that each note corresponds to a single kana, which makes for beautiful harmonies when sung as a round.
Its simple, easy-to-remember melody is widely used in music education and frequently appears on TV and educational programs.
It’s a perfect pick not only for children learning choral singing in kindergartens and elementary schools, but also for adults who want to revisit their childhood and enjoy a nostalgic sing-along!
Light of FirefliesScottish folk song
It’s a classic children’s song that symbolizes milestones and farewells, often heard at graduation ceremonies, at the end of the year, or as closing-time background music.
Its original tune is the Scottish folk song “Auld Lang Syne,” which is also sung at weddings and birthdays.
While depicting deep bonds between friends, it expresses the hope that those friendships will continue into the future.
Because the original already conveyed a warm message, “Hotaru no Hikari” may have been shaped into a song that feels perfectly suited—and powerfully fitting—for moments of departure.
The Bear of the ForestAmerican folk song
It’s a story-style children’s song that depicts a woman and a bear meeting in the forest and becoming friendly.
The original is said to be an American folk song, and although the composer is unknown, it has long been beloved as a song sung by Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.
The original lyrics are similar to the Japanese ones, portraying an encounter with a bear in the woods.
The call-and-response style that follows the main melody is shared with the Japanese version, conveying that it was made as a song for everyone to sing together.
The railroad tracks go on forever.American folk song
This is a children’s song that depicts a journey by train—bright, fun, and along tracks that stretch on forever.
Its original melody comes from the American folk song “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad,” which in that version sings about the work of building the tracks.
It is said to have originated with laborers during the construction of the transcontinental railroad, carrying the meaning of a work song that conveys the harsh realities of labor on the tracks.
While describing the process of laying the railroad, it also layers in various underlying meanings, evoking the bold, larger-than-life spirit of the workers.
I accidentally broke the clarinet.Originating in France
Many people may know that this song originated overseas, given that its chorus in the Japanese lyrics adopts French as is.
In France, it is loved as “J’ai perdu le do,” though its exact place of origin is unknown.
The original song depicts a father teaching his child the clarinet, but it is cherished more for its light, playful sound than for its content.
In the Japanese version, the French chorus—words that carry the meaning of “move forward step by step”—fits naturally when you consider the original context of clarinet instruction.