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Home » Nursery Rhymes

Published: Dec 8, 2022 by Birute Efe · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

Rub-a-dub-dub Printable Lyrics, Origins, and Video

What child doesn’t love singing nursery rhymes? Children express their happy emotions by singing nursery rhymes. 

Teaching your child the “Rub-a-dub-dub” song can be great. We are here for you if you don’t remember the complete lyrics!

Who knows? Maybe, you used to sing this song back in your childhood days? 

Your great great grandparents might have known this rhyme well since its was popular during the 17th century.

So, how did everything start? What is the origin of this song? Is there any hidden meaning?

Let’s dig deeper into this article and explore everything about “Rub-a-dub-dub” now.

Rub-a-dub-dub Written Lyrics

Here are the complete written lyrics of “Rub-a-dub-dub.” Check them out below.

Rub-a-dub-dub,

Three men in a tub,

And who do you

think were there?

The butcher, the baker,

The candlestick-maker,

And all of them

gone to the fair.

Rub-a-dub-dub Photo Lyrics

You can easily download the photo lyrics of this song and make your child memorize the verses in no time.

Rub-a-dub-dub lyrics

Rub-a-dub-dub Printable Lyrics

Looking for the printable version of this song? Download it here without looking any further.

Video Links

The below-mentioned link will take you to the YouTube video of this song. Your kids will definitely love watching this video.

Rub A Dub Dub with Lyrics - Nursery Rhyme

History and Origin 

The initial version of the published rhyme varies greatly. The original rhyme dates back to the 14th century and refers to maids in a "tub," a fairground attraction similar to a modern peep show. 

The verse calls out respectable people for disrespectful behavior, such as ogling naked maids. 

The nursery rhyme is a method of teaching such folklore associations to those raised with such social codes.

Furthermore, the phrase "Rub-a-dub-dub" alone could stand in for gossip without communicating the details.

The rhyme has many versions, and it was first recorded in 1798 in London's "Christmas Box" collection. In the original version, released in England and the United States, the song was about “three maids” rather than three men.

Later, The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes (1951) suggested that the lyrics depict a scene of three respectable men secretly watching a less respectable moment.

Other than this, there are several stories depicting this song. One of them includes a pilot returning from a mission, failing to locate his aircraft carrier.

Here, the word “failed” refers to secured communication. The pilot circled around the formation and sent a radio wave, “Rub-a-dub-dub, where is my tub?”

In return, he received a signal saying, “Hey Diddle Diddle, right here in the middle.”

With so many depictions of this song, the exact meaning of this rhyme remains unknown. However, it is still one of the best nursery rhymes for children to learn today.

bath tub clipart

FAQs

What is the dark meaning of “Rub-a-dub-dub?”

The original lyrics of this song started with “Rub-a-dub-dub, two maids in a tub.” The line implies that the butcher, the baker, and the candlestick maker were involved in a scene that society did not accept. 

What does Rub-a-dub-dub three maids in a tub mean?

The lines, “Rub-a-dub-dub, three maids in a tub,” mean respectable people being involved in disrespectful moments. 

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