Rock the Cradle, John,

AKA(Old) Humphrey Hodge
Rock the baby John
LyricsJB GeogheganMusic JB GeogheganRoud32576
Music Hall performersGeorge Leybourne
First published1869
From original sheet music (personal collection)

ROCK THE CRADLE, JOHN
Written and composed by JB Geoghegan
Sung with immense success by George Leybourne

[Published] London : B Williams, 60 Paternoster Row.

Old Humphrey Hodge a farmer was, 
His age was fifty-seven, 
A bachelor too and well to do, 
For he in the world had thriven; 
And Humphrey Hodge from dawn till dark, 
Was happy as the day was long, ...
For he rose with the sun, and he sang with the lark. 
And this was his fav'rite song ....

Oh! Rock the cradle John ...
Oh! Rock the cradle John ...
An old man married had better be buried 
Than rocking the cradle alone ...

Now Humphrey Hodge had a servant girl, 
As blooming as the day, 
And she was fair as the lily or pearl, 
And fresh as the flow'rs in May; 
And her eyes shot forth such lustrous beams, 
That somehow, ere 'twas long. 
Her image was ever in Humphrey's dreams. 
In spite of his favourite song... 

Now Humphrey Hodge, a-las, and a-las. 
Grew tired of single life, 
And ere the harvest moon could pass, 
He made his maid his wife ... 
And the sun shone bright on his marriage morn,
And the bells rang out ding, dong, 
And Humphrey felt like a man new born, 
And fairly forgot the song....

Now Humphrey Hodge and his dear young wife 
Were happy as any pair, 
Until the time that he was blessed 
With a buxom son and heir; 
And he sits and sighs as the baby cries, 
With its lungs so loud and strong, 
Yet he sings, forsooth, and reflects on the truth 
Contained in his fav'rite song ...

Now Humphrey Hodge walks round the farm. 
And his hair is silver grey, 
With his wife before, and the child on his arm 
The fruits of December and May 
And people smile at the silly old man, 
Being wed to a wife so young. 
And Humphrey thinks as he winks and blinks, 
When his neighbours sing him the song ..

The theme of an older man marrying a younger woman, and taking care of another man’s baby is one that pops up quite often in folksong.

Songs with similar themes go back to the 17th century but we can state confidently that in 1869 JB Geoghegan was credited with writing the words and music for the song given above, a song sung by George Leybourne. Leybourne sang at least one other song credited to Geoghegan, The Hallelujah Band. The music for the Rock the Cradle John available via the link below, and is quite different from the tunes for the traditional songs with similar names.

Earliest notice of Leybourne song in The Era:

Date: Thursday,  Dec. 16, 1869
Publication: The Daily Telegraph (London, England)Issue: 4525

Steve Gardham has analysed nine songs on this theme, originating between the 17th and the 19th century. He points out that the chorus of our Music Hall song is quite similar to that of a 17th-century ballad written by Lawrence Price: Rocke the cradle, rocke the cradle, rocke the cradle, John; There’s many a man rockes cradle when the childe is none of his owne. Steve suggests that Geoghegan may have directly based his song on this earlier ballad.

Sources:

Last Updated on April 6, 2025 by John Baxter | Published: February 20, 2020

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