Of Cajun ancestry, Preston sang in high school choral contests throughout the state of Texas. He formed a rock and roll band called 'The Shades', before recording his No. 1 hit single "Running Bear." The song was written in 1958 by J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, who had died the previous year in the same plane crash that killed Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens.
Preston quickly followed up with a minor hit called "Cradle of Love," and made several other records during the early 1960s that met with modest success.
"Cradle of Love" however, was a big hit in Athens, Greece in the early 60s.
Preston's pioneering contribution to the genre was recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. He also performed at Dick Clark's American Bandstand Theater in Branson, Missouri. In 2009 and 2010, Preston performed with the Lamar State College (LSCPA)Touring Band at Lamar State College- Port Arthur, in his hometown.
Johnny Preston's pioneering contribution to the genre has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. Preston died of heart failure in Beaumont, Texas on March 4, 2011.
Cradle Of Love
Johnny Preston Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When the wind blows the cradle will rock
So rock-a-bye baby, in the treetop
When the wind blows, mmm
Well, Jack be nimble, Jack be quick
Jack jumped over the candlestick
He jumped so high up above
He landed in the cradle of love
Well, rock-a-bye baby, in the treetop
When the wind blows the cradle will rock
So rock-a-bye baby, in the treetop
When the wind blows, mmm
Hi diddle diddle, the cat and the fiddle
The cow jumped over the moon
And on the way down she met a turtle dove
Said "Let's go rockin' in the cradle of love"
Well, rock-a-bye baby, in the treetop
When the wind blows the cradle will rock
So rock-a-bye baby, in the treetop
When the wind blows, mmm
Jack and Jill went up the hill
To get a pail of water
Jack fell for Jill, gave her a shove
They fell into the cradle of love
Well, rock-a-bye baby, in the treetop
When the wind blows the cradle will rock
So rock-a-bye baby, in the treetop
When the wind blows, mmm
The song "Cradle Of Love" by Johnny Preston is a playful and imaginative take on the traditional lullaby "Rock-a-bye Baby". The verses of the song feature different fictional characters, such as Jack from "Jack be Nimble" and the cow from "Hey Diddle Diddle", and how they ended up in the "cradle of love". Each of these characters encounter a situation where they end up falling into the "cradle of love", implying that love can catch anyone off guard like a falling cradle catches a baby.
The chorus of the song reinforces the idea of the unpredictability of love. The winds blowing in the treetop, represented by the "mmms", signify the whims of life and romance. No matter who you are, or what your path in life may be, love can blow in unexpectedly and rock your world, just like the cradle in the treetop.
Overall, "Cradle Of Love" is a fun and optimistic song that celebrates the unpredictability and excitement of love.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, rock-a-bye baby, in the treetop
The singer is asking a baby to sleep soundly like a baby in a tree.
When the wind blows the cradle will rock
The singer wants the baby to fall asleep gently and smoothly with the wind moving the tree.
So rock-a-bye baby, in the treetop
The singer is trying to soothe the baby by repeating the previous line.
When the wind blows, mmm
The singer is reminding the baby that the wind is a friend and it will help it sleep better.
Well, Jack be nimble, Jack be quick
The singer is referring to a nursery rhyme character named Jack and reminding the baby about him.
Jack jumped over the candlestick
The singer is recalling how Jack had a unique skill of jumping over tall objects.
He jumped so high up above
The singer is describing how Jack's jump was incredibly high and impressive.
He landed in the cradle of love
The singer is imagining Jack landing in a comfortable and safe place where love is present.
Hi diddle diddle, the cat and the fiddle
The singer is starting another nursery rhyme and the baby is expected to enjoy it.
The cow jumped over the moon
The singer is describing an extraordinary event where a cow jumped over the moon to entertain the baby.
And on the way down she met a turtle dove
The singer is incorporating another character in the story and expecting the baby to like it.
Said "Let's go rockin' in the cradle of love"
The turtle dove suggested a fun activity of rocking in a safe and loving environment to entertain the baby.
Jack and Jill went up the hill
The singer is starting another nursery rhyme story and the baby is expected to listen and enjoy.
To get a pail of water
The singer is describing Jack and Jill's reason for going up the hill.
Jack fell for Jill, gave her a shove
The singer is adding a twist to the story where Jack falls in love with Jill and pushes her playfully.
They fell into the cradle of love
The singer is imagining Jack and Jill falling into a safe and comforting place where love is present.
Well, rock-a-bye baby, in the treetop
The singer is repeating the first verse to make sure the baby is still listening and feeling comfortable.
When the wind blows the cradle will rock
The singer is reminding the baby that the wind is still present to help it sleep.
So rock-a-bye baby, in the treetop
The singer is repeating the previous phrase to soothe the baby again.
When the wind blows, mmm
The singer is again reminding the baby that the wind is there to keep it company.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Jack Fautheree, Wayne Gray
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
LongJohnSilver
Unbeatable, unique, a song for eternity
Muffs 55mercury
A few radio stations and newspaper articles have Johnny mistakenly called a one-hit-wonder (thanks to the song 'Running Bear) thru the years. He actually had three hits all in 1960. This was the second one which reached # 7. Me and the lady still dance to this one. Great song.
AKA Red Rocket
call me old but this just gives me a good feeling all over every time I hear it
philip norris
Nothing wrong with that.
rigaudien
Me too !
Dianne Skalsky
Love this song. He had such a great voice. Wish he had made a lot more songs than he did.
freds rox
I was 12 when this came out. I remember that this was the only 45 my folks ever bought. I am 72.
The song came into my head as I was petting my bunny. I still remembered all the words as I sang with the music.
Thanks for posting.
Thomas Gibson
How can anybody NOT like this song....great rock-a-billie
Elizabeth Hann
[07 January 2022] A literal example of rock and roll as what Pauline Kael once called "nursery rhymes for berserk adolescents." I love it!
John Samuel
Such a nice song from a great era