My Fair Lady

I was listening to Eric and Tracy discuss the bridge while I was putting the ham in the oven. I began to sing, "London bridge is falling down, falling down, falling down...London bridge is falling down, my fair lady."

"Who is 'my fair lady,' anyway?" I called to the living-room siblings.

"It's the Statue of Liberty," answered Eric.

"No....that doesn't make any sense. What does she have to do with the London Bridge? And why would they take a key and lock her up?" I countered.

"Well," he insisted, "she's on an island! You can't get more locked up than being surrounded on all sides by water."

"Hmmm...." I reentered the living room and opened the laptop up again. A quick search revealed theories on the origins and meaning of the London Bridge lyrics. I read to them about the "Viking Attack Theory," the "Child Sacrifice Theory," and various guesses as to who the "fair lady" may be: Matilda of Scotland, Eleanor of Provence, or an unnamed member of the Leigh family.

"Nothing about the Statue of Liberty!" I announced triumphantly.

Eric didn't trust my research. "Search for 'my fair lady statue of liberty london bridge,'" he instructed. Unfortunately [for him], the only results we found were sites that just happened to contain comments on the London Bridge and the Statue of Liberty on the same page--no where in the universe could we find evidence of a single other person who believed the fair lady of London Bridge was referring to Lady Liberty.

My Fair Lady Liberty--busted!