Some years ago while performing some Civil War era songs on my gut strung parlor guitar sitting on a barrel at one of our 3rd Maine Volunteers reenactments, a group of spectators approached and listened for a while.

In the center of the flock was the obvious Matriarch, who I'd guess to be in her 90s at least, hobbling along with a walker, surrounded by at least 3 generations of her family.

When I'd finished the tune, the elderly lady asked:

"Sonny; do you know 'Rock Me to Sleep, Mother'?"

Somewhat embarrassed by my ignorance, apologetically confessed that I had never so much as heard of it!

"That's a pity" she said; "My Mother used to sing me to sleep with that song back when I was but a child.".

   Obviously, that was a loooong time ago!

   It just so happened that the lady reenactor sitting nearby in her hoop skirt and bonnet was in her 20th century persona the Curator for the 5th Maine Regimental Hall and Museum on Peak's Island off of Portland, Maine.

   Overhearing our interchange, she remarked that she had just been going through a dusty cardboard box of old papers in the attic of the hall and came across some sheet music with that very title!

A week or so later, in response to my fervent request she sent me a Xerox copy of it.

I don't read music worth a hoot, but the lyrics about broke my heart. Eventually I picked and poked through the score to get the jist of the melody, and found that it was no less than beautiful.

A check of the Smithsonian and LOC Archives turned up no reference to "Rock Me to Sleep Mother" or any recording of it ever having been made. Apparently although it was written in 1860 and had been fairly popular at the time of the Civil War, it had slipped into the oblivion of obscurity before recording technology was invented.
The Levy collection has a couple of versions of the poem set to other scores, none nearly as pretty as the one I have though.

It seems that Elizabeth Akers Allan was a woman ahead of her time - an Artist, Journalist, Civil War Correspondant, Sculptress and Poetess. After she wrote the poem of "Mother" a male Composer set it to music and made a lot of money off of it, as it was a big hit. Of course Elisabeth got no credit or royalty for her work.
She sued the guy, but back then women did NOT sue men, and she only got a token settlement. After a couple of failed marriages and numerous exploitations, she died a pauper and is buried in Portland.

Back about 5 years ago I guess we happened to have the TV on to the Morning Show (which we hardly ever do) on Mother's Day, and I heard a lovely female voice singing a pretty song - and something about the lyrics sounded familiar. Stepping into the room where the TV was, I heard some of the lyrics and realized that although the melody was different, she was singing "Rock Me to Sleep"!

Turns out it was Robin Spielberg singing the old song, the first time I'd ever heard anyone other than myself sing it (and she does a much better job of it, by the way.). Looked her up on line and sent her an E-mail, to which she graciously and surprisingly replied.

It seems that she was perusing an old book of poetry about Mothers in a New York City Library and came across one that really got to her. It was Allen's poem. She searched high and low for a score to it but since she never could find it, she composed her own.
Actually, it isn't all that far off from the original.
At her concerts, she would ask the audience if anyone had ever heard of this song in it's original score. Up to that point, none had.

So I emailed back;

"How would you like the other four verses (It has 6; she only had 2) and the original score as published in 1860?"
She seemed delighted, as I was to provide the missing material to her.
I don't know if she ever performed or recorded it in it's original form or not - I'd love to hear her do it though! This song was written for a voice like hers.

It took me a while to figure out the chords to play it by, but I finally figured out that by capoing up to the third fret I could play it in "G" and have my vocal range about cover it. This is one of those old tunes that uses up a lot of range! I'd really like to hear someone who knows what they're doing and has the range for it perform it. I'd like to hear it done by a solo female, backed up with a harpsichord, hammer dulcimer, perhaps a violin - but definitely a bass viol.   A bass viola teamed up with those lyrics will tear your heart out on a foggy night, i'll betcha.

I'd post the scanning of my score... if MC would let me.

But FWIW the lyrics:

********************************

ROCK ME TO SLEEP, MOTHER

Elizabeth Akers Allan
Portland, Maine

Civil war Journalist \ War correspondent
c. 1860


Backward, turn backward, O time in your flight,
Make me a child again just for to-night!
Mother, come back from the echoless shore,
Take me again to your heart as of yore;

Kiss from my forehead the furrows of care,
Smooth the few silver threads out of my hair;
Over my slumbers your loving watch keep; -
Rock me to sleep, Mother; - rock me to sleep!

Backward, flow backward, O tide of the years!
I am so weary of toil and of tears, -
Toil without recompense, tears all in vain, -
Take them, and give me my childhood again!
I have grown weary of dust and decay, -
Weary of flinging my soul-wealth* away;
Weary of sowing for others to reap;-
Rock me to sleep, mother; rock me to sleep!

Tired of the hollow, the base, the untrue,
Mother, O mother, my heart calls for you!
Many a summer the grass has grown green,
Blossomed and faded, our faces between:
Yet, with strong yearning and passionate pain,
Long I to-night for your presence again.
Come from the silence so long and so deep;
Rock me to sleep, mother, - rock me to sleep!

Mother, dear mother, the years have been long
since I last listened your lullaby song:
Sing, then, and unto my soul it shall seem
Womanhood's years have been only a dream.
Clasped to your heart in a loving embrace,
With your light lashes just brushing my face,
Never hereafter to wake or to weep; -
Rock me to sleep, mother, - rock me to sleep!

Over my heart, in the days that have flown,
No love like mother-love ever has shone;
No other worship abides and endures,
Faithful, unselfish, and patient like yours:
None like a mother can charm away pain
From the sick soul and the world-weary brain.
Slumber's soft calms o'er my heavy lids creep;
Rock me to sleep, mother,- rock me to sleep!

Come, let your brown hair, just lighted with gold,
Fall on your shoulders again as of old;
Let it drop over my forehead to-night,
Shading my faint eyes away from the light;
For with it's sunny-edged shadows once more
Haply will throng the sweet visions of yore;
Lovingly, softly, its bright billows sweep; -
Rock me to sleep. mother. - rock me to sleep!



* One version prints as "Soul-Wreath"