Rock-a-Bye Baby

History & Origin

"Rock-a-Bye Baby" was first printed in 1765 in "Mother Goose's Melody", making it one of the oldest nursery rhymes in the printed record. It has been one of the most popular lullabies in the English-speaking world ever since, despite — or perhaps because of — the unusual darkness of its imagery: a baby in a cradle placed high in a tree, which falls when the bough breaks.

Various explanations have been offered for this strange scenario. A well-known theory holds that the rhyme was brought to America by early settlers who observed Native American mothers using cradle-boards — though placing a cradle at the top of a tree in strong enough wind to break the bough is not a convincing description of that practice.

A more historically grounded theory connects the rhyme to the Glorious Revolution of 1688, when James II — the last Stuart king — was overthrown by William of Orange with Parliament's blessing. In this reading, the "baby" is James Francis Edward Stuart, the infant heir whose very existence triggered the crisis, the "cradle" is the Stuart dynasty's hold on the throne, and the "wind" is William of Orange's invading fleet. Down came baby, cradle and all — which is precisely what happened: James fled to France, and the Stuarts never ruled Britain again.

What is remarkable is that generations of parents have sung this to children to help them sleep. A baby falling from a tree is not an obvious choice of bedtime imagery, yet the gentle rhythm of the song and the warmth of the singing voice override the content entirely. The music carries the baby to sleep long before the bough breaks.

For a deep analysis of the historical facts, read Andrés Ehmann's essay on the dark origins of nursery rhymes.