Rock-a-bye Baby

Rock-a-bye Baby Lyrics. One of the oldest English lullabies, printed as early as 1765, known for its rocking rhythm that mimics the motion of a cradle. Despite the dramatic image of the falling cradle, the melody is designed to gently lull children to sleep. First printed in a collection called Mother Goose’s Melody, the song is sometimes cited as one of the oldest English-language secular songs ever set down in print, and while several origin stories have been proposed for its unusual falling-cradle imagery over the years, none has ever been firmly confirmed, leaving its true inspiration a genuine historical mystery. Here you will find the lyrics, meaning, and chords.