Lullaby Land (songs posted here)

Subject: Lyr Add: THE GARTAN MOTHER'S LULLABY
From: Alice
Date: 04 Oct 97 - 06:25 PM

My favorite is "The Gartan Mother's Lullaby". Dick, I checked this in the DT and have some corrections for you. First, it is Gartan, not Garton. My sources are Irish Country Songs, collected and arranged by Herbert Hughes, vol.one, 1909, and the album notes from Songs of Ireland by Mary O'Hara, written by Liam Clancy, 1958. Also, Lullaby doesn't have the "e" on the end in this case. In the second line, it sounds like Eeval, but it refers to "Aoibheal", who guards the Grey Rock. I have another source, True Irish Ghost Stories, which refers to her as a banshee rather than just a fairy woman, as Liam Clancy calls her. In the ghost story book, it reads, "The most famous Banshee of ancient times was that attached to the kingly house of O'Brien, Aibhill, who haunted the rock of Graglea above Killaloe, near the old palace of Kincora. In A.D. 1014 was fought the battle of Clontarf, from which the aged king, Brian Boru, knew that he would never come away alive, for the previous night Aibhill had appeared to him to tell him of his impending fate."

THE GARTAN MOTHER'S LULLABY

Sleep, O babe, for the red bee hums
The silent twilight's fall.
Eeval (Aoibheal) from the Grey Rock comes
To wrap the earth in thrall.
A lyan* van o, my child, my joy,
My love and heart's desire,
The crickets sing you lullaby
Beside the dying fire.

Dusk is drawn, and the Green Man's thorn
Is wreathed in rings of fog.
Sheevra sail's his boat til morn,
Upon the starry bog.
A lyan van o, the paly moon
Hath brimmed her cusp in dew,
And weeps to hear the sad sleep-tune
I sing, O love, to you.

repeat first verse.

This is one of the first songs I sang at the Irish session that I attend. It has a very sweet melody, and is a crowd pleaser.

*lyan is pronounced like "linn" Alice in Montana

Subject: RE: Lullabye Land
From: Jon W.
Date: 02 Oct 97 - 10:50 AM

Shula, thanks for your comments about Peedie Laddie. Actually the song could be sung by a mom or a dad, but the version I have is sung by two women in harmony - just beautiful. I guess I'll have to MIDI-fy it and send it to Dick. (Sighs as he adds another task to his long list)

Subject: RE: Lullabye Land
From: Susan of DT
Date: 01 Oct 97 - 08:30 PM

Don't count on the keywords "@" being inclusive. We started keywording late in the process, don't remember all of them at any given time. When other people contribute songs, they do not usually use the keywords and if we are not familiar with a song, we may miss some.

By all means, use the keywords to find songs, but do not assume you have found them all that way. If you like, you can tell us that we are missing certain keywords from certain songs.

Subject: RE: Lullabye Land
From: Wkailey
Date: 01 Oct 97 - 02:56 PM

I think Barges would qualify as a lullabye. It has a beautiful, gently rolling melody, like the Mississippi. It's in the DT. I first encountered this song when my sisters learned it at Campfire Girl camp in Minnesota. They, however, only learned the first two verses. This shortcoming was compensated by the fact that they learned to sing it in two part harmony and in rondo--exceedingly pretty when done this way.

Subject: Lyr Add: BIDH CLANN ULAIDH / THE ULSTER MEN
From: Susan-Marie
Date: 01 Oct 97 - 12:45 PM

Shula, thanks for starting this! I love your version of ATTN.

Here's my favorite lullaby, from a Catherine-Ann McPhee CD. The liner notes say it has versions in Skye and Lewis. It tells the sleeping baby that pipes will be played and wine will be drunk and children of the king will be present at his/her wedding. I like to sing the chorus in the original Gaelic, but sing the verses in English. Each verse is about a particular family, so you can add your own - I sing a verse about my mother's family, the Keenans. What makes it a great lullaby is the repetitive rhythm and words (which also make the Gaelic easy to learn).

BIDH CLANN ULAIDH (THE ULSTER MEN) - traditional

Bidh Clann Ulaid, laoigh 's a lurain
Bidh Clann Ulaid, air do bhannis
Bidh Clann Ulaid, laoigh 's a lurain
Deanamh an danns' air do bhanais

CHORUS: Bidh Clann a' Righ, bidh Clann a' Righ
Bidh Clann a' Righ, air do bhanais
Bidh Clann a' Righ, seinnear a' phiob
Olar a' fion air do bhanais

Bidh Clann Amhlaid nar fir ghreanmhor
Bidh Clann Amhlaid, air do bhannis
Bidh Clann Amhlaid nar fir ghreanmhor
Deanamh an danns' air do bhanais. CHORUS

Bidh Clann Choinnich nam feachd soilleir
Bidh Clann Choinnich, air do bhannis
Bidh Clann Choinnich nam feachd soilleir
Deanamh an danns' air do bhanais. CHORUS

Bidh Clann Dhomhail, ta chaneonach
Bidh Clann Dhmohail, air do bhannis
Bidh Clann Dhomhail, ta chaneonach
Deanamh an danns' air do bhanais. CHORUS

Translation:

Verses:

The Ulster men, dearest one my love
The Ulster men will be at your wedding
The Ulster men, dearest one my love
Will dance at your wedding

The MacAulays will be there, the handsome men
etc.

The MacKenzies will be there, the bright host
etc.

The MacDonalds will be there, 'tis no surprise
etc.

Chorus:

The king's children will be there, the king's children will be there
The king's children will be there at your wedding
The king's children will be there, pipes will be played
Wine will be drunk at your wedding

Apologies for any mis-transcriptions of the Gaelic.

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 23-Nov-02.

Subject: RE: Lullabye Land
From:
Date: 30 Sep 97 - 08:14 PM

It's not a folk song, but I always thought that the lullaby that ends the Beatles' " White Album" was a nice song, if a little too overproduced in their version. ("Now it's time to say good night . . .")

Subject: RE: Lullabye Land
From: Shula
Date: 30 Sep 97 - 08:04 PM

Dear Bert,

Thanks for your charming "Bathing Angel." Neat! Have a "Bathtub Shanty" my kids love. Thanks for the reminder.

Dear JonW,

Lost track of this thread for awhile, but had to find it to tell you that "Sleepy Peedie Laddie" is the most touching father-to-son lullabye I have ever heard. It certainly gives the lie to the idea that back in the days when "men were men" manliness required the suppression of deep feeling. But then I was reared on a steady diet o' Bobby Burns, so knew better, m'sel.' In fact, I believe I have heard a variant of this song when little; -- what I wouldn't give to know for sure!

Dear All,

Having rescued this thread from near oblivion, I pray ye keep on't! The world needs more peaceful young'uns! Was going to post a classic Yiddish lullabye in the H/Y/L thread, but think it'll fit here. Back later with lyrics.

"Flights of angels..."

Shula

Subject: RE: Lullabye Land
From: Jerry Friedman
Date: 24 Sep 97 - 12:21 PM

The most effective sleep-inducer I know is "On Top of Old Smoky". (Though some might think the lyrics unsuitable for children.) This is not a comparison, by the way--I don't know any of the other songs people have mentioned except for the beautiful "All Through the Night".

Those lyrics are brilliant, Bert!

Subject: RE: Lullabye Land
From: Bert
Date: 24 Sep 97 - 09:23 AM

Well that pre formatting didn't work did it. I'll email it to you.

Subject: Lyr Add: BATHING ANGEL (Bert Hansell)
From: Bert
Date: 24 Sep 97 - 09:21 AM

Jon,

Here is the tune. It's in 3/4 time.
I'm glad you like it.

Bert.

 -----------------f-------------------
                  e
  ---------------d---------------------
                c	
  -------------B-----------------------
              A
  -----------G-------------------------
            F	
  ---------E---------------------------
          D
  
  
  
   Bathing angel
  
  |    F#   A    A   |	 E  F#    G   |	   F#   D    - |
  |(A)Someone's been |(E7)cutting their |(A)toenails     |
  
  -  -  D|     2d  d | 2c#    B  |    2A   -|
        I| (D)really |don't know |(A)who    |
  
  -  -  A	|    2d   d  |  2d    d  |    A  B  A  | D
  they've |(D)left one |there, way |(A)up in the |air
  						
  - F# F# |     F# F# F# | 2F# F#  | 2E
    on a  |(E7)carpet of |midnight |blue.
  
  and the last line goes...
  | 2F# A   | 2F# E |   3D
  |watching | over  |(A)you.

They must have been taking a shower
And it didn't all go down the drain
As I look in the sky, I feel in my eye
A few soft drops of rain.

They've used too much talcum powder
And shaken it all around
Those sprinkles of white all over the night
Are making the stars shine down.

It must be a pretty young angel
Taking a tub up there
Now the day is done, in the setting sun
I see a few strands of her hair.

So go to sleep my darling
Now that the day is through
There’s a freshly scrubbed young angel
Watching over (A)you.

Copyright Bert Hansell, 1996

Subject: Lyr Add: SLEEPY PEEDIE LADDIE
From: Jon W.
Date: 23 Sep 97 - 01:06 PM

Beautiful, Bert, I hope you can post the tune somehow.

Here's one of my favorites, from an old '60s folk collection record I check out from a library some years ago and already submitted to DT:

SLEEPY PEEDIE LADDIE

Lies low the sun and shadows tall
across the fields are creepin'
And soon the big round yellow moon
will o'er the brae come deepin'
Haste ye noo, lay by your barrow,
Daddy'l mend the broken wheel tomorrow
Come ye in and get ye bedded doon,
It's time my lad was sleepin'.

Come put ye on your wee white goon (gown)
afore the peat fire cheery,
I'll gang the mornin' tae the toon (town)
for sweeties for my dearie
Hush ye noo and stop your sighin'
Or Wee Willie Winkie'll come a-pryin'
Snug ye doon, my lad, and sleep ye soond (sound)
For mommie's sittin' near ye.

He's played all day wi' golden sun,
and weary is my laddie
His curly head is noddin',
and he's greetin' for his daddy.
Wist ye noo, my brave wee fellow,
tears'll wet your cozy cozy pillow
Close your eyes while Mother sings to you,
My sleepy peedie laddie.

Go softly, softly, ane and all,
and gentle wi' your speakin'
He's turned his wee face to the wall
And ceased his plaintive weepin'
Dream ye sweet, my bonny fellow,
Eyes so blue and hair so yellow yellow
Hush now, lightly let your footsteps fall,
for my wee laddie's sleepin'.

From an album of folk songs from the Orkney Isles.
"Peedie" is the Orkney equivalent of "wee", apparently.

Subject: Lyr Add: BATHING ANGEL
From: Bert
Date: 23 Sep 97 - 11:06 AM

A sadly neglected group of songs. I guess we get too old for them. Here's one of mine.

BATHING ANGEL

(A)Someone's been (E7)cutting their (A)toenails
I (D)really don't know (A)who
they've (D)left one there, way (A)up in the air
on a (E7)carpet of midnight blue.

They must have been taking a shower
and it didn't all go down the drain
As I look in the sky, I feel in my eye
a few soft drops of rain.

They've used too much talcum powder
and shaken it all around
those sprinkes of white all over the night
are making the stars shine down.

It must be a pretty young angel
taking a tub up there
now the day is done, in the setting sun
I see a few strands of her hair.

So go to sleep my darling
now that the day is through
there's a freshly scrubbed young angel
watching over (A)you.

Copyright Bert Hansell, 1996

Subject: RE: Lullabye Land
From: Joe Offer
Date: 23 Sep 97 - 03:53 AM

Well, Shula, as soon as you posted your message, I went searching the database for my two favorite Bok-Muir-Trickett lullabies, "YEA HO, LITTLE FISH" and "John of Dreams." They're both beautiful, and they're both in the database - but not categorized as lullabies. I'll have to put my thinking cap on and come up with another.

But in the meantime, I want to voice a complaint about "All Through the Night." I love the version you posted, Shula. Our choir director makes us sing a different version at Christmas, though, and I gag every time we get to the line that goes, "Christmas time is so appealing, All through the night." I'd quote the whole awful thing, but maybe it's lucky for you that I can't find it just now. It's truly tacky.
-Joe Offer, who always has exquisite taste-

Subject: RE: Lullabye Land
From: alison
Date: 23 Sep 97 - 02:09 AM

hi

It's not a lullaby, but "The diamantina drover" always put my two little ones to sleep.

Slainte

alison

Subject: Lyr Add: ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT
From:
Date: 23 Sep 97 - 12:54 AM

While searching the DT and the forum to try to find the source of the variant, supposedly Anglo-Welsh, lyrics that I have for ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT, I made an interesting discovery: although lullabies constitute a healthy fraction of the world's folk songs, there are only 35 listings in the DT under @lullaby and no threads I could find devoted to collecting them. There are a goodly number referred to individually here and there, but no compilation. So I propose to post the lyrics to this version of A.T.T.N. (which is not in the DT), both in the hope that someone knows the source, and to stimulate a round of baby-soothing additions to the database. Here goes:


ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT

(Anglo-Welsh Lyrics -- whatever that means)

Sleep, my babe, no ill betide thee,
All through the night.
Guardian angels watch beside thee
All through the night.

O’er thy cradle stars are beaming,
Silver bright the moon is gleaming;
Thou shalt tread the land of dreaming.
All through the night.

While the earth in calm reposes,
All through the night.
Thou shalt sleep as sleep the roses,
All through the night.

Hushed from sorrow and repining,
Rest until the sun is shining,
In my loving arms reclining,
All through the night.


Looking forward to the fishies we'll catch wi' this net!


Sweet dreams,


Shula