Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,
Go to sleepy little baby.
When you wake, you shall have,
All the pretty little horses.
Blacks and bays, dapples and greys,
Go to sleepy you little baby,
Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,
Go to sleepy little baby.
Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,
Go to sleepy little baby,
When you wake, you shall have,
All the pretty little horses.
Way down yonder, down in the meadow,
There's a poor wee little lamby.
The bees and the butterflies pickin' at its eyes,
The poor wee thing cried for her mammy.
Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,
Go to sleepy little baby.
When you wake, you shall have,
All the pretty little horses.
Learn the Melody
Scroll down for lyrics and background.
Lyrics begin at 1:00 if you want to skip ahead.
Background
This song is a traditional lullaby from the southern United States also known as “Hush a Bye.” It is popularly believed to have been sung by black slaves to the white children in their care. The second verse reflects the pain of these pre-Civil war mothers who had to leave their own children in the field in order to tend the children of others. This lullaby was passed down by oral tradition and now exists in many forms. I offer you the oldest known lyrics and then some alternative lyrics as I sing them.
