Hush-a-bye, Lie Still and Sleep Lyrics
A parent asks the crying baby to lie still and sleep, because it is sad to see the baby weep.
Hush-a-bye, Lie Still and Sleep
Hush-a-bye, lie still and sleep,
It grieves me sore to see thee weep,
For when thou weep'st thou wearies me,
Hush-a-bye, lie still and bye.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/hush-a-bye-lie-still-and-sleep/
- Type
- Lullabies
- Tune
- Sung slowly as a lullaby
- Best for ages
- 1 to 4 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Hush-a-bye, lie still and sleep | Rock a baby or a soft toy gently. |
| it grieves me sore to see thee weep | Put a hand over your heart. |
| lie still and bye | Make the word 'bye' long and soft, like a sigh. |
What Does Hush-a-bye, Lie Still and Sleep Mean?
The lullaby is a gentle plea from parent to baby. The first two lines ask the baby to lie still and sleep, and say that it makes the parent very sad to see tears. The third line says that when the baby weeps, the parent grows weary too. The last line ends on a long, soft "bye", the old lullaby sound, which the book says is pronounced bee.
The words thee, thou and weep'st are old forms of you and weepest, and grieves me sore means makes me very sad.
History and Origin
James Orchard Halliwell prints the lullaby in The Nursery Rhymes of England and notes that it was a favourite in the north of England some fifty years before he wrote, and perhaps still heard. He also says that the last word is pronounced "bee".
It is placed among a run of lullabies in the book.
Learning Activities
- Slow rocking: sing it while rocking, and stretch out the last word.
- Old words: make a chart that matches thee, thou and weep'st with you, you and cry.
- Sleepy voice: practice saying each line softer than the last.
- Bedtime list: talk about what helps a baby settle, such as a song, a blanket and a soft light.