"All the Pretty Little Horses" is a traditional lullaby from the United States. It has inspired dozens of recordings and adaptations, as well as the title of Cormac McCarthy's 1992 novel All the Pretty Horses.
Origin
The origin of this song is not fully known. The song is commonly thought to be of African-American origin. The author Lyn Ellen Lacy is often quoted as the primary source for the theory that suggests the song was "originally sung by an African American slave who could not take care of her baby because she was too busy taking care of her master's child. She would sing this song to her master's child". However, Lyn's book Art and Design in Children's Books is not an authority on the heritage of traditional American folk songs, but rather a commentary on the art and design in children's literature. Still, some versions of "All the Pretty Little Horses" contain added lyrics that make this theory a possibility. One such version of "All the Pretty Little Horses" is provided in Alan Lomax's book American Ballads and Folksongs, though he makes no claim of the song's African-American origins. "Way down yonder, In de medder, There's a po' lil lambie, De bees an' de butterflies, Peckin' out its eyes, De po' lil lambie cried, "Mammy!"" Another version contains the lyrics "Buzzards and flies, Picking out its eyes, Pore little baby crying". The theory would suggest that the lyrics "po' lil lambie cried, "Mammy"" is in reference to the slaves who were often separated from their own families in order to serve their owners. However, this verse is very different from the rest of the lullaby, suggesting that the verse may have been added later or has a different origin than the rest of the song. The verse also appears in the song "Ole Cow" and older versions of the song "Black Sheep, Black Sheep".
Meaning
The best-known versions of the song are written from the perspective of the mother or caretaker singing a baby to sleep. The singer is promising the child that when he or she awakes the child "shall have all the pretty little horses." There is an extra verse that appears in some versions of the song. The added lyrics appear to be from the perspective of an African-American caretaker who is singing about how her own baby, her "lambie", is not being cared for due to her care of her charge. The origin of this verse cannot be known since the refrain also appears in the folksongs "Ole Cow" and "Black Sheep, Black Sheep".
"All the Pretty Little Horses" has inspired a variety of recordings. Some of the singers who have recorded adaptations of "All the Pretty Little Horses" include :
Coil, as "All the Pretty Little Horses", for their album Black Antlers, 2004
Current 93, two versions as "All the Pretty Little Horses", for their 1996 album of the same name, one sung by Nick Cave. There's a third version, sung by Shirley Collins, on the compilation Calling for Vanished Faces
Kidsongs, on Good Night, Sleep Tight 1986 video and album
Kristin Hersh, as "Whole Heap of Little Horses", for her 1998 album Murder, Misery and Then Goodnight
Laura Gibson, as "All the Pretty Horses", for her 2008 EP Six White Horses
Laura Veirs, on her 2011 album Tumble Bee
Laurie Berkner
Sam Cahoon as "All the Pretty Little Horses", on his 2008 album The Dismal Stars and the Clouds Afar
Stephanie Betjemann, as "Բոլոր Գեղեցիկ Ձիերը", arranged by Karenn Presti, on the 2017 album My First Armenian Songbook, in Western Armenian translation
Olivia Newton-John
Peter, Paul and Mary, as "Hush-A-Bye", for their 1963 album In the Wind
Charlotte Church, "The Little Horses" on her album Enchantment released October 9, 2001.
The New Christy Minstrels, on their album Live From Ledbetters, recorded live on April 10, 11 & 12, 1964, released in 1999.
Hayley Westenra, on her album, Hushabye, which is dedicated to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's baby.
Odetta, on her album At the Gate of Horn, released in 1957.
Aaron Copland composed an arrangement of "The Little Horses" for voice and piano as the second set of Old American Songs
Shawn Colvin
It has also inspired several pieces of literature, including Cormac McCarthy's award-winning novel in 1992, a young adult short story in the 1998 Here There Be Ghosts collection by Jane Yolen and David Wilgus, as well as Lisa Saport's 1999 children's picture book adaptation. Additionally, it is sung by Viv in Ken Kesey's novel Sometimes a Great Notion.
