Lyrics Versions: Brahms' Lullaby

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Brahms' Lullaby
From: Wolfgang
Date: 15 Dec 04 - 05:52 AM

"Bedacht" is the past participle of the irregular verb "bedenken" (K. O'Brien)

Yes, but it is also the past participle of the regular verb 'bedachen' (to cover with a roof) and an adjective ('circumspect'), so there is a lot room for further interpretations.

However, I agree that it is here probably the past participle of 'bedenken', but not with the in dictionaries first listed meaning of "think of" or "take into consideration" but in an old obsolete meaning which is translated in my dictionary as "shower somebody with gifts" or "give something to somebody".

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Brahms' Lullaby
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 16 Dec 04 - 05:20 AM

Bedacht - Wolfgang's covered with a roof is a fine solution. One would expect bedeckt (covered), but it must rhyme to Nacht
Since bedacht is also part. perf. pass. of bedenken, the better posibility is: bedenken mit = to give someone something, as Wolfgang puts it. I don't think it is obsolete; one may hear it seldom, but it still in use.

Nägelein, Braunnägelein = Nelke (carnation). Nägelein = dim. of Nagel (nail) because of the form of the clove (fruit of the carnation), with inversion of the liquid and the guttural. Braun = brown.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Brahms' Lullaby
From: GUEST,Lucy aka The Food Lady
Date: 11 Jul 05 - 02:43 PM

Okay, so I've jumped into this discussion WAY late, but I'm about to be making a tape for some friends to play to our guinea pig, Harry, while we're away on vacation of me singing his favorite lullabyes (to which he always quits whatever he is doing and settles down and YAWNS really big several times!). I sing to Harry just before saying goodnight to our daughter (his cage is in her room); and even when I sang "Lullabye and Goodnight" to our daughter, I never knew all the words and just either hummed the last part or made up something like: I don't know, any more words, so you're stuck, with half a tune. I hope you're asleep, by the time I end, or into nightmare land, my rhymes will send. But Clueless Don's version really is so very close to what I remember from my own childhood. The first half is identical except we always sang "AND start to yawn" and the second half I like so much, I'm going to commit it to memory and begin using it all the time! Thanks!

Lullaby, and good night
go to bed now and sleep tight
close your eyes, and start to yawn
pleasant dreams until the dawn

when the sun lights the sky
you'll awake feeling high
start your day with a smile
life is always worthwhile

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Brahms' Lullaby
From: PoohBear
Date: 11 Jul 05 - 03:38 PM

The only phrase I know is "Lullaby, and good night. Shut your big blood shot eyes. . . " Can't remember which cartoon that it was in, but I have a suspicion it's Bugs Bunny and Co.
PB

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Brahms' Lullaby
From: TheBigPinkLad
Date: 11 Jul 05 - 03:49 PM

Well, me Da used to sing these words when I was a nipper:

Sleep my little one, sleep
Fond virgil I keep.
Lie soft on thy side
And by thee I shall abide.

When the dawn tints the skies
God will bid thee arise
When the dawn tints the skies
God will bid thee arise.

Anyone else know this version?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Brahms' Lullaby
From: GUEST
Date: 17 Oct 07 - 06:54 AM

my grandad used to sing something like this to me when i was small but it also had "when the moon tints the sky, God will bid thee goodnight. I think!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Brahms' Lullaby
From: GUEST,Daughtersong
Date: 27 Mar 08 - 03:39 PM

I sang this to my daughter for years. We have just been discussing it. My version is as follows:

Sleep my little one, sleep
Fond virgil I keep.
Lay warm in thy bed
?? Not sure but probably 'Angels singing round thy head'

When the dawn tints the sky
God will bid thee arise
When the dawn tints the sky
God will bid thee arise.

Holy angels abide
All night by thy side
In dreams they unfold
Heaven's portals of gold

Slumber softly and rest
In thy dreamland so blest
Slumber softly and rest
In thy dreamland so blest

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Brahms' Lullaby
From: GUEST
Date: 07 May 08 - 11:04 AM

I learnt these when i was singing in a choir. This version is:

Slumber softly, my love
Neath the roses above
Carnations will bloom
sweetly watching o'er thy room
when the morning will come
god will wake thee again
when the morning will come
god will wake thee again

Slumber softly, my love
white angels above
shall lead thee to bowers
of heavens greatest flowers
thou shalt stay by the stream
in the garden of dreams
thou shalt stay by the stream
in the garden of dreams

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Brahms' Lullaby
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Jul 08 - 09:54 PM

lullaby and goodnight go to sleep now my darling
there's a sandman dressed in white bringing happy dreams to you.
So close your eyes and go to sleep until the quiet night passes
You are safe in my arms in my arms all night long

Now the moon is riding high
and turns the shadows to silver
don't know this line
whispers softly through the trees
It's a quiet enchanted night where the unicorn dances
don't know the rest

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Brahms' Lullaby
From: GUEST,Me
Date: 08 Jul 09 - 08:12 PM

I sing this to my daughter all the time...that and "go to sleep my baby"!

This version is by John Schaum in his beginners piano books (I think it is the red book!) and I learned it as a child playing piano, as will my oldest daughter as she is learning the Schaum method too.

Lullaby, and goodnight,
Go to bed now and sleep tight,
Close your eyes, start to yawn,
Pleasant dreams until the dawn,
When the sun meets the sky,
You will wake feeling spry,
Greet the day with a smile,
Life is really worthwhile.

Subject: Lyr Add: CRADLE SONG / WIEGENLIED (Johannes Brahms
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 13 Jul 09 - 11:55 AM

From The Assembly Hymn and Song Collection by C. Guy Hoover (Chicago: Published by the author, 1915) – where it is printed with musical notation for 4 voices:

CRADLE SONG. (WIEGENLIED.)
Arr. from Johannes Brahms.

Lullaby and goodnight!
With roses bedight!
With down overspread,
Is baby's wee bed.
Lay thee down now and rest.
May thy slumbers be blest.
Lay thee down now and rest.
May thy slumbers be blest.

Lullaby and goodnight!
Thy mother's delight!
Sweet visions untold
Thy soul shall unfold.
God will keep thee from harms.
Thou shalt wake in my arms.
God will keep thee from harms.
Thou shalt wake in my arms.

Subject: Lyr Add: LULLABY (Federlein, Brahms)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 13 Jul 09 - 12:20 PM

From The Michigan University Song Book by Franklin Wagner (New York: Hinds, Noble & Eldredge, 1904) – where it appears with musical notation for 4 voices:

LULLABY.
English Version by Mrs. G. Federlein. Johannes Brahms.

Lullaby, my dear one,
The daylight is done;
The flowers so fair
Thy rest will now share.
Till tomorrow, oh, sleep,
While the angels watch keep.
Till tomorrow, oh, sleep,
While the angels watch keep.

Lullaby, my dear one,
The darkness has come;
In dreams shalt behold
Sweet stories of old.
With His love pure and mild
God shall guard thee, my child.
With His love pure and mild
God shall guard thee, my child.

Subject: Lyr Add: SLUMBER SONG (John Erwin, Johannes Brahms
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 13 Jul 09 - 12:41 PM

From 140 Folk-songs with Piano Accompaniment by Archibald Thompson Davison, Thomas Whitney Surette (Boston: E. C. Schirmer Music Co., 1921) – where it appears with musical notation for one voice and piano:

SLUMBER SONG.
[English words] John Erwin. [Music] Johannes Brahms.

Hushaby and goodnight.
In the sky stars are bright,
While roses in bloom
Fill with fragrance the room.
With the morn, if God will,
You will waken again.
With the morn, if God will,
You will waken again.

Hushaby; have no fear.
Little angels are near.
Their watch they will keep
While my baby's asleep.
Dream the dark night away
Till God's sun brings the day.
Dream the dark night away
Till God's sun brings the day.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Brahms' Lullaby
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Jul 10 - 05:31 AM

my mum used to sing
go to sleep my dear one...
let the angels above.....

now i cant remember the next bit but then

when the sun lights the sky ...
open wide your (brown/blue ) eyes

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Brahms' Lullaby
From: GUEST,kendall
Date: 05 Jul 10 - 09:09 AM

Somehow it is not as pretty in German.
I sang this to our foster daughter and changed the last line to: "Don't get out of that damned bed" she would giggle and then sleep like a log.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Brahms' Lullaby
From: GUEST,Kempis
Date: 12 Sep 10 - 02:40 AM

This is I remember from years ago.
Slumber sweetly my dear
for angels are near
to watch over you
the silent night through
and to bear you above
to the dream land of love
and to bear you above
to the dreamland oflove

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Brahms' Lullaby
From: GUEST,father's son
Date: 11 Nov 10 - 11:18 PM

much to my mother's horror, these are the lyrics my dad would sing to us kids:

go to sleep little creep
i'm tired and i'm beat
go to sleep little creep
...before i hit you
in the nose break your toes
and your mother won't know
that your eyes black and blue
because i hit you with my shoe

and of course, i'll be passing this on to my kids

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Brahms' Lullaby
From: GUEST,joanna
Date: 17 Dec 10 - 08:02 PM

My British grandmother used to sing this version:

Sleep my little one, sleep
Over watch I will keep
Stay warm in your nest
While moonbeams caress
When the dawn tints the sky,
May God bid thee arise
When the dawn tints the sky,
May God bid thee arise.

Holy angels abide,
May they watch by your side
In dreams they uphold
Heaven's portals of gold.
When the dawn tints the sky,
May God bid thee arise
When the dawn tints the sky,
May God bid thee arise.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Brahms' Lullaby
From: GUEST,Teresa
Date: 11 Mar 11 - 12:16 AM

This version has been passed down in my family for many years:

Lullaby, and goodnight,
in the soft evening light,
like a rose is in its bed,
lay down your sweet head.
When the morning is here,
I will wake you my dear,
when the morning is here,
I will wake you my dear.

Lullaby, and goodnight,
let the angels of light
bring in dreamland, for thee,
the Christ child on tree;
go to sleep, close your eyes,
dream of sweet paradise,
go to sleep, close your eyes,
dream of sweet paradise.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Brahms' Lullaby
From: GUEST,Steve
Date: 06 Apr 11 - 08:23 AM

Does anyone know if it could have been a pre-existing folk tune that Brahms based his version on?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Brahms' Lullaby
From: GUEST
Date: 09 Apr 11 - 03:23 PM

OK - this has been very fullsome, but I'm looking for confirmation that this alternative version is not unique to a friend's family!!!

Go to sleep, you little creep,
May your dreams all be nightmares,

[missing a bit to last line...]

And your teddy bear shall die!

I'm sure this can not be unique - or at least i hope not!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Brahms' Lullaby
From: GUEST,keberoxu
Date: 10 Sep 19 - 02:39 PM

I was looking for references to
the late Frank Petersohn,
and came across this thread with its
pondering of whether the cradle is 'besteckt'
with flowers or with little bitty nails.

You all know more about the German than I do,
so I defer to your contributions.
Since you mentioned carnations along with nails, though:

I was reminded of the Spanish language.
The problems are similar.
'Clavo' is both 'nail' and 'clove.'
'Clavel' and 'clavelito,' however.
refers to carnations.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Brahms' Lullaby
From: Joe Offer
Date: 11 Sep 19 - 08:01 AM

Well, there's a tradition in lullabies - mama gets to sing sweetly about all the vengeful stuff she's gonna do to the little darling if it doesn't stop crying.
But the translation is left to the listener. Stuck with little nails or little cloves (like a ham?).
I know which one I hear.

Subject: RE: Lyrics Versions: Brahms' Lullaby
From: Joe_F
Date: 11 Sep 19 - 09:11 PM

Indeed, in _The Annotated Mother Goose_ we read:

Baby, baby, naughty baby,
Hush, you squalling thing, I say.
Peace this moment, peace, or maybe
Bonaparte will pass this way.

Baby, baby, he's a giant,
Tall and black as Rouen steeple,
And he breakfasts, dines, rely on't,
Every day on naughty people.

Baby, baby, if he hears you,
As he gallops past the house,
Limb from limb at once he'll tear you,
Just as pussy tears a mouse.

And he'll beat you, beat you, beat you,
And he'll beat you into pap,
And he'll eat you, eat you, eat you,
Every morsel snap, snap, snap.

Subject: RE: Lyrics Versions: Brahms' Lullaby
From: GUEST,keberoxu
Date: 11 Sep 19 - 09:28 PM

At her archive for lieder lyrics,
archivist Emily Ezust
also adds lyric translations,
including translations of her own.


She lists her own English translation for the
"Wiegenlied" with its origins
in Des Knaben Wunderhorn.

And her position is that
Näglein are
carnations.

Subject: RE: Lyrics Versions: Brahms' Lullaby
From: Mo the caller
Date: 12 Sep 19 - 09:43 AM

The version we learnt at school started
Little baby goodnight
????????? light

And the last , repeated lines were
So goodnight, rest at ease
Till to wake you god please.