Lullabies A-I

A bushel and a peck

A star for you to wish on

A summer lullaby

All the little ones are sleeping

All the pretty little horses

All through the night

Ally bally bee

At the gate of heaven / La puerta del cielo

Baby beds

Baby bye, here’s a fly

Baby’s bed’s a silver moon

Baloo baleerie

Barn sull / Child’s lullaby

Barnyard lullaby

Bed is too small

Bedtime

Black sheep, black sheep

Bossy-cow, bossy-cow

Brahms’ lullaby

Bye, baby bunting

Bye, bye, baby, baby bye

Castle of Dromore

Come to the window

Counting sheep

Cotton-eyed Joe

Daisies

Dreamland opens here /

A Louisiana lullaby

El coqui / The tree frog

Fa la nana bambino

Go to sleepy little baby

Goodnight children

Great big stars

Highland fairy lullaby

Ho, ho watanay

Hobo’s lullaby

Hush little baby

I have a little sailboat

I see the moon

Last updated: 9/29/2020 2:46 PM

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

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

All the little ones are sleeping O

A beautiful song written by Jean Ritchie from her album ‘Marching through the Green Grass’

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

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

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.

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.

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.

Ally bally bee O

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.

Chorus

Ally bally, ally bally bee,

Sittin' on yer mammy's knee,

Greetin' for a wee bawbee,

Tae buy some Coulter's candy.

Poor wee soul you’re getting awful thin,

A bundle of bones covered up with skin,

Soon you’ll be gettin' a wee double chin,

From sucking Coulter's candy.

Chorus

Ally bally, ally bally bee,

When you grow up you'll go to sea,

Makin' pennies for your daddy and me,

To buy more Coulter's candy

Chorus

Off to bed my bonny wee man,

It’s seven o’clock and your playin’s done.

When you rise with the morning sun,

You’ll get some Coulter’s candy.

Chorus

At the gate of heaven / La puerta del cielo 🔊

This delightful lullaby from Mexico originally travelled from the Pyrenees region of Spain.

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.

Baby beds O

A traditional bedtime rhyme.

It is an ideal song for adding extra verses.

Little lambs, little lambs,

Where do you sleep?

‘In the green meadow,

With mother sheep.’

Little lambs, little lambs,

Where do you sleep?

‘In the green meadow,

With mother sheep.’

That's where the little lambs sleep.

Little birds, little birds,

Where do you rest?

‘Close to our mother

In a warm nest.’

Little birds, little birds,

Where do you rest?

‘Close to our mother

In a warm nest.’

That's where the little birds rest.

Baby dear, baby dear,

Where do you lie?

‘In my warm bed,

With Mother close by.’

Baby dear, baby dear,

Where do you lie?

‘In my warm bed,

With Mother close by.’

That's where the baby sleeps.

Baby bye, here's a fly 🔊

By Theo. Tilton and Geo. B. Loomis. Published in ‘Songs for Little Folks’ published by Biglow & Main, New York, 1875. You can find the words of all eight verses at: http://www.hymnary.org/hymn/S4LF1875/page/131.

Music arranged by Dany Rosevear

Baby bye, here's a fly;

Let us watch it, you and I,

How he crawls up the walls,

Yet he never falls!

I believe, with those six legs,

You and I could walk on eggs!

There he goes, on his toes,

Tickling baby's nose!

Spots of red dot his head;

Rainbows on his wings are spread!

That small speck is his neck;

See him nod and beck!

I can show you, if you choose,

Where to look to find his shoes:

Three small pairs made of hairs

These he always wears.

Black and brown is his gown;

He can wear it upside down!

It is laced round his waist;

I admire his taste!

Pretty as his clothes are made,

He will spoil them, I'm afraid,

If to-night he gets sight

Of the candle-light!

'Round and 'round on the ground,

On the ceiling he is found.

Catch him? No; let him go!

Never hurt him so!

Now you see his wings of silk

Drabbled in the baby's milk!

Fie! oh fie! foolish fly!

How will you get dry?

Flies can see more than we,

So how bright their eyes must be!

Little fly, mind your eye,

Spiders are near by;

For a secret I can tell,

Spiders will not treat you well!

Haste away, do not stay,

Little fly. good day!

Baby’s bed’s a silver moon O

This song has been sung by many parents and grandparents since ‘The slumber boat’ was first written in 1898 by Alice C.D. Riley with music by Jessie L. Gaynor. The words of the version below has changed slightly over the years from -‘Baby’s boat’s a silver moon’.

Baby's bed's a silver moon,

Sailing in the sky,

Sailing o'er the sea of sleep,

While the stars go by.

Sail, baby, sail,

Far across the sea.

Only don't forget to come,

Back home again to me.

Baby's fishing for a dream,

Fishing near and far,

Her line a silver moonbeam is,

Her bait a silver star.

Sail, baby, sail,

Far across the sea.

Only don't forget to come,

Back home again to me.

Baloo baleerie 🔊

This lullaby from Scotland also called ‘The Bressay lullaby’ and is from the Shetlands; my friend who comes from Glasgow was not familiar with this song.

Find out more about the words of this song at: http://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=21937

Chorus:

Baloo baleerie, baloo baleerie,

Baloo baleerie, baloo balee.

Gang awa' peerie faeries,

Frae oor ben noo.

Doon come the bonny angels,

Tae oor ben noo.

Sleep saft my baby,

In oor ben noo.

Barn sull / A child’s lullaby 🔊

This Scandinavian lullaby was probably adapted from a Slavic song – the minor key tune sounds a very familiar one but as yet I have been unable to identify it, any help would be appreciated!

Now my child is sleeping,

All is quiet here.

Happy birds are singing

A lullaby so dear.

Dream of woodland animals

And birds upon the wing,

Dream of summer and fairy tales,

And I will softly sing.

Barnyard lullaby O

Sleep time on the farm, This one comes from ‘Merrily, merrily’ a lovely collection of nursery songs and rhymes by the Nursing Mother’s Association of Australia.

It is a traditional German lullaby translated by Beatrice P. Krone. It would be great to have the text in German!

Moo, little cow, moo,

Turtle dove, coo-coo-roo-coo,

Puppy dog, puppy dog, bow, wow, wow,

Kitty cat, kitty cat,meow, meow, meow,

Rooster cock-a-doodle-doo,

Sleep till night is through.

Bed is too small 🔊

A plea for sleeping in the open air and the rustling of leaves; this lullaby has been popular with the scouting movement since the 1960s, it can be found in ‘Songs for Canadian Girl Guides’, Girl Guides of Canada, 1981.

Bed is too small for my tiredness;

Give me a hillside with trees.

Tuck a cloud up under my chin.

Lord, blow the moon out, please!

Rock me to sleep in a cradle of dreams;

Sing me a lullaby of leaves.

Tuck a cloud up under my chin.

Lord, blow the moon out, please!

Bedtime O

This poem by Thomas Hood has been slightly adapted for singing and for a picture book. You can find the original version in ‘The Book of 1000 Poems’.

The evening is coming, the sun sinks to rest;

The birds are all flying straight home to the nest.

"Caw!" says the crow as he flies overhead,

“It's time little people were going to bed!”

The flowers are closing, the daisy's asleep;

The primrose is buried in slumber so deep.

Shut up for the night is the pimpernel red;

“It's time little people were going to bed!”

The butterfly, drowsy, has folded its wing;

The bees are returning, no more the birds sing.

Their labour is over, their nestlings are fed;

“It's time little people were going to bed!”

Here comes the pony, his work is all done;

Down through the meadow, he takes a good run;

Up go his heels and down goes his head;

“It's time little people were going to bed!”

Good night, little people, good night and good night;

Sweet dreams to your eyelids till dawning of light;

The evening has come, there's no more to be said,

It's time little people were going to bed!

Black sheep, black sheep 🔊

An Appalachian lullaby. The refrain in this song is also found in ‘All the little horses’

Black sheep, black sheep where'd you leave your lamb?

Way over in the valley.

The bees and the butterflies are buzzing 'round his eyes

And the poor little thing's crying "Mammy".

My mother told me before she went away

To take good care of the baby

But I went to play and the baby ran away

And the poor little thing's crying "Mammy".

Black sheep, black sheep where'd you leave your lamb?

Way over in the valley.

Bossy-cow, bossy-cow O

This lovely American lullaby was published in 1912 in ‘The Little Mother Goose’ by the ‘Good housekeeping magazine’ see: http://www.centurybabies.com/story/story14.html

Dany Rosevear wrote the melody below.

Bossy-cow, bossy-cow, where do you lie?

In the green meadow under the sky.

Billy-horse, billy-horse, where do you lie?

Out in the stable with nobody nigh.

Birdies bright, birdies sweet, where do you lie?

Up in the tree-tops,-oh, ever so high!

Baby dear, baby love, where do you lie?

In my warm crib, with Mamma close by.

Brahms’ lullaby / Lullaby, and good night 🔊

This song and in particular the soporific melody is probably the most well known lullaby in the western world. ‘Guten Abend, gute Nacht’ was dedicated to a friend of Brahms on the birth of her second son and published in 1868; you can find out moreabout the story at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahms%27_Lullaby .

There have been many translations / interpretations of this lullaby into English over the years some conforming more strictly to the religious intent of the time it was written; I have just tweaked one of the more secular traditional ones.

Lullaby, and good night,

With roses and starlight,

And lilies softly spread

Round my baby's sweet head.

Lay thee down now, and rest,

May thy slumber be blessed.

Lay thee down now, and rest,

May thy slumber be blessed.

Lullaby, and good night,

Thy mother's delight,

Little angels at your side,

My darling abide.

Soft and warm is your bed,

Close your eyes and rest your head.

Soft and warm is your bed,

Close your eyes and rest your head.

Bye, baby bunting O

A classic lullaby to explain to a young child why father was away from home.

There are so many slight differences in the wording of this song. I think the one below is how I remembered it as a child – oh, for a perfect memory!

Another version goes:

Bye, baby bunting,

Father's gone a-hunting,

Mother's gone a-milking,

Sister's gone a-silking,

Brother's gone to buy a skin

To wrap the baby bunting in.

It is suggested that ‘bunting’ is associated with the plumpness of a baby: http://www.grammarphobia.com/blog/2010/04/1697.html

Bye, baby bunting,

Daddy's gone a hunting,

He’s gone to fetch a rabbit skin,

To wrap the baby bunting in.

Bye, baby bunting.

Bye, bye, baby, baby bye 🔊

A lullaby from the Southern Appalachians. Verses two and three are by Anne Mendoza from Sociable songs 1 published 1970 OUP

Bye, bye, baby, baby bye:

My little baby, baby bye.

Hush, my baby, baby bye:

Hush, little baby, baby bye.

Sleep, my baby, baby bye:

Sleep, little baby, baby bye.

Bye, bonny baby, baby bye:

My little baby, baby bye.

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.

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.

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!

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.

Go to sleepy little baby O

A North American lullaby.

Go to sleepy, little baby,

When you wake we'll patty-patty cake,

And ride a shiny little pony.

Goodnight children 🔊

A song for going up to bed and settling down to sleep; sing the second verse more slowly.

Goodnight, children, goodnight, children

Goodnight, children it’s time to go to bed,

Merrily we roll along, roll along, roll along

Merrily we roll along as off to bed we go.

Sweet dreams, children, sweet dreams, children,

Sweet dreams, children, it’s time to say goodnight.

Merrily we roll along, roll along, roll along,

Merrily we roll along to dreamland we shall go.

Great big stars O

This is an adaptation from the version in Ruth Crawford Seeger’s ‘American folk songs for Christmas’ sourced from ‘The story of the Jubilee singers’ edited by J.B.I. Marsh 1877 London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1877 https://openlibrary.org/books/OL23342360M/The_story_of_the_Jubilee_Singers This volume was a testament to a company of emancipated slaves who toured Europe with their songs raising funds for the education of other African Americans. Well worth reading! To find the song, ‘Shine, shine’ go to P.220.

I have added my own verses and encourage others to make up verses to suit their audience; ‘Warm in bed Ethan is sleeping’.

Great big stars way up yonder,

Oh, my little soul’s gonna shine, shine,

Oh, my little soul’s gonna shine, shine.

Shooting stars blaze in number,

Oh, my little soul’s gonna shine, shine,

Oh, my little soul’s gonna shine, shine.

Great big moon smiles in wonder,

Oh, my little soul’s gonna shine, shine,

Oh, my little soul’s gonna shine, shine.

Warm in bed children slumber,

Oh, my little soul’s gonna shine, shine,

Oh, my little soul’s gonna shine, shine.

Highland fairy lullaby O

A lullaby from the Highlands of Scotland. Beware of leaving a baby out of doors in this part of the world – the little people are out and about and likely to steal them away. There are many more verses to be found online. You can hear it sung beautifully in Gaelic at: http://www.kistodreams.org/fairy_lullaby_g.asp

Blaeberries are similar to blueberries.

I left my baby lying there,

Lying there, lying there,

I left my baby lying there,

To go and gather blaeberries.

Chorus:

Hovan, hovan gorry og o,

Gorry og o, gorry og o,

Hovan, hovan gorry og o,

I never found my baby-o.

I saw the wee brown otter's track,

Otter's track, otter's track,

I saw the wee brown otter's track,

But never saw my baby-o.

I heard the curlew crying far,

Crying far, crying far,

I heard the curlew crying far,

But never heard my baby-o.

I searched the moorland tarns and then,

Wandered through the silent glen,

I saw the mist upon the ben,

But never found my baby-o.

Ho, ho watanay 🔊

Or ‘Iroquois lullaby’ was collected in 1955 by Alan Mills on the Kahnawake (Caughnawaugha) Reserve near Montreal.

Ho, ho watanay, Ho, ho watanay,

Ho, ho watanay, Kiokina, kiokina, (ki-yo-ke-na)

Lullay little one, Lullay little one,

Lullay little one, Now go to sleep my baby.

Do, do mon petit, Do, do mon petit,

Do, do mon petit, Et bonne nuit, et bonne nuit.

Hobo’s lullaby O

Written by Goebel Reeves, this song about the wandering vagabond has been recorded by both Woody Guthrie and his son Arlo (in the film Alice’s Restaurant) and also by many others.

The song tells of the plight of drifters and the homeless that is still sadly relevant today. However, with such a beautiful tune (originally, ‘Just before the battle, mother’), it makes a lovely lullaby for all little people.

Go to sleep you weary hobo,

Let the towns drift slowly by.

Can't you hear the steel rail humming.

That's a hobo's lullaby.

Do not think about tomorrow,

Let tomorrow come and go.

Tonight you're in a nice warm boxcar,

Safe from all this wind and snow.

I know your clothes are torn and ragged,

And your hair is turning grey.

Lift your head and smile at trouble,

You'll find happiness someday.

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.

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

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. http://www.grammarphobia.com/blog/2010/04/1697.html

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,

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