Composer

:

Anonymous

Genre

:

Miscellaneous

Style

:

Miscellaneous

Average_duration

:

3:48

'O Deathe, Rock Me A-Sleepe' is a hauntingly beautiful song that was composed anonymously in the 16th century. The exact date of its composition is unknown, but it is believed to have been written during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. The song is a lament about death and the desire for eternal rest. The song has a simple structure, consisting of three verses and a refrain. The melody is slow and mournful, with a repetitive rhythm that creates a sense of inevitability. The lyrics are written in Middle English, which adds to the song's archaic and melancholic feel. The first verse of the song sets the tone for the rest of the piece. The speaker addresses death directly, asking it to "rock me a-sleepe" and bring an end to their suffering. The second verse describes the speaker's longing for eternal rest, and the third verse speaks of the speaker's acceptance of death as a natural part of life. The refrain of the song is a repetition of the first line of the first verse: "O deathe, rock me a-sleepe." This repetition creates a sense of circularity, as if the speaker is caught in an endless cycle of suffering and longing for release. Despite its simplicity, 'O Deathe, Rock Me A-Sleepe' is a powerful and evocative piece of music. Its mournful melody and haunting lyrics speak to the universal human experience of mortality and the desire for peace in death.

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