Lullabies D

Daisies

Day and night

Dear little Olé

Deep blue sea

Do you know how many little stars

Dors, dors p’tit bébé

Douglas Mountain

Down in the valley

Down with the lambs

Dream a little dream of me

Dream passes by

Dreamland opens here / A Louisiana lullaby

Duermete, Niño lindo

Last updated: 1/2/2023 11:04 AM

The songs below are compiled, illustrated and sometimes adapted by Dany Rosevear

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Daisies O

A bedtime song; words by Frank Dempster Sherman, music by Winifred Dryoff.

At evening when I go to bed

I see the stars shine overhead;

They are the little daisies white

That dot the meadow of the Night.

And often while I'm dreaming so,

Across the sky the Moon will go;

It is a lady, sweet and fair,

Who comes to gather daisies there.

For, when at morning I arise,

There's not a star left in the skies;

She's picked them all and dropped them down

Into the meadows of the town.

Day and night 🔊

Night time is a good time to think about the gradual changes from light to dark that occur through each 24 hours and how they change through the seasons.

By day the shadows slip away,

At evening back they creep.

The sun gives light enough for play,

The stars enough for sleep.

Dear little Olé 🔊

‘Den Lille Ole med Paraplyen’ is a Danish lullaby based on a story by Hans Christian Andersen: Ole-Luk-Oie, was a night time character, like our Sandman, who under each arm carried an umbrella; one of them had pictures on the inside which he spreads over the good children who would then dream the most beautiful stories the whole night. But the other umbrella has no pictures, and this he holds over naughty children so they sleep heavily, and wake in the morning without having dreamed at all!

It was written by Peter Lemche and composed by Olé Jacobsen in 1873. Much of this song was translated into English by R. D. Rodholm. Adapted and arranged by Dany Rosevear.

Dear little Olé with his umbrella,

All children love him, the friendly fellow.

When you are sleepy, he’ll take your hand

And tiptoe gently to fairyland.

This strange umbrella he spreads above them,

It's full of pictures, and children love them,

And when the child into dreamland sails,

He tells them wonderful fairy tales.

He tells of beautiful stars that guide us,

Of lovely angels that walk beside us,

Of fairies dancing so merrily

That everybody would like to see.

And all the children who mind their mothers,

And always try to be good to others,

Shall under Olé's umbrella hear

Angelic voices so soft and clear.

Deep blue sea 🔊

This lullaby is based on John Bell’s Peace version of the traditional song of the same name which included the line ‘It was Willie what got drownded’ sung by Odetta and Pete Seeger among others; we knew it well in the late 1960s.

The third verse is written by Dany Rosevear.

Deep blue sea, baby, deep blue sea,

Now there's peace, in all the land,

And o’er the deep blue sea.

Sleep my child, you are safe with me,

Now there's peace, in all the land,

And o’er the deep blue sea.

Feel the love, it is all around,

Now there's peace, in all the land,

And o’er the deep blue sea.

Moon is high and the sun’s at rest,

Stars are twinkling, the night is dressed,

Dream, sweet dreams in your downy nest,

Now there's peace, in all the land,

And o’er the deep blue sea.

Do you know how many little stars 🔊

This lullaby was originally a hymn. I have adapted it to reach a wider audience and to encourage older children to consider how we can care for the wonders of our world and our place in it.

Do you know how many little stars

There are, twinkling in the skies?

Do you know how many clouds above

Every day go drifting by?

Could we count them, count them eve’ry one,

Would we miss one should it fall?

Yes, we’d miss one should it fall,

Precious little star of the night.

Do you know how many birdies

In the sunshine sing each day?

Do you know how many fishes

In the sparkling water play?

Our Earth is here for all living things,

Food and life to each is given,

With our love and care they will flourish there,

Precious wonders of our world.

Do you know how many children

Go to little beds at night,

And without a care or sorrow

Wake again with morning light?

But our parents well, each name can tell,

For us they know, and they love us so,

They’re our best and dearest friends,

Precious little child of the night.

Dors, dors p’tit bébé 🔊

A traditional Cajun lullaby.

p'tit: petit / 'coutes: écoutes.

Dors, dors, p'tit bébé,

'coutes la rivière, 'coutes la rivière,

Dors, dors, p'tit bébé,

'coutes la rivière, couler.

Sleep, sleep, my little one,

Listen to the river, listen to the river,

Sleep, sleep, my little one,

Listen to the river, running.

Dors, dors, mon bel enfant,

'coutes les oiseaux, 'coutes les oiseaux,

Dors, dors, mon bel enfant,

'coutes les oiseaux, chanter.

Sleep, sleep, my child so dear,

Listen to the birds sing, listen to the birds sing,

Sleep, sleep, my child so dear,

Listen to the birds sing, sweetly.

Douglas Mountain 🔊

A lullaby for teddy.

Researching a song like this one is quite fascinating; the original was written by Arnold Sundgaard with music by Alec Wilder. The most well known version is probably by Raffi. I came across the words of the last couplet only at the end of my search to find that they came from one of my favorite singer / songwriter Kathy Reed-Naiman on her CD of lullabies ‘On my way to dreamland’.

Dany Rosevear wrote the middle verse.

Snows are a-falling on Douglas Mountain,

Snows are a-falling so deep.

Snows are a-falling on Douglas Mountain,

Putting all the bears to sleep, to sleep,

Putting the bears to sleep.

Snow clouds are covering Douglas Mountain,

Dimming the moon’s pale light.

Snow clouds are covering Douglas Mountain,

Hiding all the little stars tonight, tonight,

Hiding all the little stars tonight.

Snowflakes are falling on Douglas Mountain,

Snowflakes are falling so white.

Snowflakes are falling on Douglas Mountain,

Kissing all the trees goodnight, goodnight,

Kissing the trees goodnight.

Down in the valley 🔊

A traditional Kentucky mountain song from the early 1800s with a gentle waltz tune.

Is often sung as a lullaby.

Down in the valley, the valley so low,

Hang your head over, hear the wind blow.

Hear the wind blow, dear, hear the wind blow.

Hang your head over, hear the wind blow.

Roses love sunshine, violets love dew,

Angels in heaven, know I love you;

Know I love you, dear, know I love you,

Angels in heaven know I love you.

Build me a castle, forty feet high,

So I can see you as you ride by,

As you ride by, love, as you ride by,

So I can see you as you ride by.

Give me your love dear then love whom you please,

Put your arms 'round me, give my heart ease.

Give my heart ease love, give my heart ease,

Put your arm 'round me, give my heart ease.

Down with the lambs 🔊

A nursery rhyme for bedtime.

Music by Dany Rosevear

Down with the lambs,

Up with the lark,

Run to bed, children,

Before it gets dark.

Dream a little dream of me 🔊

Written by Fabian Andre and Wilbur Schwandt with lyrics by Gus Kahn in 1931. Find out more at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dream_a_Little_Dream_of_Me

Stars shining bright above you,

Night breezes seem to whisper,. "I love you"

Birds singing in the sycamore tree,

“Dream a little dream of me.”

Stars fading but I linger on dear,

Still craving your kiss;

I’m longing to linger till dawn dear,

Just saying this:

Sweet dreams till sunbeams find you,

Sweet dreams that leave all worries behind you,

But in your dreams whatever they be

“Dream a little dream of me.”

Dream passes by 🔊

A Ukrainian folk lullaby, ‘Ой ходить сон, коло вікон’

‘Where will we rest tonight?’ creates a vision of those sheltering in basements or the many fleeing from danger in war torn parts of the world.

It was probably first printed at the beginning of the 19th century. The song however has been around in Ukrainian folklore for a long time possibly for centuries.

Find out more here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oi_Khodyt_Son_Kolo_Vikon

This translation is by Dany Rosevear.

Hear it sung in Ukranian here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOtev-jZaFk

Oo, oo, oo, oo, Oo, oo, oo, oo, oo, oo.

Darkness is nigh, Dream passes by,

Whispers to Sleep.

“Where shall we rest tonight?”

“Where a young child, in a warm cottage lies,

There we will rock little one to sleep.”

“Look, look inside, Mother and child,

There we will rest, As very welcome guests.

Hear the cat purr, see the sweet baby smile,

Sleep, sleep in peace, dearest child, my dove.”

Oo, oo, oo, oo, Oo, oo, oo, oo, oo, oo.

Dreamland opens here /

A Louisiana lullaby 🔊

An African Creole /Cajun lullaby sung in English. I found this song in ‘Music now and long ago’ published in 1956 by Silver Burdett. You can find it sung in Creole – a mixture of French and Spanish at the bottom of the page.

Find out more at: http://earlycajunmusic.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/gue-gue-solingaie-dr-james-roach.html

Dreamland opens here,

Sweep the dream path clear.

Listen child, now listen well,

What the tortoise may have to tell,

What the tortoise may have to tell.

Dreamland opens here,

Sweep the dream path clear.

Listen child, dear little child,

To the song of the crocodile,

To the song of the crocodile.

Dreamland opens here,

Sweep the dream path clear.

Listen child, dear little child,

In the canebrake, the wildcat cries,

In the canebrake, the wildcat cries.

Gué-gué Solingaie,

balliez chimin-là,

M'a dis li, oui, m'a dis li,

Calbasse, li connain parler!

Calbasse, il connain parler!

Gué-gué Solingaie,

balliez chimin-là,

M'a dis li, oui, m'a dis li,

Cocodril, li connain chanter!

Cocodril, il connain chanter!

Gué-gué Solingaie,

balliez chimin-là,

M'a dis li, oui, m'a dis li,

Pichou, li connain trangler!

Duermete, Niño lindo 🔊

A Hispanic lullaby from a Christmas folk pageant ‘Los Pastores’ introduced into Mexico by Spanish missionaries in the 16^th century. My version comes from an old ‘Sing Out’ pamphlet.

Oh, sleep my pretty baby,

Lying in the arms of love;

Hush while your mother sings to you

A lullaby from above.

Chorus

A la rru, a la mé, a la rru, a la mé,

a la rru, a la rru, a la mé.

Duermete, Niño lindo,

en los brazos del amor

que te arrolla tu madre

cantandote a la rru. Chorus

Have no fear of King Herod,

He can do no harm to you;

Safe in the arms of your mother

While she sings ‘a la ru.’ Chorus

No temas al rey Herodes

que nada teha de hacer;

en los brazos de tu madre

nadie teha de ofender. Chorus

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