Thursday 21 July 2011

Rock A Bye Baby

I’m totally traumatised today.  Like most babies, I have a lullaby CD that we sometimes listen to at bedtime.  Mummy and Daddy sometimes sing to me, but they don’t have a talent for it so I prefer the more tuneful version. So far, so what, I hear you say.  Well, today I actually listened to the 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.

That’s horrific!  The very stuff of nightmares!  Just think of the poor child crashing down, being crushed under the cradle.  I don’t think I’ll ever sleep again!
I googled the origins and there seems to be some debate although the most popular explanation is that it dates from the 1700s and native American Indians, who used to hang babies from the trees so the wind could rock them to sleep.  That part makes sense.  The Scandanavians do something similar with hammocks and in fact I slept in one for the first few months, but it was cloth and the rocking was down to me, when I moved, not the wind that could gust and send me clattering to an unceremonious end!
So, over to you; what are the most distressing or disappointing lyrics you’ve heard when you’ve listened properly?
CB

6 comments:

  1. Now I lay me down to sleep,
    I pray the Lord my soul to keep,
    If I shall die before I wake
    I pray the Lord my soul to take.

    Why would I die while I'm sleeping?! - this used to properly scare me when I was little!

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  2. Oh CB, a hammock? Does this mean you suffered from reflux. M&D got the Bug one of those but it went straight back because they couldn't figure out how to get his head higher than his feet!

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  3. Bristol Parenting Cafe, you're right to have been scared! I've been trying to get that out of my head all day now!

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  4. Hi Actually Mummy. I didn't get reflux, but the hammock was recommended by a friend and we borrowed theirs. A truly wonderful bit of kit, and one we'd definitely use again. It looked fabulous, and it moved when I did, so tended to rock me back to sleep. Sadly, I grew out of it and had to go in a cot.

    Have a look at their website if you fancy:
    http://miyobaby.com/index.html

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  5. CB wait until you are older and start listening to "pop" songs (man I feel old) there are some really troubling lyrics out there.

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  6. Ooh, pop songs! Mummy and Daddy have some weird stuff on their iPods so I'll make sure I'm careful. Thanks!

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