Rock-a-Bye, Baby, Thy Cradle Is Green Lyrics
Most people know the rock-a-bye baby in the treetop. This is its gentler cousin, a lullaby that makes the whole family sound like royalty.
Rock-a-Bye, Baby, Thy Cradle Is Green
Rock-a-bye, baby, thy cradle is green;
Father's a nobleman, mother's a queen;
And Betty's a lady, and wears a gold ring;
And Johnny's a drummer, and drums for the king.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/rock-a-bye-baby-thy-cradle-is-green/
- Type
- Lullabies
- Tune
- Spoken or sung to any rocking tune
- Best for ages
- 0 to 3 years
What Does Rock-a-Bye, Baby, Thy Cradle Is Green Mean?
The singer rocks the baby in a green cradle and imagines a grand family: father a nobleman, mother a queen, Betty a lady with a gold ring, and Johnny a drummer who plays for the king. It is the kind of flattering daydream parents have always whispered over a sleepy baby.
History and Origin
James Orchard Halliwell printed this lullaby in The Nursery Rhymes of England in the 1840s, alongside the better-known Rock-a-Bye Baby. Its family of characters, with names like Betty and Johnny, made it easy for parents to swap in the names of their own children.
Learning Activities
- Family names: sing it with the real names of brothers, sisters and grandparents.
- Rock and hum: after the words, hum the tune twice more while rocking more slowly.