Are You Sleeping, Brother John: Lyrics, History and Frère Jacques Translation
Are You Sleeping, Brother John — better known to half the world as Frère Jacques — is the most-sung musical round on the planet. It started as a wake-up call to a sleepy French monk and somehow became a global bedtime standard.
Here are the lyrics in English and French, the 240-year history, and how to slow it down enough to actually work as a lullaby.
English lyrics
Are you sleeping, are you sleeping,
Brother John, Brother John?
Morning bells are ringing,
Morning bells are ringing,
Ding, dang, dong. Ding, dang, dong.
Original French lyrics (Frère Jacques)
Frère Jacques, Frère Jacques,
Dormez-vous? Dormez-vous?
Sonnez les matines! Sonnez les matines!
Ding, daing, dong. Ding, daing, dong.
Translation: Brother Jacques, are you sleeping? Ring the morning bells!
Where it comes from
The earliest written version was published in Paris around 1780, but the melody likely traces back to a 17th-century French monastic chant. It has since been translated into more than 50 languages — Russian, Mandarin, Hebrew, Swahili — and is one of the first songs taught in primary schools worldwide.
From wake-up call to bedtime song
The lyrics are technically scolding — a fellow monk being woken up because he's slept through morning prayers. But sung at half-speed, in a low voice, the gentle four-phrase melody works beautifully as a lullaby. Babies don't translate French (or English) — they respond to the calm tone and the predictable repeat.
How to turn Frère Jacques into a sleep cue
- Halve your tempo. Slower than feels right.
- Sing it as solo, not as a round — at bedtime you want predictability, not layered voices.
- Loop 5–6 times, dropping your volume each pass.
- End on the slowest "ding, dang, dong" of the night.
More classic lullabies
Sample: Olivia's lullaby
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the lyrics to Are You Sleeping?
'Are you sleeping, are you sleeping, Brother John, Brother John? / Morning bells are ringing, morning bells are ringing / Ding, dang, dong. Ding, dang, dong.' Same words and structure in every English version.
What is the French original?
'Frère Jacques, Frère Jacques, dormez-vous? Dormez-vous? / Sonnez les matines! Sonnez les matines! / Ding, daing, dong. Ding, daing, dong.'
How old is Frère Jacques?
The earliest written version dates to around 1780, but the melody is likely older — possibly from a 17th-century French monastic chant. It's been translated into more than 50 languages.
Is Are You Sleeping a lullaby or a wake-up song?
Originally a wake-up call — the lyrics ask Brother John whether he's overslept the morning bells. Modern parents have flipped it: sung very slowly at bedtime, it makes an excellent settle song.
Why does it work as a round?
The melody is built from four simple two-bar phrases. Each phrase begins on the same note as the previous ended, so a second voice can start the song from the top without clashing. That's why it became the most-sung round in the world.
Sample: Ryan's lullaby
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