Effie I. Canning (1857–1940) · tune, 1886 · C major · 2/4 · 72 BPM · 8 bars · Children’s songs
Rock-a-bye Baby sits in Children’s songs, written in C major. It uses 3 chords across 8 bars, at about 72 BPM.
CG7F
C
G7
F
| 1 | C | G7 | · | C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | · | F | G7 | C |
Eight slow bars of two beats, rocking. C, two bars of G7, two of C, then F, G7 and C for the fall. Keep it soft and even; the rock is the whole point.
| Keys | Chord chart |
|---|---|
| C major · Written in this key | C · G7 · C · F · G7 · C |
| Db major | Db · Ab7 · Db · Gb · Ab7 · Db |
| D major | D · A7 · D · G · A7 · D |
| Eb major | Eb · Bb7 · Eb · Ab · Bb7 · Eb |
| E major | E · B7 · E · A · B7 · E |
| F major | F · C7 · F · Bb · C7 · F |
| F# major | F# · C#7 · F# · B · C#7 · F# |
| G major | G · D7 · G · C · D7 · G |
| Ab major | Ab · Eb7 · Ab · Db · Eb7 · Ab |
| A major | A · E7 · A · D · E7 · A |
| Bb major | Bb · F7 · Bb · Eb · F7 · Bb |
| B major | B · F#7 · B · E · F#7 · B |
The words are an English nursery rhyme printed in 1765; the familiar melody was published in 1886 by Effie I. Canning, who died in 1940. On a life-plus-70 basis the tune’s term ended in 2010. Free everywhere.