Games galore in Gryphon’s Garden

Lullabies

Ally bally bee

Bye, baby bunting

Highland fairy lullaby

Hush little baby

I see the moon

Khasi’s lullaby

Kitty alone

Little red bird

Lulla, lulla

Over the river to Charlie

Rock gently sailboat

Rock-a-bye baby

Rockin’ by the baby

Softly, softly rock

Star light, star bright

Stars shining

Three white gulls

Twinkle, twinkle, little star

Up the wooden hill

Warm kitty, soft kitty

Yea ho, little fish

Also see:

Maranoa lullaby an Aboriginal song

Last updated: 5/12/2015 4:03 PM

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

Return to the ‘Singing games for children’ home page

To listen to music from these songs click on O

To watch the author sing a song click on the title at:

You are free to copy, distribute, display and perform these works under the following conditions:

· you must give the original author credit

· you may not use this work for commercial purposes

· for any re-use or distribution, you must make clear to others the licence terms of this work

· any of these can be waived if you get permission from the copyright holder

Your fair use and other rights are no way affected by the above.

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

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.

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.

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 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,

Khasi’s lullaby O

A beautiful Himalayan lullaby collected by Mary Rowland; the English words are by Anne Mendoza and can be found in Thirty Folk Settings for Children published by Curwen 1960.

Gently rocking, gently rocking,

Go to sleep my dearie.

Gently rocking, gently rocking,

Go to sleep my dearie.

Birds are crying, homeward flying,

Go to sleep my dearie.

Birds are crying, homeward flying,

Go to sleep my dearie.

Hari cucu, Yari cucu,

Hari cucu, ele.

Hari cucu, Yari cucu,

Hari cucu, ele.

Repeat

Kitty alone O

I first came across this lullaby as ‘Bandyrowe’ in Jean Ritchie’s book Folk Songs of the Southern Appalachians’. This Kentucky version ‘Kitty alone’ comes from her album ‘Children’s song and games from the Southern Mountains’ and was learnt from her sister ‘Kitty’.

The format of the lyrics is very similar to those of ‘Fooba Wooba John’ My recording of that song is at: Fooba Wooba John - a rhyming song - YouTube.

Saw a crow a-flying low, Kitty alone, Kitty alone,

Saw a crow a-flying low, Kitty alone, a-lye,

Saw a crow a-flying low and a cat a-spinning tow,

Kitty alone, a-lye; Rock-uma- rye-a-ree.

In came a little bat, Kitty alone, Kitty alone,

In came a little bat, Kitty alone, a-lye,

In came a little bat with some butter and some fat,

Kitty alone, a-lye; Rock-uma- rye-a-ree.

Next came in was a honeybee, Kitty alone, Kitty alone,

Next came in was a honeybee, Kitty alone, a-lye,

Next came in was a honeybee with a fiddle across his knee,

Kitty alone, a-lye; Rock-uma- rye-a-ree.

Next came in was little Pete, , Kitty alone, Kitty alone,

Next came in was little Pete, Kitty alone, a-lye,

Next came in was little Pete fixing for to go to sleep,

Kitty alone, a-lye; Rock-uma- rye-a-ree.

Bee-o, bye-o, baby-o, Kitty alone, Kitty alone,

Bee-o, bye-o, baby-o, Kitty alone, a-lye,

Bee-o, bye-o, baby-o, bye-o, bee-o, baby-o,

Kitty alone, a-lye; Rock-uma-rye-a-ree.

Little red bird O

A lullaby from the Isle of Man.

You can find many more verses on the internet where you can also hear it sung beautifully in Manx http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0pnuno8Aew.

You could easily make up your own verses - where else might the little bird sleep?

Chorus

Little red bird on the cold, cold moor,

Cold, cold moor, cold, cold moor,

Little red bird on the cold, cold moor,

Where did you sleep last night?

Last night I slept in the gorse bush-o,

Gorse bush-o, gorse bush-o,

The rain it fell and the wind did blow,

So hard was my sleep last night!

Chorus

Last night I slept between two leaves,

Between two leaves, between two leaves,

As snug as a babe in two blankets of fleece,

So deep was my sleep last night!

Lulla, lulla O

A gentle Russian lullaby.

Lulla, lulla, little baby,

Hush and do not cry!

Sleep will gently soon enfold you,

Mother watches by.

Lulla, lulla, little baby,

Safe in mother’s arms,

As you dream she’s sure to guard you,

Keep you safe from harm.

Over the river to Charlie O

A traditional Scottish lullaby from the Highlands of Scotland. Jean Ritchie however remembered her mother dancing to this in the Appalachians.

It is also very similar to the song ‘Weevily wheat’ which I sung at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVNct60BiV8 though the one below is in a minor key.

Charlie's neat and Charlie's sweet,

Charlie he's a dandy,

Charlie he's the very lad,

Who stole my sugar candy.

Chorus

Over the river to feed my sheep,

Over the river to Charlie,

Over the river to feed my sheep,

And measure up my barley.

Don’t want your wheat, don’t want your cheat

And I don’t want your barley,

I want some flour and half an hour,

To bake a cake for Charlie.

Charlie’s here, Charlie’s there,

Charlie’s over the ocean.

Charlie he'll come back someday,

If he don't change his notion.

Rock gently sailboat O

Also known as ‘The Israeli boat song’; a lullaby written by Lionel Morton. This song featured on BBC’s Playschool and the classic ‘Bang on a drum’ songs from Play School and Playaway LP.

Rock gently sailboat in the midday sunshine,

Rock gently sailboat, rock us all to sleep.

Sailors are dreaming, white clouds are streaming,

Warm winds are blowing, from across the sea.

Here in our sailboat, noone can discover us,

Rock gently sailboat, rock us all to sleep.

Rock-a-bye baby O

One of the most familiar lullabies in the English language.

Find out more about its history at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock-a-bye_Baby

Rock-a-bye baby, on the treetop,

When the wind blows, the cradle will rock,

When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall,

Down will come baby, cradle and all.

Rock-a-bye baby, thy cradle is green,

Daddy’s a nobleman, Mummy’s a queen,

Betty’s a lady, and wears a gold ring,

Johnny’s a drummer, and drums for the king.

Rockin’ by the baby O

This song from the Appalachians will give the baby a good workout on your knee! Choose which of the verses you would like to sing. Give a hug for each ‘wrap him up’ and make appropriate actions to suit the words.

What shall we do when the baby cries? x2

Wrap him up in a table cloth,

Toss him up in the old hay loft.

Chorus

Rock in’ by the baby, rock in’ by the baby,

Rock in’ by the baby, rock in’ by the baby-o.

What shall we do with the baby-o? x2

Pull his toes, tickle his chin,

Wrap him up in a counterpin.

Chorus

What shall we do with the baby-o? x2

Dance him north, dance him south,

Pour a little moonshine in his mouth.

Chorus

What shall we do with the baby-o? x2

Wrap him up in calico,

And give him to his daddy-o.

Chorus

Softly, softly rock O

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.

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.

Star light, star bright O

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.

Star light, star bright,

First star I see tonight;

Wish I may, wish I might,

Have the wish I wish tonight.

Stars shining O

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’.

By’m bye, by’m bye,

Stars shining, number number one,

Number two, number three,

Good Lawd, by’m bye, by’m bye, by’m bye,

Good Lawd, by’m bye.

By’m bye, by’m bye,

Stars shining, number number four,

Number five, number six,

Good Lawd, by’m bye, by’m bye, by’m bye,

Good Lawd, by’m bye.

By’m bye, by’m bye,

Stars shining, number number seven,

Number eight, number nine, number ten,

Good Lawd, by’m bye, by’m bye, by’m bye,

Good Lawd, by’m bye.

Three white gulls O

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.

Make fingers flash on and off to mimic starlight and mime other parts of the songs

There were three white gulls a-flying,

And they soared through the sky,

They soared through the sky,

They soared through the sky.

In the waves they dipped their soft wings,

And they soared through the sky...

In the clouds they danced and tumbled...

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

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,

How I wonder what you are.

Up above the world so high,

Like a diamond in the sky.

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,

How I wonder what you are.

When the blazing sun has gone,

When he nothing shines upon.

Then you show your little light,

Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.

Twinkle, twinkle...

Then the traveller in the dark,

Thanks you for your tiny spark.

He could not see where to go,

If you did not twinkle so.

Twinkle, twinkle...

In the dark blue sky you keep,

And often through my windows peep,

For you never shut your eye,

‘Til the sun is in the sky.

Twinkle, twinkle...

Up the wooden hill O

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!

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!

Warm kitty, soft kitty O

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.

Warm kitty, soft kitty,

Little ball of fur,

Sleepy kitty, happy kitty,

Purr! Purr! Purr!

Yea ho, little fish O

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.

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.

Return to the ‘Singing games for children’ home page