Lullabies
A
A
bonny boat
A
bushel and a peck
A
candle, a candle
A
great big smiling moon
A la
nanita nana
A
sleepy song
A
song of fairies
A
star for you to wish on
A
summer lullaby
Across
the river of dreams
All
the little ones are sleeping
All
the pretty little horses
All
through the night
All
the world is sleeping / Suo-Gân
Ally
bally bee
At
the gate of heaven / La puerta del cielo
Last updated: 12/6/2021
12:56 PM
The songs below are compiled, illustrated and
sometimes adapted by Dany Rosevear
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author sing a song click on the title at:
© Dany Rosevear 2008 All rights reserved
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A bonny boat 🔊
The moon as a
boat is a common theme around the world. A poem by Margaret Johnson from ‘A child’s own book
of verse’ book 1, published 1917. Music by Dany Rosevear. 1. Raise a finger for each number. Cup hands and
move gently from side to side. Move hands like waves past each other. 2.
Raise a finger for each number. Point to head then self. Continue rocking
hands and then shape the sun and move hands as before. |
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One, two, three! A bonny boat I see; A silver boat, and all afloat Upon a rosy sea. One, two, three! The riddle tell to me. The moon afloat is the bonny boat, The sunset is the sea. |
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A bushel and a peck 🔊
Words and
music by Frank Loesser from the musical ‘Guys and Dolls’. A bit lively
for a lullaby but a song to sing to a baby at anytime! My mother had
LPs of all the 1950s musicals and this was one of our favourites. |
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I love you a bushel and peck, A bushel and peck and a hug
around the neck, A hug around the neck, and a
barrel and a heap, A barrel and a heap, and I'm
talking in my sleep, About you, about you, ‘Cause I love you a bushel and a
peck, You bet your pretty neck, I do. Doodle, oodle, oodle, doodle,
oodle, oodle, A-doodle, oodle, oodle ooo. I love you a bushel and peck, A bushel and peck though you
make my heart a wreck, Make my heart a wreck and you
make my life a mess, Make my life a mess, yes, a mess
of happiness, About you, about you, ‘Cause I love you a bushel and a
peck, You bet your pretty neck, I do. Doodle, oodle, oodle, doodle,
oodle, oodle, A-doodle, oodle, oodle ooo. I love you a bushel and peck, A bushel and peck and it beats
me all to heck, Beats me all to heck, how I'll
never tend the farm, Never tend the farm when I wanna
keep my arm, About you, about you, ‘Cause I love you a bushel and a
peck, You bet your pretty neck, I do. Doodle, oodle, oodle, doodle,
oodle, oodle, A-doodle, oodle, oodle ooo. |
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A candle, a candle 🔊
This rhyme
from the ‘Ladybird Favourite Nursery Rhymes’ is not credited to anyone so I presume
it is traditional. Music by Dany Rosevear.
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A candle, a candle To light me to bed; A pillow, a pillow To tuck up my head. The moon is as sleepy as sleepy
can be, The stars are all pointing their
fingers at me, And Missus Hop-Robin, way up in
her nest, Is rocking her tired little
babies to rest. So give me a blanket To tuck up my toes, And a soft little pillow To snuggle my nose. |
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A great big smiling moon 🔊
This rhyme
from the ‘Ladybird Favourite Nursery Rhymes’ is not credited to anyone so I
presume it is traditional. Music by Dany Rosevear. 1. Open and close fists above head. 2. Circle arms around head. 3. Lay
forefinger across the palm of the other han, close fingers over it. 4. Rock
your palms back and forth.
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At night I see the twinkling
stars And a great big smiling moon; My mummy tucks me into bed And sings a good-night tune. La, la. la, la, la, la, la, la,
la, La, la. la, la, la, la, la, la,
la. La, la. la, la, la, la, la, la,
la, La, la. la, la, la, la, la, la,
la. |
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A la nanita nana 🔊
A beautiful
Spanish lullaby often sung at Christmas. Change her to him depending on the
recipient of the lullaby. Uses both the minor and major key. This
translation by Dany Rosevear. |
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A la nanita nana, nanita ea,
nanita ea, mi niña tiene sueño, bendita
sea, bendita sea. X2 Lul lullaby, my dear
one, it’s time to sleep now, it’s time to sleep now, My little one is
sleepy, oh so sleepy, bless her, bless her. X 2 Fuentecita que corre clara y
sonora, ruiseñor que en la selva
cantando llora: calla mientras la cuna se
balancea, a la nanita nana, nanita ea. Little spring bubbles
gaily, so clear and musical, Nightingale in the
forest cries out so plaintively, “Hush while the cradle’s
swaying, swaying soft, to and fro, Lul lullaby, my dear
one, it’s time to sleep now, it’s time to sleep now. |
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A sleepy song 🔊
This tune from
a Czech folk song will make you feel very sleepy. These English words are
written by Herbert Wiseman for ‘A third sixty songs forlittle children’
published 1960. |
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I love the grandfather clock: Hark to its sleepy “tick-tock”, Drowsy and still in my warm bed
I lie, And I watch the bright stars in
the sky. Now the moon’s over the hill, Even the crickets are still; But in the corner the
grandfather clock Never ceases its drowsy
“tick-tock”. |
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A song of fairies 🔊
A song for
bedtime. Words and music by C. Horn Irmengarde C. Horn; can be found in
‘Songs of childhood’ published in 1923. |
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When the moon comes up so still
and bright, And the stars are in the skies, Then children know it’s time for
bed And time to close their eyes. For the fairies wait till you’re
asleep To bring sweet dreams to you, And the moon and stars through
the lattice peep To see what the fairies do. |
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A star for you to wish on 🔊
A dear little
bedtime verse for the nightly routine. Draw a star on one hand, draw the sun on the other, draw the moon on
the forehead, kiss child. |
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A star for you to wish on, The sun for warmth and light, The moon for you to sleep on, Sweet dreams, And
so goodnight. |
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A summer lullaby 🔊
Written by in
1930 by Eudora S. Bumstead these lovely verses can be found in ‘A book of a
thousand poems’. It can also be found in ‘Primary music and worship’
published by Presbyterian Board of Christian Education, Philadelphia, Penn.,
1930. The words and
title have been changed by others considerably since then to include bees and
other ideas. |
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The sun has gone from the
shining skies; Bye, baby, bye, The dandelions have closed their
eyes; Bye, baby, bye. The stars are lighting their
lamps to see If babies and squirrels and
birds, all three, Are sound asleep as they ought
to be. Bye, baby, bye. The squirrel keeps warm in a
coat of grey; Bye, baby, bye. He wears it by night as well as
by day; Bye, baby, bye. The robin sleeps in his feathers
and down, With a warm red breast and wings
of brown; But baby wears a little white
gown. Bye, baby, bye. The squirrel’s nest is an old
oak tree, Bye, baby, bye, And there he sleeps as snug as
can be, Bye, baby, bye; The robin's nest is high
overhead, Where the leafy boughs of maple
spread, But my baby's nest is a little
white bed. Bye, baby, bye. |
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Across the river of dreams 🔊
Time to say
goodnight. A lullaby to reassure young children as they settle down at sleep
time. The third
verse can easily be adapted: Insert the names of whover is in charge and
sleep companions. The music can be repeated several time to include others
who are important in a child’s life. Words and
music by Dany Rosevear. |
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Goodnight, lovely moon,
goodnight, Goodnight, little stars,
goodnight; You’re up there we know, As our dreams come and go, Singing your sweet lullabies. Chorus: Hush, hush, hush-bye, My dear little bird fly, Across the river of dreams, Across the river of dreams. Goodnight, story book,
goodnight, Goodnight, songs and poems,
goodnight; Your words and your rhymes, And your tunes ev’ry time, Flow through my dreams with
delight. Chorus Goodnight, mother mine,
goodnight, Goodnight, brother mine,
goodnight; Your kindness each day, Gently shows me the way, To do what is thoughtful and
right. Hush, hush, hush-bye, My dear little bird fly, Across the river of dreams, Across the river of dreams. So a kiss and a cuddle “Sleep
tight!” A kiss and a cuddle “Sleep
tight!” |
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All the little ones
are sleeping O
A beautiful song written by Jean
Ritchie from her album ‘Marching
through the Green Grass’ |
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Chorus: All through the night, all through the night, All the little ones are sleeping. All through the night, all through the night, All the little ones are sleeping. In a hole down underground, Little bunnies can be found. Chorus Sparrow sleeps up in a tree, My warm bed is best for me. Chorus Bless the babes and beasts and birds, All small things that have no words. Chorus |
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All the pretty little
horses O
There are so many recordings of
this song, some quite beautiful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clqj1j9PrgQ but having sung it often to myself in the
1960s I needed an excuse to play it yet again! Find out more about this song at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_the_Pretty_Little_Horses |
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Hush-a-bye, don't you cry, Go to sleep my little baby. When you wake, you shall have, All the pretty little horses. Dapples and greys, pintos and bays, Coach and six-a little horses. Hush-a-bye, don't you cry, Go to sleep my little baby. Way down yonder, in the meadow, There’s a poor little lambie; Birds and butterflies flutter round his eyes, Poor little thing is cryin' "Mamie". Hush-a-bye, don't you cry, Go to sleep my little baby. When you wake, you shall have, All the pretty little horses. |
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All the world is sleeping / Suo-Gân 🔊
Another
beautiful Welsh lullaby. Find out more at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suo_Gân
There are
many translations into English, not sure where this first verse originated;
the second two were adapted by Dany Rosevear inspired from several sources to
keep true to the original Welsh version. |
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Go to sleep upon my breast, All the world is sleeping. ‘Till the morning's light you'll
rest, Mother watch is keeping. Birds and beasts have closed
their eyes, All the world is sleeping. In the morn the sun will rise, Mother watch is keeping. Sleep my treasure, night is
falling, Rest in slumber, sound and deep; Can you tell me why you’re
smiling, Smiling sweetly in thy sleep? Do the angels smile in heaven, When thy happy smile they see; Close those eyelids, little
darling, On my breast sleep peacefully. Do not fear, the leaves are
trembling, Tapping, tapping ‘gainst the
door; Do not fear, small waves are
breaking, Lapping, lapping on the shore. Sleep child well for naught can
harm you, Mother watches by and by And angels gently gather round
you To sing this lovely lullaby. |
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All through the night 🔊
This tune was
first recorded in 1784, the Welsh lyrics were written later. Find out more
at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ar_Hyd_y_Nos The English lyrics below were beautifully
written in Victorian times (1884) by Sir Harold Boulton; they have been very
slightly adapted here for a more secular audience. |
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Sleep, my love and peace attend
thee, All through the night. Guardian angels dusk will send
thee, All through the night; Soft the drowsy hours are
creeping, Hill and vale in slumber
steeping, I, my loving vigil keeping, All through the night. While the moon her watch is
keeping, All through the night. While the weary world is
sleeping, All through the night; As the stars go gently stealing, Visions of delight revealing, Breathes a pure and tender
feeling, All through the night. |
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A lovely Scottish lullaby that I enjoyed singing in the late 1960s.
‘Greetin’ means crying and ‘bawbee’ a penny. Find out more at: http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/scotlandssongs/earlyyears/coulterscandy.asp . Sing the chorus between each verse.
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At the gate of heaven
/ La puerta del cielo 🔊
This delightful lullaby from Mexico
originally travelled from the Pyrenees region of Spain. |
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At the gate of heav’n little shoes they are selling For the little bare-footed angels there dwelling. Slumber my little one, slumber my little one, Slumber my little one, arru, arru. Blessed are the children so peacefully sleeping, Blessed are the parents whose love they are keeping. Slumber my little one, slumber my little one, Slumber my little one, arru, arru. A la puerta del cielo venden zapatos, Para los angelitos que andan descalzos. Duermete, niño, Duermete, niño, Duermete, niño, arru, arru. A los niños que duerman Dios benedice A las madres que velan Dios las asiste. Duermete, niño, Duermete, niño, Duermete, niño, arru, arru. |
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