You may want to know:
What ARE the original “Rockabye Baby” lullaby lyrics, anyway? And who wrote it?
Great questions.
The short answer is: We’re not really sure. In fact, we’re not even entirely sure of Rockabye Baby‘s country of origin.
So what do we know?
Nearly all of us are familiar with some version of the first verse of the original lullaby. Scholars believe it was first published in the mid-1700s in Mother Goose’s Melody in London.
Over the last 250 years, the lullaby has been only slightly modified, and is generally known today as follows:
“Rock-a-bye, baby, in the tree top
When the wind blows, the cradle will rock
When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall
And down will come baby, cradle and all”
Some say that this verse was sung by a mother cradling her infant, who would lower her child into the cradle during the last line for the following verses:
- “Baby is drowsing, cosy and fair
Mother sits near in her rocking chair
Forward and back, the cradle she swings
Though baby sleeps, he hears what she sings
Rock-a-bye baby, do not you fear
Never mind, baby, mother is near
Wee little fingers, eyes are shut tight
Now sound asleep – until morning light”
And actually, that’s not too bad. Quite sweet, really.
But others say that the first verse was actually about Native Americans who rocked their babies to sleep in birch-bark cradles in trees. These folks claim that the lyrics were one of the first poems written on American soil, and it was then brought over to England for publication. Others say that the lullaby is actually a historical and political reference to revolutionary events in London, while a town in England claims that the lullaby describes a local family that lived in a yew tree. Still others believe that the lyrics describe a 17th century ritual that took place after the death of a newborn.
Apparently, the melody that we associate with Rockabye Baby was not composed simultaneously with the Rockabye Baby lyrics. In fact, it appears that the melody may not have been developed until the late 1800s or early 1900s. The catchy melody and modern composition that we know today is attributed to one of two Boston, Massachusetts residents: either Miss Effie L. Canning, a young woman, or Charles Dupee Blake, an older gentleman.
What to make of it?
No matter what the origin, the lullaby we are familiar with today doesn’t exactly inspire confidence and trust.
And don’t we, as parents, want our child’s confidence and trust?
Perhaps, originally, the lyrics were sung sweetly and playfully. Today, however, Rockabye Baby is sung often more as a taunt than a comfort.
Perhaps it’s time for the lyrics to match the beautiful melody; for the lyrics to meet what I believe was the lullaby’s original intent: to let a young child know that his or her guardians are always near, and that morning will come with new light.
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Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock-a-bye_Baby