Why do we sing "Rock a bye baby" to lull our little ones to sleep when the song is about putting your baby in

Question

a tree and letting the wind crash the cradle to the ground?

Answer 1

It is rumoured that it was written by a young pilgrim who sailed to America on the Mayflower. He was said to have observed the way Native American women rocked their babies in birch bark cradles, which were suspended from the high branches of trees, allowing the wind to rock the baby to sleep. However, the branches holding the cradles steady had a danger of breaking, causing the cradle to fall and the baby in it to get hurt. Rock-a-bye as a word was first recorded in 1805

Answer 2

heres some copy and paste for you.......

The words and lyrics to the "Rock a bye baby" rhyme are reputed to reflect the observations of a young pilgrim boy in America who had seen Native Indian mothers suspend a birch bark cradle from the branches of a tree. Thus enabling the wind to rock the cradle and the child to sleep! This rhyme is also known as "Hush a bye baby" which is the correct title.

Answer 3

I'd always heard that it was about the Glorious Revolution in England. James II was the king, and was Catholic, and the people in England were OK with that b/c he didn't have kids so his heir was protestant, but when he had a kid they weren't OK with that child becoming the next king so they staged a coup and invited in a protestant king and queen. So the baby would be James II's son and the cradle rocking/bough breaking etc. would be the revolution and that baby not becoming the next king.

Answer 4

Rock a bye baby is by all actuality about baby birds in a nest...when the wind blows, the nest usually falls down if it isn't secure enough. Its not about babies...in general...lol...who would REALLY PUT their child in a cradle in a tree??? Tarzan?? Silly...but true. My grandmother told me about the folklore to the story. Most of them are about sick children or animals.

Answer 5

"Rock-a-bye infant" could be an American nursery rhyme and lullaby, whose melody could be a version of the English satirical ballad "Lilliburlero". initially titled "Hushabye infant", this nursery rhyme exchange into reported to be the 1st poem written on American soil. regardless of the reality that there is no evidence as to whilst the lyrics have been written, it could date from the 1600s. it somewhat is rumoured that it exchange into written by employing a youthful pilgrim who sailed to united statesa. on the Mayflower. He exchange into reported to have talked with regard to the way close by-American women folk rocked their toddlers in birch-bark cradles, that have been suspended from the branches of timber, permitting the wind to rock the baby to sleep. although, the branches protecting the cradles each and every so often had a habit of breaking, inflicting the cradle to fall and the baby in it to get harm...(Wiki)

Answer 6

Because it rhymes, has a good soft tune and children like to hear their mothers voice. Why do we as a society read so much into things and make a big deal over nothing. All around the mulberry bush also has some really dark meanings, but I still play it with my 2 year old and guess what, he is perfectly normal, no problems from me playing it with him.

Answer 7

Because our ancestor's were psycho. Did you know that old stories like little red riding hood actually ended with her death. That's what I heard on a documentary one time. My kids do like the song and I sing it but I changed the words to rocking on mama's lap and when mama rocks the baby will nap. Its not scary that way.

Answer 8

all of the nursery rhymes are about bad things if you research it. ring around the rosie is supposed to be about the plague. the fact is that as much as we feel like our children are so exposed to bad things in the past they were exposed to allot more plagues starvation on the streets public hangings what we now consider statutory rape and put men in jail for was called a marriage back then teen moms were expected if you didn't have at least a couple kids buy the time you were 18 something was wrong with you.

Answer 9

It doesn't matter what you sing, but how you sing it.

You could sing, "I wish I wore a condom, when I did your father in the truck, now im stuck, now im stuck, go to bed, you little rat, sleep now, wow you're fat."

It's the tone of how you sing the song. The song is just so common no one thinks twice about it.

Answer 10

Dang! Now everyone says what the song about. No wonder my Son looked so surprised when I came to the fall to the ground part. Guess I should have held on to him. :-p