# Mockingbird (Hush Little Baby)... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 25, 2003, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mockingbird-hush-little-baby/150752 "2003-01-25T00:05:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mockingbird-hush-little-baby/150752/1 "2003-01-25T00:05:59Z")
What are the items Pappa’s gonna buy, and what is the order? I’ll start… Mockingbird, Diamond ring Looking glass… something horse and cart Dog named Rover …you’ll still be the sweetest little baby in town PLease help! - Jinx 😃 ---
**Author:** ![peri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/67e7ee/32.png) [@peri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peri)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mockingbird-hush-little-baby/150752/2 "2003-01-25T00:15:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jinx \* > **Looking glass…** Billy goat ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mockingbird-hush-little-baby/150752/3 "2003-01-25T00:18:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by peri \* > \*\*Billy goat \*\* Oh, yes…and what is it the Billy Goat won’t do, so I’ll buy a horse and cart? “If that Billy Goat should part? fart? get a wart?..” Can’t recall… - Jinx ---
**Author:** ![Mamapotomus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/94ad74/32.png) [@Mamapotomus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mamapotomus)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mockingbird-hush-little-baby/150752/4 "2003-01-25T00:42:23Z")
I’ve been making up the words to this as I go along for years. My little baby’s had apple pies, baseball bats, shoes, you name it… I’ve rhymed it. I can’t wait to see the real words. [hijack] What happens to Little Bunny Foo-Foo at the end of the story? I grew up thinking he turned into a Goon but a friend swears he’s turned into a Troll. One person I’ve asked says he goes to Heaven- :dubious: [/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![penny\_dreadful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/71c47a/32.png) [@penny\_dreadful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penny_dreadful)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mockingbird-hush-little-baby/150752/5 "2003-01-25T02:05:46Z")
When I was little, my grandmother always sang, “If that billy goat gets tony, Granny’s gonna buy you a saddle ‘n’ pony”. And I never got a dog named Rover. She ended it: “If that saddle ‘n’ pony runs away Granny’s gonna love you anyway.” (AFAIK, Little Bunny Foo-Foo was turned into a goon, not a troll. But I remember one version where he got turned into a bug, and a field mouse ended up bopping _him_ on the head. :)) ---
**Author:** ![Batsinma\_Belfry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Batsinma\_Belfry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batsinma_Belfry)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mockingbird-hush-little-baby/150752/6 "2003-01-25T02:22:15Z")
“If that billy goat won’t pull, mama/papa/granny’s gonna buy you a cart and bull”. _apparently around here bulls pull carts instead of ponys. And I’m not sure what the goat"won’t pull"._ ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mockingbird-hush-little-baby/150752/7 "2003-01-25T02:29:35Z")
If that cart and bull turn over PGBY a dog named Rover If that dog named Rover won’t bark, PGBY a horse and cart. If that horse and cart fall down, You’ll still be the sweetest little baby in town. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mockingbird-hush-little-baby/150752/8 "2003-01-25T02:33:22Z")
I was going to find the words on Google, but instead after searching on “momma’s gonna buy you a” I was flooded with responses to some sort of “newage” “Pagan” version (their descriptions, not mine) involving crystall balls and magic wands. Strange. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mockingbird-hush-little-baby/150752/9 "2003-01-25T02:39:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mamapotomus \* > \*\*[hijack] > What happens to Little Bunny Foo-Foo at the end of the story? I grew up thinking he turned into a Goon but a friend swears he’s turned into a Troll. One person I’ve asked says he goes to Heaven- :dubious: > [/hijack] \*\* Of **course** little bunny Foo-Foo turns into a Goon at the end. Because the moral of the story is, “Hare today, Goon tomorrow.” ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mockingbird-hush-little-baby/150752/10 "2003-01-25T02:49:42Z")
> [@](#): > > But I remember one version where he got turned into a bug, and a field mouse ended up bopping him on the head. My little sister used to have a recorded version of the song which ended: \*Then little goonie Foo-Foo went running through the forrest being laughed at by the field mice who bopped him on the head \* ---
**Author:** ![Omorka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/50afbb/32.png) [@Omorka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omorka)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mockingbird-hush-little-baby/150752/11 "2003-01-25T03:22:56Z")
Mockingbird, diamond ring, looking glass, billy goat, cart and bull, dog named Rover, horse and cart - is the version in the book that I had as a wee bitty thing. And the good fairy turned Little Bunny Foo-Foo into a _goose_, not a _goon_, where I was from. We often segued into “Go Tell Aunt Rhodie” at that point . . . ---
**Author:** ![raygirvan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ac91a4/32.png) [@raygirvan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raygirvan)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mockingbird-hush-little-baby/150752/12 "2003-01-25T04:08:15Z")
_Mamapotomus I’ve been making up the words to this as I go along for years_ That’s immensely reassuring! This song for me always turns into a bizarre and endless free-association. Example: don’t you cry … apple pie tastes foul … giant owl ain’t wise … plague of flies don’t sting … the Emperor Ming won’t rule … some rocket fuel explodes … bag of toads won’t croak … line of coke … and so on. ---
**Author:** ![Mamapotomus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/94ad74/32.png) [@Mamapotomus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mamapotomus)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mockingbird-hush-little-baby/150752/13 "2003-01-25T05:51:30Z")
Exactly **raygirvan**! I’ve never managed to get to any kind of ending, I just get bored or my critter falls asleep. I’m officially adopting the ending where L.B.F.F gets turned into a bug and bopped. 'cause that’s justice- and what the heck’s a goon, anyway? ---
**Author:** ![snac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90db22/32.png) [@snac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snac)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2003, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mockingbird-hush-little-baby/150752/14 "2003-01-25T15:53:16Z")
Did y’all happen to read the comic strip Baby Blues for January 25, by any chance? If not…check it out. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mockingbird-hush-little-baby/150752/15 "2003-01-26T01:12:55Z")
"Hush little baby, don’t say a word, Mama’s gonna buy you a mocking bird. If that mocking bird won’t sing, Mama’s gonna buy you a diamond ring. If that diamond ring don’t shine, Tough shit, kid, do you have any fucking idea how much a diamond ring costs?!" ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mockingbird-hush-little-baby/150752/16 "2003-01-26T02:45:42Z")
Where is **Mockingbird** … ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mockingbird-hush-little-baby/150752/17 "2003-01-26T03:40:46Z")
This is the version my mother used to sing: > [@](#): > > Hush, little baby, don’t say a word > Mama’s gonna buy you a mockingbird > > If that mockingbird won’t sing > Mama’s gonna buy you a diamond ring > > If that diamond ring don’t shine > Mama’s gonna buy you a bottle of wine > > If that bottle of wine gets broke > Mama’s gonna buy you a billy goat > > If that billy goat runs away > Mama’s gonna buy you a Chevrolet > > If that Chevrolet won’t run > Mama’s gonna buy you a b-b gun > > If that b-b gun won’t shoot > Mama’s gonna buy you a baseball suit > > If that baseball suit don’t fit > Mama’s gonna say, “Aw, shoot, I quit!” ---
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2003, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mockingbird-hush-little-baby/150752/18 "2003-01-26T05:07:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mamapotomus \* > \*\*I’ve been making up the words to this as I go along for years. My little baby’s had apple pies, baseball bats, shoes, you name it… I’ve rhymed it. I can’t wait to see the real words. > > [hijack] > What happens to Little Bunny Foo-Foo at the end of the story? I grew up thinking he turned into a Goon but a friend swears he’s turned into a Troll. One person I’ve asked says he goes to Heaven- :dubious: > [/hijack] \*\* [sub hijack]Turned into a goon…the moral of the story Hare today Goon tomorrow:D ---
**Author:** ![parsnip](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parsnip/32/4564_2.png) [@parsnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/parsnip)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2003, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mockingbird-hush-little-baby/150752/19 "2003-01-27T03:17:07Z")
My 4 yo son has heard the Daniel Kirk version so many times, that he was shocked to hear someone singing “mockingbird”. > **[Hush, Little Alien: Kirk, Daniel, Kirk, Daniel: 9780786807598: Amazon.com: Books](https://www.amazon.com/Hush-Little-Alien-Daniel-Kirk/dp/0786807598)** > > Hush, Little Alien \[Kirk, Daniel, Kirk, Daniel\] on Amazon.com. \*FREE\* shipping on qualifying offers. Hush, Little Alien