Remember the good old song “Down by the Bay” that you used to sing round after round of on your way to school field trips or around the campfire or whatever? Well I was listening to it the other day. Actually listening to the words. I’ve gotta say I think that there were some serious mental health issues with the mother in the song. If the child in the song is afraid to go home to his mother because she spouts nonsense then I must ask how severe is her Schizophrenia or Multiple Personality Disorder?
Down by the bay,
Where the watermelons grow,
Back to my home,
I dare not go.
For if I do,
My mother will say…
Did you ever see a whale with a polka dot tail?
Did you ever see a moose kissing a goose?
Did you ever see a lama wearing pajamas?
Lalalalalalala Lalalalalalala
…Down by the bay!
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January 29th, 2007 at 9:39 pm
I have a problem with the nursery rhymes too… I’ve been singing some of them to Micah but realizing the words are morbid. For example:
Rock a bye baby in the treetop,
when the wind blows the cradle will rock.
When the bow breaks the cradle will fall
and down will come baby cradle and all.
or Ring around the rosy or pop goes the weasle or humpty dumpty… etc. Sad!
January 29th, 2007 at 11:57 pm
I never actually thought about the words–the crazy rhymes distracted me. That really is one messed up mom. What about the nursery rhyme:
rockabye baby on the treetop
when the wind blows, the cradle will rock
When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall
and down will come baby, cradle and all.
I was just thinking about that one yesterday, wondering what the hell was the point, and why anyone would want to sing it to a baby. After reading about your experience with Kieran, however, I’m beginning to understand why.
Bon courage,
Tyler
January 29th, 2007 at 11:58 pm
oops–I should have read the other comments first–sorry for being so lame.
January 30th, 2007 at 7:26 am
No problem. I, too, appreciate the craziness of Rock-a-bye Baby. And, sitting here, writing this at 6:30am, and having already been awake for an hour, I appreciate it even more.