Twinkle Twinkle Little Star: Full Lyrics, History and Hidden Verses
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star has been sung at bedtime for more than two centuries. Almost every parent knows the first verse by heart — almost none know that there are four more.
Here are all five original verses from Jane Taylor's 1806 poem, the history of the melody (older than you'd guess), and why it works as a settling song.
All five verses
Verse 1
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
Verse 2
When the blazing sun is gone,
When he nothing shines upon,
Then you show your little light,
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.
Verse 3
Then the traveller in the dark
Thanks you for your tiny spark;
He could not see which way to go,
If you did not twinkle so.
Verse 4
In the dark blue sky you keep,
And often through my curtains peep,
For you never shut your eye,
Till the sun is in the sky.
Verse 5
As your bright and tiny spark
Lights the traveller in the dark,
Though I know not what you are,
Twinkle, twinkle, little star.
Who wrote it, and when
The words come from a poem titled The Star, published in 1806 by English poet Jane Taylor in the collection Rhymes for the Nursery. Jane was 23 at the time.
The melody is older — a French folk tune called Ah! vous dirai-je, maman, from the mid-1700s. Mozart wrote twelve piano variations on it in the early 1780s, which is why the song is sometimes mis-credited to him.
Why one tune became three songs
The same French melody carries Twinkle Twinkle, the ABC song, and Baa Baa Black Sheep. The tune is so simple — almost entirely stepwise notes — that lyricists kept reusing it. Babies learn all three faster because they're musically identical.
How to use Twinkle Twinkle as a sleep cue
- Sing verse 1 only — and slow it right down. Half your normal pace.
- Repeat it 4–6 times. Don't move on to verse 2 at bedtime; novelty wakes babies up.
- Lower your voice each repeat. End on a whisper.
- Pair it with dim lighting and the same time every night.
Save verses 2–5 for daytime singing — they're beautiful, but bedtime is for repetition, not story.
More classic lullabies
Sample: Olivia's lullaby
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are all the lyrics to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star?
Most people only know the first verse. The original 1806 poem by Jane Taylor has five verses, painting a full picture of the star guiding a traveller through the night. All five are below.
Who wrote Twinkle Twinkle Little Star?
The lyrics come from a poem called The Star, published in 1806 by Jane Taylor in Rhymes for the Nursery. The melody is older — a French folk tune called Ah! vous dirai-je, maman, dating from the mid-1700s.
Why does Twinkle Twinkle sound the same as the ABC song?
Because it is the same melody. The French folk tune Ah! vous dirai-je, maman was also adapted into the alphabet song and into Baa Baa Black Sheep. Same notes, three different sets of lyrics.
Did Mozart write Twinkle Twinkle?
No, but he wrote twelve piano variations on the melody in 1781 or 1782 (K. 265). That's where the myth comes from. The folk melody itself predates Mozart.
Why is Twinkle Twinkle a good lullaby?
Simple stepwise melody, slow when sung gently, and the repetition of 'twinkle twinkle little star' inside one short verse acts as its own conditioning loop. Babies recognise it after just a handful of nights.
Sample: Ryan's lullaby
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