BJ Thomas - Rock And Roll Lullaby

Rock and Roll Lullaby is a 1972 hit single performed by B. J. Thomas. It was written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil and appeared on his album Billy Joe Thomas.
The song is sung in a first-person narrative of an adolescent or adult raised by a single teenage mother during the early years of rock-and-roll. Despite the bleakness of their situation, whenever the child cries, the mother sings him to sleep with a 'sha-na-na-na-na-na-na, it'll be all right...sha-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na, just hold on tight'. In the second verse, the narrator notes that despite hardships, they'd 'dream of better mornings when Mama sang her song', and that while it didn't make sense to try to recall the words, the loving meaning beneath them was all that mattered.

Lyrics:

She was just sixteen and all alone
When I came to be
So we grew up together
My mama child and me
Now things were bad and she was scared
But whenever I would cry
She'd calm my fears and dry my tears
With a rock and roll lullaby

And she'd sing sha na na na na na na na na
It'll be all right
Sha na na na na na na na na na
Just hold on tight
Sing it to me mama, mama mama mama
Sing it sweet and clear
Oh, mama let me hear that old rock and roll lullaby

Now, we made it through the lonely days
But Lord the nights were long
And we'd dream of better moments
When mama sang her song
Now I can't recall the words at all
It don't make sense to try
'Cause I just knew lots of love came through
In that rock and roll lullaby

And she'd sing sha na na na na na na na na
It'll be all right
Sha na na na na na na na na na
Just hold on tight
I can hear you mama, mama mama mama
Nothing moves my soul
Like the sound of a good old rock and roll lullaby

It'll be alright
Just hold on tight
Mama, mama, mama
Nothing moves my soul
Like the sound of a good old rock and roll lullaby
It'll be alright
Just hold on tight
Sing it sweet and clear