After a few long and broken nights, I've been running through some lullabies. I've got a few I like- but it needs the right combination of tune and lyrics to work as a lullaby. Rock around the clock, for example, has great words (sing it through and you'll see what I mean) but is hard to sing soothingly.
Amazing Grace is such a beautiful tune, but since hearing Bee, age two, sing the line 'saved a wretch like me', I've felt uneasy about the lyrics. Of course, there are plenty of lyrics in other nursery rhymes and traditional tunes that aren't particularly child-friendly (mice having their tails cut off in Three Blind Mice, for example) and I'm ok with that, but I'm really not keen on a toddler referring to herself as a wretch! So I've been singing my own.... here they are.....
Lie down my child, it's time to sleep
It's dark and cold outside
Lie down my child, don't make a peep
Curl up and close your eyes
You're tired and sleepy, don't fuss now
You're fed and clean and warm,
You need to rest, and so do I
Tomorrow starts at dawn.
When I sang this to her, she would melt in my arms and just listen. A beautiful melody.
2 comments:
I love the photo!
Olly has just realised that if he signs horse I will sing him 'horsie horsie', so he asks for it when he is in his cot and snuggles down while I sing. Then when I've finished he pops his head up to sign for it again....not exactly a lullaby but it seems to soothe him.
Looking forward to hearing more, Esther!
xxx
You have a lovely blog! I enjoy reading how you incorporate music into your daily life--that's such a gift for your children.
And there is nothing more beautiful than a sleeping baby, especially one that you've just successfully sung into Slumber Land. My toddler is now past the phase where he will do that, but he still is soothed by our favorites (not traditional choices, to be sure!): Rocket Man by Elton John, Free Fallin' by Tom Petty, and whatever Neil Young lyrics I can recall at the time.
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