black sheep black sheep english nursery rhyme earliest surviving version dates words changed little half centuries sung variant french melody theories advanced explain meaning rhyme include complaint taxes wool slave trade twentieth century subject controversies debates political literature popular culture metaphor allusion folk song index lyrics variations number modern version recent versions tend following form rhyme single stanza metre common nursery rhymes relatively easy younger children master folk song index folk songs variations number song variations collected great_britain north_america original version rhyme printed pretty song book oldest surviving collection english language nursery rhymes published lyrics similar today surviving printing rhyme remained lines given little boy cries lane melody rhyme usually sung variant french melody little star alphabet song words melody published nursery songs games published philadelphia origins meaning nursery rhymes attempts find origins meanings rhyme evidence thomas real mother suggested rhyme referred resentment heavy taxation wool particularly taken refer medieval english great old custom wool tax survived fifteenth century recently rhyme connected slave trade particularly southern united_states explanation advanced debates political use reform nursery rhymes 1980s supporting historical evidence negative wool black sheep prized dark cloth modern controversies controversy emerged changing language black sheep britain alleged popular press seen racially dubious based rhyme private nursery exercise children local government policy similar controversy emerged reservations rhyme submitted working group racism children resources approved implemented private altered song rainbow sheep black replaced variety like happy sad pink private nursery kingston thames replaced black little easter commentators asserted controversies exaggerated distorted elements press general campaign political controversy australian state victoria changed words black sheep concerns racial word black addition considering changing line little boy lives lane case deemed allusions phrase yes sir yes sir bags sir describe subordinate attested originally common british_royal_navy rhyme raised literature popular culture rhyme title semi autobiographical short story wrote title black sheep book leader colonel gregory series later syndicated aired nbc mood black sheep song digitally saved played computer
Baa, Baa, Black Sheep