# The Alphabet Song **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 2, 2000, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alphabet-song/5842 "2000-01-02T04:48:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@sly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sly)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2000, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alphabet-song/5842/1 "2000-01-02T04:48:00Z")
Who wrote it? How long ago? Did he/she profit from it? ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_Bowe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@Doug\_Bowe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_Bowe)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2000, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alphabet-song/5842/2 "2000-01-02T05:51:00Z")
Can you copyright the alphabet? ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2000, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alphabet-song/5842/3 "2000-01-02T06:09:00Z")
[http://www.kididdles.com/mouseum/a004.html](http://www.kididdles.com/mouseum/a004.html) ---
**Author:** ![David\_God\_of\_Frogs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@David\_God\_of\_Frogs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_God_of_Frogs)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2000, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alphabet-song/5842/4 "2000-01-02T06:09:00Z")
Mozart wrote the music for it (when he was 5), aka. twinkle twinkle little star. I’m not sure who created the order of the letters or who decided to put that to twinkle twinkle little star (or the reverse). ---
**Author:** ![David\_God\_of\_Frogs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@David\_God\_of\_Frogs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_God_of_Frogs)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2000, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alphabet-song/5842/5 "2000-01-02T06:09:00Z")
jinx ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2000, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alphabet-song/5842/6 "2000-01-04T06:51:00Z")
Mozart most CERTAINLY did not write the tune. I have a book of piano music by the Bach family which includes a delightful set of variations on a French theme which is, most definitely, the tune to which we sing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, the Alphabet Song, and other ditties. Folks, when you make a statement answering questions, it helps if you can back it up with a source of the information in question. My source is a book of music called “The Joy of Bach” and I can get the information on the composer and date if anyone would like (it is currently in storage). ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2000, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alphabet-song/5842/7 "2000-01-03T20:08:00Z")
\*Doug Bowe: Can you copyright the alphabet? \* Well, Paramount has trademarked the letter [Q](http://www.startrekcontinuum.com/tng/quadrant.asp?ssector=personnel.asp&ID=23463). 🙂 * * * Everybody got to elevate from the norm - Rush ---
**Author:** ![Beruang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/77aa72/32.png) [@Beruang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beruang)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2000, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alphabet-song/5842/8 "2000-01-05T14:50:00Z")
I saw a play once which claimed Jim Henson was the guy who first paired the music with the alphabet. I have no proof of this, one way or the other. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2000, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alphabet-song/5842/9 "2000-01-05T14:55:00Z")
**Beruang** , you forgot your smiley. ---
**Author:** ![Beruang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/77aa72/32.png) [@Beruang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beruang)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2000, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-alphabet-song/5842/10 "2000-01-06T15:08:00Z")
I didn’t think a smiley was necessary. This is true, I really _did_ see a play which, in all seriousness, gave Henson credit for putting the alphabet to that tune. No tongues in any cheeks, as far as I could tell. Oh, the site you cite, though cute enough, has earned my wrath for not including the _complete_ lyrics to “Fuzzy Wuzzy.” OK, I suppose _that_ is worth a smiley… 😉