William Blake: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Songs of Innocence/Laughing Song

William Blake

“Songs of Innocence/Laughing Song” as printed in Songs of Innocence and of Experience (1826) (1826).

William Blake: Collected Lyrics Text 12 1826 · historical text
Public domainSong lyricsRomantic
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from Songs of Innocence and of Experience (1826), a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

Transcription(contributor provided)

Laughing Song,

Verse 2

When the green woods laugh with the voice of joy

And the dimpling stream runs laughing by,

When the air does laugh with our merry wit,

And the green hill laughs with the noise of it.

Verse 3

When the meadows laugh with lively green

And the grasshopper laughs in the merry scene,

When Mary and Susan and Emily,

With their sweet round mouths sing Ha, Ha, He.

Verse 4

When the painted birds laugh in the shade

Where our table with cherries and nuts is spread

Come live & be merry and join with me,

To sing the sweet chorus of Ha, Ha, He.

Credits

Written by William Blake

Words by William Blake. Historical text published in Songs of Innocence and of Experience (1826) (1826); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

Songs of Innocence and of Experience (1826) (1826), “Songs of Innocence/Laughing Song”

Every text in this 1826 collection is by William Blake (1757-1827), who died more than 190 years ago, so the text is in the public domain worldwide; the edition carries a Wikisource PD-old determination.

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

View copyright evidence · Transcription terms (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Retrieved 2026-10-25. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
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