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

Question

putting your baby in a tree and letting the wind crash the cradle to the ground?

Answer 1

Its basicly a threat to get them to sleep.

Answer 2

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. The confusion regarding these lyrics occurred due to the popularity of the old Al Jolson classic song "Rock a bye my baby with a Dixie melody!".

Answer 3

I always wondered that myself , I always changed the words for my little ones.
Here is an explanation of the origin of the poem:

Originally titled "Hushabye Baby," this nursery rhyme was said to be the first poem written on American soil. Although there is no evidence when the song was written, it may date from the 1600s. 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. Another source reports that Effie Crockett, a relative of Davy Crockett, wrote the lyrics in 1872 while babysitting a restless child.
Only the words in the first four lines are supposed to be from the Pilgrim boy in America. Lines 5-12 are a later invention.

and some other ideas forthe origins:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock-a-bye_Baby

Answer 4

It's basically a time-honored lullaby where the words don't make much sense, but the tune is supposed to make the baby sleepy. The same goes for nursery rhymes. Many of those don't make much sense either. Take Jack and Jill, for example: "Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a pail of water. Jack fell down and broke his crown and Jill came tumbling after." Or the fairy tale about Hansel and Gretel pushing the witch into the oven, etc., etc, etc.

Answer 5

"Rock-a-bye infant" may well be an American nursery rhyme and lullaby, whose melody may well be a variation of the English satirical ballad "Lilliburlero". initially titled "Hushabye infant", this nursery rhyme replaced into suggested to be the 1st poem written on American soil. even nonetheless there is not any info as to whilst the lyrics have been written, it could date from the 1600s. that's rumoured that it replaced into written with the help of a youthful pilgrim who sailed to usa on the Mayflower. He replaced into suggested to have suggested the way community-American women individuals rocked their toddlers in birch-bark cradles, that have been suspended from the branches of timber, allowing the wind to rock the infant to sleep. in spite of the undeniable fact that, the branches keeping the cradles sometimes had a habit of breaking, inflicting the cradle to fall and the infant in it to get harm...(Wiki)

Answer 6

i read somewhere, they said that nursery rhymes are pretty morbid because it doesn't really matter what it means, the ryhme has to just well, rhyme and its easy to sing so that the baby feels relax and would fall asleep.. and another saying was that, lullabies were made morbid to scare young kids so that they don't do things that they're not supposed to (doesn't apply to this lullaby though! ahaha)

but i still think putting humpty dumpty on that wall was WRONG! hahaha.. well, hope this helps!

Monroe

Answer 7

A fallacy a fairy tale..... Jack be nible Jack be quick Jack jumped over a candle stick....... Now could he have burned his butt?
There was an old lady that lived in a shoe she had so many children she did not know what to do so she whipped them and fed them and put them to bed.

Jack sprat could eat no fat his wife could eat no lean so between the two you see they licked the platter clean.

I think there must be some lesson to be learned....

Answer 8

lol..it's not the words of the song that matter..it's how you sing it or say it that is soothing to the baby, they do not understand..if you notice, there are many nursey rhymes that are quite morbid..for example, Ring around the Rosie is actually from a buriel ritual...I used to sing amazing grace or hum or sing from reading in a magazine or book. it's all in the volume and intonation that sooths them...and ty jdx529, I couldn't remember where that one came from!
Also think about why you say "Bless You or God Bless You when someone Sneezes...it's due to lepors and the b plague..they said god bless you because you are going to die.

Answer 9

Because we don't sing "Water a Hello Adult" to lull our little ones to sleep when the song is about?

Answer 10

If you are holding and rocking your baby next to your warm gentle body, the baby feels safe and secure. The words of the song are for you!

Answer 11

All of the Mother Goose songs and Nursery Rhymes are like that. Also most of the FairyTales. They're all sick.