ROCKABYE, BABY
(Irving Berlin)

(Published. Copyrighted December 15, 1924. Previously registered for copyright
as an unpublished song August 15, 1924. Introduced by Grace Moore and ensemble. 
Original cast recording by Grace Moore (Victor). 
The lyric of the medley section was not part of the published song; 
a copy was found among Berlin’s papers and is now in the Irving Berlin Collection 
of the Music Division of the Library of Congress. 
Except for “School Days,” no music for the medley section is known to survive.)


Verse

Little baby,
Can’t you hear the call
Of the sandman
While the shadows fall?
Let him lead you by the hand
Into drowsy slumberland.
Soon the morning
Will be on its way
To my baby
With a brand-new day.
Go to sleep, my dear, while I
Sing a tender lullaby.

Chorus

Rockabye, baby,
Hushabye, dear,
Slumber, my sweetheart,
Mother is near,
Dreaming of baby
All of the night
Planning a future
Rosy and bright:
Dollies and schoolbooks
Waiting for you,
Beautiful dresses,
Wedding bells too,
Plenty of sunshine
Crowning each year-
Rockabye, baby,
Hushabye, dear.

Medley

I can see you at the age of four
With your playthings scattered on the floor
In your pretty nursery,
Sitting on your mother’s knee.
I’ll be reading little nursery rhymes
To my baby-oh, what a happy times
We’ll be having, you and me!
Till the years begin to
Roll right into:

School days, school days,
Dear old golden-rule-days,
I see you there with your books and slate,
Standing alone at the schoolhouse gate.
Baby is sad and feeling blue,
Lessons are oh so hard to do.
But your lessons at school will soon be through;
Then parties and dresses
And sweethearts’ caresses.

I can see you with your first romance
At a party while the others dance.
You are seated with your beau
Who has learned to love you so;
He proposes and you answer yes-
You are dreaming of a wedding dress.
In another little while
I can see you marching down the aisle.

Bells ring, the organ’s playing
“Here come the bride and groom.”
Kind friends are softly saying,
“Gee, isn’t he mighty lucky!”
Preacher is by their side,
And then when the knot is tied,
The bridegroom will kiss the bride.
And after a year I can see baby dear
Over a cradle, and I seem to hear:



(Contributed by Carlene Bogle - January 2004)