古人把《子夜警歌》稱為《六變》之首，謂之“變頭”?！?a href="/hycd/y/y365139.htm" target="_blank">樂府詩集·清商曲辭二·子夜變歌三首序》：“《宋書·樂志》曰：‘六變諸曲，皆因事制歌?！?a href="/hycd/g/g215212.htm" target="_blank">古今樂録》曰‘《子夜變歌》前作持子送，后作歡娛我送?！蹲?a href="/hycd/y/y324053.htm" target="_blank">夜警歌》無送聲，仍作變，故呼為變頭，謂六變之首也?！?/p>