Bye, baby Bunting

For the Australian children's stores, see Baby Bunting (store).
"Bye, baby Bunting"
Sheet music
Nursery rhyme
Published 1784
Songwriter(s) Traditional

"Bye, baby Bunting" (Roud 11018) is an English-language nursery rhyme and lullaby.

Lyrics and melody

The most common modern version is:

Bye, baby Bunting,
Daddy's gone a-hunting,
Gone to get a rabbit skin [To get a little rabbit's skin]
To wrap the baby Bunting in.

\relative c' { \time 3/4 \set Staff.midiInstrument = #"clarinet" \set Score.tempoHideNote = ##t \tempo 2. = 108 e2. | d2 f4 | e2. | d2. | e2 e4 | d2 f4 | e2. | c2 c4 | e2. | d2 f4 | e2. | d2. | e2 e4 | d2 f4 | e2. | c2 r4 \bar "|." } \addlyrics { Bye, ba- by Bun- ting, Dad- dy's gone a- hunt- ing, - Gone-to get a rabbit skin To-wrap the ba- by Bunting in. }

From 1784:

<< \new ChordNames \chordmode { \set chordChanges = ##t % Only display chord when there is a change (e.g., don't repeat the Am here) c4.: g4.:7 c4.: c4.: c4.: g4.:7 c4.: c4.: f4.: f4.: c4.: c4.: g4.:7 g4.:7 c2.: } \relative c' { \time 6/8 \set Staff.midiInstrument = #"clarinet" \set Score.tempoHideNote = ##t \tempo 4. = 75 (e4 g8) d4 f8 | (e4 g8) g4. | e4 g8 d4 f8 | (e4 d8) c4 g'8 | a4 gis8 a4 f8 | g4 fis8 g4 e8 | f4 e8 d4 g8 | e4 d8 c4. \bar "|." } \addlyrics { Bye, ba- by Bun- ting, Dad- dy's gone a- hunt- ing, To get a lit- tle rab- bit skin, To wrap the ba- by bunt- ing in. } >>

Origins

The expression bunting is a term of endearment that may also imply 'plump'. A version of the rhyme was published in 1731 in England. A version in Songs for the Nursery 1805 had the longer lyrics:

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.

There have been many interpretations of the meaning behind this infamous nursery rhyme. But, the truth is that the meaning is quite simple, yet extremely darker than one would think. And, here is where it is broken down line by line, for a better understanding.

"Little baby bunting" - referring to a bundled up baby.

"Father's gone a hunting" - as the provider of the home, the father is hunting for food.

"Mother's gone a milking" - it wasn't uncommon for a mother with extra milk to breastfeed the baby of a mother who was unable to.

"Sister's gone a silking" - sister is off somewhere making a dress.

"Brother's gone to buy a skin to wrap the baby bunting in" - brother is off to buy a covering for the baby.

When thinking about it, the nursery rhyme is clearly about a deceased baby. The mother is providing the milk she will never be able to use for her baby. The sister is off making a burial gown, while the brother has gone to buy a leather skin to make a burial wrap because they are poor and can't afford a casket.

See also