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Bye Baby Bunting
All Instruments and Vocals: Douglas Milne
From the TwinkleTrax album "Lullabies - 20 Classic Bedtime Songs And Lullabies"
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Daddy's gone a-hunting
To get a little rabbit skin
To wrap his baby bunting in
Bye, baby bunting
Bye, baby bunting
Bye, baby bunting
Daddy's gone a-hunting
He's gone to fetch a lamb skin
To wrap his baby bunting in
Bye, baby bunting
Bye, baby bunting
Bye, baby bunting
Daddy's gone a-hunting
A rosy wisp of cloud to win
To wrap his baby bunting in
Bye, baby bunting
Bye, baby bunting
This well known lullaby was first published in "Gammer Gurton's Garland" in 1784. The original lyrics were:
Bye, baby bunting
Father's gone a hunting
Mother's gone a milking
Sister's gone a silking
Brother's gone to buy a skin
To wrap the baby bunting in
"Bunting" is an archaic form of endearment, translating roughly as "chubby".
The lullaby was published in 1812 in America in "Mother's Gift":
Rock-a-by baby bunting
My father's gone a hunting
My mother's at home making a skin
To wrap up little baby bunting in
There are at least three Scots variations: "Hushie Ba, Burdie Beeton", "Baloo, Lillie Beetie", and "Ba Lamb, Ba Lamb, Beattie O"; and a Welsh version, "Father's Gone A-Flailing".
Origins text ©2011 TwinkleTrax Children's Songs.