Little Baby Jesus
David Lyrics
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Never mind, baby, mother is by
Crow and caper, caper and crow,
There, little baby, there you go.
Up to the ceiling, down to the ground,
Backwards and forwards, round and round
So dance, little baby, and mother will sing,
With merry gay choral ding ding a ding ding
Rest little baby your Daddy is near,
And your mammy soon maybe one thing is quite clear,
Rest little darling and wait for the sun,
With a voice like a starling your mother will come.
Rock-a-bye, baby, thy cradle is green
Father's a nobleman, mother's a Queen
And Betty's a lady, and wears a gold ring
And Johnny's a drummer, and drums for the King.
The lyrics of David Gibb's song Hush Little Baby are rich in imagery and symbolism. The first stanza, "Dance, little baby, dance up high, never mind baby, mother is by," creates a sense of security and encourages the baby to dance with abandon, while the mother watches lovingly. The second stanza, "Crow and caper, caper and crow, there, little baby, there you go. Up to the ceiling, down to the ground, backwards and forwards, round and round," adds to the whimsical and playful tone. The imagery of crows and capers adds to the sense of play, while the circular motion of the baby dancing suggests the cycle of life in a larger sense.
The next stanza "Rest little baby your Daddy is near, and your mammy soon maybe one thing is quite clear, rest little darling and wait for the sun, with a voice like a starling your mother will come," creates a sense of comfort and reassurance for the baby. The parents are near, and the mother will be back soon. The image of a starling is used to suggest singing, and as starlings are known for their beautiful singing, this adds to the sense of beauty and joy in the song.
The final stanza "Rock-a-bye, baby, thy cradle is green, Father's a nobleman, mother's a Queen, and Betty's a lady, and wears a gold ring, and Johnny's a drummer, and drums for the King," takes on a more elevated tone, suggesting that the baby is of noble birth. The imagery of a green cradle and nobles and kings adds to the sense of luxury and high status. The language used is archaic and creates a sense of a fairy tale world, adding to the overall charm of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Dance, little baby, dance up high,
Mother encourages the baby to dance and have fun while she watches nearby.
Never mind, baby, mother is by
Mother reassures the baby that she is close and will take care of him/her.
Crow and caper, caper and crow,
Mother is entertaining the baby with silly nonsense words and actions.
There, little baby, there you go.
Mother is encouraging the baby to move and have playful fun.
Up to the ceiling, down to the ground,
Mother is guiding the baby's movements while he/she plays.
Backwards and forwards, round and round
Mother is helping the baby explore his/her movement capabilities.
So dance, little baby, and mother will sing,
Mother is offering encouragement to continue the playful activity while she provides musical accompaniment.
With merry gay choral ding ding a ding ding
Mother is singing with a joyful tone and melody.
Rest little baby your Daddy is near,
The baby's father is close by and can also provide care and attention.
And your mammy soon maybe one thing is quite clear,
Mother assures the baby that she will return soon.
Rest little darling and wait for the sun,
Mother encourages the baby to relax and wait until it is daytime.
With a voice like a starling your mother will come.
Mother's voice is sweet and gentle, like that of a bird.
Rock-a-bye, baby, thy cradle is green
Mother imagines a peaceful and natural setting for the baby to sleep in.
Father's a nobleman, mother's a Queen
Mother imagines a grand, royal family for the baby.
And Betty's a lady, and wears a gold ring
Mother imagines a glamorous, wealthy community for the baby.
And Johnny's a drummer, and drums for the King.
Mother imagines a musical and patriotic scene for the baby to enjoy.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: David Gibb
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind