Click here to jump straight to the TAB.
“Hush, Little Baby” is a lullaby that comes out of the American South that parents have been singing to their little ones for generations. It’s also a wonderful example of how music changed in the early decades of the 20th century as many songs were recorded for the first time.
We don’t really know where “Hush, Little Baby” came from originally. There are numerous records of similar songs, each with their own lyrics and often a unique melody. So why do we all know this version of the song, where a mother/father first buys a mockingbird that doesn’t sing followed by a diamond ring that turns brass and then a looking glass, etc?
The version of “Hush, Little Baby” we still sing today can be traced back to a recording of a woman named Annie Brewer. She sang her version of the song for folklorist John Lomax in Montgomery, Alabama in 1937, and Lomax recorded it. You can still hear copies of that original recording.
Since the publication of the recording a few years later, Brewer’s version of the song has become virtually the only one you are likely to hear. It has been recorded by many others over the years, and it is still sung by parents every day.
“Hush, Little Baby” Playing Tips
“Hush, Little Baby” is a simple melody, using only five notes total, three of them open strings (two in the high G version). The main lesson here is to pay attention to your rhythm patterns as there is quite a bit of variation.
I tried to spice up the rhythm even further the second time through the melody by adding in some additional eighth notes. Watch out for the accidental I’ve included in measure 10, something you don’t often see in children’s music. Click through the link to read more about sharps, flats, and accidentals in this week’s article on reading ukulele music.
Click the link or the ‘Download’ button below to see the sheet music if your browser doesn’t display the embedded PDF.
Don’t have a low G uke? Not a problem. I’ve included a standard (high G) TAB for this song as well. Find the link at the bottom on the post. Happy picking!
“Hush, Little Baby” Low G Sheet Music Download
“Hush, Little Baby” High G Sheet Music Download
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