Cradle Rock
The Heartbreakers Lyrics

Rock a bye, Baby,
The singer begins the song with the traditional lullaby 'Rock a bye Baby' which is usually sung to console a child asleep. Here, he uses it as a metaphor to describe the emotional downhill he's been through.

On the tree-top.
Symbolizes his happiness, which he was on top of before the breakup occurred.

When the wind blows,
Represents the external forces that caused his relationship to turn sour.

The cradle will rock.
The unexpected circumstances sway his emotions and might end the relationship.

When the bow breaks,
The bow he mentions symbolizes the relationship. If it breaks, the partnership will not hold and may fall apart.

The cradle will fall.
If the bow does break, the aftermath will be painful.

So down, down, down, down...
Emphasizing how far he has fallen in his emotions, which are still spiraling downward.

Down will come Baby,
The relationship is likely to end unfavorably.

Cradle and all.
This line symbolizes the totality of the consequences of a broken relationship. He doesn't only lose his partner, but also everything they shared.

I gave you my kisses
Expresses how devoted and candid he was with his partner from the beginning of their union.

Right from the start.
This line restates the previous line, emphasizing its importance.

I gave you my true love,
Conveys that he gave himself entirely to his significant other.

For I wasn't smart.
Here, he admits to not being rational in his romance, which could have led to his downfall.

But you took advantage
The line enunciates that his partner was selfish and manipulative in their relationship.

And broke my heart.
The singer was betrayed in their relationship, leading to emotional pain, and it eventually broke his heart.

An' down, down, down, down...
Repeats his pessimistic feelings which keep deteriorating or getting worse over time.

Down went my soul
His soul, which was once full of life, is now despondent.

An' you threw away my heart.
He pins the demise of the love relationship on his partner, asserting that she was the one that caused it to crumble.

Don't make me cry for you.
The singer is in a place of pain and would not like his former love to cause him more heartache.

Don't make me die for you.
It is an expression of how emotionally invested he was in the relationship, implying he gave too much of himself and that it's no longer worth giving up his life.

I never thought it'd be like this.
He didn't anticipate things could end up like this when he first fell in love.

But in the end, you see,
The conclusion he draws from the end of the relationship.

You took the best of me.
His partner took everything valuable from him, and he feels hollow.

So down with all...
His sentiments are still downhill as he tries to cut off everything that he shared with his partner.

Down came my heart.
This line is a definite conclusion to the 'Rock a Bye Baby' lullaby metaphor. It signifies the total end of affection for his partner and signals finality.

You learned to love me
The singer is indicating that when he needed love and support, his partner was not there for him, but she was only available in the later stages of their love when things were falling apart.

Much too late.
He refused his lover's affections because he was overburdened and had given up on their relationship by then.

Offered me kisses
It seems his partner had realized her mistakes and was set on repairing the bad relationship to salvage it and make it work out.

I wouldn't take.
The artist is desperate to move on, and no matter what apologies or explanations his partner has to offer, he doesn't want to continue with her.

When the wind blew,
Represents the changes being brought about by their separation.

You saw me fall.
The end of the relationship means he is at a low point emotionally, and his former partner takes advantage of his vulnerability.

So down, down, down, down
The artist is still spiraling down further in his emotional downfall.

Down will come Baby,
The line intimates the adverse effects of the relationship's end, and how it might affect not just him but his partner as well.

Cradle and all.
The cradle represents everything shared in their relationship, including emotions, love, and material things, and how it will all be destroyed when the relationship comes to an end.