The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #2871   Message #3092500
Posted By: Jess A
10-Feb-11 - 11:38 AM
Thread Name: Lullaby Land (songs posted here)
Subject: RE: Lullaby Land (songs posted here)
Various posts above (although fairly old ones...!) have asked about a partially remembered lullaby including the words 'Would you like the moon to play with? or the stars to run away with?'

These actually form the chorus of 'Ma Curly Headed Babby' by George H Clutsam (1866 - 1951), popularised by Paul Robeson in the 1920s/30s.

The words as I know them (learnt as a child from my mum, who learnt them as a child from her parents) are:

Lulla lulla lulla lulla bye bye,
Do you want the moon to play with?
Or the stars to run away with?
They'll come if you don't cry.
Lulla lulla lulla lulla bye bye,
In mummy's arms a-creeping,
Sonn you'll be a sleeping,
Lulla lulla lulla lulla bye.

I only know the chorus, though a quick google search would find the verses too.

Part of the reason I know the background is because I've recently recorded & released a CD of nursery songs, rhymes and lullabies, and this one is on it! See http://www.arrowsmithmusic.co.uk for details.