The Crow On The Cradle
Carlos Núñez Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

The sheep's in the meadow
The cow's in the corn
Now is the time for a child to be born
He'll laugh at the moon
And cry for the sun
And if it's a boy he'll carry a gun
Sang the crow on the cradle
And if it should be that this baby's a girl
Never you mind if her hair doesn't curl
With rings on her fingers
And bells on her toes
And a bomber above her wherever she goes
Sang the crow on the cradle

The crow on the cradle
The black and the white
Somebody's baby is born for a fight
The crow on the cradle
The white and the black
Somebody's baby is not coming back
Sang the crow on the cradle

Your mother and father will sweat and they'll save
To build you a coffin and dig you a grave
Hush-a-bye little one, never you weep
For we've got a toy that can put you to sleep
Sang the crow on the cradle

Bring me my gun, and I'll shoot that bird dead
That's what your mother and father once said
The crow on the cradle, what can we do
Ah, this is a thing that I'll leave up to you




Sang the crow on the cradle
Sang the crow on the cradle

Overall Meaning

The song "The Crow On The Cradle" speaks to the idea that every child that comes into this world is born into a world filled with both good and evil. The song uses various animal symbols such as sheep, cows, and crows to represent different aspects of life. The opening lines "The sheep's in the meadow, the cow's in the corn, now is the time for a child to be born" signify the beginning of new life and the promise of a bright future. However, as the song progresses, it becomes clear that the world into which this child is born is one of conflict and strife.


The lyrics speak of a boy who will carry a gun and a girl who will face dangers, with the lines "And if it's a boy he'll carry a gun, and if it should be that this baby's a girl, never you mind if her hair doesn't curl, with rings on her fingers and bells on her toes, and a bomber above her wherever she goes." These lines paint a picture of a world at war, where children must fight for their survival. The chorus "The crow on the cradle, the black and the white, somebody's baby is born for a fight" highlights the fact that every child born is destined to fight against the forces of both good and evil in this world.


The final verse draws attention to the fragility of life, with the lines "Your mother and father will sweat and they'll save, to build you a coffin and dig you a grave, Hush-a-bye little one, never you weep, for we've got a toy that can put you to sleep." The cradle represents the coffin, and the crow symbolizes death. The lyrics paint a bleak picture of the inevitability of death in every person's life. The final lines, "Bring me my gun, and I'll shoot that bird dead, that's what your mother and father once said, the crow on the cradle, what can we do, ah, this is a thing that I'll leave up to you, sang the crow on the cradle," highlight the idea that it is up to us to decide whether we fight against the forces of evil in the world or give in to them.


Line by Line Meaning

The sheep's in the meadow
The animals are peacefully grazing in the green fields


The cow's in the corn
The cow is eating the corn crops in a nearby farm


Now is the time for a child to be born
It's the right moment for new life to come into the world


He'll laugh at the moon
The child will find happy moments even in the darkness


And cry for the sun
The child will yearn for the warmth and brightness of daylight


And if it's a boy he'll carry a gun
Society expects masculine power and force from a male child, even from a young age


Sang the crow on the cradle
The bird is a metaphorical figure speaking about the ominous theme of death and violence in the world


And if it should be that this baby's a girl
Gender should not dictate what a child is allowed to do or be in life


Never you mind if her hair doesn't curl
Physical appearance should not be a defining factor in a person's worth or capabilities


With rings on her fingers
Girls are typically expected to adorn themselves with jewelry and other decorative elements


And bells on her toes
Girls may be expected to be graceful and dainty in their physical movements


And a bomber above her wherever she goes
The artist alludes to the constant threat of violence and destruction in everyday life


The crow on the cradle
The ominous figure continues to speak about death, violence, and war


The black and the white
Humans have constructed artificial barriers of race and ethnicity, which can be used to justify conflict


Somebody's baby is born for a fight
The cycle of violence and aggression is perpetuated by each new generation


Somebody's baby is not coming back
Tragically, some children will never get to live a full life or experience their potential


Sang the crow on the cradle
The bird continues to ominously sing about the terrible fate that may befall a newborn child


Your mother and father will sweat and they'll save
Parents will work hard to provide for their children, but some things are out of their control


To build you a coffin and dig you a grave
Death is an inevitable part of life, and some may not live to see adulthood


Hush-a-bye little one, never you weep
The artist tries to comfort a baby, acknowledging that the world can be a scary and unpredictable place


For we've got a toy that can put you to sleep
In the face of war and violence, people often resort to deadly weapons to assert power and control


Sang the crow on the cradle
The bird returns to remind the listener of the bleak future that may await a child born into a violent world


Bring me my gun, and I'll shoot that bird dead
Some may feel powerless in the face of violence, resorting to further violence to combat it


That's what your mother and father once said
Parents may encourage violent behavior in their children as a way of protecting them or asserting dominance


The crow on the cradle, what can we do
The bird is a symbol of the helplessness that individuals may feel when faced with systemic violence and aggression


Ah, this is a thing that I'll leave up to you
Ultimately, each person must decide how to confront the injustices of the world in their own way


Sang the crow on the cradle
The song ends on the haunting note of the crow's warning about the dangers facing newborns in a violent world




Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SYDNEY BERTRAM CARTER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Comments from YouTube:

@adolfogalli5790

Esibizione fantastica!

@CaracoladeTriton

Maravilloso!

@Tierranadie

Es cantante es Jackson Brwne (no Brown).

More Versions