Rock-a-Bye Baby Lyrics
Rock-a-Bye Baby has been sung over cradles for more than 250 years. When it first appeared in print, around 1765, it opened with "Hush-a-bye baby, on the tree top".
Rock-a-Bye Baby
Rock-a-bye, baby, on the treetop,
When the wind blows the cradle will rock;
When the bough breaks the cradle will fall;
And down will come baby, cradle and all.
Older versions (The Real Mother Goose, 1916)
Hush-a-bye, baby, on the tree top!
When the wind blows the cradle will rock;
When the bough breaks the cradle will fall;
Down will come baby, bough, cradle and all.
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/
- Type
- Lullabies
- First published
- c. 1765
- Tune
- Traditional
- Best for ages
- 0 to 3 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Rock-a-bye, baby, on the treetop | Hold your baby (or a doll) and rock slowly from side to side. |
| When the wind blows, the cradle will rock | Sway a little further, like a branch in the breeze. |
| When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall | Slow right down and hold baby close. |
| And down will come baby, cradle and all | Gently lower baby into your lap with a cuddle. |
What Does Rock-a-Bye Baby Mean?
The words picture a cradle hanging in the branches of a tree, rocked by the wind. The last line is a surprise, but for babies the song is really about the slow rocking rhythm and your voice, which is why it has lasted so long.
Some parents feel the falling cradle is a strange image for a lullaby. Many simply end with a cuddle, and that gentle ending is part of the fun for toddlers.
History and Origin
The rhyme was first printed around 1765 in Mother Goose's Melody, beginning "Hush-a-bye baby, on the tree top". The word "rock-a-bye" replaced "hush-a-bye" in the 1800s, and both versions are shown below the lyrics, together with another old "Rock-a-bye" verse about a green cradle.
Stories linking the rhyme to Native American cradles hung in trees, or to English politics, are popular but unproven.
Learning Activities
- Bedtime routine: sing it every night in the same slow way so it becomes a sleep signal.
- Doll rocking: toddlers love rocking a teddy or doll while you sing.
- Soft and softer: sing each verse a little quieter until you are whispering.