Rock a bye baby

[starhu]

Hello,
There is a popular song for children:
"Rock a bye baby on the tree top
When the wind blows the cradle will rock" etc.
What I don't understand here is the word "bye". I can't imagine the meaning of it in the sentence above.
Thank You in advance
Zsolt Csillag

[Teia]

Originally Posted by starhu

Hello,
There is a popular song for children:
"Rock a bye baby on the tree top
When the wind blows the cradle will rock" etc.
What I don't understand here is the word "bye". I can't imagine the meaning of it in the sentence above.
Thank You in advance
Zsolt Csillag

Hi

You have to take the whole line into consideration if you want to understand it :

There are 2 possible origins that I know of, the American & the English ... and I quote ...

Origins of words to "Rock a bye baby" in American history...
The words & lyrics to the "Rock A Bye Baby" rhyme are reputed to reflect the observations of a young pilgrim boy in America who had seen Native Indian mothers suspend a birch bark cradle from the branches of a tree. Thus enabling the wind to rock the cradle and the child to sleep.

I am not sure 100% of this explanation but I`ll search for some more explanations. If I find something more interesting I`ll let you know.
Hush a bye baby nursery rhyme lyrics with origins and history

Best wishes
Teia

[Anglika]

"Bye" is a contraction for "Good bye". You say to small children, when they are going to bed, "go bye byes now", meaning "go to sleep now". So possibly it means "rock a baby to sleep".

The rhyme is a lullaby : a soothing song sung to send a child to sleep. ORIGIN from LULL + bye-bye, a sound used as a refrain in lullabies

[starhu]

Hello,

Thank you very much for your reply.