Jack Be Nimble
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This article is about the nursery rhyme. For the 1993 film, see Jack Be Nimble (Film).
| "Jack Be Nimble" Roud #13902 |
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 William Wallace Denslow's illustrations for Jack Be Nimble, from a 1901 edition of Mother Goose |
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| Written by | Traditional |
|---|---|
| Published | c. 1815 |
| Written | England |
| Language | English |
| Form | Nursery rhyme |
'Jack Be Nimble' is an English language nursery rhyme. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 13902.
Contents |
[edit] Lyrics
The most common version of the rhyme is:
- Jack be nimble,
- Jack be quick,
- Jack jump over
- The candlestick.[1]
[edit] Origins and meaning
The rhyme is first recorded in a manuscript of around 1815 and was collected by James Orchard Halliwell in the mid-nineteenth century.[1] Jumping candlesticks was a form of fortunetelling and a sport. Good luck was said to be signaled by clearing a candle without extinguishing the flame.[1]
[edit] References in popular culture
- In Lil' Kim's song "Single Black Female" she raps "Been a sex symbol since Jack Be Nimble. You can never be me, you can only resemble."
- The lyrics of the Black Sabbath song "TV Crimes" from the album Dehumanizer refer to the nursery rhyme twice. In the first refrain they are: "Jack is nimble, Jack is quick / Pick your pocket, turn a trick", while in the second: "Jack be nimble, Jack be slick / Take the money, get out quick".
- Don McLean's song "American Pie" contains the lines "So come on Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack Flash sat on a candlestick 'cause the fire is the devil's only friend". This is a reference to the rhyme and to the Rolling Stones's song "Jumpin' Jack Flash."
- The song "Holiday Road" by Lindsey Buckingham which is the title song of National Lampoons Vacation, features this line in the second verse: "Jack be nimble, Jack be quick.......".
- Chubby Checker's "Limbo Rock" makes a play of the nursery rhyme with: "Jack be limbo, Jack be quick, Jack go unda limbo stick".
- Johnny Preston's song "Cradle of Love" contains the lyrics "Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack jumped over the candlestick".
- "Limbo Rock Jive" by Brave Combo refers to the rhyme and Chubby Checker's version with: "Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack go under Limbo stick".
- In the video game The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, a character is named Jakben, Earl of Imbel. This is an obvious allusion to the nursery rhyme as his name is Jakben Imbel or Jack be Nimbel.
- In Snoop Dogg's song "My Medicine" from his album Ego Trippin', the rap artist references the rhyme in the lyrics "Jack be nimble, Jack be quick / Jack up the spoon on the candlestick".
- In Ice Cube's song "You Know How We Do It" from his album "The Predator", the rap artist references the rhyme in the lyrics "Jack be nimble, and Jack be quick, if you wanna jack me on a lick".
- In the VV Brown song, Shark in the Water, the lyrics 'Jack be nimble, Jack be quick' can be heard toward the end.
- On the children's tv show Barney and Friends in one episode some of the kids put on a show of the nusery rhyme Jack Be Nimble.
- In the movie Babes in toyland (1986) there is a character named Jack-be-Nimble played by Keanu Reeves
- The song 'Jack' by the artist Pixie Lott contains the lyrics, 'Jack was nimble, Jack he was quick, Jack jumped right over the candlestick'.
- This nursery rhyme was used as a clue in Season 16 of the hit CBS Reality Show The Amazing Race where teams had to figure out the last word of the rhyme - "Candlestick". This led the teams to San Francisco's Candlestick Park which was the Finish Line for the race.
- "Color Me Once" by Violent Femmes refers to the rhyme in the lyrics "I say, Jack be nimble, Jack fall dead, Jack bend over and give Jilly head."
- "The Graveyard Book" by Neil Gaiman features the character Jack Nimble referring to this rhyme. The book also features many other Jacks from places like this, e.g. Jack Frost, who together form an organization of Jacks-of-all-trades.
- Jack Be Nimble title of song by "Lady Of The Sunshine", a solo project of singer songwriter Angus Stone
- Jack Be Nimble used in a song by Sons of Seasons the song is called "Tales of Greed" and can be found on the album Magnisphyricon
- In the ending of Photographs & Gasoline by Framing Hanley the lyrics are "Jack be nimple, Jack be quick, Jack sent to hell with a candlestick"
- The psychedelic rock group Morgen used the rhyme in their song "Welcome To The Void" on the bands eponymous only album. This might also have been an influence for its use in American Pie two years after that album's release.
