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Rock a Bye Baby Nursery Rhyme

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An Overview of the Rhyme

The history of "Rock-A-Bye Baby" is extensive and fascinating. No one is truly sure what the song signifies or how it came to be, despite the fact that there are many theories concerning its interpretation. This rhyme has been used as a famous lullaby since a long time to calm the infants’ soul and helps them to have a sound sleep. Sleep is the most important daily activity which rejuvenate our mind and body and make us ready for the next day.


Rock-A-Bye Rhyme


Rock-A-Bye Rhyme


Rock-a-Bye Baby Lyrics

  Rock a bye baby, on 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.


Rock a bye baby, gently you swing,

Over the cradle, Mother will sing,

Sweet is the lullaby over your nest

That tenderly sings my baby to rest.


From the high rooftops, down to the sea

No one's as dear as baby to me

Wee little hands, eyes shiny and bright

Now sound asleep until morning light


Rock a Bye Baby Nursery Rhyme


Rock a Bye Baby Nursery Rhyme


Theories of Rock a Bye Baby Nursery Rhyme

There are various stories about the meaning of the rhyme, let's have a look on few of them:

  • This political hypothesis holds that the lyrics of "Rock-A-Bye Baby" were a death wish for King James II's young son, hoping that he would pass away and be succeeded by a Protestant king. Others say that the baby in peril represents England itself, the wind, the Protestant movement, the breaking up of the Stuart dynasty.

  • Others think the lyrics were written by Betty Kenny, who resided in a 2,000-year-old yew tree in the Derbyshire, England neighbourhood of Shining Cliff Woods with her husband, Luke, and their eight children. The story goes that Betty rocked her kids to sleep on a hollowed-out branch of the tree.

  • Some individuals believe that America is where the lullaby first appeared. For instance, some people think that the pilgrims were inspired to write the lyrics after seeing Native Americans rocking their infants to sleep in birch-bark cradles high in the treetops. Others believe that Effie, a relative of Davy Crockett, wrote the lyrics while watching the children.


Summary

In the English Dictionary, Rock-a-bye baby means to rock a baby (to move the baby backward and forward which helps them to sleep well). It has a long and interesting history and was written in the 18th century. Since then, it is used as a lullaby which helps parents to make their infants have a sound sleep. Every person's existence includes sleep as a normal behavioural condition.


Nursery rhymes are a form of entertainment for kids. They enjoy singing and dancing on it and they keep learning simultaneously from it. Every rhyme has a hidden meaning eventually.

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FAQs on Rock a Bye Baby Nursery Rhyme

1. What is the purpose of this lullaby?

Rock a bye baby is a famous rhyme and lullaby for making infants sleep easily as its smooth and soothing tune calms down their innocent soul and mind. 

2. When was rock-a-bye baby written?

Rock-a-bye baby is a nursery rhyme. This rhyme is thought to have first been printed in Mother Goose's Melody, which was reissued in Boston in 1785 and may have been published by John Newbery.

3. What is the basic sense of this rhyme?

The rhyme teaches and warns us by saying that the arrogant and ambitious people, who usually reach the top, fall at last.