Why Are Nursery Rhymes So F***ing Creepy?
Summary
TLDRThis video explores the eerie connection between nursery rhymes and horror, questioning why seemingly innocent children's songs can be so unsettling. It delves into theories about the dark origins of rhymes like 'London Bridge' and 'Ring Around the Rosie,' suggesting they may have been influenced by historical events or cultural fears. The video also examines how the Victorian era's shift in the perception of children, along with the rise of Gothic literature, contributed to the association of nursery rhymes with horror in modern media. Sponsored by 80,000 Hours, a non-profit offering career advice for positive global impact.
Takeaways
- 🎥 The video is sponsored by 80,000 Hours, a non-profit focused on helping individuals find fulfilling careers that positively impact the world.
- 📽️ Fritz Lang's 1931 film 'M' is noted for being one of the first to use a nursery rhyme in a horror context, setting a precedent for the genre.
- 🧒 The script explores the juxtaposition of nursery rhymes with horror elements in films, such as 'The Birds', 'Evil Dead', and 'Nightmare on Elm Street'.
- 👻 The 'creepy nursery rhyme' trope is deeply ingrained in culture, often used effectively due to its unexpected contrast with innocence.
- 📚 Folklorist Alice Bertha Gomme proposed a dark theory about the origins of 'London Bridge', suggesting it might be about child sacrifice.
- 🤔 The script questions the creepiness of nursery rhymes, considering their original purpose to be sung by and for children.
- 📖 The script mentions myths about 'Ring Around the Rosie' and 'Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary', suggesting they might be about the plague and torture, respectively.
- 🔍 However, it clarifies that there is no concrete evidence supporting these dark origins, and that such myths may be spurious.
- 🎶 Nursery rhymes evolve from oral tradition, with lyrics changing over time to reflect cultural values, which can lead to lost meanings.
- 📚 The late 18th century saw nursery rhymes being printed in books, which solidified their lyrics and tied them to a specific cultural worldview.
- 🧩 The human mind tends to fill in unknowns with horror, which may explain why nursery rhymes with obscure cultural references can be unsettling.
- 👶 The modern view of children as pure and innocent is a relatively recent concept, which has heightened the impact of horror associated with their corruption.
- 🎬 Horror in nursery rhymes and children's imagery reflects deep societal fears about the corruption of innocence and the disruption of the natural order.
- 🏗️ Interestingly, the script ends with a mention of bodies found beneath London Bridge, hinting that there might be some truth to the dark origins of nursery rhymes.
Q & A
What is the significance of the year 1931 in the context of the video script?
-In 1931, Fritz Lang, a legendary silent film director, made his first movie with sound, a dark thriller called 'M'. This film is notable for being one of the earliest examples of a horror film that uses a nursery rhyme.
How does Alfred Hitchcock use nursery rhymes in his film 'The Birds'?
-Alfred Hitchcock juxtaposes children singing a Scottish folk song with the ominous gathering of birds, creating a chilling contrast that enhances the horror element of the film.
What is the connection between nursery rhymes and horror in the context of 'Evil Dead'?
-In 'Evil Dead', a possessed woman sings a creepy song to the tune of 'Ring Around the Rosie', which adds to the horror of the film by using a familiar nursery rhyme in a disturbing context.
What is the 'creepy nursery rhyme' trope and why is it effective?
-The 'creepy nursery rhyme' trope involves using nursery rhymes, which are typically associated with innocence and childhood, in horror contexts. It is effective because it subverts the expected innocence, creating a sense of unease and fear.
What theory did folklorist Alice Bertha Gomme propose about the origins of the children's rhyme 'London Bridge'?
-Alice Bertha Gomme proposed a dark theory that the seemingly innocent children's song 'London Bridge' is actually about the ritual sacrifice of children under the bridge, based on folklore that bridges would collapse unless a human sacrifice was buried in the foundations.
What is the myth associated with the nursery rhyme 'Ring Around the Rosie'?
-The myth associated with 'Ring Around the Rosie' claims that it is actually about the Black Death, with the lyrics supposedly referring to the symptoms and spread of the plague.
Why do nursery rhymes have meanings that are lost to us today?
-Nursery rhymes have lost meanings because they were born out of the oral tradition and evolved organically. As they were written down and printed in books, particularly during the Victorian era, they became fixed, but many of the cultural references they contained have since been lost.
How did the Victorian era contribute to the固化 of nursery rhymes?
-The Victorian era saw cheaper and more available printing, as well as a cultural shift towards viewing children as innocent and pure. This led to the popularization of nursery rhyme books, which in turn locked in the words to the rhymes, preserving them in a particular cultural context.
What role do cultural associations play in the perception of horror in nursery rhymes?
-Cultural associations, such as the Victorian era's association with Gothic horror and spiritualism, influence the perception of horror in nursery rhymes. The human mind tends to fill in the unknown with horror, especially when nursery rhymes are removed from their innocent context and associated with dark themes.
Why are children and nursery rhymes effective in horror media?
-Children and nursery rhymes are effective in horror media because they represent innocence and societal values. When this innocence is threatened or corrupted, it reflects deep societal fears and creates a chilling effect.
What modern perspective on children contrasts with historical views and contributes to the horror of nursery rhymes?
-The modern perspective views children as pure and innocent, a stark contrast to historical views where children were treated more like small adults. This shift in cultural values makes the idea of childhood being corrupted or threatened particularly disturbing in the context of horror.
What real-life discovery supports the theory of a dark origin for some nursery rhymes?
-In 2007, during building work for a tourist attraction, bodies were uncovered beneath London Bridge, suggesting that there may be some truth to the dark origin stories of nursery rhymes, such as the one proposed by Alice Bertha Gomme.
Outlines
🎵 The Dark Origins of Nursery Rhymes 🎵
This paragraph delves into the eerie history and potential dark origins of nursery rhymes, which have been a part of our culture for centuries. It discusses how these seemingly innocent children's songs may have been influenced by grim events or beliefs from the past. The script mentions the 1931 film 'M' by Fritz Lang, which used a nursery rhyme as a chilling motif, and other horror films that have similarly employed nursery rhymes to evoke fear. It also explores the theories of folklorist Alice Bertha Gomme, who suggested that some rhymes, like 'London Bridge,' might have been about child sacrifice. The paragraph questions why nursery rhymes, meant for children, are often so creepy and suggests that they may have evolved from oral traditions with meanings that have been lost over time.
👻 The Intersection of Horror and Nursery Rhymes 👻
This section examines why nursery rhymes have become intertwined with horror and fear in modern culture. It discusses the Victorian era's influence on the perception of children and the development of horror tropes, such as Gothic horror and spiritualism. The paragraph suggests that the cultural shift towards viewing children as innocent and pure has made the idea of their corruption deeply unsettling. It also touches on the Brothers Grimm's dark fairy tales and how societal fears about the loss of innocence are reflected in horror films and nursery rhymes. The paragraph further explains that the固化 of nursery rhymes during the Victorian era, along with the rise of modern horror, has led to a fascination with the macabre in what was once considered innocent children's entertainment.
🌟 The Impact of 80,000 Hours on Career Choices 🌟
The final paragraph shifts focus to the non-profit organization 80,000 Hours, which is dedicated to helping individuals find fulfilling careers that can make a positive impact on the world. The script highlights the value of career planning and the overwhelming nature of choosing a career path. It emphasizes the organization's free resources, including research-backed career advice, a job board, one-on-one advice, a newsletter, and a podcast. The paragraph concludes by expressing enthusiasm for the partnership with 80,000 Hours and encouraging viewers to take advantage of the resources available to plan their careers effectively.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Nursery Rhymes
💡Fritz Lang
💡Horror Films
💡Creepy Nursery Rhyme Trope
💡Alice Bertha Gomme
💡Cultural References
💡Oral Tradition
💡Victorian England
💡Gothic Horror
💡Innocence
💡80,000 Hours
Highlights
The video discusses the use of nursery rhymes in horror films, tracing back to Fritz Lang's 'M' in 1931.
Horror films often use nursery rhymes to create an eerie juxtaposition with dark themes.
Nursery rhymes may be creepy due to their origins and the cultural context in which they were used.
Alice Bertha Gomme's theory suggests that 'London Bridge' is about child sacrifice.
The myth of 'Ring Around the Rosie' being about the Black Death is debunked.
Nursery rhymes evolve organically from oral tradition, changing over time to reflect cultural values.
The Victorian era saw the codification of nursery rhymes and the emergence of modern horror tropes.
The Brothers Grimm's dark fairy tales may have influenced the perception of nursery rhymes.
Horror media often deals with the disruption of the natural order and the threat to innocence.
The concept of children as pure and innocent is a relatively modern invention.
The cultural shift during the Victorian era increased the value placed on children and childhood innocence.
The fear of childhood corruption is a deep societal concern reflected in horror and nursery rhymes.
Media theorist Vivian Sobchack notes the oppositional nature of horror media.
The video mentions the discovery of bodies beneath London Bridge, hinting at a possible dark origin for some nursery rhymes.
80,000 Hours is a non-profit organization offering free career advice to help individuals make a positive impact.
80,000 Hours provides resources such as a job board, one-on-one advice, a newsletter, and a podcast.
Transcripts
this video is brought to you by 80 000
hours a non-profit that wants to help
you find a fulfilling career that
genuinely improves the world more on
that after the video
in 1931 the legendary silent film
director Fritz Lang made his first movie
with sound a dark Thriller called M the
first thing that we hear in that film is
children playing a game to a nursery
rhyme it might be the earliest example
of a horror film drawing on a nursery
rhyme but it was far from the last in
the birds Alfred Hitchcock juxtaposes
children seeing his Scottish folk song
with the ominous Gathering of birds in
Evil Dead a possessed woman sings a
creepy song to the tune of Ring Around
the Rosie and then of course there's Wes
Craven's Nightmare on Elm Street which
writes a nursery rhyme about Freddy
Krueger today the creepy nursery rhyme
Trope is completely encoded within our
culture honestly it would be trite if it
wasn't so effective but that brings up a
question if nursery rhymes Are Meant To
Be Sung to and by children then why the
hell are they so freaking creepy let's
take a closer look
around the turn of the century the
folklorist Alice Bertha gum put forth a
dark theory about the origins of the
children's rhyme London Bridge
according to gum's Theory the seemingly
innocent children song is actually about
the ritual sacrifice of children under
the bridge this theory is based around a
piece of folklore that said Bridges
would be collapsed unless the body of a
human sacrifice was buried in the
foundations to watch over them
it's a chilling myth that
re-contextualizes a seemingly innocuous
rhyme there's a similar myth about Ring
Around the Rosie which claims it's
actually about the black death and it's
sad that Mary Mary Quite Contrary is
loaded with hidden references to Mary
the first the queen known as a Bloody
Mary
according to this Theory the silver
bells and cockle shells of the song are
euphemisms for torture devices thumb
screws and pairs of Anguish the maidens
all in a row are supposedly references
to Iron Maidens could these dark Origins
account for our current obsession with
creepy nursery rhymes
well not exactly you see there's no
actual evidence of iron maidens being a
real torture device at all and Bloody
Mary died before thumb screws were
brought to England as it turns out the
Ring Around The Rosy myth Rings Hollow
too that song has lots of variations
that have nothing to do with disease and
the oldest known version of it appeared
in a book of nursery rhymes from 1881
hundreds of years after the Black Plague
the myth of human sacrifice around
London Bridge Is equally spurious most
modern historians don't really believe
there's much Credence to Lady gums
theorizing but while these dark
histories might be exaggerated they're
likely born out of a kernel of Truth
plenty of nursery rhymes undoubtedly do
have meanings that have been lost to us
today and that's because of the way
nursery rhymes operate as traditions of
folklore nursery rhymes are born out of
the oral tradition they're not really
written like we imagine songs being
written now rather they evolve
organically with new words being created
to existing Tunes this is how you get
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and baba
black sheep two different songs both
using the same Melody from the French
tune
the music of these Tunes stays
relatively fixed but the words change to
reflect the cultural values of those
singing just think of the way that
school children today will will Paradise
Jingle Bells with Batman references for
most of human history lullabies and
nursery rhymes were ever shifting but in
the late 18th century technological and
cultural changes conspired to lock a lot
of the nursery rhymes that we now know
into place printing became cheaper and
more available while a new cultural
vision of children as innocent and pure
was developing as a result nursery rhyme
books became popular throughout
Victorian England when these books were
printed they locked in words to the
Rhymes tying them to a very particular
cultural world view in the centuries
since a lot of those cultural references
have been lost but the circulation of
these books has continued so now many of
these songs are filled with cultural
references that we just don't understand
and the human mind loves filling in the
unknown with horror
there's a couple factors that compound
this around the same time many of these
nursery rhymes were shifting to the
forms that we know The Brothers Grimm
were publishing dark fairy tales full of
children being eaten by monsters there's
no doubt some cultural bleed over from
these as we apply this sort of Darkness
to nursery rhymes the Victorian era that
codified many of these books also
coincided with the birth of many of our
modern horror tropes Gothic horror was
an exciting new form of literature and
movements like spiritualism were finding
footing around the Victorian world even
today many horror films still use
Victorian manners and Aesthetics as set
pieces due to the cultural associations
we have with that era but the horror and
nursery rhymes runs deeper than just
Victorian associations media theorist
Vivian sobchek has noted that much of
horror media is marked by a sort of
opposition she says that horror films
deal with reversals of icon photography
that threatened the natural Order of
Things horror films deal with moral
chaos the disruption of the natural
order and the threat to the harmony of
Hearth and Home today few things
represent these ideas as well as
children Scott Derrickson the writer and
director of The Exorcism of Emily Rose
explained in the modern world nothing is
more revered than children as they are
the embodiment of innocence and for that
innate innocence to be contaminated by
something evil or corrupt or dangerous
is inherently mysterious and disturbing
so that's why we love finding Horror in
children's imagery it reflects deep
societal fears about the corruption of
Innocence nursery rhymes are meant to be
simple and playful they're meant to
reinforce the cultural roles that
children have in society so when they're
removed from this context and inverted
put into situations that reflect
darkness and the threat of violence the
effect can be chilling it's worth noting
that this conception of children as
being pure and innocent is actually a
relatively modern invention for a lot of
human history children were treated a
lot more like small adults they were
part of the labor force and they weren't
seen as something that needed constant
oversight and protection child mortality
rates were also much higher back in
those days so the concept of the death
of a child probably wouldn't have been
quite as scary as it is today back in
those days people probably wouldn't have
found the same Horror in creepy children
that we do today because they had a
different Cultural Association with the
child but a lot of this shifted during
the late Victorian era the very same
time that nursery rhymes were being
codified and horror tropes were starting
to emerge our culture started to put so
much more value on children and so it's
only natural that the concept of
childhood being corrupted or threatened
became a great fear a few Generations on
and that manifests as movies about
Creepy possessed dolls or those weird
twins from The Shining or in nursery
rhymes
bye
oh and for what it's worth not everyone
discredits the creepy origin stories of
nursery rhymes Iona and Peter Opie were
two folklorists who spent their whole
lives studying nursery rhymes and they
believed that lady gum's hypothesis
about the London Bridge may have had
some Credence to it and in 2007 when
building work was being done for a
tourist attraction workers uncovered
bodies buried beneath London Bridge so
maybe just maybe there is a tinge of
horror built into some of these nursery
rhymes after all
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