I am about 4 months away from B-day and only have two good lullabys, Summertime and Sunrise Sunset. What are/were some of your favorites, if you don’t mind sharing.
Actually, with my neices I always used “Dream a Little Dream of Me” - seemed to work well.
I’ve always liked “Baby Mine,” maybe because it’s one of the few things I can sing on-key.
On a related note, when my younger sister had her second baby, I burned a CD for her containing these cool songs, though not all of them are traditional lullabies.
Baby Mine - Bette Midler
All the Pretty Horses - Kenny Loggins
When You Wish Upon a Star - I think I used the Billy Joel version, though both Linda Rondstadt and Kiss (!) covered it as well.
Beautiful Boy - John Lennon
Hush Little Baby - Bobby McFerrin (His rendition is a little too upbeat to be considered a lullaby, but it’s way cool.)
Lullaby - Billy Joel
Rainbow Connection - Kenny Loggins
To Make You Feel My Love - Garth Brooks (Not really geared toward kids, but a nice ballad that I think expresses the protectiveness most parents feel. I believe this was a cover of a Bob Dylan tune.)
Yup…that’s definitely a great song. In reading this post I just had to play it…how soothing:
Good Night by the Beatles
Although…I do enjoy the version on the Beatles Anthology album better than their final version even though the anthology version doesn’t cover the full length of the song. Accompanying with piano and then with the orchestra later in the song adds a little element of surprise that’s not accomplished in the final cut.
The Passenger, by Iggy Pop.
Yes, it is a lullaby!
Forever Young - Bob Dylan
Garten Mother’s Lullaby
It’s lovely.
The Skye Boat Song
Gilligan’s Island theme song.
Works well in an Irish ballad style.
That or Sugar Magnolia.
I used I Bid You Goodnight, it’s on Nicolette Larsen’s kids songs cd, or Aaron Neville sings it or a ton of Grateful Dead albums.
My husband sings Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner, and He Went to Paris. Seriously.
You can sing anything nice & slow & they’ll sleep. I also used piggyback songs. My own words to a familiar tune. My son’s song was Rock of Ages & my daughter’s Brahm’s Lullaby. My sister gave me that idea, then it’s “their” song. I still ask them if they want to hear it when they need to sleep & are too wired. If you’re on the road & they really need to sleep, it’s a great way to get them down. My sister also used it when one of her kids had to be put under for surgery. I hope you never need it for that!
I have an old record that was produced by Disney. Some dude named Larry Groce sang the songs on 3 records total if i remember correctly. I believe Friend’s Lullaby is the name of the one i’m thinking of, it’s a cute, happy, lil tune.
You’re in luck, i found it:
http://edu.qd.sd.cn/audition/disney/first/txt/Friends%20lullaby.txt
My mom had this LP:
DOROTHY OLSEN–hush a bye–lullabies for sleepyheads–RCA
which contained several lovely ones - my favorite being Kentucky Babe. It also has Sweet and Low.
Winkin, Blinkin and Nod. I don’t believe the lyrics are copyrighted (public domain at this point), so here they are:
[quote]
Winkin’, Blinkin’, and Nod one night sailed off in a wooden shoe
Sailed on a river of crystal light into a sea of dew.
“Where are you going and what do you wish?” the old moon asked the three.
“We’ve come to fish for the herring fish that live in this beautiful sea.
Nets of silver and gold have we,” said Winkin’, Blinkin’ and Nod.
The old moon laughed and sang a song as they rocked in the wooden shoe.
And the wind that sped them all night long ruffled the waves of dew.
Now the little stars are the herring fish that live in that beautiful sea;
“Cast your nets wherever you wish never afraid are we!”
So cried the stars to the fishermen three - Winkin’, Blinkin’ and Nod.
So all night long their nets they threw to the stars in the twinkling foam.
'Til down from the skies came the wooden shoe, bringing the fishermen home.
‘Twas all so pretty a sight it seemed as if it could not be.
Some folks say ‘twas a dream they dreamed of sailing that beautiful sea.
But I shall name you the fishermen three - Winkin’, Blinkin’ and Nod.
Now Winkin’ and Blinkin’ are two little eyes and Nod is a little head.
And the wooden shoe that sailed the skies is a wee one’s trundle bed.
So close your eyes while mother sings of wonderful things that be.
And you shall sail in a wooden shoe upon a beautiful sea.
Just like the fishermen three - Winkin’, Blinkin’ and Nod.
We sang very bad college songs to our kids:
ey, ey, ey, ey all sigmachis eat … pie
so sing me another verse that’s worse than the other verse
and — me — in st louey
put them right to sleep
My daughter loves Lavender’s blue by Mom, or The rainbow connection, by Dad (comes with or without Kermit mode). Believe me if all those endearing young charms is also a favorite.
The Cradle Song by Shriekback.
May the fire be your friend
and the sea rock you gently
may the moon light your way
till the wind sets you free
May you never know hunger
may you love with a full heart
the light stay in your eyes
I sang it to both my kids when they were babies.