Nelly Bligh
Rhyme Lyrics, Origins and History

Rhyme & History

Nelly Bligh

Nelly Bligh caught a fly and tied to to some string
Let go a little way and pulled it back again.

Buzz wuzz was that little fly and how he loved to roam
Up and down the mantelpiece and that he called his home.
 

The words of the Nursery Rhyme, 'Nelly Bligh...' have been suggested by Roger Martin . Little is known about the origins of the rhyme, but we believe it originated in England. We can find no trace of who might have been 'Nelly Bligh' but strangely enough the term 'Nelly Blighs' was used in Cockney rhyming slang meaning eyes.

Nelly Bligh
Nursery Rhyme lyrics, origins and history

Nursery Rhyme Origins

Nelly Bligh caught a fly and tied to to some string
Let go a little way and pulled it back again.

Buzz wuzz was that little fly and how he loved to roam
Up and down the mantlepeiece and that he called his home.

Cockney Rhyming slang
The words "Nelly Blighs" meaning 'Eyes' are derived from Cockney Rhyming slang which originated in London. Cockneys were a close community and had a suspicion of strangers and a dislike of the Police (they still do!) Cockneys developed a language of their own based roughly on a rhyming slang - it was difficult for strangers to understand as invariably the second noun would always be dropped. Apples and Pears ( meaning stairs) would be abbreviated to just 'apples', for instance, "watch your step on the apples". The phrase "Use your Nellys" would have meant keep your eyes open for any problems.

Our grateful thanks go to Roger Martin for
reminding us about this song & rhyme
Thanks Martin!

Dee Jenkins has let us know that there might be some confusion with this rhyme as Nellie Bly is also the title of a song written by Stephen Foster - Thanks Dee!

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Nursery rhyme lyrics and possible origins may vary according to location