Rock Well My Cradle Lyrics
A cradle song that promises a new gown when the lord comes home, then a second verse where a bell is offered to still the child.
Rock Well My Cradle
Rock well my cradle,
And "bee baa," my son;
You shall have a new gown,
When ye lord comes home.
Oh! still my child, Orange,
Still him with a bell;
I can't still him, ladie,
Till you come down yoursell!
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/rock-well-my-cradle/
- Type
- Lullabies
- Tune
- Sung low and slow, rocking to the beat
- Best for ages
- 0 to 4 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Rock well my cradle | Rock your arms gently from side to side. |
| You shall have a new gown | Stroke the sleeve of your clothes as if feeling a soft new gown. |
| Still him with a bell | Shake a small bell very softly. |
What Does Rock Well My Cradle Mean?
The song is spoken to someone rocking a cradle. The first verse asks the rocker to rock it well and sing bee baa, a soothing lullaby sound, and promises a new gown when the lord comes home. In the old spelling, ye is another way of writing the.
In the second verse someone asks Orange to still the child, which means to quiet it, using a bell. Orange answers that the child cannot be stilled until the lady comes down herself. The last line, yoursell, is the old way of writing yourself.
History and Origin
James Orchard Halliwell prints the song in his collection The Nursery Rhymes of England. It is a lullaby in the first verse and a short conversation between two speakers in the second.
Learning Activities
- Rock the doll: rock a doll or soft toy in your arms or in a box cradle while you sing.
- Bell and hush: ring a small bell loudly, then softer and softer, until it is nearly silent.
- Two voices: one person sings the first verse, and two take turns with the question and the answer in the second.