☝️ Key Points
- The song is a traditional American lullaby that aims to soothe the baby.
- It assures the baby that it will have beautiful dreams.
- It uses images of horses to present the baby with nice things it will see when it wakes up.
- The baby seeks comfort and security from its mother.
- The song lyrics create a calm and peaceful mood.
Interpretation
The lyrics of the song "Hush-A-Bye" by
Peter, Paul & Mary are a traditional American lullaby. It is about soothing a baby and putting it to sleep. The lyrics say "Hush-a-bye, don't you cry, go to sleep you little baby", which means something like "Calm down, don't cry, fall asleep, little baby". The message of the song is that the baby doesn't have to worry and that it will have beautiful dreams.
There are also various beautiful images of horses incorporated into the lyrics, when it says "Dapples and greys, pintos and bays, all the pretty little horses", which means "Spots and grays, pintos and bays, all the pretty little horses". These images are used to present the baby with beautiful things it will see when it wakes up. It is a way to assure the baby that it will grow up in a beautiful world.
The lyrics also include a line where the baby calls for its mother. It says "Birds and the butterflies flutter round his eyes, poor little baby cryin' "mama"", which means that the baby seeks comfort and security from its mother and that it will feel safe when she is there.
Overall, the lyrics of the song "Hush-A-Bye" by Peter, Paul & Mary are about soothing a baby and assuring it that it will grow up in a beautiful world. It is a loving lullaby that puts the listener in a calm and peaceful mood.