Never was interested in the background of the song before today. Interesting that one theory on it is that it’s an allusion to a mother rocking her baby to sleep in her arms as if she’s the treetop. And once the baby is asleep putting them to bed in the cradle is “down will come baby, cradle and all”. Course that’s just one theory behind the song, but it’s better than the idea of negligence Lucy brings up, and which the lyrics suggest.
Many of the very old nursery rhymes and ballads were based on political events of the day. The wandering minstrels went from town to town singing about what had been happening in London Town. They had to disguise who the songs were about but the people knew. In those days the peasants could not read and write but they weren’t stupid.
Shari Lewis (via Charley Horse): When the bough breaks the cradle will fall, and if I were a baby… this is not the sort of thing I would want to hear at allllllll.
Tossing stuff over the shoulder is a bit that Peanuts characters have always been fond of. I grew up with these comics and when I was a kid thought that the toss-over-the-shoulder gag was a normal thing people did.
Templo S.U.D. over 5 years ago
and Jack didn’t have adult supervision when he was jumping over a candlestick
sirbadger over 5 years ago
Cradle falling sounds a bit violent.
knight1192a over 5 years ago
Never was interested in the background of the song before today. Interesting that one theory on it is that it’s an allusion to a mother rocking her baby to sleep in her arms as if she’s the treetop. And once the baby is asleep putting them to bed in the cradle is “down will come baby, cradle and all”. Course that’s just one theory behind the song, but it’s better than the idea of negligence Lucy brings up, and which the lyrics suggest.
JoanHelen over 5 years ago
Many of the very old nursery rhymes and ballads were based on political events of the day. The wandering minstrels went from town to town singing about what had been happening in London Town. They had to disguise who the songs were about but the people knew. In those days the peasants could not read and write but they weren’t stupid.
orinoco womble over 5 years ago
Wikipedia has some interesting theories about the meaning of this song. but then anyone can post anything on Wikipedia, so…
TXPAScot. over 5 years ago
Shari Lewis (via Charley Horse): When the bough breaks the cradle will fall, and if I were a baby… this is not the sort of thing I would want to hear at allllllll.
ptnjbrown over 5 years ago
Am I the only one that sang the song in their head while reading this?
Neo Stryder over 5 years ago
I never imagines a lullaby would be so gore.
Sailor46 USN 65-95 over 5 years ago
If I had more adult supervision in my childhood I woulda had a lot less fun.
Dippy over 5 years ago
Tossing stuff over the shoulder is a bit that Peanuts characters have always been fond of. I grew up with these comics and when I was a kid thought that the toss-over-the-shoulder gag was a normal thing people did.