Lullabies H-I

Hello, lovely moon

Hush-a-ba, birdie

Hushabye, my bear cubs

Hush a bye, my little crumb

Hushaby! Rockaby!

Hush, hush little baby

Hush little baby

Hush little baby (2)

Hush, little rooster

Hush now my darling

I gave my love a cherry / The riddle song

I have a little sailboat

I see the moon

If I were an elfin

I'll sing to your baby / Zolst azoy lebn

I'm a bird. I sing my song

I’ve found my bonny babe a nest

Last updated: 5/28/2022 11:40 AM

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

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To listen to music from these songs click on 🔊

To watch the author sing a song click on the title at:

 

© Dany Rosevear 2008 All rights reserved

You are free to copy, distribute, display and perform these works under the following conditions:

·       you must give the original author credit

·       you may not use this work for commercial purposes

·       for any re-use or distribution, you must make clear to others the licence terms of this work

·       any of these can be waived if you get permission from the copyright holder

Your fair use and other rights are no way affected by the above.

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

 

 

Hello, lovely moon 🔊

 

 


A nighttime journey and lullaby. It is always a delightful surprise when the clouds are few in the sky to see the moon in all its glory. Naturally the wonderment of a full moon or a perfect crescent moon is most welcome. There are songs in many cultures that think of the crescent moon as a little boat sailing across the sky, a lovely image for a young child to imagine.

Words and music by Dany Rosevear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Hello, lovely moon,

In the dark, dark sky,

Tell me why you’re sailing

Way up there so high.

Are you waiting for me

To fall asleep tonight,

To take me off to dreamland

Until the morning light?

 

Will you take me with you,

And rock me as I sleep,

Sing the softest lullabies,

As stars around me peep?

Take me off to Hindustan

And places far away,

Then bring me safely home once more

To greet the coming day.


 

 

Hush-a-ba, birdie 🔊

 

 


A Scottish lullaby; I found it in ‘The ditty bag’ compiled by Janet E. Tobitt, published 1946. ‘Braw’ is fine, ‘kye’ a herd of cows, ‘bairnie’ baby, ‘maun’ must.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Hush-a-ba, birdie, croon, croon,

Hush-a-ba, birdie, croon;

The sheep are gone to the silver wood,

And the cows are gone to the broom, broom,

And the cows are gone to the broom, broom.

 

Braw it is milking the kye, kye, kye,

Braw it is milking the kye;

The birds are singing, the bells are ringing,

And the wild deer come galloping by, by, by,

And the wild deer come galloping by.

 

Hush-a-ba, birdie, croon, croon,

Hush-a-ba, birdie, croon;

The goats are gone to the mountain high,

And they'll not be home till noon, noon, noon,

And they'll not be home till noon.

 

Braw it is herding the kye, kye, kye,

Braw it is herding the kye;

The lambs are skipping, the sun is dipping,

And bairnie maun hush-a-ba, by, by, by,

And bairnie maun hush-a-ba, by.


 

 

 

Hushabye, my bear cubs 🔊

 

 


A Latvian cradle song. I have translated the words to correspond with the music and to include the lovely ‘zzu zzu ‘sounds.

Find it sung in Latvian at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=136&v=CkiPIeGMkCc

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Hushabye, hushabye, my bear cubs sleep, sleep.

With your little brown bear feet, hush, hush, hush,

With your little brown bear feet, zzu, zzu, zzu.

 

Father went to gather honey, hush, hush, hushabye,

Mother went to gather berries, hush, hush, hush,

Mother went to gather berries, zzu, zzu, zzu.

 

Father’s brought a pot of honey, hush, hush, hushabye,

Mother’s filled a berry basket, hush, hush, hush,

Mother’s filled a berry basket, zzu, zzu, zzu.

 

It's all for my baby, hush, hush, hushabye,

For a calm and peaceful sleep, hush,hush, hush,

For a calm and peaceful sleep, zzu, zzu, zzu.

 

Aijā, žūžū, lāča bērni, aijā, žūūžū,

Pekainām'i kājiņām'i, žū, žū, žū,

Pekainām'i kājiņām'i, žū žū žū.

 

Tēvs aizgāja medu vākt'i, aijā žūūžū,

Māte ogas palasīt'i, žū, žū, žū,

Māte ogas palasīt'i, žū, žū, žū.

 

Tēvs pārnesa medus podu, aijā, žūūžū,

Māte ogu vācelīti, žū, žū, žū,

Māte ogu vācelīti, žū, žū, žū.

 

Tas mazam'i bērniņam'i, aijā, žūūžū,

Par mierīgu gulēšanu, žū, žū, žū,

Par mierīgu gulēšanu, žū, žū, žū.


 

 

Hush a bye, my little crumb 🔊

 

 


A Cornish lullaby. It can be found on the Jackie Oates album of lullabies where she sings it so beautifully! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-K337urH_v4. It was first recorded by Cyril Tawney on his album ‘Songs of Devon and Cornwall’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Hush a bye, my little crumb,

The sheep are far from home,

The cows are to the far, far field

And won’t be home ‘til noon.


 

 

 

Hushaby! Rockaby! 🔊

 

 


From ‘Rhymes for little hands’ by Maud Burnham published in 1906.

Music and actions by Dany Rosevear.

 

1. Rock arms gently for each  Hushaby! Rockaby! 2. Put fingers to lips. 3. Hands creep. 4. Hold arms close to body. 5. Put both hands to side of cheek.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Hushaby! Rockaby!

Babies are sleeping.

Hushaby! Rockaby!

Sandman is creeping.

Hushaby! Rockaby!

Tucked in bed tight.

Hushaby! Rockaby!

Good night! Good night!

 


 

 

 

Hush, hush little baby / Evening 🔊

 

 


These lovely words come from ‘A book of 1,000 poems’ and are not accredited to anyone. Dany Rosevear adapted a traditional tune to write the music to accompany the poem.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Hush, hush, little baby,

The sun's in the west;

The lamb in the meadow

Has lain down to rest.

 

The bough rocks the bird now,

The flower rocks the bee,

The wave rocks the lily,

The wind rocks the tree;

 

And I rock the baby,

So softly to sleep…

It must not awaken

Till daisy-buds peep.


 

 

 

Hush little baby O

 

A lullaby from the U.S.A - mockingbirds live in this part of the New World. Find out more at: http://10000birds.com/mockingbirds.htm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Hush little baby don’t say a word,

Ma-ma’s goin’ to buy you a mocking bird.

 

And if that mocking bird won’t sing,

Ma-ma’s goin’ to buy you a diamond ring.

 

And if that diamond ring turns brass,

Ma-ma’s goin’ to buy you a looking glass.

 

And if that looking glass gets broke,

Ma-ma’s goin’ to buy you a billy goat.

 

And if that billy goat won’t pull,

Ma-ma’s goin’ to buy you a cart and bull.

 

And if that cart and bull turn over,

Ma-ma’s goin’ to buy you a dog named Rover.

 

And if that dog named Rover won’t bark,

Ma-ma’s goin’ to buy you a horse and cart.

And if that horse and cart fall down,

You’ll still be the sweetest little baby in town.

 

 

 


 

 

Hush, little baby (2) 🔊

 

 


These lovely lullaby lyrics (from a book of the same name by Sylvia Long) is based on the traditional song. Its appeal is the drawing attention to the familiar in a child’s day and bedtime routine rather than commercial aspects.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Hush little baby, don’t say a word,

Mama’s going to show you a hummingbird.

 

And if that hummingbird should fly,

Mama’s going to show you the evening sky.

 

When the night time shadows fall,

Mama’s going to hear the crickets call.

 

While their song drifts from afar,

Mama’s going to search for a shooting star.

 

When that star has dropped from view

Mamas’ going to read a book with you.

 

When that story has been read,

Mama’s going to bring your warm bedspread.

 

If that quilt begins to wear,

Mama’s going to find your teddy bear

.

If that teddy bear won’t hug,

Mama’s going to catch you a lightning bug.

 

If that lightning bug won’t glow,

Mama’s going to play on her old banjo.

 

If that banjo’s out of tune,

Mama’s going to show you the harvest moon.

 

As that moon drifts through the sky,

Mama’s going to sing you a lullaby

 


 

 

Hush, little rooster 🔊

 

 


A lovely song to sing before settling down to a bedtime or any other storytime book.

The words were probably originally were sung as a young child’s prayer ending with ‘We are talking to God right now’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Hush, little rooster with your cock-a-doodle-doo,

Hush, little kitten with your mew, mew, mew,

Hush, little puppy with your bow, wow, wow,

Please don’t moo, moo, Mrs. Cow.

Hush! Hush! Hush!

Time to listen to a story now.

 

Hush, little pig with your oink, oink, oink,

Hush, little lamb with your baa, baa, baa,

Hush, mother chicken with your cluck, cluck, cluck,

Please don't quack, quack, Mrs. Duck.

Hush! Hush! Hush!

Time to go to sleep right now.

 


 

 

 

 

Hush now my darling 🔊

 

 


A lullaby sung by the Ojibwe people of Wisconsin. The words are by Norma Tovey and can be found in ‘Merrily Merrily’ published by the Australian Breastfeeding Association in 1979.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Hush now my darling,

Hush little child,

Bears are a-roaming

Out there in the wild,

But you are safe here,

Mother is very near.


 

 

I gave my love a cherry 🔊

 

 


‘The riddle song’, a folk song from Kentucky which was very popular in the 1960s.

Such traditional riddle songs involve a knight who offers marriage to his lady love if she is able to answer the three questions correctly.

End piece and arrangement by Dany Rosevear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


I gave my love a cherry that had no stone,

I gave my love a chicken that had no bone.

I told my love a story that had no end.

I gave my love a baby with no cryin'

 

How can there be a cherry that has no stone?

How can there be a chicken that has no bone?

How can there be a story that has no end?

How can there be a baby with no cryin'?

 

A cherry when it's blooming, it has no stone.

A chicken when it's cheepin’, it has no bone.

The story of “I love you”, it has no end.

A baby when it's sleeping, has no cryin'.

 

Hush, my little one,

Hush, my little one,

Don't you cry.

 


 

 

 

 

I have a little sailboat 🔊

 

 


The origins of this song are somewhat obscure though several people remember hearing this lullaby when they were children: http://amiralace.blogspot.co.uk/2007/01/i-have-little-sailboat.html

Adapted and arranged by Dany Rosevear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


I have a little sailboat and I'm going to sea;

I'll follow all the seagulls 'till there's no one there but me.

I'll sail into the sun 'till I run out of blue,

Then I'll turn my sailboat and I'll come home to you.

Lullaby, lullaby, lullaby, lullaby.

 

I'm going to be a sailor, the whole world I'll explore;

Somewhere there is an island that was never found before.

And when I reach my island so shiny and new,

I'll breathe upon my sailboat and I'll sail home to you.

Lullaby, lullaby, lullaby, lullaby.

 


 


 

I see the moon O

 

 


A lullaby by Meredith Willson that we once sung as children. It was released in 1953. There is also a nursery rhyme that has the same title that appears in English as early as 1784 in a work entitled Gammer Gurton's Garland, ‘I see the moon, and the moon sees me, God bless the moon, and God bless me!’ Find out more at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_See_the_Moon .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


I see the moon and the moon sees me,

Down through the leaves of the old oak tree,

Please let the light that shines on me,

Shine on the one I love.

 

Over the mountain, over the sea,

Back where my heart is longing to be,

Please let the light that shines on me,

Shine on the one I love.

 

I hear the lark, the lark hears me,

Singing from the leaves of the old oak tree,

Oh, let the lark that sings to me,

Sing to the one I love,

 


 

 

If I were an elfin 🔊

 

 


This sweet little song and summer lullaby comes from ‘140 folk songs’ from the Concorde Series 1921. The words are by Homer H. Harbour to a Bohemian Folk-song.

Music arranged by Dany Rosevear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


If I were a tiny elfin,

Just as high as a fly,

I should creep into a flower

There to lie.

 

There I’d watch from out my window

Bumblebees in the breeze,

Buzzing by among the grasses

Tall as trees.

 

Safe from giant toad and sparrow

I should keep, hidden deep,

Till the summer winds would rock me

Fast asleep.


 

 

I'll sing to your baby / Zolst azoy lebn 🔊

 

 


This Yiddish lullaby is an unusual one as it is sung by a baby sitter.

English words by Ruth Rubin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


I’ll sing to your baby, it won’t cry,

I’ll wait till you come home by and by.

Chorus:

Hush little baby don’t you cry,

Your mummy will come home in the by and by.

Sleep little baby I’ll sing you a song,

Your mummy will return and she won’t be long.

 

Other little kids can romp and play,

But I must sing to baby all the day. Chorus

 

Other little kids eat sugar candy,

Your mother makes me wash your dirty panties. Chorus

 

Your mother is a mean one this I know,

If you don’t go to sleep she will scold me so. Chorus


 

 

 

 

I'm a bird. I sing my song 🔊

 

 


This gentle song can be a hand play, action rhyme or lullaby.

I have been unable to find the source of this little rhyme or the original music.

Music by Dany Rosevear.

 

Hand play: Put right hand on left and bob like a bird. Then open and close thumb and forefinger. Cross hands at wrists and flap. Put hands to cheek. Cup hands like a nest.

 

Action rhyme: Move gently around the room with arms outstretched, up and down and around. Slowly subside and curl into nest with hands to cheek.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


I'm a bird. I sing my song,

And fly, fly, fly, all day long.

And at night, I go to rest,

And sleep, sleep, sleep in my little nest.


 

 

I've found my bonny babe a nest  🔊

 

 


A poem by Alfred Perceval Graves (1846-1931) an Anglo-Irish poet.

Music arranged by Dany Rosevear 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


I've found my bonny babe a nest,

On Slumber Tree,

I'll rock you there to rosy rest,

Asthore Machree!

Oh, lulla lo! sing all the leaves,

On Slumber Tree,

Till everything that hurts or grieves,

Afar must flee.

 

I've put my pretty child to float,

Away from me,

Within the new moon's silver boat,

On Slumber Sea.

And when your starry sail is o'er

From Slumber Sea,

My precious one, you'll step to shore,

On Mother's knee.

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