“Rocking the Cradle (and the Child Not His Own)”

Description

The old man laments "about rocking the cradle and the child not his own." Though at the time he had been happy to marry a lighthearted lass, he now finds her out at parties all the time (or keeping company with other men)

Notes

An Irish legend has it that the chorus, "Hi-ho, hi-ho, my laddie, lie easy, For perhaps your own daddy might never be known. I'm seein' and sighin' and rockin' the cradle, And nursing the baby that's none of my own," was sung by the Virgin Mary to the baby Jesus. In English, no doubt. - RBW

Also collected and sung by David Hammond, "Rockin' the Cradle" (on David Hammond, "I Am the Wee Falorie Man: Folk Songs of Ireland," Tradition TCD1052 CD (1997) reissue of Tradition LP TLP 1028 (1959)) - BS

Cross references

• cf. "Unhappy Jeremiah (The Brats of Jeremiah)" (plot)
• cf. "Hush-a-Bye, Baby" (plot)
• cf. "When I Was Single (II)"
• cf. "Seoithin Seo" (tune, according to Sean O Boyle, notes to David Hammond, "I Am the Wee Falorie Man: Folk Songs of Ireland")

Broadsides

• Bodleian, 2806 b.9(282), "Rocking the Cradle," J.F. Nugent & Co. (Dublin), 1850-1899; also Harding B 19(65), 2806 c.15(202), "Rocking the Cradle"

Recordings

• Robert Cinnamond, "Rocking the Cradle" (on IRRCinnamond02)
• Richard Hayward, "County Mayo Fragment" (Rex 15016A/matrix DR 11812-2, 1947)
• A. L. Lloyd, "Rocking the Cradle" (on Lloyd2, Lloyd4)
• Uncle Dave Macon, "Tossing the Baby So High" (Vocalion 5013, 1926)
• Neil Morris, "Rock All the Babies to Sleep" (on LomaxCD1707)
• Charlie & Bud Newman, "Rock All Our Babies to Sleep" (OKeh 45431, 1930; rec. 1928)
• Riley Puckett, "Rock All Our Babies to Sleep" (Columbia 107-D, 1924)
• George Reneau, "Rock All Our Babies to Sleep" (Vocalion 14997, 1925)
• Jimmie Rodgers, "Rock All Our Babies to Sleep" (Victor 23721, 1932; Regal Zonophone [UK] MR-2200, 1936; rec. 1930)
• Paddy Tunney, "The Old Man Rocking the Cradle" (on Voice01); "Rocking the Cradle" (on IRPTunney01)
• Dave Turner [pseud. for Dick Parman], "Rock All Our Babies To Sleep" (Supertone 9374, 1929)
• Fay & Jay Walker, "Rock All Our Babies to Sleep" (Broadway 8093, c. 1925)

References

1. Randolph 393, "Rock All Our Babies to Sleep" (1 text, 1 tune)
2. Warner 166, "Show Me the Man Who Never Done Wrong (or, Rocking the Baby to Sleep)" (1 text, 1 tune -- a curious version in which it appears at first that it is the woman, not the man, who is betrayed)
3. Meredith/Anderson, pp. 168-169, "The Wee One"; p. 266, "Rock All Our Babies" (2 texts, 2 tunes)
4. Kennedy 212, "Rocking the Cradle" (1 text, 1 tune)
5. Tunney-StoneFiddle, pp. 143-145, "Old Man Rocking the Cradle" (1 text, 1 tune)
6. Peacock, pp. 478-479, "The Milkman's Lament" (1 text, 1 tune)
7. Lomax-FSNA 192, "The Old Man's Lament" (1 text, 1 tune); also 190, "Run Along, You Little Dogies" (1 text, 1 tune, mostly "Get Along Little Dogies" but with a chorus partly from this piece!)
8. DT, ROCKCRAD ROCKCRA2
9. Roud #357
10. BI, R393