[3] Early in that century, too, possible evidence of the rhyme's prior existence is suggested by the appearance of the line "Tom would eat meat but wants a knife" in An excellent new Medley (c. 1620), a composite work in which each line incorporates a reference to a contemporary song.

[5] Once the rhyme entered the nursery repertoire it was frequently included in collections of such lore and tunes were then fitted to it.

The Library of Congress preserves an 1885 round for four voices by the Canadian Sydney Percival (musical pseudonym of Joseph Gould) in which Tommy is "singing for his supper.

"[6] In 1924 the English composer Peter Warlock set it as the fifth piece in his Candlelight: a cycle of nursery jingles.

[7][8] The rhyme was also included in Carl Orff and Gunild Keetman’s children's musical education project, Schulwek (1950).