The Lazarus Song: Mother Will Rock Her Baby to Sleep

The 'Lazarus song' is a traditional nursery rhyme that has been passed down for generations. The tune, known as 'Rock-a-bye,' has been credited to two separate persons from Boston, Effie Canning and Charles Dupee Blake. However, the true origins of the song remain shrouded in mystery.

In 1887, a minstrel group called Moore and Burgess Minstrels performed a new American song called 'Rock-a-bye' at St James's-hall in London. The song was also mentioned in an article by The New York Times in August 1891, which referred to the tune being played in a parade in Asbury Park, N.J.

Despite its widespread popularity, there are numerous claims about the song's origins. Some believe that it lampoons the British royal line during the time of James II, while others think that it was written by an English Mayflower colonist who observed Native American women rocking their babies in birch-bark cradles suspended from tree branches.

Another theory suggests that the first line is a corruption of the French phrase 'He bas! là le loup!' (Hush! There's the wolf!). Some scholars even believe that the baby represents the Egyptian deity Horus. However, these claims have not been definitively proven and are often considered to be mere speculation.

The lyrics of the song vary slightly depending on the region or country in which it is sung. In Derbyshire, England, a local legend tells the story of Betty Kenny (Kate Kenyon), who lived in a huge yew tree in Shining Cliff Woods and used a hollowed-out bough as a cradle.

Despite its uncertain origins, 'Rock-a-bye' remains a beloved nursery rhyme that has been passed down through generations. Modern versions often alter the opening words to 'Rock-a-bye, baby,' which was first recorded in Benjamin Tabart's Songs for the Nursery in 1805.

The song is also accompanied by a warning note: 'When the bough breaks the cradle will fall, / When the wind blows the cradle will rock.' This may serve as a reminder to those who climb too high and ultimately fall. Whether or not we know the true origins of this classic nursery rhyme, its enduring popularity is undeniable.

Lazarus song mother will rock her baby to sleep