Rockabye (song)

Steve Mac

"**Rockabye**" is a song by British electronic group Clean Bandit, featuring English singer Anne-Marie as main vocalist together with Jamaican dancehall singer Sean Paul. It was released on 21 October 2016: the song is about hardships of single mothers and alludes to the nursery rhyme, *Rock-a-bye Baby*.

"Rockabye" is included on the deluxe edition of Nicholson's debut studio album, *"Speak Your Mind"*.

## Background

"Rockabye" was written by Jack Patterson and norwegian singer Ina Wroldsen. Wroldsen wrote the lyrics about her son, which, according to Grace Chatto, "is why it rings so true for Clean Bandit and is so emotional and special." Clean Bandit announced the single on 21 October 2016, just two days after Neil Amin-Smith quit the band. Talking to *Digital Spy*, Chatto said, "We've wanted to work with Sean Paul for a long, long while and it's a dream that we've managed to finally do it. Anne-Marie tells the story and we love her voice. We first heard her singing with Rudimental and we've met her at a million festivals over the past couple of years – it's been so lovely to collaborate together."

## Composition

"Rockabye" is written in the key of A minor. It was composed in common time with a tempo of 102 beats per minute, and follows a chord progression of Am–F–G–Em. The vocals span from G3 to E5.

## Music video

 **Director** | Grace Chatto

#### Background

The video for the song was released on 21 October 2016. Parts of it were shot on location in Cap Sa Sal, Begur, Spain and the George Tavern, London. The video has over 1.8 billion views on YouTube as of May 2018, making it the 30th most viewed video on the site.

 Official versions

* Album version — 4:11
* Music video version — 4:13

## Theme

"Rockabye" is about being willing to do anything to assist your child and help them have a normal life.

## Lyrics

Call it love and devotion.
Call it a mom's adoration, foundation.
A special bond of creation, hah!
For all the single moms out there
going through frustration:
Clean Bandit, Sean-da-Paul, Anne-Marie
sing - make them hear.

She works at nights by the water
she's gone astray, so far away
from her father's daughter.
She just wants a life for her baby
all on her own, no one will come:
she's got to save him - daily struggle.

She tells him: "Oh, love,
no one's ever gonna hurt you, love.
I'm gonna give you all of my love.
Nobody matters like you" - stay up there,
stay up there.
She tells him: "Your life
ain't gon' be nothing like my life" - straight!
"You're gonna grow and have a good life.
I'm gonna do what I've got to do"
Stay up there, stay up there!

So rockabye, baby, rockabye -
I'm gonna rock you.
Rockabye, baby, don't you cry:
somebody's got you.
Rockabye, baby, rockabye -
I'm gonna rock you.
Rockabye, baby, don't you cry:
rockabye, no-rocka-rocka-rocka-bye
rockabye, yeah-rocka-rocka-rocka-bye.

Single mum, how're you doing out there
facing the hard life, without no fear? Yeah.
Just so you know that you really care 'cause
any obstacle come, you're well prepared - oh, no.
No mama, you never shed tear 'cause you
have to shed things year after year - na-na-na.
You give the you love beyond compare - yeah,
you fund his school fee and the bus fare - yeah!
Mm, all when the pops disappear.
In a rum bar, can't find him nowhere.
Steadily your workflow, heavily you know
so your non-stop, no time, no time for ya dear.

Now she got a six-year-old
trying to keep him warm,
trying to keep out the cold.
When he looks in her eyes,
he don't know he is safe when she says:
"Oh, love - no one's ever gonna hurt you, love.
I'm gonna give you all of my love.
Nobody matters like you."

So rockabye, baby, rockabye -
I'm gonna rock you.
Rockabye, baby, don't you cry:
somebody's got you.
Rockabye, baby, rockabye -
I'm gonna rock you.
Rockabye, baby, don't you cry -
Ra-bang-bang-bang - alright then:
rockabye, no-rocka-rocka-rocka-bye
rockabye, yeah-rocka-rocka-rocka-bye.

Rockabye, don't bother cry:
lift up your head, lift it up to the sky - yo.
Rockabye, don't bother cry:
angels surround you, just dry your eye.

Now she got a six-year-old
trying to keep him warm,
trying to keep out the cold.
When he looks in her eyes,
he don't know he is safe when she says -
she tells him: "Oh, love,
no one's ever gonna hurt you, love.
I'm gonna give you all of my love.
Nobody matters like you" - stay up there,
stay up there.
She tells him: "Your life
ain't gon' be nothing like my life" - straight!
"You're gonna grow and have a good life.
I'm gonna do what I've got to do" - yeah.

So rockabye, baby, rockabye -
rockabye, rocka-rocka-rocka-bye -
I'm gonna rock you.
Rockabye, baby, don't you cry -
rockabye, rocka-rocka-rocka-bye:
somebody's got you.
Rockabye, baby, rockabye -
rockabye, rocka-rocka-rocka-bye -
I'm gonna rock you.
Rockabye, baby, don't you cry -
Ra-bang-bang-bang - alright then:
rockabye.

Rockabye, don't bother cry:
lift up your head, lift it up to the sky - ah, rockabye!
Rockabye, don't bother cry - yeah:
angels surround you, just dry your eye - yeah, ah, rockabye!
Rockabye, don't bother cry - no:
lift up your head, lift it up to the sky - oh, rockabye!
Rockabye, don't bother cry:
angels surround you, just dry your eye.

## References

1. *Filming locations*
2. *Matrixs.it credits*
3. *Promonews.tv credits*