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Golden Slumbers – The Origin of a Beatles Song

Tuesday, October 4th, 2005

Last night I was reading through The Oxford Book of Children’s Verse by Iona and Peter Opie, (yes, I am obsessed with my sites), when I came across the following…

Cradle Song
by Thomas Dekker (1572 – 1632)

Golden slumbers kiss your eyes,
Smiles awake you when you rise.
Sleep, pretty wantons, do not cry,
And I will sing a lullaby:
Rock them, rock them, lullaby.

Care is heavy, therefore sleep you,
You are care, and care must keep you;
Sleep, pretty wantons, do not cry,
And I will sing a lullaby,
Rock them, rock them, lullaby.

Of course, I immediately thought of the Beatles song, Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight, from their album Abbey Road. Although they changed it slightly, to:

Golden slumbers fill your eyes, smiles awake you when you rise,
Sleep pretty darling do not cry, and I will sing a lullaby.

So now, I’m wondering, was Golden Slumbers a popular poem in England, before Abbey Road came out in 1969. Or was it sung as a lullaby to young children? Or did the Beatles find an obscure poem and popularize it in their song?

I’d love to know, if anyone has any more information about this, please write me.

Meanwhile, the song Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight, will be ringing through my mind!

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Monique wrote me,

…Golden Slumbers… as far as I know, it’s a traditional English lullaby. I created the Midi for Golden Slumbers.

Here’s an address where you can find the sheet music – Music for the Nation: American Sheet Music, 1870-1885

Thanks Monique!
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