Coronavirus songs aren't new: Storytelling songs have been adapted through the ages in times of disaster

English narrative Ring a hoop o' Roses and Neil Diamond's recently altered Sweet Caroline, are two samples of how we've used songs to urge us through disastrous times.

While the initial lyrics of the many nursery rhymes may are more innocent, they were rewritten and adapted over the centuries to reflect the days , accumulating layers of meaning.

Their function was to teach , provide a warning and offer coping mechanisms in recovery, consistent with Cook University cultural historian, Chrystopher Spicer.

"Stories have always been passed down from generation to generation, whether it had been by song or dance or so-called nursery rhymes," Dr Spicer said.

Saying the unsayable

Social media feeds are awash with a mess of coronavirus-themed song parodies — among them many versions of The Knack's 1979 hit My Sharona, reworked as My Corona— during this pandemic.

Many of them communicate important messages of hygiene whilst also poking fun at social restrictions.

Writer, musician, performer and radio broadcaster Casey Bennetto, the author of the award-winning Keating: The Musical, said comedy is usually wont to "say the unsayable".

One of Bennetto's favourite parodies is Keir Nuttall's controversial COVID-19, which he said was a well-rounded parody, supported the classic song i used to be only 19 by Redgum.

"It was good writing," he said.

While many of those songs might not endure though the ages, Bennetto said within the age of social media they served a purpose.

Religious persecution, executions and plagues

One of the foremost well-known nursery rhymes, that has gathered meaning throughout history with a mess of versions in several languages, is Ring a hoop o' Roses, also referred to as or Ring round the Rosie.

Although thought to possess originated during paganism with more innocent lyrics, Dr Spicer said the lyrics may are adapted during the good Plague of London in 1665.

He said the 'rosie' mentioned the rash that developed on the skin from the plague with the 'atishoo atishoo' pertaining to the transmission via sneezing and 'we all fall down' a regard to the deaths — 15 per cent of Britain's population died.

Dr Spicer also said many earlier versions of nursery rhymes had far darker origins, often crammed with brutality with most of the people only conversant in the printed version of nursery rhymes during the 19th century.

"Which was an excellent age for sanitising things and for taking those terrible things out," he said, which he also found amusing given the brutality of kid labour during that era, especially within the coalpit industry.

Execution was the theme of the normal English narrative Oranges and Lemons, which dates to a 1665 square dance, consistent with Dr Spicer.

Earlier versions had "and here comes the chopper to cut of your head".

"A very bloodthirsty last line thereto at the top ," he said.

The references to bells ask the town of London churches that might ring out signalling a public execution.

Dr Spicer said each church might be distinguished by the various peal of the bells, helping with navigation round the city.

"So perhaps the rhyme also had an academic value for youngsters , to show them the bells so as for them to not become lost — quite a pre-GPS navigating device," he said.

Your questions on coronavirus answered: Turning cyclone disasters into song

In more recent times songs and rhymes are used as important teaching tools in schools from Australia to the South Pacific .

Dr Spicer said there's a stimulating cultural attachment to natural disasters in North Queensland because cyclones were regular events there throughout history.

"They are literally a part of the seasonal calendar in Queensland, you've got the cyclone season in Queensland," he said.

What the experts are saying about coronavirus:

With many children traumatised by the consequences of the cyclone, one project in Innisfail worked with children helping them express their feelings through song after cyclone Larry.

"[It was designed] to be ready to evoke this event that's happened to them," Dr Spicer said.

Similarly, a disaster risk-management project within the Solomon Islands taught children life-saving skills through songs and rhymes.

Dr Spicer said these songs helped not only reduce the fear but were educational.

Topics: covid-19, diseases-and-disorders, music, early-music, arts-and-entertainment, history, community-and-society, people, human-interest, australia, castlemaine-3450, vic