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26 Mar 99 - 08:18 PM (#66203) Subject: As I Rock Our Babies to Sleep-Lyrics Req From: JVZ I'm still trying to make that tape for Father's Day of "Songs My Dad Used To Sing" and I could use some help. I think that this one is a Jimmie Rodgers song but I couldn't swear it. I have a recording Dad made about 50 years ago. I was doing a duet with him. (I had the part of one of the babies) Between my crying and the static on the old homemade record, I can't make out the words. Dad hardly ever misses an opportunity to tell the story of how I cried at just the right portions of the song, and I know it would mean a lot to him if I could include it on this tape for Father's Day. Thanks. |
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26 Mar 99 - 09:57 PM (#66215) Subject: Lyr Add: ROCK ALL OUR BABIES TO SLEEP (J Rodgers) From: Gene ROCK ALL OUR BABIES TO SLEEP Words and music: Jimmie Rodgers Show me the lady that never would roam Away from her fireside at night And never go roaming out after the boys But would sit by her fireside so bright My wife, she is one of the different kind Often caused me a lot of grief She's off from her home; she leaves me alone To Rock All Our Babies To Sleep. I remember one night when I came back home I came in as quiet as a lamb They must have had company for when I walked in I heard the back door when it slammed I walked right in and looked all around I never thought that she would cheat Without a doubt, she had just gone out And left all our babies to sleep. Just the other night while out for a walk I happened to stroll down the street And to my surprise, I saw with my eyes My wife with a man of six feet She says it's no harm; don't raise no alarm Don't make any fuss on the street She tickled my chin, told me to go in And Rock All Our Babies To Sleep. |
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26 Mar 99 - 10:49 PM (#66222) Subject: RE: As I Rock Our Babies to Sleep-Lyrics Req From: Like many of these old songs, there are many versions. Do you have a good idea of which one your dad sang? This was apparently a popular song on old barn dance radio shows. One popular version that my dad used to sing started: Now I'm just thirty-five and my dear little wife Is just ten years younger than me; She's full of enjoyment, has plenty of life And she sometimes goes out on a spree. Well, she leaves me behind all the kiddies to mind And the house in good order to keep; And then she will roam far away from our home While I rock the babies to sleep. If that is the version, I'll try to find the rest of the song. Lyle |
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27 Mar 99 - 12:01 AM (#66235) Subject: RE: As I Rock Our Babies to Sleep-Lyrics Req From: JVZ Yes, Lyle, I think that the version which my dad sang was the one that talked about her going out on a spree. If you could find the rest I'd appreciate it. And thanks Gene for the Jimmie Rodgers version. John |
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27 Mar 99 - 09:09 AM (#66287) Subject: RE: As I Rock Our Babies to Sleep-Lyrics Req From: Rincon Roy Greg Brown does a nice version of this song, starting with "I was just 45..." |
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27 Mar 99 - 09:24 AM (#66289) Subject: RE: As I Rock Our Babies to Sleep-Lyrics Req From: JVZ Sounds like Lyle's version sung a few years later. Who's Greg Brown? John |
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29 Mar 99 - 08:24 PM (#66780) Subject: RE: As I Rock Our Babies to Sleep-Lyrics Req From: JVZ Just moving this back up to the top in case Lyle has found the rest of those lyrics. John |
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29 Mar 99 - 11:19 PM (#66807) Subject: RE: As I Rock Our Babies to Sleep-Lyrics Req From: Lyle JVZ Nope, haven't found it yet. I've called my brother to see if he remembers, but he hasen't answered yet. I'm still looking, and hope to have it this week-end. Lyle |
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30 Mar 99 - 11:35 PM (#66987) Subject: RE: As I Rock Our Babies to Sleep-Lyrics Req From: JVZ I appreciate it. John |
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08 Apr 99 - 11:30 PM (#69297) Subject: RE: As I Rock Our Babies to Sleep-Lyrics Req From: JVZ Help! Anybody. |
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20 Apr 99 - 07:06 PM (#72284) Subject: RE: As I Rock Our Babies to Sleep-Lyrics Req From: JVZ Anybody at all!!! |
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21 Apr 99 - 02:02 PM (#72468) Subject: RE: As I Rock Our Babies to Sleep-Lyrics Req From: Philippa I don't know whether the American song is derived from the Irish/English "Rocking the Cradle" (at least two versions in the database), but it does tell the same story. |
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24 Dec 07 - 07:40 AM (#2221818) Subject: Lyr Add: HUSH-A-BYE BABY From: Jim Dixon Found at GEST Songs Of Newfoundland And Labrador: Hush-A-Bye, Baby I'm sweet forty-five and my dear little wife, She's twenty years younger than me; She's fond of enjoyment and all sorts of fun, She loves to go out on a spree. CHORUS: Lawty, tauty, hush a my baby, Hail, my baby grows so high; Lawty, tauty, hush a my baby, Mother will come to baby by 'n by. One night as my baby lay silent in sleep, I took a short stroll around the street, And to my surprise my dear wife I spied, Hugging a soldier sixteen. ####.... Author unknown ....#### Collected in 1960 from Peter Letto, Lance au Clair, NL, by MacEdward Leach, and published as #115 in Folk Ballads And Songs Of The Lower Labrador Coast, p.285, by The National Museum of Canada (1965) Crown Copyrights Reserved. |
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24 Dec 07 - 10:26 AM (#2221891) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rock All Our Babies to Sleep (J Rodgers) From: GUEST,Jeff JVZ Greg Brown is a singer-songwriter from Iowa who's been on 'The Prairie Home Companion' several times. Has had songs covered by a myriad of artist's. Michael Johnson's version of 'Rooty Toot Toot For The Moon' may be his best known work. Dick Pinney recorded several of Greg's songs on a late 70's LP called 'Devil Take These Shiney Coins'. The best of those songs was/is one called 'Hacklebarney'. Greg, also has several releases filled w/great observations and dry wit. 'Too Many Records' and 'Uh-oh The Bozo's In Love Again' are 2 of my personal favorites. Googlesearch: Greg Brown singer songwriter iowa and I'm sure you'll come up w/a ton of info. |
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10 Nov 12 - 08:16 PM (#3434497) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rock All Our Babies to Sleep (J Rodgers) From: GUEST,GERRY HOLMES I've got a good wife the joy of my life But once I was walking down street And to my surprise I saw with my eyes My wife with a guy of six feet
She said papa dear there s nothing to fear Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock all the babies to sleep
I came home from work quite early one night
She said as she grinned that s only the wind Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock all the babies to sleep
Each time she goes out I know there s no doubt Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock all the babies to sleep |
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11 Nov 12 - 08:37 AM (#3434679) Subject: Lyr Add: ROCK ALL THE BABIES TO SLEEP (V Horton) From: Jim Dixon From The Songs of Jimmie Rodgers: A Legacy in Country Music by Jocelyn R. Neal (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2009), page 92: "Vaughn Horton's version, as published in Southern Peer's song plugger's notebook, 1970" ROCK ALL THE BABIES TO SLEEP Vaughn Horton 1. I've got a good wife, the joy of my life, But once I was walkin' down street And to my surprise, I saw with my eyes My wife with a guy of six feet. She said, "Papa dear, there's nothing to fear. My cousin you really should meet." Then she tickled my chin, said, "Honey, go in And rock all the babies to sleep." CHORUS: Rock, rock, rock, rock, Rock all the babies to sleep. 2. I came home from work quite early one night, And knocked on the door with my hand. The door opened wide and I walked inside To hear the back door as it slammed. She said as she grinned, "That's only the wind. You know that I never would cheat." Then she answered the phone and left me alone To rock all the babies to sleep. 3. One night she did go downtown to a show. She said it was naughty but nice. She came home at four and knocked on the door And told me she sat through it twice. Each time she goes out, I know there's no doubt That all of our neighbors will peep. Though gossip they must, in me she can trust To rock all the babies to sleep. |
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11 Nov 12 - 10:46 AM (#3434737) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rock All Our Babies to Sleep (J Rodgers) From: Steve Gardham Bert Lloyd reckoned this member of the 'Rocking the Baby' family dated to the 1860s. It would fit in with the amount of variation in oral versions and it being widespread. The family of songs on the same theme goes back at least to the 17th century with similar pieces on broadsides of that period. This note of Bert's comes from the sleeve notes to Mike Waterson's solo album on which he sings a variant 'The Charlady's Son'. Bert reckoned Mike's version from Mick Taylor was a cross between this one and the Irish song 'Rocking the Cradle' but I can't see any of the Irish song in Mike's version. The original first line seems to have been 'Oh show me the lady that never will roam' as given in Australian variant. |
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28 Dec 15 - 01:03 AM (#3761222) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rock All Our Babies to Sleep (J Rodgers) From: GUEST,Peter Boddis Here is the similar song from my Lancashire Dad played on the piano and sung to us as children in 1943 I'm just 45 and got a dear wife, who's just ten years younger than me she's full of enjoyment and plenty of fun and often goes out on the spree. She leaves me behind the baby to mind the house in good order to keep The fire shining bright I'm singing all night whilst rocking the baby to sleep. |
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28 Nov 17 - 07:15 AM (#3890890) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rock All Our Babies to Sleep (J Rodgers) From: GUEST,Peter I’m just forty-five I’ve got a dear wife, who's just ten years younger than me. She's full of enjoyment and plenty of fun and often goes out on the spree. She leaves me behind the baby to mind, the house in good order to keep. The fire shining bright I’m singing all night whilst rocking the baby to sleep. |
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04 Apr 18 - 06:01 PM (#3915225) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rock All Our Babies to Sleep (J Rodgers) From: GUEST,CECELIA In Newfoundland my father called the song CHUCKY THE BABY and it had a refrain.The first verse went like this: I'm scarce forty-five, my young little wife is twenty years younger than me She's fond of enjoyment and all kinds of fun And likes to go out on a spree. She left me behind, the babies to mind The house in fine order to keep With the fire shining bright, I'll stay home tonight And rock all the babies to sleep. The Refrain: To me lo ho ho ho Chucky the baby Chucky the baby ever so high To me lo ho ho ho Chucky the baby Ma will be home love by and by. The other three verses are the same as Gene's mentioned above. |
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04 Apr 18 - 09:51 PM (#3915250) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rock All Our Babies to Sleep (J Rodgers) From: leeneia "all the babies"? Two sets of twins, or what? |
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30 Apr 18 - 04:46 PM (#3921216) Subject: Lyr Add: WHILE I ROCK OUR BABIES TO SLEEP (Rogers) From: Jim Dixon I found this on Spotify: WHILE I ROCK OUR BABIES TO SLEEP As recorded by Roy Rogers and the Sons of the Pioneers [From a compilation album: "Soundies Digital (Jazz/Country/Pop), Vol. 25" (2004)] I am now thirty-five and my dear little wife Is just ten years younger than me. She is full of enjoyment, has plenty of life, And she sometimes goes out on a spree. She will leave me behind, for the babies to mind, The house in good order to keep, And then she will roam far away from her home While I rock all our babies to sleep. CHORUS: [Yodel] Toss up the babies ever so high. [Yodel] Your mama will come by and by. One night when I got all our babies to sleep, I took a short walk down the street, And to my surprise, I saw with my eyes My wife with a man of six feet. At first I grew wild; when I passed them I smiled, And says I while taking a peep: "You've been hugging and kissing and having your fun While I rock all our babies to sleep." CHORUS |
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19 Mar 19 - 05:54 PM (#3983200) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rock All Our Babies to Sleep (J Rodgers) From: GUEST,Karla Needels Thank You! My Dad replaced the yodel with Hootie Hootie Hootie . The rest of the words are spot on!! |
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23 Jun 20 - 12:37 PM (#4060977) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rock All Our Babies to Sleep (J Rodgers) From: GUEST My dad used to sing a version very similar to the one credited to Roy Rogers with just a couple of differences. He sang "I'm just 35 and my dear little wife is 10 years younger than me" (matching the age difference between him and our mom). There was no yodeling chorus, and he changed the last lines to "you've been hugging and kissing and having your fun, now YOU rock our babies to sleep". We thought it was hilarious! Frances |
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24 Jun 20 - 04:46 AM (#4061130) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rock All Our Babies to Sleep (J Rodgers) From: GUEST,Mike Yates You can hear Jimmy Rodgers' version on a new 3CD set 'Wait Till the Clouds Roll By' (Musical Traditions MTCD518-0) followed by a version of the song sung by Doris Davies from Gloucestershire. The CDs contain American recordings, mainly from the 1920's '30's, together with British field recordings of singers singing their versions of these American songs. One or two of the American recordings are pre 1920. It may come as a surprise to realise just how many American songs were picked up by British singers. |
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24 Jun 20 - 06:05 AM (#4061139) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rock All Our Babies to Sleep (J Rodgers) From: Reinhard This seems to be a bit older than Jimmy Rogers' recording. Wehman Bros.' Good Old-Time Songs No. 2 (New York 1910) has on p.70 Hush-a-Bye, Baby Now show me the lady that never would roam, But would stay with her family at night, And never go roaming after the boys, But would sit by her fireside so bright. My wife she is one of those different kind, And often she causes me to weep, By the way she does roam and leaves me alone To rock the dear baby to sleep. Chorus: La la, la la, hush-a-bye, baby, Chucking the baby ever so high; La la, la la, hush-a-bye, baby, Mamma will come home to you by and by. We've a neat little cottage all shaded by trees, As happy as happy can be, Where we laugh and we walk, over baby we talk, For none are so merry as we. He's just six months old, and he tries hard to scold By clapping his fat, chubby hand, And the baby does cry when any one's nigh, He's the sweetest dear babe in the land. |
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24 Jun 20 - 12:40 PM (#4061192) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rock All Our Babies to Sleep (J Rodgers) From: leeneia It's interesting how far back in time the "Drunk and Divorced" themes go. I wonder what it's like to grow up in the country and have this negative stuff dumped on you at home, on the road and in every bar and restaurant. I recently encountered "Rocking My Babies to Sleep" in the form of a violin-guitar duet on a CD made by high school students. I thought the melody was so beautiful that I found it online and arranged it for piano. Later when I saw these words, I wrote new ones. Maybe I'll sing them at next Monday's sing-a-round. |
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01 Sep 21 - 09:37 AM (#4118479) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rock All Our Babies to Sleep (J Rodgers) From: GUEST,Diedra My mom sang a version of this, I never thought I'd find it... I've a dear little wife, she's the joy of my life, just three years younger than I. She's full of enjoyment, and plenty of life, sometimes she goes out on a spree. She leaves me behind, the baby to mind, the house in good order to keep. Chorus: Hush a la, La coo, La hush-a-bye baby, Tossing the baby ever so high Hush a la, La coo, La hush-a-bye baby, Mama will come bye-and-bye. One night after rocking the baby to sleep, I took a short walk on the street, When to my surprise, I saw with my eyes My wife and a Soldier six-feet. At first I was rout, She passed me and smiled, and said I was taking a peek. She tickled my chin and said Willy go in, and rock the dear baby to sleep. Repeat Chorus |
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01 Sep 21 - 01:47 PM (#4118517) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rock All Our Babies to Sleep (J Rodgers) From: Steve Gardham The Wehmann version looks as if it has been sanitised. The second verse is completely out of theme with the first. To me the style is very much 1870s/1880s American Music Hall much in the same vein as Chickens in the Garden though that one is more sentimental. The many quite different versions would give us a date going back at least to the 1880s. Very popular pieces like this were soon parodied and rewritten. It shouldn't be too difficult turning up the original if that is the case. |
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01 Sep 21 - 02:06 PM (#4118518) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Rock All Our Babies to Sleep (J Rodgers) From: Steve Gardham Joe There is another thread on this song that has the text of the Bodleian broadside in pigeon German c1880s. The Bodleian reference is Harding B11 (1137). They could do to be merged. Either this version is the likely original or it is a parody of the original. Either way it must be at least 1880s. |