Lullabies
S-T
Sing
a song at twilight
Sleep,
little seed
Sleep,
O sleep!
Softly,
softly rock
Star
light, star bright
Stars
shining
Sweet
and low
Tell
me why
That’s
an Irish lullaby
The
little sandman
The
little white boat / Half moon
The
moon’s song
The night
will never stay
The
Starlighter
The
stars are hiding all the day
Three
white gulls
Time
for man go home
Turn
around
Twinkle,
twinkle, little star
Also
see:
Maranoa lullaby an Aboriginal song
Last updated: 5/15/2018
4:25 PM
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
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Sing a song at twilight 🔊
‘Just a song
of twilight’ or Love’s own sweet song’ was written by J. L. Molloy 1884. The
words here were adapted by Albert E. Wier in his wonderful anthology ‘Songs
children love to sing’ published in 1916. |
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Sing a song at twilight, when the lights are low; And the flickering shadows, softly come and go, Whipporwill’s a singing, robin’s in his nest. May our song at twilight lull you to rest, Lull you to sweet rest. |
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Sleep, little seed 🔊
A gentle song
for the beginning of Spring. Words and
music by Dany Rosevear. |
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Sleep, little seed, when the wild winds blow; Sleep, little seed, through the frost and snow; Sleep, little seed, till the sun shines warm Then rise little seed to greet the new dawn. You may be a flower, you may be a tree, You may be a pumpkin or a child just like me; So sleep, little seed for as long as you may To rise up and reach for the blue sky some day. |
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Sleep, O sleep! 🔊
From ‘Mother’s
Nursery Songs’ written by Thomas Hastings and published in 1848; most of
these songs are of their time when childhood deaths were common, as was the
talk of the poor heathen child in other lands. They were written with the
purpose of instilling good behaviour in the young child and were accompamied
by a strong religious and moral fervour. This one, however, is quite
wonderful and has just had minor adaptations made to the words. |
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Sleep,
O sleep! While
breezes so softly are blowing; Sleep,
O sleep! While
streamlets so gently are flowing. Sleep,
O sleep! Sleep, O sleep! Sleep,
O sleep! While
flocks in the meadows are straying, Sleep,
O sleep! While
lambkins are merrily playing, Sleep,
O sleep! Sleep, O sleep! Sleep,
O sleep! While
birds in the forests are singing, Sleep,
O sleep! While
echoes of music are ringing, Sleep,
O sleep! Sleep, O sleep! Sleep,
O sleep! While
angels are watching beside thee, Sleep,
O sleep! May
blessings forever betide thee, Sleep,
O sleep! Sleep, O sleep! . |
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This lovely
Austrian Christmas lullaby ‘Still, still, still, weil's Kindlein schlafen
will’ is loosely translated by Helen Henschel in ‘A third sixty songs for
little children’; It does not appear to be a familiar one but I have used it
for Nativity plays throughout my teaching life. I have adapted two further verses as sung by
Trinity Church in Boston, hopefully in the same tradition. |
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Softly, softly, rock my baby fast asleep. The little stars look down from heaven, Angels through the window peep, So softly, softly rock my baby fast asleep. Hush, hush, hush, hear the gently falling snow, For all is quiet, the world is sleeping, Stars above thy vigil keeping, Hush, hush, hush, hear the gently falling snow, Dream, dream, dream, my dearest little one. While stars a-twinkling without number, Watch you as you sweetly slumber, Dream, dream, dream, my dearest little one. |
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Wishing when we see a shooting or
falling star is a lovely tradition, possibly one from ancient times, to pass on
to our children. It is also a custom to wish as the first star of the evening
appears. This nursery rhyme has the Roud
number #16339. |
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Star light, star bright, First star I see tonight; Wish I may, wish I might, Have the wish I wish tonight. |
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A lullaby from Texas. Ruth Crawford Seeger in ‘American Folk songs for children’ suggests
counting other objects such as buttons and children. For the words below open and close fists to show twinkling stars.
Indicate numbers with fingers. Throw hands forward for ‘Good Lawd’ Move open
hands from side to side for ‘by’m bye’.
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Sweet and low 🔊
A lullaby by
Lord Alfred Tennyson, music by Joseph Barnby. |
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Sweet and low, sweet and low, Wind of the western sea, Low, low, breathe and blow, Wind of the western sea! Over the rolling waters go, Come from the dying moon, and blow, Blow him again to me; While my little one, while my pretty one, sleeps. Sleep and rest, sleep and rest, Father will come to thee soon; Rest, rest, on mother's breast, Father will come to thee soon; Father will come to his babe in the nest, Silver sails all out of the west Under the silver moon: Sleep, my little one, sleep, my pretty one, sleep. |
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Tell
me why O
A traditional song with a sense of
wonder that works so well as a lullaby. The words inspired me to write two
further verses. |
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Tell me why the stars do shine, Tell me why the ivy twines, Tell me why the skies are blue, And I will tell you just why I
love you! I don’t know why the stars do
shine, I don’t know why the ivy twines, I don’t know why the skies are
blue, One thing I do know is that I
love you! Tell me where the stars do
shine, Tell me where the ivy twines, Tell me where the skies are
blue, And I will tell you just where I
love you! Way up high the stars do shine, Round the old oak tree the ivy
twines, Above the clouds the skies are
blue, Asleep in my arms is where I
love you! |
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That’s
an Irish lullaby O
A song from Ireland written by J.R.
Shannon. My grandmother who had Irish
parents sang this song to me when I was a young child. |
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Over in Killarney, Many years ago, My mother sang a song to me In tones so sweet and low. Just a simple little ditty, In her good old Irish way, And I'd give the world if she
could sing That song of hers today. Too-ra-loo-ra-loo ra, Too-ra-loo-ra-li, Too-ra-loo-ra-loo ra, Hush, now don't you cry! Too-ra-loo-ra-loo ra, Too-ra-loo-ra-li, Too-ra-loo-ra-loo ra, That's an Irish lullaby. |
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The little sandman /
Brahm’s lullaby 🔊
Johannes
Brahms wrote this lullaby, "Wiegenlied", Op. 49, No. 4 and
published in 1868, to celebrate the birth of a son to his friend Bertha
Faber. It was based on a German folk tune and was Brahms's last song.There
are many different translations of the words. These words are mainly the
verses written in Foresman’s ‘A child’s book of songs’ published in 1928 but
have been adapted by Dany Rosevear. |
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There’s magic in the moonbeam That kissed the flowers goodnight, For now the red red rosebuds Are pale as lilies white; The pine trees still are whispering, The cricket rings its bell, All for you, all for you, To make you slumber well! The birds you heard this morning Have long since gone to rest; And now are close together Against their mother's breast. And there they lie so still and warm, Secure from every harm. Slumber, slumber, My darling baby dear. I see a friendly elf man, He holds a bag of sand; He bought it from the fairies, In their enchanted land; And on your drowsy eyelids Some golden grains he’ll strew; That, you know, that you know. Will make your dreams come true! |
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The
little white boat 🔊
‘The little white boat’ or 반달 ‘Half moon’ has lyrics and music by Yin Kerong, a Korean composer (1903 -
1988) who wrote other songs for children. It has also been translated into
Chinese 小白船
and Japanese. Find out more about Yin
Kerong and the Korean lyrics at: http://et97.com/view/2481305.htm . |
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See the small white boat in the
sky, Sailing t’wards the west, High above a cinnamon tree, Where white rabbit rests. With no sail nor oars it skims O’er the Milky Way, Floating among the clouds, It slowly just fades away. Through the silver galaxy sail, Through a rainbow land Of clouds that billow high in
the sky, Where will it go then? Onwards to a far off place Where shines a golden light, The dawn star, a guiding light, It shines, how it shines so
bright. |
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The
moon’s song O
These lovely words were written or translated
from German ‘Das lied von mond’ by Frances B. Wood in ‘Sixty songs for little
children’ OUP. |
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When day has gone and darkness Comes sweeping o’er the sky, I leave my cloudy palace To swing my lamp on high. And all my dear star children Their little lanterns light, And twinkles down to tell you We’re watching through the
night. |
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The night will never
stay 🔊
Written by the
wonderful children’s poet Eleanor Farjeon 1881-1965. One of my favourite poets
and so many of her poems are suitable for younger children. Music by Dany
Rosevear. |
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The night will never stay, The night will still go by, Though with a million stars You pin it to the sky; Though you bind it with the blowing wind And buckle it with the moon, The night will slip away Like sorrow or a tune. |
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The Starlighter 🔊
Words to this
haunting poem are by Arthur Guiterman 1871 – 1943 an American poet; find out
more at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Guiterman. Music and
arrangement by Dany Rosevear. |
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When the bat's on the wing and the bird's in the
tree, Comes the old Starlighter, whom none may see. First in the West, where the low hills are, He touches his wand to the evening star. Then swiftly he runs on his rounds on high, Till he's lit every lamp in the dark blue sky. |
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The stars are hiding 🔊
A lovely little
song by Malvina Reynold. I came across it on Marty Lane’s delightful CD ‘Brighten the day’ where she
sings it as a medley. Verse 1. Line 1.-3. Open and close hands and then pull to chest. x3.
4. Draw a large circle with hands and wiggle fingers outwards. 5.-6. As
before. Verse 2. Line 1.-3. Open and close hands and then put hands to cheek.
x3. 4. Draw a large circle with hands and wiggle fingers behind back. 5.-6.
As before. |
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The
stars are hiding all the day, The
stars are hiding all the day, The
stars are hiding all the day, The
sun is shining them away. Orion
and the Lion, They
are hiding all the day. The
stars are shining all the night, The
stars are shining all the night, The
stars are shining all the night, The
sun is shining out of sight. Orion
and the Lion, They
are shining all the night. |
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This gentle and rather beautiful lullaby is supposedly of Italian
origin but I have been unable to find the Italian equivalent. Do let me know
if you find the source material. It makes a lovely calming down song as children swoop and soar moving
their arms and then finally sink down and sleep.
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Time for
man go home 🔊
This song from Trinidad is usually regarded
as a chanty or work song, it is also popular at community events to sing when
it is time to leave; here it is sung as a gentle going to bed lullaby. |
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Time for man go home, Time for man go home. Time for man go home, It’s time for man and it’s time for beast, Time for man go home. The bird in bush go kwa, kwa, kwa, Time for man go home, Time for man go home, Time for man go home, Time for man go home. Time for man go home, Time for man go home. It's time to go and it's time for bed, Time for man go home. It's time to go and the sun go down, Time for man go home, Time for man go home. |
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Turn around 🔊
One of the
many wonderful songs from the pen of Malvina Reynolds This was written with Harry Belafonte and Alan Greene. |
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Where are you going, my little one, little one, Where are you going, my baby, my own? Turn around and you're two, Turn around and you're four, Turn around and you're a young girl going out of my
door. Turn around, turn around, Turn around and you're a young girl going out of my
door. Where are you going, my little one, little one, Little pigtails and petticoats, where have you gone? Turn around and you're tiny, Turn around and you're grown, Turn around and you're a young wife with babes of
your own. Turn around, turn around, Turn around and you're a young wife with babes of
your own. Where are you going, my little one, little one, Where are you going, my baby, my own? |
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Twinkle, twinkle, little star O
A tune that is so very familiar and used in many other nursery songs.
The tune came from the French song ‘Ah! vous dirai-je, Maman’ published
in 1761. You can find this song at: Make fingers flash on and off to mimic starlight and mime other parts
of the songs
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A rhyme for bedtime; the wooden hill
is the stairs and Sheet Lane / Blanket Fair are the bedding. It encourages reluctant young
children on their way to bed, though staircases are nowadays invariably
carpeted. The first couplet can be found in
the Opie’s ‘The Oxford Nursery Rhyme Book’; the second two are possibly an
older rhyme that can be found in ‘My very First Mother Goose’ edited by Iona
Opie! |
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Up the wooden hill to Bedfordshire; And down Sheet Lane to Blanket Fair. Up the wooden hill to Blanket Fair, What shall we have when we get there? A bucket full of water and a pennyworth of hay, Gee up, Dobbin, all the way! |
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Upstairs
to fairyland 🔊
A ‘going to bed’ song written by
Stanley Galpin. It featured on BBC radio in 1928. |
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Upstairs to fairyland, Mind how you go. Hold tight to mummy's hand, Walk on tiptoe. Get your tickets ready to Pass through the nursery gate, Quiet as a mouse. Then you'll be in Fairyland At the top of the house. |
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This song makes a good introduction to adjectives. As a lullaby sing this song more quietly each time to send a child to
sleep. It also will work well as a calming down song as children sit in a circle
and make actions to accompany the words: 1.Cross arms and hold upper arms. 2.
Stroke back of the hand. 3. Make a ball shape with cupped hands. 4. Put hands
to cheek. 5. Draw smile on face. 6. Brush whiskers on face.
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Way up high in the
cherry tree 🔊
A hand play or
lullaby. Music arranged
by Dany Rosevear. Verse 1: Look up at outstretched hands. Hand to brow. Open and close
thumb and forefinger, raise three fingers on the other hand. Look up at tree.
Verse 2: Cup hands. Gently move from side to side. Open and close thumb and forefinger. Put
hands to cheek. Verse 3: As before. |
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Way up high in the cherry tree, If you look, you will see, Mother robin and babies three, High, high in the tree. See the nest in the treetops, Swinging, swaying; Mother robin is singing, Singing her babies to sleep…. Way up high in the cherry tree, If you look, you will see, Mother robin and babies three, High, high in the tree. |
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Where do you sleep? 🔊
This song
comes from Maurice Sendak’s wonderful ‘Lullabies and night songs’. The beautiful
words are by William Engvick and the music by Alec Wilder. I have added an
end couplet, a wishful plea for all those sleepless parents of young babies.
The chord arrangement is also mine. |
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The green worm sleeps in silk, The turtle sleeps in sand, And the bluebird sleeps in a feather bed, The yak prefers to stand. The white lamb sleeps in wool, The ermine sleeps in fur, But the monkey sleeps in his mommy's arms, All warm and close to her. And my baby sleep in my arms, so sweet, Sleep soft and do not stir. |
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Where should a baby
rest? 🔊
Or ‘Little Margaret’s
lullaby’ from the ‘Infants’ annual or A Mother’s offering’, published 1834. |
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Where should a baby rest? Where but on its mother's arm - Where can a baby lie Half so safe from every harm? Lulla, lulla, lullaby, Softly sleep, my baby; Lulla, lulla, lullaby, Soft, soft, my baby. Nestle there, my lovely one! Press to mine thy velvet cheek; Sweetly coo, and smile, and look, All the love you cannot not speak. Lulla, lulla, lullaby, Softly sleep, my baby; Lulla, lulla, lullaby, Soft, soft, my baby. |
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Which is the way the
wind blows 🔊
An old Dutch
cradle song. |
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Which is the way the wind blows, Over the silver sea? Bringing a ship for father And a golden dream for me. Which is the way the wind blows, Over the silver sea? Bringing a gown for mother And a silver shoe for me. Which is the way the wind blows, Over the silver sea? Bringing a moon for mother And a tiny star for me. |
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Winkum,
winkum, shut your eye O This popular traditional lullaby
was published in “The Most Popular Mother Goose Songs” compiled and arranged
by Carrie Bullard in 1910; there have been only slight variations of the
words since that time. |
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Winkum, winkum, shut your eyes, Sweet, my baby, lullaby, For the dews are falling soft, Lights are flick'ring up aloft, And the moonlight’s peeping over Yonder hilltop, capped with
clover. Chickens long have gone to rest, Birds lie snug within their
nest, And my birdie soon will be Sleeping like a chickadee; For with only half a try, Winkum, winkum shuts her eyes. |
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Wishing
star O
A rhyme from the Waldorf
Curriculum. Melody added by Dany Rosevear. Draw a
star, sun and moon on your child’s back; with a kiss goodnight of course! |
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A star for you to wish on, A sun so warm and bright, A moon for you to sleep on, Happy dreams, A kiss goodnight. |
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This gentle lullaby has travelled
worldwide with sailors and fishermen from its Portuguese origins in the Cape
Verde Islands off the East African coast and became a familiar one in
Australia’s North Queensland. The version below is from ‘The
Revels book of Chanteys and Sea Songs’ by John Langstaff and George Emlem. To
find more comprehensive information about the song visit Mudcat: http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=8689. |
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Come all ye bold fishermen, listen to me; I'll sing you a song of the fish in the sea. Yea ho, little fish, don't cry, don't cry; Yea ho, little fishies, you be a whale by and by. You go to fish school and can learn from a book How not to get caught on a fisherman's hook. Watch out, little fish, we're out after you, But you can escape away deep in the blue. You just swim around the fisherman's bait And you won't end up on that fisherman's plate. |
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