Lullabies C-F

Castle of Dromore

Come to the window

Counting sheep

Cotton-eyed Joe

Cradle song / Bye low, bye low

Creep to the window

Cushlamochree

Daisies

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

Dreamland opens here /

A Louisiana lullaby

El coqui / The tree frog

Evening is a little boy / Small song

Evening song

Fa la nana bambino

Far in the wood

Father’s gone to sea

Flower’s lullaby

Last updated: 10/26/2020 10:25 AM

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

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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.

Sing hushabye loo la loo la lan,

Sing hushabye loo la lo.

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!

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.

For night enfolds the sheep

The twinkling stars are lambkins small,

The moon, the shepherd of them all.

Sleep, baby, sleep.

Father guards the sheep.

The wind is blowing fierce and wild,

It must not wake my little child.

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.

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.

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!

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!

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!

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 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 whisper with bears?

Shall you waken the night?

O cariad bach, sweet dreams and sleep tight?

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.

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.”

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!

El coquí / The tree frog O

A lullaby from Puerto Rico. A ‘coquí’ is a tiny frog about the size of a thumb that lives in tropical rainforests.

You can find a lot more about this song at: http://www.folkways.si.edu/el-coqui/music/tools-for-teaching/smithsonian

El coquí, el coquí a mi me encanta,

Es tan lindo el cantar del coquí,

Por las noches al ir a acostarme,

Me adormece cantando así:

Coquí! Coquí! Coquí, qui, qui, qui!

Little frog sings a lullaby softly.

I can hear it sing all the night long;

Though I fall fast asleep when it’s bedtime,

In my dreams comes the sweet little song:

Coquí! Coquí! Coquí, qui, qui, qui!

Little frog, little frog, while I listen,

Sings the loveliest song I have heard;

In the night time it sings in the garden,

Singing songs of two notes with one word.

Coquí! Coquí! Coquí, qui, qui, qui!

Evening is little boy 🔊

Or ‘Small song’ by Frances Frost.

Music by Dany Rosevear. You can find out more about the author at: https://vermonthistory.org/journal/56/VHS5602Frances%20Frost.pdf

Evening is a little boy

With dark wind-ruffled hair.

Who skips the stars like stones across

The darkling pond of air.

Morning is a little lass,

Her sweet head gently curled,

Who jumps a rope of knotted flowers

Across the waking world.

Evening song 🔊

From ‘Festivals, family and food’ published 1982, a lovely collection of seasonal ideas.

Who has the nicest white sheep?

The silver moon on high,

Who lives behind the treetops

Up yonder in the sky.

She comes late in the evening

When everyone’s asleep,

So slow and calm she wanders

Across the heavens deep.

All night she guards her white flocks

In meadows blue and deep,

For all the little twinkling stars

Are only her white sheep.

Fa la nana bambino O

A charming Italian lullaby.

Translated by Dany Rosevear. If you have a daughter you could sing ‘lovely one’.

Fa la nana bambino,

Fa la nana bel bambin,

Fa la nina, fa la nana,

Nei braeceti della mamma.

Go to sleep my little one,

Go to sleep my lovely son,

Close your eyes and

Go to sleep now,

In the warm arms of your mother.

Far in the wood 🔊

I would love to know the origins of the delightful words of this song. I found them first in ‘Sing through the day – ninety songs for younger children’ where it was credited to anonymous. The words there included a ‘Tira lira’ refrain and had a different tune from the one below.

The music here was written by Debbie Carrol who has kindly given me permission to use it. You can find her mysterious version and more of her wonderful songs for young children at: http://debbiecarroll.com/

Far in the wood you'll find a well

With water deep and clear;

Whoever drinks by moonlight bright,

Will live a thousand years,

Will live a thousand years.

And all around the little well

Are seven lovely trees;

They rock and sway and sing a song

And whisper in the breeze,

And whisper in the breeze.

And through the seven little trees,

The evening wind will blow,

And down fall seven little dreams

My baby all for you,

My baby all for you.

Father’s gone to sea 🔊

A traditional Irish lullaby – despite this description I was only able to find this song on Nancy Raven’s CD ‘Watersongs: Flowing from seas and rivers’.

Father’s gone to sea, baby mine,

Oh, father’s gone to sea, baby mine,

And you're all I've got, here a-sleepin' in your cot,

Such a precious little dot, baby mine.

Flower’s lullaby 🔊

The seasons change and the flowers sleep ready to be called from their slumber.

From ’Song stories for the kindergarten’ published in 1940, the words are credited to Patty S. Hill and the music a Thuringian folk song. Arranged by Dany Rosevear.

1. Hands with fingers outstretched frame face, put hands to cheek.. 2. Rock head with hands framing face, hands move like the wind. 3. Nod head, move downwards. 4. Fingers fall like snow, hands to cheek.

Summer flowers are sleepy,

Summer time was long.

Silently they’re rocking,

Swayed by north winds strong

Tiny heads are nodding,

Lower still they creep,

Soon beneath the snowflakes,

Little flowers will sleep.

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