Full Lyrics
Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,
Go to sleepy, little baby.
When you wake, you shall have,
All the pretty little horses.
Blacks and bays, dapples and grays,
Coach and six-a-little horses.
Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,
Go to sleepy, little baby.
Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,
Go to sleepy, little baby.
When you wake, you shall have,
All the pretty little horses.
Way down yonder, in the meadow,
There's a poor little lambie.
The bees and the butterflies pecking at his eyes,
The poor little thing cried, "Mammy".
About This Song
"All the Pretty Little Horses" (also known as "Hush-a-Bye") is a traditional African-American lullaby from the Southern United States. It has been sung for generations to soothe children into a deep sleep with the promise of beautiful horses waiting for them upon waking.
The song's origins are deeply rooted in American history. It is often described as a "sorrow song," with some historians suggesting it was originally sung by enslaved mothers who had to care for other children while their own were left in the fields or meadows.
Today, the song is celebrated for its hauntingly beautiful melody and has been recorded by many famous artists, including Joan Baez, Charlotte Church, and Kenny Loggins. It remains a staple of bedtime routines in households across North America and the world.