Favorite Lullabies

Subject: Favorite Lullabyes
From: Matthew B.
Date: 11 Jun 99 - 05:32 PM

I wonder how many of you were lucky enough to have been sweetly sung to sleep when you were little. I suspect that the percentage among us is pretty high, accounting for our love of this music.

The songs that were used to put me to sleep included Tammy and the Yiddish lullabyes Rozhinkes mit Mandlen and Oifn Pripetshik.

As for singing my own babies to sleep, I often used a sweet litling version of Spanish Ladies.

How about you?

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: Bert
Date: 11 Jun 99 - 08:05 PM

My earliest memories are of my Dad singing to me. He would sing us to sleep with just about every song he knew.
I particularly remember 'Goodbye Old ship of mine' and 'Hobo Bill' though there were hundreds of others.

When my daughter was a baby I used to 'sing her to sleep'. Well actually, to tell the truth, after a couple of hours my wife would come upstairs and find me asleep and Anna standing up in her crib.

Glad to hear you are keeping up the family tradition Matthew B. Thanks for starting this thread.

Bert.

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: rttowanda (inactive)
Date: 11 Jun 99 - 09:18 PM

Hush Little Baby is what I sang to my kids, and Somewhere Over the Rainbow. Always loved the tune to the lullaby in "Lady and the Tramp". Oh, and Tura Lura Lura (sp?). What a restful thread.

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: Penny S.
Date: 12 Jun 99 - 04:52 AM

"Golden Slumbers" my mother sang, and my father sang a song from Paul Robeson, about wanting the stars to play with.

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From:
Date: 12 Jun 99 - 05:05 AM

...zzz...zzz

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: Ian HP
Date: 12 Jun 99 - 06:36 AM

The only thing my dad sang to me at night was, very loudly, "Go to sleep, you saft bugger!!!" However, there is a very lovely lullaby from the Isle of Mann called Little Red Bird.

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: Banjer
Date: 12 Jun 99 - 07:27 AM

I would include myself among the same ranks as Ian HP. "Shut up and go to sleep, you don't want me to come in there!" My "lullabies" were usually on the radio, tuned to the local country station, playing what is now thought of as "Classic Country" of the early to mid fifties. Maybe that's why I love the "old time country and gospel music" as much as I do.

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 12 Jun 99 - 01:18 PM

Caroline once asked Sara Cleveland, the great ballad singer from the upper Hudson Valley, what songs she sang to her children to help them get to sleep. "The longest ballads I knew," she replied. "They loved the goriest of the lot, like the one about The Old Oak Tree."

Apparently many verses with a repeated melody will do the trick, regardless of the words. It's the soothing parental presence that really counts, I'd wager.

Sandy

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: Frank of Toledo
Date: 12 Jun 99 - 01:26 PM

My eight year old loves the "Hobo"s Lullaby". I hope his aspirations aren't towards box cars. Oh well to each his own..............

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: Dave Swan
Date: 12 Jun 99 - 01:42 PM

One of my singing buddies figured out the the words of E. Lear's poem The Owl and the Pussycat perfectly fit the melody of Adieu Sweet Lovely Nancy. Instant, sweet lullaby/love song. His kids love it, and it's become one of our most requested songs. I sang it to my bride at our wedding reception.

As a child, my lullaby was snoring of the big old bloodhound who raised me. Dave

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: Matthew B.
Date: 12 Jun 99 - 03:10 PM

Dave,

I'm so glad you mentioned Adieu Sweet Lovely Nancy. Its lilting rhythms sent my little ones into slumber on many occasions.

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: Summer Song
Date: 13 Jun 99 - 12:06 PM

I love Liverpool Lullabye. Reminds me of my childhood I'm sorry to say, but I love the song anyway.

Summer

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 13 Jun 99 - 04:09 PM

Believe it or not, The Missouri Waltz, with the racist verse(s) left out, was my favorite childhood lullabye! Mom also sang Down in the Valley and Hush Little Baby. I sang those to my children, as well as Sweet and Low, Dramore, All Through the Night (immortalized by my daughter as the "Garden Angels song"), and gool ol' Brahms. And Rosalie Sorrels' Hostile Baby Rocking song when the going got tough!
Allison

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: DougR
Date: 13 Jun 99 - 04:18 PM

My three kids' favorite was "The Riddle Song."

DougR

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: Barbara
Date: 13 Jun 99 - 04:36 PM

My mom and dad sang us Toora Loora Loora, Goodnight Irene (chorus only), A Tavern In the Town, Brahms Lullaby, Abide With Me, Day is Dying, and The Whiffenpoof Song. That's all I can remember, anyway. They sang other songs (like the Man on the Flying Trapeze) at other times.
Blessings,
Barbara

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: emily rain
Date: 13 Jun 99 - 04:44 PM

my mom sang anything and everything to us kids, but the ones that stand out are "the cruel mother" (!), "the old maid's song", and "all the pretty little ponies".

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: Mark Roffe
Date: 13 Jun 99 - 06:09 PM

All three kids were subjected to sitting on my lap in the old rocking chair while I sang Ewan Macoll's "Goodbye to the 30 Foot Trailer," as well as spur-of-the-moment originals. No, not all three kids at once, but each in turn when they were between one and three years old. It did drowse them out (and papa too). The first two kids liked it ok, but #3 began to struggle to the point where I lost my captive audience. In fact, she still hates it when I sing, but the boys still like it.

Bark

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: Indy Lass
Date: 13 Jun 99 - 10:25 PM

My mom would sing "Toora Loora." (sp?) Now I like to fall asleep to Enya's "Shepherd Moons."

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: gargoyle
Date: 14 Jun 99 - 12:33 AM

Some more from a previous discussion:

non-sappy lullabyes

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: WyoWoman
Date: 14 Jun 99 - 12:59 AM

My son used to sit in my lap when he was a baby -- less than a year old, because I remember the house this occurred in -- straddling my lap and his face toward me. He'd hold onto my shirt with both hands like a little monkey and we'd rock and rock while I sang every song I knew. He had colic and the only thing that seemed to make him feel better was sitting and rocking and hearing my lullabyes. When he'd start to droop, I thought we were through with the singing. But if I started to get up, he'd bang his little fists a few times on my chest until I began a new song. Like bopping the jukebox to get it started again.

I sang "East Virginia," "All My Trials," (I'd change the "your mama's going to die" part), "Now That the Buffalo's Gone," "Babe, I"m Gonna Leave You," "Can't Help Lovin' That Man," "Never-Never Land," and on and on and on. Kind of downer songs, for the most part, but he turned out ok.

KC

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: Matthew B.
Date: 14 Jun 99 - 09:01 AM

I'm just loving this thread so much. Each letter gives me a lump in my throat and makes me feel closer to all of you.

When I used to sing my daughter to sleep at night, she would try to trap my hand in her little arms so that I couldn't get away after she'd fall asleep. When she nodded off, it alomst broke my heart to wriggle out of her loving embrace. Sometimes I wouldn't, and I'd just sit and watch her angelic face in sleep.

There is no greater treasure.

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 14 Jun 99 - 11:27 AM

I'm with you, Matthew. I feel so priviledged that my 10 year old still loves to have me sing to her when she's having trouble getting to sleep. One of her current favorites is by Libby Roderick (I think):

How could anyone ever tell you
You were anything less than beautiful
How could anyone ever tell you
You were less than whole,
You could anyone fail to notice
That your loving is a miracle,
How deeply you're connected to my soul.

Allison

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 14 Jun 99 - 11:29 AM

Sorry, that should have read:

How could anyone fail to notice
That your loving is a miracle,
How deeply you're connected to my soul.

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: Shack
Date: 14 Jun 99 - 12:02 PM

Mama sang "All the Pretty Little Ponies," "Surrey with the Fringe on Top," "Playmate." My babies' favorites were "Summertime," "Danny Boy," "Hoboe's Lullabye," "Hush Little Baby." I would sing 'em 'til my wife would drag me out of their little rooms. I occasionally still do, though my youngest is 16.

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From:
Date: 14 Jun 99 - 04:59 PM

I was sung to sleep with "You are my Sunshine"

My daughter prefers "The Worm Song" followed by a modified "Rockabye Baby"

viz

Nobody loves me, everybody hates me, gonna go eat some worms. Big, fat slimy ones, little, smally crawly ones, pick 'em up and watch 'em squirm. Bite the head off, suck the juice out, throw the skins awaaaaaaay. No one knows how well you live on worms three times a day.

then

Rockabye, Big Girl, on the tree top When the wind blows, big girl's bed will rock When the bough breaks, big girl's bed will fall and down will come Big Girl, her bed and all.

She likes it... so do I

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: Mairead.m
Date: 14 Jun 99 - 05:43 PM

I found this website in search of lyrics to some old lullabyes. My 5 month old falls asleep to Castle of Dromore but when she is awake she prefers The Spree and Whiskey Your The Devil - Im corrupting her already - but those drinking songs seem to quiet her everytime

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: Matthew B.
Date: 14 Jun 99 - 06:03 PM

I'm so glad you mentioned the concept of "corrupting" the kids, Mairead.m. One of the songs I sang to the kids when they were little was Haul Away Joe (which has a soothing, swaying lilt to it when sung gently). My then-wife used to complain about the immorality of singing them a song which contained the lines:

Me muvver often told me
Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe
That if I didn't kiss the girls
Me lips would grow all mouldy
Away haul away, we'll haul away Joe

...which is one of the many reasons she's no longer my wife, but that's another story.

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: Fadac
Date: 14 Jun 99 - 06:13 PM

How about this?

Mary had a little lamb She tied to the heater, Every time it turned around It burned it's little seater.

Not a song, but I have taught this to several 3-4 year olds. (heh, heh)

Fadac

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: Matthew B.
Date: 14 Jun 99 - 06:38 PM

Actually, by that age, they love cute stuff like that. My kids liked this one:

Fatty and skinny went to bed
Fatty rolled over and skinny was dead

But that's a whole separate category, and not (I hope!) a lullabye.

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: bet
Date: 14 Jun 99 - 10:28 PM

The 2 that I still hear in my head are Toora Loora Loora and Prarie Lullaby. Those were Mom's favorites to sing. Kat and I were laughing Sat. about cowboy songs also. The ones with the MANY verses. We decided that when Dad sang them he thought that if the cows went to sleep with them then us kids probably wouold too. I think he was right. bet

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: GutBucketeer
Date: 14 Jun 99 - 11:58 PM

I started singing to my kids when they were little. First we read, then I sing. They are now 9 and 7 and still will not go to bed untill my wife or I sing. Actually my singing to them rekindled my interest in music and I haven't looked back since.

When I started all I knew was drinking songs, songs about trying to get a man/woman into bed (My Husbands got no courage in him, Never Marry an old man) or death (Long black Veil, Motherless Child). My wife said I was giving the kids nightmares so I did learn some Lulabyes. Their favorites were Morningtown Ride, and Lavenders Green. Since then we have progressed to all sorts of sea shanties.

Its amazing, but there is something about my voice that even at full bore Whiskey Johny, or Boston Come All ye will put the kids out faster than you can shake a stick at. Sometimes I be singing for some time and Linn will yell in... They're Asleep! and sure enough they will be.

Peaceful time at last!

Jim in Silver Spring

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: o'hanrahan
Date: 15 Jun 99 - 07:16 AM

"Isle Au Haute Lullabye"-Gordon Bok

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: GUY Wolff
Date: 15 Jun 99 - 11:49 PM

My Mom put on a pile of records down stairs for us to "go out on". Being the yungest mine was first ..Either Tuby the Tuba or Hans Christian Anderson with Danny Kay. Then my brother got West Side Story and my Mom would Start tap Dancing to Fred Astair.{By then I was asleep anyway}>>>> My daughter loves the long ones as Sandy mentioned. AS grusom as it gets... she likes "The Famuos Flower Of Serving Men" She also likes John Barly-Corn>>{a few times in a row}>>>>Country Life<<

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: WyoWoman
Date: 16 Jun 99 - 12:13 AM

I have to admit I revised some of the lullabyes for my kids, in the interest of not giving them nightmares, although I honestly don't believe now that they even listened to the words.

"Rockabye baby, in the treetop, when the wind blows the cradle will rock. when the bough breaks, the cradle will fall, But Austin won't fall down, no not at all..."

Call me a censor...

KC

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: Night Owl
Date: 16 Jun 99 - 01:52 AM

My daughter's favorite bedtime songs were "Rivers of Texas" with the Dulcimer and "Hobo's Lullaby" with the Autoharp....played over and over and over and.....

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: Matthew B.
Date: 16 Jun 99 - 10:46 PM

It's funny that I think of it now, but after some consideration I think there's nothing that could please me more sometimes than to be softly sung to sleep myself. What a comforting thought.

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: BRACKEN
Date: 17 Jun 99 - 11:31 PM

My favorite lullaby "The Castle of Dromore" and a song I only remember a bit of

"The sun's going down in the deep blue sea
close your eyes go to sleep.
I will wrap all the milk stars around you
dream and your dreams will come true."

Susan

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: Matthew B.
Date: 18 Jun 99 - 08:35 AM

Another one my kids loved was Inchworm

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: Terry
Date: 18 Jun 99 - 07:22 PM

How amazing to read this thread! Only last night my brother and I were reminiscing about how, on the occasions when my grandfather came home from the pub not simply "with drink taken" but truly drunk, my grandmother would lock him out of the house. He'd sit on the front stoop for hours and sing mournful Irish ballads like "The Bold Fenian Men," "The Valley of Knockanure," "Sean South of Garryowen," "The Dying Rebel," and "The Croppy Boy." We realize now that the dear man was a lonely alcoholic. Yet my brother and I decided that the very definition of "cozy" was to snuggle under the weight of several scratchy wool blankets after crossing the icy bedroom floor to open the window so we could listen to Papa's lovely tenor voice blow in with the cold night air.

My sons loved the old rebel songs, too, as well as "Let It Be" and "Puff The Magic Dragon." My younger boy, Gabriel, loved Joan Baez's lullaby "Gabriel And Me," of course. So that my older boy wouldn't feel left out, I sang A.A. Milne's poem "Timothy Tim Has Ten Pink Toes" to the tune of "The Skye Boat Song."

One of my sweetest pleasures now is rocking and singing to my three grandsons, ages 1 month, 2 years and 2-1/2 years old. Their fathers complain that I spoil them by continuing to rock and sing to them long after they've fallen asleep in my arms. But sometimes, they'll whisper, "Oh, I loved that song!" and sing along with me. At those moments, it's like the very best of the past and the future coming together -- and my heart just soars!

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: WyoWoman
Date: 19 Jun 99 - 12:38 AM

Ach, Terry. I'm in love. kc

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: JB3 (inactive)
Date: 19 Jun 99 - 09:51 PM

I used to beg my mother to sing Barbry Ellen at bedtime; it was a good long one and I loved the part at the end about the rose and briar true-love's knot. Mostly she sang "Summertime" to me and "Mighty Like A Rose" to my brother as babies. My nephew always favored "Morningtown" and Jean Ritchie's "Bluebird Song". Almost makes me long for a little one to croon to.

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: Dianne Murray
Date: 07 Sep 99 - 03:38 PM

I need some help finding the real or official name for a song. I first learned this song in 4th-grade music class and have loved it for the rest of my life. I sang it to all of my babies and later to all of their babies. Now, 35 years after that music class, I heard the melody playing at the end of the credits for the movie: "Hillary and Jackie." Played on the cello, it was more beautifu than ever. In the credits, I could not detect which piece or composer applied to this song. Later I saw it at Amazon.com on the movie soundtrack, but it was simply called "The Holiday Song." Put that in a search engine and you can imagine what all you get. Oddly enough, I always remembered every word, just not the title. The words are: Sleep little joy of my heart. Mother's rare lambkin thou art. Go to a land far away. There with the fairies to play. Play on their wonderful land. Play on their beautiful sand. Then from that magical shore, Come back to Mother once more. Now, sleep, sleep baby sleep.

Can anyone help?

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: Matthew B.
Date: 10 Sep 99 - 11:53 PM

Not off hand, but I'm happy to see that somebody else saw that great movie, Hilary & Jackie. I actually did get a chance to share the stage with Jacqueline Duprez (in an extremely minor way: I played third trumpet; she played solo) during her final years of virtuosity.

It's a bit painful for me to revisit Mudcat, much less this thread about lullabyes, in the wake of my recent loss, but it's a very dear subject nonetheless.

Have you looked for a Hilary & Jackie website?

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: Robin
Date: 11 Sep 99 - 09:12 PM

A great thread! Several songs that my children loved "Sleep, sleep," a counting song..."Hush, Hush", a very graphic song about the aftermath of the Highland uprising in Scotland, and their absolute fave "Suzanne" by Leonard Cohen.

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: Cap't Bob
Date: 11 Sep 99 - 09:56 PM

I'll go along with Frank and Shack on the Hobo's lullabye. I also like One Grain of Sand... zzzzzzz This thread is making me very sleepy. Ho Hum.....

Cap't Bob

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: Katherine P.
Date: 11 Sep 99 - 11:49 PM

I don't recognize so many of these mentioned... My mom sang some to us, but my two-year-old son's favorite is 'Blackbird' by the Beatles. He hugs me while I sing and finishes each line for me... so sweet.

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: KickyC
Date: 12 Sep 99 - 09:54 AM

My mother didn't sing to us, but we had a record of lullabyes that we listened to over and over. The two I love the most from the record were "Inky Dinky Bob-o Linky" and "Wynken, Blynken, and Nod". I sang them to my children and my grandchildren. My granddaughter would often ask me to sing "Inky" for her. She loved it. I would sing a whole list of them for her, but that was her favorite. I have never heard it anywhere except on that old yellow 78rpm record. Now she is into "Puff" and my grandson still likes "You Are My Sunshine". What sweet memories those of us who know the traditional songs are blessed with!

Chris

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: okscout
Date: 12 Sep 99 - 08:31 PM

When mine were very little, I would sit in their room in the dark and play on my baritone ukelele. I knew "Cruel War" and "The Riddle Song" from scout camp, but I played and sang Hush Little Baby, Wynken, Blynken and Nod, Rose, and The Skye Boat Song over and over again.

One year they went to scout camp and came home singing, "Tender Shepherd" which I was fascinated with. Now they,re grown and gone and to amuse myself, I play Tender Shepherd on my guitar, over and over again.

I guess I want a grandbaby to sing to again.

Nancy

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: Stewie
Date: 14 Sep 99 - 02:47 AM

When my youngest son was a baby, he suffered for a time from colic. The only thing that would get him to sleep was a mixed tape of JJ Cale songs, played over and over. One day, he will experience a sense of deja vu about Cale. My own favourites are 'Little Fishes', a song that began life as an Australian sea shanty and Michael Doucet's 'Chanson Pour Ezra'.

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: Barbara
Date: 14 Sep 99 - 01:21 PM

A friend recently showed up at our pubsing and sang her version of "Bully in the Alley" -- "So, help me Mom, there's a bunny in my garden/ Eating all the carrots and peas."
Blessings
Barbara

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: Mary
Date: 14 Sep 99 - 03:23 PM

When my son was in kindergarten in Alabama, he learned the old gospel song, "Angels Watching Over Me."

All night, all day, Angels watching over me my lord. All night, all day, Angels watching over me.

Since this little fella always had a hard time going to sleep, for several years, after he went to bed, I'd hear a little voice coming from his room "All night, all day, angels watching over me."

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: Jerry Friedman
Date: 15 Sep 99 - 11:54 AM

My parents sang "Rockabye Baby", "Sleep, Baby, Sleep" ("Thy father tends the sheep"), "All Through the Night", I think "Sweet and Low", and other goyisher stuff. No "Rozhinkes mit Mandeln" or "Oifn Pripechok" in the Friedman house! They also sang a rather tuneless one that started "So close your eyes and go to sleep" that I've never heard anywhere else.

But when my mother really wanted us to sleep, she sang all the verses of "On Top of Old Smoky". As Sandy Paton pointed out, it's the repetitive verses that do it. And no worries about whether she was programming us for a life of misandry.

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From:
Date: 15 Sep 99 - 05:01 PM

My mother used to sing old German songs to us, and my father sang old spanish hymns, so my boys get a healthy multilingual concert in the evenings. I just love singing to them, and, like many others have mentioned, continue to sing to them long after they're asleep.

Their Favorites: Stille Nacht (Silent Night), You are my Sunshine (Wife does the melody, I take the harmony line), Des Colores ( a traditional Mexican song), Man on the Flying Trapeze, everything from "The Music Man", and some traditional old hymns (Walk to the Garden, Old Rugged Cross, How Great Thou Art).

there is no greater gift you can give your kids/grandkids/anykids than the gift of spending time singing to them. God bless you all!

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: Wally Macnow
Date: 16 Sep 99 - 11:26 AM

The only one that I remember being sung to me was Rockabye Baby. The ones that I sang to my daughter most frequently at bedtime were Cotton Needs Picking, All The Pretty Little Horses, and Kitty Alone.

Our favorite car song was Moving Day.

Subject: RE: favorite lullabyes
From: GUEST,Chili
Date: 09 Jul 02 - 03:38 PM

Can anyone help me out, I need the lyrics to a few rebel songs. The Dying Rebel, Fighting Men Of Crossmaglen, Irish soldier Laddie, Kelly, The Boy From Killan, Upton Ambush, Loughgall Ambush Many Thanks

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: Joe_F
Date: 09 Jul 02 - 08:45 PM

I started off with "Rozhenkes mit Mandeln" too -- the text in my mother's handwriting that she learned it from while in the hospital to have me is in my baby book. Also Brahms's lullaby, "Guten Abend, gute Nacht". There were two songs that compared sleep to a sea voyage: "Blanket Bay" ("There's a ship sails away") & "Sail, Baby, Sail" ("Baby's boat the silver moon"). The latter is in the Pankakes' book. In the former, when my mother sang the line "So you can't see his little bare feet", I would perversely scramble to get my feet out from under the covers.

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: mack/misophist
Date: 10 Jul 02 - 11:46 AM

Never had the chance to use it as a lullaby, but my favourite song of all time would qualify:"Beat on the brat, with a baseball bat".

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: Genie
Date: 10 Jul 02 - 12:31 PM

Rozhinkes Mit Mandlen
All Through The Night
Hush, Little Baby (Papa's Gonna Buy You A Mockingbird)
Dormi, Dormi (Italian lullabye I heard on a record by The Gaylords)
and (a little bias here)
A Song For Jonathan (And His Tree),
which is a lullabye I wrote for my nephew, for whom I bought a small apple tree when he was born.

Genie

Another song that isn't a lullabye per se, but which I think makes a beautiful one is Sakura.

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: Mudlark
Date: 10 Jul 02 - 06:25 PM

Wyken, Blynken and Nod, a fav, also a long tear jerker called, I think, The Organgrinder, very sad. It always made me cry and I always asked for it again. Those from my mother. My dad sang me a couple of Crosby lullabies... Little Man you've had a busy day and Sly Old Gentleman from featherbed Lane, also the Old Lamplighter. From my grandmother another long tear jerker called, I think, The Butcher Boy, the one that starts out "In Dublin town, where i did dwell, a butcher boy, I loved him well..."

Tho I don't have any kids I still love lullabies and have added a few favorites of my own...Skye Boat Song, John o' Dreams, Crow on the Cradle....

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: Genie
Date: 11 Jul 02 - 02:37 AM

How about "John O' Dreams?"

"Morningtown Ride" is a great one, too.

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabyes
From: Mudlark
Date: 11 Jul 02 - 02:42 AM

Genie....two minds with but a single thot! I love John o'Dreams.

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabies
From: Genie
Date: 01 Jul 08 - 05:24 AM

How about "Rockabye Sweet Baby James" by James Taylor?
(I used to wonder why JT was writing and singing songs about himself being rocked to sleep. Then I learned the song was written for his baby nephew or someone like that. LOL )

There's also a cute Yiddish lullabye called "Yankele," which I have on a Theodore Bikel album.
The mother is trying to get her baby boy to go to sleep, singing to him about how he's going to grow up to be a Talmudic scholar or a famous lawyer, but why must he keep wetting his bed?

Subject: Favorite Lullabies: Dormi, Dormi (The Gaylords)
From: Genie
Date: 01 Jul 08 - 05:31 AM

BTW, the words to the lullabye (the ones I know) are:

Dormi, Dormi
(recorded by The Gaylords ca. 1954)

Cho.:
Dormi, dormi,
Dormi, dormi,
Dormi, dormi.

Close your eyes, little baby of mine,
And your mother will sing you to sleep.
Oh, the sweetest of dreams you will find,
Dreams that only a baby can keep.
All too soon you'll be baby no more,
And your mother will silently weep
Till the joy of a dream that's in store
When you rock your own baby to sleep.

Ti - di - di, T- di - da
Che bella [vita?] che [ ___ ___] mama.
Bella ___ ___ __ ___ ___ __ __
___ ___ ____ ___ ___ ___ __ __

(I forget the rest that I can't remember or couldn't translate back in the '50s.)

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabies
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 01 Jul 08 - 08:44 AM

Where's the person who was interested in the lullaby from a movie? Did she give up after only 9 years?

If you're still around, listen to the lullaby by Mozart on this:

http://midiman13.tripod.com/index.html

Now imagine it slowed down to half that speed. Is that it?

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabies
From: GUEST,crazy little woman
Date: 01 Jul 08 - 09:15 AM

Several years ago I learned something useful from a pediatrician (columnist in a magazine.) He said that when adults are tired, they get quieter and quieter, but when children get tired, they get wilder and wilder.

Boy, that was an aha! moment. How well I remember family parties where kids were permitted to wrestle and shriek till about ten o'clock, when somebody got hurt or angry and the screaming started.

The prelim to lullabies should be a time of calm, when the adults take control and slow the kids down, turn off exciting TV, and get the kids settled. It's a good time for a cuddle and some conversation, too.

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabies
From: GUEST
Date: 03 Sep 08 - 09:43 PM

Ti di ni, Ti di na, Che bella figlio che tenga Mama
La mama non compra piu
bell figlia come tu

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabies
From: black walnut
Date: 04 Sep 08 - 09:03 AM

(Crazy Little Woman: Maybe that explains why my cats fight at night!)

~b.w.

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabies
From: GUEST,guest - woody
Date: 04 Sep 08 - 08:55 PM

Pete Seeger once said: Lullabyes are just propaganda.
I'm gonna sing a pretty song, and you're gonna go to sleep

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabies
From: frogprince
Date: 05 Sep 08 - 02:24 PM

I don't think either of my folks sang lullabies to us.

Anyone know "At the gates of heaven, they sell shoes for the angels"?
I have just a scrap of it on a CD, by Rosalee Sorrells; I think it's magical.

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabies
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 05 Sep 08 - 04:38 PM

Nice thread.
We have a nice family lullaby that runs through at least 4 generations so far. It appears to be part of a 19th century medley of sentimental songs. The first 2 verses to their own tune come from a 19thc broadside 'The Soldier's Poor Little Boy'

Early pearly snow on the ground
The wind was bitter and cold
When a poor little beggar boy came rolling up
Up to a rich lady's door.

The lady sat in her window so high
And loudly she did call
'Come in, come in, you poor little boy
And you shall have a warm'

(spoken) ..and this is the story he told
(Tune ..Bayley's 'Home sweet home')
'I am a poor little beggar boy
My mother she is dead,
My father is a drunkard
And sends me up to bed (alt. And will not give me bread)
I sit beside the window to hear the organ play
God bless my dear old mother who's dead and far away.'

Apart from that I always used to put on a High-level Ranters LP and plod up and down with one of my sons over my shoulder singing along with the tracks. 'Adam Buckham 0' etc. They took a lot of getting to sleep!

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabies
From: Bill D
Date: 05 Sep 08 - 05:42 PM

I used to sing my son to sleep to "Bheir me O" he's 26 now, and 6'4"

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabies
From: GUEST,Terri
Date: 16 Jul 09 - 04:14 PM

The words for Inky Dinky are:

Inky dinky bobalinky, close your pretty eyes
The sandman's on his way to take a trip to paradise.
So hurry to sleep now, angels will keep now.
Sandman's on his way
And angels will fly by, as you go bye-bye,
Just because they know for sure, you're an angel too.

Inky dinky bobalinky, close your eyes and then
Your mother will be waiting here
When you come home again.


This song is going onto the third generation of our family. I'm glad someone else knows it!

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabies
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Aug 09 - 07:24 PM

Thank you so much for posting this.
I have been trying to sing it to my 6mo. old grandchild(3rd generation too). A lot la-la-las in the middle, and now I have the words.
Julia


Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabies
From: GUEST,Terri
Date: 16 Jul 09 - 04:14 PM

The words for Inky Dinky are:

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabies
From: Jim McLean
Date: 11 Aug 09 - 08:30 AM

I notice (ten years ago!!)there was a posting which mentioned my song, Hush,Hush:......"Hush, Hush", a very graphic song about the aftermath of the Highland uprising in Scotland.
The song is about the Highland Clearances when unfortunately there was no Highland uprising, but thanks for the mention.

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabies
From: GUEST,Sarah B
Date: 23 Sep 09 - 10:57 AM

My mom and my aunt had a record that had the inky dinky song on it when they were kids (probably in the mid to late 50's) so they sang it to my cousins, my brother and I as children, too. I was looking for the words for my mother-in-law and this site was all that came up. I can't believe more people don't know this lullaby!

Our version was slightly different than the one your family sings, Teri. And I think my aunt sings it a little differently than my mom does, maybe even with a second verse. I haven't heard hers in years, so who knows what the "real" words are. I thought I'd share how I remember it, though.

Inky dinky, bob-a-linky
Close your pretty eyes.
The sandman's here to take you on
A trip to paradise.
Hurry to sleep, now.
Your toys will keep, now.
'Til the morning sun comes shining trough.
Angels will fly by
As you go night-night
'Cause you're a little angel, too.

Inky dinky, bob-a-linky,
Dream a while and then,
You'll wake up in the morning,
And play with all your friends.

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabies
From: sing4peace
Date: 23 Sep 09 - 01:10 PM

My dad told me he used to play "Uncle Pen" on the banjo to get me to sleep. Two of the few songs I ever heard my mother sing were: "The Frozen Logger" and "Lord Randall".

I was learning "Lady Dysie" at the time my daughter was a baby and found it's melody quite sleep promoting. Bloody awful lyric line though. Talk about early class conditioning.

If you are interested, I have a lullaby posted on myspace. I guess this would be a good time to try the blue clicky thing. Let's see if this works: http://myspace.com/joycekatzberg    (doesn't look blue from here, hmmmmm)

If that didn't work: you can go to www.myspace.com/joycekatzberg and go to "A Lullaby In War Time". I wrote it while I was watching a battlefront news report with the "mute" on.

In hope and song,
Joyce

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabies
From: sing4peace
Date: 23 Sep 09 - 04:37 PM

Yay! Thanks Azizi for initiating me into the league of the blickies.

I see that they don't look blue when you put them in. It must be magic.

Lullabies are too.

Gratefully yours,
Joyce

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabies
From: Azizi
Date: 23 Sep 09 - 08:08 PM

Welcome to the blue clickie club, Joyce!

Your link looks blue on my computer screen. But when you click the link, it turns red.

**

In case anyone else wants & needs this information, here's How I make hyperlinks on Mudcat.

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabies
From: GUEST,Lee Kuhl
Date: 20 Oct 11 - 05:20 PM

Inky Dinky Bob-A-Linky
Close your little eyes
The sandmans' gonna take you on a trip to paradise

Inky Dinky Bob-A-Linky
Close your eyes and then
Daddy will be waiting here when you wake up again

Hurry to sleep now,
Angels will keep now,
And watch until the sun breaks through,
Hurry to sleep now,
Angels will keep now,
And Daddy knows that you are an angel too

Inky Dinky Bob-A-Linky
Close your little Eyes
The sandmans' gonna take you on a trip to paradise

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabies
From: freda underhill
Date: 22 Nov 12 - 03:40 AM

Rhona MacLeod is a Scottish Australian folkie living in Sydney. She has produced a beautiful CD of lullabies including:

the Fairy lullabye


The Cradle Song

and

Hush a Ba, Ma Bairnie

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabies
From: GUEST
Date: 22 Nov 12 - 07:19 PM

Thanks so much, Freda, for posting these links on here - the CD is not released yet, but will be very soon. The clips on You Tube are just short tasters with some background info and snippets of my singing. I have written three new Lullabies to existing tunes - two to old Scots Gaelic melodies, and one to Stan Graham's music to 'Old Whitby Harbour' - which I first heard Martyn Wyndham-Read sing here in Sydney, a few years ago. The other tracks include Scottish and Irish traditional Lullabies, with a few other more contemporary songs and a poem thrown in - for good measure, I hope!

Rhona MacLeod

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabies
From: GUEST,KrazyKat
Date: 17 Mar 13 - 11:24 PM

My mom used to sing Inky Dinky Bob-a-linky this way:

Inky dinky bob-a-linky
Close your pretty eyes
The sandman's here to take you on a trip to paradise
Inky dinky bob-a-linky
Dream a while and then
Your mommy will be waiting here when you wake up again

Hurry to sleep now
Your toys will keep now
Until the morning sun come smiling through
Angels will fly by
As you go bye-bye
Just because they know for sure that you're an angel too

Inky dinky bob-a-linky
Dream a while and then
Your mommy will be waiting here when you wake up again!

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabies
From: Bert
Date: 18 Mar 13 - 12:34 PM

If any of you have colicky babies you might want to try Terry Woodford's recordings of lullabies to the rhythm of a heartbeat.

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabies
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 18 Mar 13 - 04:43 PM

We have a beautiful lullaby CD unofficially out..haven't reread this thread but ones you might recognize are Lavendar's Blue, Kentucky Babe, October Winds, Baloo Baleerie, Isle au Haut, All thorugh the night. Later editions will have another Mexican one, a Japanese one, an African American and/or Creole. Songs are quite pretty if I say so myself. There is no cover on them..just in a little sleeve..but only $5 plus shipping. Shipping is dirt cheap in US if you ship more than about 3 or 4 so feel free to buy several. This cd can also be duplicated at will if given to children in need, foster children, children in povery, Hurricane Sandy etc....just pm me for address. I should be able to take Pay Pal but for now just cash or MO or check. You truly can not go wrong with this..purpose is to get to children in need by other people duplicating it so feel free to proceed...or if you buy it proceeds will go first to cover expenses and then to work on getting it out to children..it has already gone to camps for abused children, to Nepal and to Gaza

Also, if you do have a way of getting it to abused children, Stewart has made a dropbox for you to be able to copy from. THis would only be given to people who need to reproduce the CDs on their end. If you just want a nice CD for your grandchildren, best to buy it..mg

Songs have been screened to make sure nothing bad happens to baby..and also songs are appropriate for older children and adults as well..it is not really a babyish set. I think it is appropriate for children who have experienced trauma. mg

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabies
From: GUEST,KickyC
Date: 27 Jul 17 - 01:28 AM

I haven't looked at this thread in a long time. This version is exactly how I remember it and how I sang it to my girls and my grandchildren.

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabies
From: GUEST,DTM
Date: 27 Jul 17 - 04:17 AM

Dream Angus & Coorie Doon (The Miner's Lullaby) are two favourites of mine.

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabies
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 27 Jul 17 - 05:04 PM

Coorie Doon by Matt McGinn is my 6-year-old grandson's favourite: started singing it to him as a baby. Thought he might have moved on by now, but if I'm putting him to bed, and I ask him what he'd like me to sing after the bedtime story, it's always "Coorie Doon"

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabies
From: Joe_F
Date: 27 Jul 17 - 06:19 PM

Cannily, Cannily

Subject: Lyr Add: LEPRECHAUN LULLABY (Glen Hurlburt)
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 30 Mar 20 - 02:29 PM

I was looking for a different song about a leprechaun, and I ran across this one, and it was too good not to add to our inventory.

You can hear this recording at The Internet Archive:


LEPRECHAUN LULLABY
Words and music by Glen Hurlburt, ©1949.
As recorded by The Mariners with orchestra directed by Archie Bleyer, Columbia (38624), 1949.

1. A little boy read in a wonderful book (bickety-backety-book)
That fairy-folk dwell in a dell by the brook (brickety-brackety-brook)
So he hurried straight off fast as short legs could walk (wickety-wackety-walk)
"I'll find them," said he, "and we'll have a good talk" (tickety-tackety-talk)

CHORUS: Oh-lee, oh-lay, oh-loo-loo, my darlin',
Children have quizzical ways.
Oh-lee, oh-lay, oh-loo-loo, my darlin',
And some keep them all of their days.

2. He came to a man who was mendin' a clock (clickey-clackety-clock)
He got it to tick but it just wouldn't tock (tickety-tackety-tock)
And the little boy cried: "Will you come help me look?" (lickety-lackety-look)
"Pooh-pooh!" said the man as his finger he shook (shickety-shackety-shook)

CHORUS: Oh-lee, oh-lay, oh-loo-loo, my darlin',
People forget they were small.
Oh-lee, oh-lay, oh-loo-loo, my darlin',
They think they are wise 'cause they're tall.

3. The little boy came to a door in a rock (rickety-rackety-rock)
It opened right up when he started to knock (knickety-knackety-knock)
And there were the leprechauns under an oak (ickety-ackety-oak)
A-dancin' together like vapor and smoke (smickety-smackety-smoke)

CHORUS: Oh-lee, oh-lay, oh-loo-loo, my darlin',
Children have quizzical ways.
Oh-lee, oh-lay, oh-loo-loo, my darlin',
And some keep them all of their days.

- - - - -
The Internet Archive has another recording by by Phil Regan with Leo Arnaud and his Orchestra and The Jud Conlon Choir,
RCA Victor (20-3936-B), 1950—but they omit verse 2 and its chorus.

Subject: RE: Favorite Lullabies
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 30 Mar 20 - 04:14 PM

My mum would sing us the chorus from Ma Curly-Headed Baby, so I'll take that one, sung by Paul Robeson and with NO politically-correct changes to the words!