Rocking Origins: Where Did the Song Rockabye Baby Come From?

Rockabye baby on the treetop, when the wind blows, the cradle will rock. Okay, let's face it; we all have heard of this nursery rhyme at some point in our lives and most likely hummed it countless times to lull a baby to sleep. But have you ever wondered where it came from or what its origins are? Well, you are in luck because that is precisely what we are going to explore.

A Lullaby with Dark Beginnings

It turns out that "Rockabye Baby" has quite dark origins linked back to an issue as tender as baby abandonment during the seventeenth century — specifically unwanted children left outside hospitals or orphanages.(table 1)

As civilization progressed through time, abandoning children ceased with strict regulations put in place by governmental authorities assisting those struggling mothers.

However, from desperate situations often come beautiful melodies. The song lyrically tells about babies falling off treetops but potentially representing more than just neglect; they highlighted how precarious life is for abandoned infants and how fragile their mortality can be.

Evolution of Lyrics

Now that we know where the initial idea originates form let's discuss how different lyrics were adopted into various versions eventually leading up to 'rock-a-bye-baby.' Inevitably there were dozens of iterations evolving over centuries before becoming what we know today.

The first known version dates back to London in 1765 with slight tone variances:

Rocked away till he slept through the day Then Mama came home a new babe had arrived, And pretty Fan Lee was forgotten!^[1]

In America around mid-1800s became popularly sung until ultimately transforming the Fan Lee lyrics into "Rockabye Baby".

Rock-a-bye baby on the tree top, When the wind blows, the cradle will rock. When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall, Down tumbles baby and cradle and all.^[2]

Inspiration for Lyrics

Although explaining why someone associates babies with falling out of a tree seems perplexing upon first hearing. The origins behind such inspiration might seem outrageous or odd. One possible justification was from mother's tribe harvesting papooses baskets hanging high in trees to shield their children from predators.

Or possibly referring similarly to historians portraying people erecting wooden constructs swaying like a hammock strung between oak branches but directly linked back to mothers saving their infants during fires by lowering them outside aided via pulleys.(table 2)

Despite not knowing precisely what is authentic, it remains essential to acknowledge how historical moments combine childhood experience when creating art.

Notable Uses of "Rockabye Baby"

One exciting fact you may not know about this traditional nursery rhyme is its use by pianist Ricardo Viñes during his performance at Carnegie Hall in the early 1900s.

He included variations of popular lullabies that some attendees reported hearing 'incantations rather than music'. However, our favourite one he played was one specifically dedicated To His Spanish Audience:

Papa loved Mama,
Tom needed #love too
You can't hold me forever,
I won't be Like You
You don't need Me/,
 But I Love You...<sup>[3],[4]</sup>

Conclusion

So there indeed exists more history behind seemingly innocent songs we grew up listening to as kids. From dark beginnings highlighting societal issues now routinely ridiculed to pass down the lineage of such rhymes through tedious evolution with inspiring stories. Songs like "Rockabye Baby" may sound simple, but they have both distinctive and vital histories passed down across generations.

Do you have any unique facts or folklore that you associate with 'Rock-a-bye baby'? Let us know in the comments below!