Lullabies
C-F
Castle
of Dromore
Come
little bunny
Come
to the window
Connemara
cradle song
Counting
sheep
Counting
stars and sheep
Cotton-eyed
Joe
Cradle
song / Bye low, bye low
Cradled
cosily
Creep
to the window
Cushlamochree
Last updated: 3/6/2023
9:35 AM
The songs below are compiled, illustrated and
sometimes adapted by Dany Rosevear
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© Dany Rosevear 2008 All rights reserved
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Castle of Dromore 🔊 Sometimes called ‘October winds’, this ‘Irish folk song’ was written by Sir Harold Boulton to a traditional tune. It was later popularised by the Clancy Brothers in the 1960s, which is when I first came across this haunting song. Find out more at: http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=77129 |
October winds lament around the castle of Dromore, Yet peace is in her lofty halls, my loving treasure store, Though autumn leaves may droop and die, a bud of spring are you. Sing hushabye loo la loo la lan, Sing hushabye loo la lo. Bring no ill winds to hinder us, my helpless babe and me, Dread spirits of the blackwater, Clan Owen's wild banshee, And Holy Mary pitying us, in Heaven for grace doth sue. Sing hushabye loo la loo la lan, Sing hushabye loo la lo. Take time to thrive my ray of hope, in the garden of Dromore. Take heed young eaglet till thy wings are feathered fit to soar. A little rest and then the world is full of work to do. A little rest and then the world is full of work to do. Sing hushabye loo la loo la lan, Sing hushabye loo la lo. ! |
Come little bunny 🔊 Bedtime routines are of great importance to young children, it helps them to understand what comes next and prepares them for a good night’s sleep. Not sure of the origin of these words. Music by Dany Rosevear. |
Come, little bunny, Say, “Good night”. There’s lots to do ‘Til you turn out the light. Gather up your toys And put them away. Kiss them good night – It’s the end of the day. Hop in the bath For a rinse and a scrub. Play with the bubbles – Rub-a-dub-dub! Finish your story And turn out the light. Time to tuck you in warmly And kiss you good night. |
Come to the window O Words traditional, music by Dany
Rosevear. I was unable to find a tune to these lovely words, some have
suggested singing it to Hush-a-by baby, but a little melody popped into my
head that I hope do the words justice. |
Come to the window, My baby, with me, And look at the stars That shine on the sea! There are two little stars That play games of Bo-Peep With two little fishes Far down in the deep; And two little frogs Cry “Neap, neap, neap;” I see a dear baby That should be asleep! |
Connemara cradle song 🔊 This Irish lullaby is sung by those left at home contemplating the dangers faced by loved ones out fishing at sea. Some of the most beautiful tunes come out of Ireland and this is one of them. Those from the U.S.A will recognise this particular one as similar to ‘Down in the valley’ a familiar cowboy song, no doubt introduced by Irish immigrants. A ‘currach’ is an Irish boat with a wooden frame, over which animal hides or canvas is stretched. |
On wings of the wind, o'er the dark rolling deep, Angels are coming to watch o'er thy sleep. Angels are coming to watch over thee, So list to the wind coming over the sea. Chorus Hear the wind blow love, hear the wind blow, Lean your head over and hear the wind blow, Hear the wind blow love, hear the wind blow, Lean your head over and hear the wind blow. The currachs are sailing way out on the blue, Laden with herring of silvery hue, Silver the herring and silver the sea, Soon there'll be silver for my love and me. Chorus Tomorrow the currachs will lie on the shore, Your daddy goes sailing no never no more. The nets will hang drying, the oars put away. Your daddy is home, babe, and home he will stay. Chorus |
Counting sheep O A song of German origin. This particular
version, tune and words, can be found in ‘Infant Joy’ by Desmond MacMahon,
published 1954. The third verse I took from another source. |
Sleep, baby, sleep, While father tends the sheep, Thy mother shakes the slumber tree, Down gently falls a dream for thee. Sleep, baby, sleep. Sleep, baby, sleep. For night enfolds the sheep The twinkling stars are lambkins small, The moon, the shepherd of them all. Sleep, baby, sleep. Sleep, baby, sleep. Father guards the sheep. The wind is blowing fierce and wild, It must not wake my little child. Sleep, baby, sleep. Sleep, baby, sleep. I'll bring to you a sheep. With golden bell to ring out clear, And waken you when day is near. Sleep, baby, sleep. |
Counting stars and
sheep 🔊 ‘The mystic number’, an old
counting rhyme and lullaby set to an Austrian folk tune. From ‘New elementary music’ by
Charles F. Fullerton published 1925. |
I counted in the heaven, When the moon shed its light, White stars that numbered seven, They were twinkling so bright. Chorus: I counted one, I counted two, I counted three, I counted four, I counted five, I counted six, I counted sev’n, Goodnight! White sheep grazed in the meadow, Ev’ry one wore a bell; Each one followed its shadow, O’er the grass where it fell. Chorus: + Sleep well! |
Cotton-eyed Joe O A gentle lullaby that originated as
a fiddle tune and lively song. Burl Ives suggests it is a Tennessee mountain
lullaby. Find out more about this song at: http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=13537 |
Where did you come from, Where did you go? Where did you come from, My cotton-eyed Joe? I come for to see you, I come for to sing, I come for to show you, My diamond ring. My ring shines like silver, My ring shines like gold, Gonna give it to my little Cindy Jane, Hers for to hold. Got a hole in my pocket Got a nail in my shoe. Little Joe’s on his pillow Dreaming dreams the whole night through. |
Cradle song / Bye-low, bye-low 🔊 This song was
published in the ‘American Primary Teacher’ magazine in October 1911 and was
credited to Alys Eliza Bentley’s song primer ‘Play songs’ published in 1907;
the lovely melody is by Rose Craighill. |
Baby's in the cradle sleeping; Tip-toe, tip-toe, Still as pussy slyly creeping. Bye low, bye low, Rock the cradle, baby's waking; Hush, my baby, O! Hush, my baby, O! Bye low, bye low, Baby's in the cradle sleeping; I know, I know, Baby's dreaming, oh, so deep in Sleep-o, sleep-o, Time to wake and greet the new day; Hush, my baby, O! Hush, my baby, O! Bye low, bye low, Baby's in the cradle sleeping; Tip-toe, tip-toe, Still as pussy slyly creeping. Bye low, bye low, Rock the cradle, baby's waking; Hush, my baby, O! Hush, my baby, O! |
Cradled cosily 🔊 A winter hand play and
lullaby. Perfect for snuggling up and drifting into sleep. Winter is
here, we put on warm clothing but the
little seeds have a blanket of earth and snow. The weather
might be freezing above the soil but down below Nature is just sleeping ready
for warmer days to come. Another poem
from the Steiner tradition. Music by Dany
Rosevear. 1. Rock hands gently. 2. Put hands to cheek. 3. Twinkle fingers. 4.
Hands to cheek, make sun with thumb and forefinger, rise until above head. 5.
Raise fingers and move upwards. |
Cradled cosily, cradled deep, Wrapped in the warm earth baby
seeds sleep. Light we shed on you, light
divine, Seeds in the darkness twinkle
and shine. Dream till the spring sun
climbing the skies, Shines throught the darkness and
bids you arise. |
Creep to the window 🔊 Encourage a sense of wonder in your
child at the dark night sky with this hand play. Inspired from words from the Handbook for First Year Experimental
Language Development: Book Three’ Published in Australia May 73. Music and adaptation by Dany Rosevear. 1. Make a creeping motion,
hand to forehead. 2. Form moon, open and close hands for stars. 3. Place
fingers and thumbs round eyes. 4. Finger to lips. |
Creep to the window, Look out at the night, See the moon a-shining And the stars gleaming bright. The owl blinks down From its perch in the tree, And all around is quiet, As quiet as can be! |
Cushlamochree 🔊 From Lucy
Coat’s ‘First Rhymes published in 1994. The tune is Brahm’s lullaby. ‘Cushlamochree’ is Gaelic for
‘darling’ and ‘Cariad bach’ is ‘little darling’. |
Cushlamochree, o cushlamochree, Shall you dance for the stars? Shall you play in the sea? Shall you play in the sea? Shall you swim with the whale? Shall you follow the sun? O cushlamochree, has your
dreaming begun? Cariad bach, o cariad bach, Shall you sing to the moon? Shall you shout for the dark? Shall you shout for the dark? Shall you whisper with bears? Shall you waken the night? O cariad bach, sweet dreams and
sleep tight? |
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