This is a production blog for a BBC World Service radio feature called 'Language of Lullabies'
Around the world lullabies path the road to sleep and dreams but curiously they often contain dark or threatening imagery; babies falling from cradles (UK) or being taken out into the cold in the depths of winter (Iceland), or being eaten by monsters (Caribbean). This feature explores the music and narratives of a vivid selection of lullabies from around the world, examining their themes, rhythms and melodies, their universal qualities and difference as well as the role they play in child development.
Please send us your lullabies, in the first place you might like to just let us know about your favourite lullaby, but we're also looking for recordings of lullabies with a translation written in english. We're particularly interested in lullabies with interesting or unusual stories such as this lullaby from Nigeria:
Whose mother is the crying
Is it Eagle? Is it Vulture? Is it Human?
Bring black pepper, bring pepper,
Bring ingredients for soup, let the birds feed themselves
Baby oh, baby stop.
Add your favourite lullaby in the comments box below or get in touch via twitter:
These were my children's favourite lullabies:
ReplyDeleteLULA LULA
Oh lula lula lula lula bye bye
Do you want the moon to play with?
Or the stars to run away with?
They’ll come if you don’t cry.
Oh lula lula lula lula bye bye
In your Mummy’s arms a peeping
And soon you’ll be a sleeping
Lula lula lula lula lula bye
And being South Australians:
CARRA BARRA WIRRA CANNA
(Australian)
There's a lake in South Australia, little lake with lovely name.
And the stories woven round it, from the picanninies came
Every night the native mothers croon this lovely lullaby.
Croon across the moonlit waters to the stars up in the sky.
Carra barra wirra canna, little star upon the lake.
Guide me through the hours of darkness keep me safely till I wake.
Picannini heads are nodding, drowsy crooning fills the air.
Little eyes at last are closing and the boat of dreams is there.
Guide my boat across the waters, cross the waters still and deep,
Light me with your little candle, safely to the land of sleep.
My first son loved this at Christmas time:
LITTLE TOY TRAINS
Little toy trains, little toy tracks
Little toy drums coming from a sack
Carried by a man dressed in white and red
Little boy, don't you think it's time you were in bed?
Close your eyes
Listen to the skies
All is calm, all is well
Soon you'll hear the ringing of the jingle bells
Bringin' little toy trains and little toy tracks
Little toy drums coming from a sack
Carried by a man dressed in white and red
Little boy, don't you think it's time you were in bed?
Close your eyes
Listen to the skies
All is calm, all is well
Soon you'll hear the ringing of the jingle bells.
Bringin' little toy trains and little toy tracks
Little toy drums coming from a sack
Carried by a man dressed in white and red
Little boy, don't you think it's time you were in bed?
Jill Tumes, Adelaide, South Australia (now Papua New Guinea)
Dear Jill, Thank you for the lullabies, we've highlighted one of them on our 'Lullaby a Day for December' page:
Deletehttps://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Lullaby-A-Day-for-December/452188884829617?ref=hl