Lyr Add: new lyrics for Rocking My Babies to Sleep

Subject: Lyr Add: new lyrics for Rocking My Babies to Slee
From: leeneia
Date: 30 Dec 17 - 03:42 PM

Recently I had a trip to Arkansas, where I encountered a wonderful tune called 'Rocking my Babies to Sleep.' (Thanks to the band Possum Trail for introducing me to it.) Lately a thread appeared asking for the lyrics, and they are really dumb.

I won't rail on about the lyrics, just say that they made me mad enough to compose lyrics which try to convey the peace one feels rocking a baby, esp. when the beautiful light of twilight surrounds us and the wild creatures are welcoming the night. Here they are.
==========
Eve-ning sha-dows are fal-ling; the west is still red.
Lit-tle eyes are so slee-py; come rest your head.
Bold Bus-ter keeps mon-sters from un-der the bed
as I'm rock-ing my ba-by to sleep.
Close your eyes now and list-en. Hear the whip-por-will.
He war-bles by night and he hides by day.
Count him: one two three, one two three, sil-ly whip-poor-will!
You can't chase that old moon a-way.

Lit-tle frog-gies are peep-ing at Mock-ing-bird Creek, say-ing
"Night-time is com-ing, it's time for sleep."
Dad-dy en-ters so gen-tly, in stock-ings he creeps,
for I'm rock-ing my ba-by to sleep.
Count-ing, one two three four five six; hush, you whip-poor-will
Se-re-nade us from some far and moon-lit hill.
Lit-tle ba-by is wea-ry; now don't you make her/him weep.
For I'm rock-ing my ba-by to sleep.
=========
I had to change a few notes to make the lyrics fit. If you want a jpg of the music with words, PM me.

You can find an old-time fiddler playing this on YouTube.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: new lyrics for Rocking My Babies to Slee
From: leeneia
Date: 19 Jan 18 - 05:02 PM

Here's an improved version. It occurred to me that the big jumps in the B part are for yodeling. Yodel softly - you don't want to wake the baby.

[A ]Evening shadows are falling; the west is still red.
Little eyes are so sleepy; come rest your head.
Bold Buster keeps monsters from under the bed
as I'm rocking my baby to sleep.
[B ]Close your eyes now and listen. Hear the whippoorwill.
He warbles by night and he hides by day.
Count him: one-two-three, one-two-three, silly whippoorwill!
You can't chase that old moon away.

[A ]Little froggies are peeping at Mockingbird Creek,
Saying "Night-time is coming, it's time for sleep.
Daddy enters so gently, in stockings he creeps;
for I'm rocking my baby to sleep.
[B Counting one two three four five six; hush, you whippoorwill;
serenade us from some far and moonlit hill.
Little baby is weary; now don't you make her/him weep.
For I'm rocking my baby to sleep

[B]oh deh lay hee, deh lay hee, oh deh lay hee oh
Pretty birdies go hide in the woods so deep.
].oh deh lay hee, de lay hee, oh deh lay hee oh
while I’m rocking my baby to sleep.
===============
If you think that froggies and birdies are twee, take a few deep breaths. Next imagine that a baby's head is on your shoulder, surprising heavy and beautifully warm. Also small and vulnerable. Once you do, singing of froggies and birdies will seem completely natural.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: new lyrics for Rocking My Babies to Slee
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 19 Jan 18 - 05:14 PM

Lovely!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: new lyrics for Rocking My Babies to Slee
From: leeneia
Date: 20 Jan 18 - 11:23 AM

Thanks, Steve. I sang it for two friends last night, and they liked it too. They wanted to know who Bold Buster was, and I told them how, when a friend brought her newborn daughter home, her big black tomcat positioned himself under her crib to stand guard.

So Buster could be the pet dog or cat, depending on the listener's preference.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: new lyrics for Rocking My Babies to Slee
From: topical tom
Date: 20 Jan 18 - 12:36 PM

Here is a version of "Rock all our babies to sleep":https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgKn1E35P3M