Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody

"Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody" is a popular song written by Jean Schwartz, with lyrics by Sam M. Lewis and Joe Young. The song was introduced by Al Jolson in the Broadway musical Sinbad and published in 1918.

"Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody"
78rpm record label
Single by Al Jolson
B-side	"Alice, I'm in Wonderland (Since the Day That I First Met You)" (Sterling Trio)
Released	August 1918
Genre	Popular
Length	2:51
Label	Columbia 2560
Songwriter(s)	Jean Schwartz, Sam M. Lewis, Joe Young
Al Jolson singles chronology
"Hello Central, Give Me No Man's Land" (1918) "Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody" (1918) "Tell That to the Marines" (1919)

Sheet music cover, 1918

Probably the best-known version of the song was by Al Jolson who recorded it on March 13, 1918^[1] and whose version reached No. 1 the same year.^[2]

Other recordings

• Al Jolson recorded the song on December 20, 1932, with Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians.^[3] Jolson recorded the song again on March 27, 1946, with an orchestra under the direction of Morris Stoloff.^[4]
• Arthur Fields - considered to be a No. 9 hit in 1918.^[5]
• Dean Martin recorded the song on April 28, 1950.^[6]
• Judy Garland included the song in her album Miss Show Business (1955) and her 1960 recording appeared in the compilation album The London Sessions.^[7] The song was also included in her live album Judy at Carnegie Hall (1961).
• Jerry Lewis - his version was a Top 10 hit in 1956^[8] and became a gold record
• Aretha Franklin also recorded a version of this song^[9] for her album The Electrifying Aretha Franklin, which reached No. 24 in Cash Box and #37 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1961.^[10]

Film appearances

• A Plantation Act (1926) - sung by Al Jolson^[11]
• The Show of Shows (1929) - sung by Sid Silvers^[12]
• The Singing Kid (1936) - sung by Al Jolson in the opening medley^[13]
• Rose of Washington Square (1939) - performed by Al Jolson^[14][15]
• The Merry Monahans (1944) - sung by Donald O'Connor^[16]
• Terms of Endearment (1983) - Judy Garland version heard^[17]

References

1. Goldman, Herbert G. (1988). Jolson: The Legend Comes to Life. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 379. ISBN 0-19-506329-5.
2. Al Jolson, "Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody" Chart Position Retrieved September 14, 2013
3. Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Wisconsin, USA: Record Research Inc. p. 388. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
4. Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Wisconsin, USA: Record Research Inc. p. 389. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
5. Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890-1954. Wisconsin, USA: Record Research Inc. p. 155. ISBN 0-89820-083-0.
6. Tosches, Nick (1992). Dino: Living High in the Dirty Business of Dreams. New York: Dell Publishing. p. 581. ISBN 0-440-21412-2.
7. "allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved May 20, 2017.
8. Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits (8th ed.). New York: Billboard Books. p. 367. ISBN 0-8230-7499-4.
9. Gilliland, John (1969). "Show 52 – The Soul Reformation: Phase three, soul music at the summit. [Part 8] : UNT Digital Library" (audio). Pop Chronicles. University of North Texas Libraries. Track 2.
10. Aretha Franklin, "Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody" Chart Position Retrieved September 14, 2013
11. Copies on Wikimedia
12. "Internet Movie Database". imdb.com. Retrieved May 20, 2017.
13. "Internet Movie Database". imdb.com. Retrieved May 20, 2017.
14. "Internet Movie Database". imdb.com. Retrieved May 20, 2017.
15. Al Jolson singing "Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody" in Rose of Washington Square (1939) on YouTube (audio only)
16. "Internet Movie Database". imdb.com. Retrieved May 20, 2017.
17. "Internet Movie Database". imdb.com. Retrieved May 20, 2017.