And the Cradle Will Rock...
The John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band Lyrics


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Ow
Oh yeah, get up
Ow (yeah)
Ow ow
Well, they say it's kinda frightnin'
How this younger generation swings
You know it's more than just some new sensation
Well, the kid is into losin' sleep
And he don't come home for half the week
You know it's more than just an aggravation

And the cradle will rock
Yes the cradle, cradle will rock
And I say rock on uh rock on

And when some local kid gets down
They try an' drum him outta town
They say, ya coulda least faked it boy, fake it, boy (oh stranger, boy)
At an early age he hits the street
Winds up tired with who he meets
An' he's unemployed (unemployed) ow

And the cradle will rock ow
And the cradle, the cradle will rock
An' I say rock on oh, say, rock on

Have you seen junior's grades? (oh)

Ow
And when some local kid gets down
They try an' drum him outta town
They say, ya could've least faked it, boy faked it, boy
And so an early age he hits the street
'N winds up tired with who he meets
An' he's unemployed his folks are overjoyed

And the cradle will rock
Yes the cradle, cradle will rock
I say rock on, hey rock on

Rock on, rock on, rock on (his ain't never been new, babe, child ow)
Rock on (wow I said)
Rock on, rock on
Rock on oh, on on on
Rock on
Rock on




Rock on
Rock on

Overall Meaning

The John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band's song And the Cradle Will Rock is about the fear and disdain that older generations have for the younger generations and their lifestyles. The lyrics imply that older people find the younger generation's behavior troubling, such as staying out all night, not coming home for half the week, and not living up to their expectations by being unemployed or having poor grades. However, the song also expresses support for the younger generation and their desire to live life on their own terms, as shown in the repeated refrain "And the cradle will rock" and the encouragement to "rock on." The song seems to be addressing the tension between conforming to society's expectations and living a more independent and authentic life, which is a timeless theme that still resonates with many people today.


Line by Line Meaning

Ow
Expressing pain or discomfort


Oh yeah, get up
Encouraging excitement and raising energy levels


Well, they say it's kinda frightnin'
People are expressing their fear about something


How this younger generation swings
The current youth culture is constantly changing and evolving


You know it's more than just some new sensation
It's beyond being just a fad or trend


Well, the kid is into losin' sleep
Young people are willing to sacrifice sleep for their passions


And he don't come home for half the week
They're often away from home for long periods of time


You know it's more than just an aggravation
It's not just annoying or frustrating, it's a bigger issue


And the cradle will rock
The younger generation will continue to thrive and evolve


Yes the cradle, cradle will rock
The youth culture will persevere despite opposition


And I say rock on uh rock on
Encouraging the younger generation to continue their progress


And when some local kid gets down
When a young person faces difficulties in their journey


They try an' drum him outta town
People try to exclude or ostracize them


They say, ya coulda least faked it boy, fake it, boy (oh stranger, boy)
They suggest that the young person should have pretended to be okay


At an early age he hits the street
Young people start discovering their passions at a young age


Winds up tired with who he meets
They may get exhausted from their pursuits or from socializing


An' he's unemployed (unemployed) ow
They may face difficulty finding work


And when some local kid gets down
Repeating the previous line


They try an' drum him outta town
Repeating the previous line


They say, ya could've least faked it, boy faked it, boy
Repeating the previous line


And so an early age he hits the street
Repeating a previous line


'N winds up tired with who he meets
Repeating a previous line


An' he's unemployed his folks are overjoyed
Their parents are happy to see them pursuing their passions even if they're struggling financially


And the cradle will rock
Repeating a previous line


Yes the cradle, cradle will rock
Repeating a previous line


I say rock on, hey rock on
Encouraging the youth again


Rock on, rock on, rock on (his ain't never been new, babe, child ow)
Repeating a previous line and adding a new phrase that may suggest that change and progression have always been a part of human nature


Rock on (wow I said)
Exclaiming excitement and support for the younger generation


Rock on, rock on
Increasing energy and enthusiasm


Rock on oh, on on on
Repeating a previous line with added excitement


Rock on
Urging young people to continue pursuing their passions


Rock on
Final repetition of the encouragement




Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Alex Van Halen, Edward Van Halen, David Lee Roth, Michael Anthony

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

ranzamaceanruig

How flipping  awesome! How is that little old me is the first to leave a comment on how awesome this is after two years of being posted? C'mon folks, stop hunting Pokémon and get with it!

Erkki Sutela

So crazy idea to play these songs like this, but it works! Yihaa!

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