Georgie Porgie

“Georgie Porgie” is a popular traditional rhyme, but it is still popular. It is used in many preschools in UK and the USA. The origins of the lyrics to “Georgie Porgie” are English and refer to the courtier George Villiers, 1st duke of Duke of Buckingham (1592–1628). King James I took Villiers as his lover and nicknamed him “Steenie” (a reference to St. Stephen whom in the Bible describes as having the “face of an angel”). The romantic story of George Villiers and Anne of Austria (Queen of France and the wife of King Louis XIII), also mentioned in the “The Three Musketeers” was almost overlooked as a result of his friendship with King James I.

The earliest printed appearance of the rhyme was in The Kentish Coronal (1841), where it was described as an “old ballad” with the name spelled “Georgy Peorgy”. This version was later illustrated by Kate Greenaway in 1881, and a Cheshire dialect version was quoted in 1887 with the variant “picklety pie” in place of “pudding and pie”.

“Georgie Porgie” Lyrics

Georgie Porgie, Puddin’ and Pie,
Kissed the girls and made them cry,
When the boys came out to play
Georgie Porgie ran away

“Georgie Porgie” Original Version

Rowley Powley, pudding and pie,
Kissed the girls and made them cry;
When the girls came out to play,

Georgie Porgie ran away.

However, at the start of the 20th century the third line was often changed to refer to boys.