Rock-a-bye Baby (Bridge to Grandma’s House)
I hesitated to translate this song as “Rock-a-bye Baby” because a different Chinese song with that name already exists—a direct translation of the English lullaby. However, translation is tricky, and while “Rock-a-bye Baby” is technically 摇啊摇, the song I’m sharing here is entirely different from the English version.
This Chinese song is known by many names, including 摇啊摇，摇到外婆桥, as well as “摇啊摇,” “摇摇摇,” and “外婆桥” [1]. According to Rainbow Mandarin, it is a traditional nursery rhyme about a fairy who magically builds a bridge to help two children cross a creek and celebrate their grandmother’s birthday, symbolizing the deep love and bond between grandchildren and their grandma [2]. There are multiple editions and regional variations of this song. The lyrics below are from the first edition of the Shanghai version [1].
Lyrics
| English | Pinyin | Simplified |
|---|---|---|
| Rock-a-bye Baby (Bridge to Grandma’s House) | yáo ā yáo (wài pó qiáo) | 摇啊摇 (外婆桥) |
| Rock-a-bye baby, rock all the way to the bridge to Grandma’s home. | yáo ā yáo, yáo ā yáo, yáo dào wài pó qiáo | 摇啊摇，摇啊摇，摇到外婆桥 |
| Grandma calls me a sweet baby and gives me a steamed bun and a cake. | wài pó jiào wǒ hǎo bǎo bǎo, yī zhī mántou, yī kuài gāo | 外婆叫我好宝宝，一只馒头，一块糕。 |
References
- https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hans/%E6%91%87%E5%95%8A%E6%91%87
- https://www.rainbow-lan.com/mandarinresourse/practical/143.html
Credits
Photo by Van Tien Le