Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Shhh...It's a Lullaby Game!

Today's Wonder of the World is...the Lullaby!

Flickr photo by Heart felt
You've got to love a song that helps put a tired baby to sleep.
Though my kids didn't need them very often.

French cafés used to have a similar effect on Sammy, and joy of joys, they gave me an excuse for a petit crème! Yum.
Still, I love a good lullaby. And I find the lyrics fascinating. Have you ever paid them much attention?
I know...let's play a lullaby game. I'll give you a hint with a photo, and you see if you can remember the lullaby. I bet you know more lullabies than you think!

Ready? Okay, remember, no sleeping allowed!
Okey doke.
Number One:

Flickr photo by Miko
Got it? No, it's not a lullaby for monkeys! Notice where they are.
Yes!
Rock-a-bye baby, in the treetop,
When the wind blows, the cradle will rock,
When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall,
And down will come baby, cradle and all.

What a weird song. Only a monkey would put a baby in a treetop.

Number Two:

Flickr photo by nell Gonzoid
Did you get it?
Hush-a-bye

Don't you cry
Go to sleep my little ba-by;
When you wake,
you shall have,
all the pretty little horses.

We won't debate whether a baby really needs a horse, let alone all of them. Enjoy the other verses here.

Number Three:

Yes! Lavender Blue, or Lavender's Blue, depending on who's singing it.
Lavender's blue, dilly dilly, rosemary's green,
When I am king, dilly dilly, you shall be queen.
Who told you so, dilly dilly, who told you so?
'Twas my own heart, dilly dilly, that told me so.

Give it a listen here.

Number Four:
Warning: This may creep you out.

Flickr photo by redrickshaw
See what I mean? And that doll is nothing compared to the lyrics!
Bye, O baby bunting
Daddy's gone a hunting
To get a little rabbit skin
To wrap his baby bunting in

Yikes. No thanks, Daddy.
If you're dying to hear Bye O Baby Bunting, hop over here.

Number Five:
If you're a francophile, you might recognize this berçeuse. If not, I'll help you.
Here's the hint:

Flickr photo by misslaurenlee
Notice those are male hands making the hot chocolate.
It's Fais Do Do!
Here, listen first and then I'll translate. This lullaby is delicious! (It's French, after all!)

Pretty, non?
Allow me to translate the first verse.
Go Nighty-night (Ni)colas, my little brother,
Go nighty-night you will get Milk-y.
Mommy is upstairs making cakes
Papa is downstairs making hot chocolate
Go nighty-night (Ni)colas, my little brother
Go nighty-night you will get milk-y

Ah. That's so sweet. Except that song would get my kids get out of bed, begging for cake and hot chocolate!

Ready for the last one? Think Porgy and Bess.

Photo by The Library of Congress
You're right! Summertime!
I love this song, even though the music sounds so sad.

Summertime, and the living is easy
Fish are jumping, and the cotton is high
Your daddy's rich, and your ma is good looking
So hush little baby, don't you cry.

One of these mornings, you're gonna rise up singing
You're gonna spread your wings and take the sky
But till that morning, there is nothing can harm you
With your daddy and mommy standing by.

Aren't those words terrific? Sing along here.

So what's your favorite lullaby? Were you sung to as a child? If you have kids, do you (or did you) sing to them?

Have a wonder-full Wednesday, y'all!
Love, Becky
PS. Enjoy this wacky lullaby from Virginia O'Brian in the Marx Brother's movie The Big Store.

19 comments:

Sandy and Joe/rhubarb reign said...

Yeah!! I'm the first commenter today. How lucky for me. I'm always afraid to be number 586, because the author won't get to see my witty remark. Ha. Seriously, I was wondering if you know the band Hem? They do lots of lubbabies (is that the correct plural?), but arranged for adults. My favorite album* is "Eveningland." Check it out sometime. xo -- Sandy/rhubarb reign
*I realized the use of the word "album" totally dates me. (:

LW said...

Thank you for sharing Fais Do Do, that is a beautiful lullaby.

The only song that my son liked as a baby was the old sea shanty
Blow the Man Down .
As an infant he hated to ride in the car and would cry the whole time.
One day I started to sing, I sang all the lullabies I could think of and nothing worked.
I don’t know way but I started to sing the chorus of
Blow the man Down and it worked.
It was the only thing that kept him from crying....you use what works...

Louise

Suzie said...

Theres some beautiful Galic lulaby I sang to my son. I would write it but i know I just made the words up to sound like I heard them.I think it called Oh Ye Elion dori don but I could just be making it up. My Ftaher always sang me Speed Bonnie Boat to me as a child which is a strange English political song but a nice lulaby.

Susan said...

That Marx Brothers clip is crazy. I don't think we were never sung to, but there is a story about giving paregoric (in a fit of desperation) to my sister when she was a fussy baby. She went to sleep so fast that they thought they had poisoned her, so they woke her back up and she cried the rest of the night. Do these folk sound like lullaby singers?
BTW, that is a great picture of you. Have a great day!

Unknown said...

Wow, you were RIGHT! That doll WAS creepy...I'll pass on that lullaby, too, LOL!

Another great post. :)

Rhondi said...

Hi Becky
I haven't been by to visit in quite a while. You are so creative with your posts. I always love to see what wonderful thing you will .
write about.
Hugs, Rhondi

Adrienne said...

I enjoyed Fais Do Do (it makes me hungry, too)...

My husband and I took turns tucking the kids in and singing. The favorites were Baby of Mine (from Dumbo) and Papa Elefante, a kids' song from Mexico. I don't think that one's a lullaby, but the kids liked it.

me said...

(haha laughing at Sand and Joe's comment haha)

I loved the lullaby you shared. So beautiful!!

lotusgirl said...

I am always singing. I didn't really sing many specific lullaby songs. I did mostly just quiet songs. Danny Boy was a fave and songs from The Sound of Music.

Kat said...

Yikes! You're right. That doll did scare the crap out of me.


My Ben makes me sing "Baby Mine" to him every night before bed. It is less of a lullaby and really just a sweet song. :)

CC said...

it's all awesome until the bough breaks....

David Ebright said...

That 2nd picture was kinda scary

Creations by Marie Antoinette and Edie Marie said...

Hello Becky,These lullabyes were so sweet and strange at the same time.I have the song Lavender blue.I make cd's of oldie music and This is a fav.But I did noy know it was a lullabye.The doll and song did creep me out.It must have been sung during pioneering days or something like that.Anyway this is a great post as usual.
XXOO Marie Antionette

Rosemary said...

Cool post, except for that creepy doll!!
Sorry I haven't visited in a few days! I am up to my ears in crown making.
Chat soon,
Rosemary

Kelly H-Y said...

We were just chuckling the other day about the frightening lyrics of some lullabies ... I mean, really, a child falling from a tree?! Yikes! And, yet, when you sing it it sounds so very sweet! Loved this post!!! :-)

Cathy ~ Tadpoles and Teacups said...

No Rock-a-Bye Baby for my kids--they had enough trouble sleeping as it was without being afraid of falling out of a tree.
:)
Fun post as always!!

Polly and Ollie said...

Okay, Sandy and Joe--LOVE HEM!!!!!

"all the pretty horses" this is a great little lullabye.

I actually sang my son Edelweiss as his lullabye, and my daughter's was "Hush little baby".

Jen P said...

This is a nice tuneful one. Thanks for the reminders of others. I love Lavenders blue, too.

***

Sleep baby sleep
Your father tends the sheep
Your mother shakes the dream time tree
Down fall dreams for you and me
Sleep baby sleep.

Sleep baby sleep
The big stars are like sheep
The little ones are lambs I guess
The shining moon the shepherdess
Sleep baby sleep...

Rebecca Ramsey said...

Polly and Ollie, Edelweiss is perfect. Jen P, I forgot about that one. It's pretty too!