HUSH UP, BABY
Sung by: John Harrell, Nancy Ruth,
and Harrell Vocham
Recorded in Marshall, AR 6/14/63

Click here to listen to the original recording

Hush up, baby, don't say a word.
Papa'll buy you a mockingbird.

The mockingbird, if it can't sing,
Daddy'll buy you a diamond ring.

The diamond ring, if it turn to brass,
Daddy'll buy you a looking glass.

Looking glass, if it gets broke,
Daddy'll buy you a billy goat.

The billy goat, if it gets bony,
Papa'll buy you a humpback pony.

Humpback pony runs away,
The baby's name will be . . .

(??: "He wants you to sing it."
??: "Huh?"
Dr. Wolf: "You sing it . . ."
??: "Sing it again."
Mr. Harrell: "You sing it back there.")

Hush up, baby, don't say a word.
Papa'll buy you a mockingbird.

The mockingbird, it can't sing,
Papa'll buy you a diamond ring.

If the diamond ring turns to brass,
Papa'll buy you a looking glass.

If the looking glass, it gets broke,
Papa'll buy you a billy goat.

If the billy goat, it gets bony,
Papa'll buy you a humpback pony.

If the hump-back pony runs away,
The baby's name will be Bumbaray.

All Songs Recorded by John Quincy Wolf, Jr., unless otherwise noted

The John Quincy Wolf Folklore Collection
Lyon College, Batesville, Arkansas
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