Wednesday, October 29, 2008

lullabies


Have you seen this video yet of Stephanie's Claire and Jane singing? C Jane linked to it today. It is beautiful. And now I have a new lullaby to add to my repertoire.

Here are some more of my favorites (I've linked to youtube videos, some of which are rather random):

Blackbird by the Beatles. I especially like Sarah McLachlan's version.

Sunshine On My Shoulders by John Denver

Summertime from Porgy and Bess. I sang this my senior year of high school for my voice recital. My mom commented that I should sing it to my babies someday. And now I am. Here is a link to Scarlett Johanssen's version.

Listen to the Horses by Raffi. So I've been singing this song for as long as I can remember. However, I didn't realize it was Raffi until just now when I did a search. I'm glad to finally know where it came from! We must have had a tape when I was kid but this was the only song that stayed with me. I call this the "Horsey Lullaby" when I sing to the kids.

Souviens-Toi from the LDS French hymn book. I couldn't find this online anywhere, but it is so beautiful. Jared often sings it to Asher.

Lullaby by the Dixie Chicks. I actually just remembered this song the other day. I need to learn the words so I can sing it to Asher.

What are your favorite lullabies? I'm on the lookout for more.

13 comments:

  1. Ooh, what a great post idea! And I sang "Golden SLumbers" to my kids last night. :-)

    My very favorite is House at Pooh Corner: http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/lyrics/poohcorn.htm (nice tinny music, right? but it has the tune and lyrics at least).

    Moon River (always makes me think of Breakfast at Tiffany's, and btw, I think the book is even better than the movie)

    Billy Joel's Goodnight My Angel

    And our staples: the Sandman song, All the Pretty Little Horses, How I Love My Pretty Baby, and from the LDS children's hymnbook, "My Heavenly Father Loves Me" and "I Wonder When He Comes Again"

    And this kind of weirdly depressing song that for some reason little kids love about a calf being taken to market for slaughter--it's a freedom analogy, I guess, but I loved it and my kids think it's great. THe music is really soothing, I guess you just don't listen to the words quite as much: http://www.lyricsdepot.com/joan-baez/donna-donna.html

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  2. rach: i distinctly remember you making me sing "moon river" to help YOU fall asleep our freshman year of college. glad that one's stuck around.

    katrina: awesome idea. the song in that video is darling (and the girls are too, of course). i'm going to have to think on this one...

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  3. Stay Awake from Mary Poppins... Somewhere over the Rainbow...
    If I think of any more I will let you know.

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  4. angel lullaby and one tin soldier. my mom used to sing those to me. i know all on one tin soldier but i only remember parts of angel lullaby.

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  5. thanks for all the lullaby ideas! I watched the video too, those little girls are so sweet.

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  6. I'd never heard Sarah McLachlan's version of Blackbird. I love it! Thanks for sharing.

    I sing to Riley all the time, and I must admit that he loves it. Believe me, there is nothing special about my voice, but Riley can be mid-wail and I will start singing, and he will go totally silent and usually get a big smile on his face. It’s really cute. The following tunes are some of my favorites to sing to him:

    "Daydream Believer" – Mary Beth Maziarz Version
    "Dawson’s Creek" fans will enjoy this video. For those of you who don’t know/remember, this was an important song between Dawson and Joey. This one’s for you, Chelsey.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzo8yTXE3m4

    "Leaving on a Jet Plane" – Chantel Kreviazuk Version
    Of course, I will always be loyal to John Denver, but this version is so pretty. You may remember it from “Armageddon.”
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7RLcq4Kn3Y

    "Baby Mine" – Bette Midler Version
    This was the song playing in “Dumbo” when he and his mom were separated and she cuddled him in her trunk through the bars. However, it made a bigger impression on me when it was sung by Bette Midler on “Beaches.” This video is kind of funny because Bette’s version is set to a Shirley Temple montage. Since my mom always dressed me like Shirley as a child because she thought I looked like her, I can’t help but feel a connection to that little curly top.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXhKEs_hpmg

    "Watching the River Run" – Kenny Loggins & Jimmy Messina
    Okay, so that last Shirley Temple montage got me thinking about the one that they show during the trailers on all Shirley Temple videos set to this song. However, the version on the videos is a pretty one sung by a woman, but I can’t find it anywhere, so the original version will have to do.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uovFeeTvG0

    "Waltzing Matilda" – Tommy Emmanuel Version
    I’ve loved this song ever since we used to sing it in elementary school. However, until I started searching around for it, I had totally forgotten the words to the verses and had only been singing the chorus to Riley. This video is cute and the guy explains some of the meaning of the song as he sings it.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6R1sXdIpUA

    "Castle on a Cloud" – Les Miserables
    I loved this as a child and continue to love it as an adult. I mean, who doesn't love Les Mis?
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0u9QNYjYvYQ

    "Maybe" – Annie
    Another song about a little girl dreaming for a better life. Wow, I’m really suggesting some depressing songs. Why do we sing these songs to little kids?
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrr3EmaF3gA

    "Feed the Birds" – Mary Poppins
    Even though the song “Stay Awake” is the lullaby in “Mary Poppins,” this is the one that always lulled me.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VwU_oS2ErQ

    "My Favorite Things" – The Sound of Music
    This is just one of those songs ingrained in my head from childhood, so it is one of the first that comes to mind when I start singing to Riley.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9KwlIHcmq4

    "Angel Lullaby" – My Turn on Earth
    My all-time favorite lullaby. My sisters used to sing this to Chelsey and me when we were little, then we used to sing it at Girl’s Camp, and now I like to sing it to Riley.
    http://www.ldsaudio.com/catalog/lds-music/my-turn-on-earth.aspx

    "Oh Playmate, Come Out and Play With Me"
    This is Riley’s all-time favorite song for me to sing to him. You just substitute the word “playmate” with your child’s name. The first link plays the second verse of the song (which I never knew), so the second link has the lyrics to the whole song. They’re a little different than the words I sing, but that’s how it usually goes with kid’s songs.
    http://www.amazon.com/Oh-Playmate-Come-Out-Play/dp/B000WEOH3U
    http://www.kididdles.com/lyrics/o017.html

    My favorite church songs to sing to him are “A Child’s Prayer,” “I Am a Child of God,” “Nearer My God to Thee,” and pretty much any Christmas song.

    Sorry that was so long, but I kind of got carried away. I hope Asher can enjoy some of these songs now too. Thanks for the fun request. :)

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  7. Okay, I just thought of three more good ones. I actually haven't sung these to Riley because I haven't thought about them in a long time, but these were always Girl's Camp bedtime favorites:

    “Edelweiss” – The Sound of Music
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DToLbYBStgs

    “Candle on the Water” – Pete’s Dragon
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYgLsAIOS-8

    “If We Hold on Together” – The Land Before Time
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObPneATgASs

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  8. All beautiful lullabies and your baby is simply darling! Hope you guys are doing well - he's a gift!

    Take care - Kellan

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  9. I got your blog from Autumn. She is a good friend from Naperville.

    I just had to say, I LOVE that video of Claire and Jane singing. I've watched it like 5 times. Did you also watch the one of Courtney singing, SMILE? To funny. I love that album, Classic Songs for Bedtime (is that what it's called?!) I also love Primary Songs for Bedtime and Christmas Songs for Bedtime by the same group of people. SOOOOO good!!! We all love them!

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  10. Thanks for all the great lullaby suggestions!!! I have already starting singing some of them and have more on the list to learn.

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  11. OH, are we done? Sorry I'm a little slow, but I had a few, too.
    I also love Summertime and Sarah's Blackbird! LOVE!
    Here are some others that I've been singing for almost 4 years now:

    I Love You, A Bushel and A Peck
    You Are My Sunshine
    Hush Little Baby, Don't Say a Word
    Tomorrow - from Annie
    Hushabye Mountain - from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
    Over the Rainbow - from Wizard of Oz
    My Favorite Things - from The Sound of Music
    Candyman - from Willy Wonka
    Somewhere Out There - from An American Tale

    Then, of course, there are the Disney cartoon ones:
    Once Upon a Dream - Sleeping Beauty
    A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes - Cinderella
    So This Is Love - Cinderella
    Can You Feel The Love Tonight? - The Lion King
    Once Upon a December - Anastasia (not Disney)

    I also sing anything out of the Children's Songbook that I can remember.

    I sing lots of other songs too, but I tried to give you the lullabies like you asked.
    On that note, I also wanted to give a little promo for Signing Time! It's for when he's older and even if you don't want to teach him sign, they have some really great songs! The creator was a singer/song writer (daughter of a man who was associated with a movie that I can't see without thinking of you!) and then when she had a deaf daughter, she started creating Signing Time! It's so much fun and incredible educational! Keep it in mind for when he's older!

    Okay, there are my two cents. Thanks!

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  12. I found you through Mormon Mommies...

    This is a great idea! I'm going to refer back to this post when I need to think up new songs. Here's mine:

    Angel Friend by Lex de Azavedo (I hope I spelled it right... sorry Lex)from My Turn on Earth.

    Hush Little Mermaid (from the Backyardigan's Viking episode.)

    Yellow by Coldplay

    Hey Jude by Beatles

    I Love You Always Forever by Donna Lewis

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  13. I thought of more! Sorry!

    Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol

    Goodnight Sweetheart by Sha Na Na (and Full House.)

    ooo and Cape Breton Lullaby (learn it and sing it! It is goooo-oood!)
    This is the best I could do at the moment:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACXrDt_zxlo
    lyrics at: www.wtv-zone.com/phyrst/audio/nfld/11/lullaby.htm

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