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Please help increase my repertoire of sleep-inducing songs and lullabies

41 replies

bumbleweed · 26/06/2006 16:35

Sorry sounds miniscule problem compared to the others cries for help in this topic, but I am deep in the mire of sleep-deprivation believe me.

I basically have to rock/sing dd to sleep still and have been singing 'twinkle twinkle' and 'kumbaya my lord' repeatedly now every night for 8 months, and those tunes and word are driving me mad.

Please suggest some other sweet, gentle lullaby-esque songs for me!

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jambot · 27/06/2006 06:03

For some reason "Sailing" by Rod Stewart, was my sleep song with DD. She loved it until about a year when she let me know she couldn't be bothered with this and wanted to go straight into her bed. Obviously my singing leaves something to be desired

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yawningmonster · 27/06/2006 06:23

I sing Bright Eyes, Rock a bye baby, Golden Slumbers, A traditional one called Moe Moe Pepe and one from (Nesian Mystic I think) called Little One.

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niceglasses · 27/06/2006 07:09

I sang Danny Boy to all of mine with varying success. It did make me cry though!!! Just about know all the words if you want it........

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Elf1981 · 27/06/2006 07:12

Go to sleep my baby,
Close your pretty eyes,
Angels are above you,
Peeping at your dearly from the skies
Great big moon is shining
Stars begin to shin
So go to sleep my baby
Soon it will be morning time


My gran sang this to all her grandkids and I sing it to my dd, works a treat!

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Elf1981 · 27/06/2006 07:13

obvioulsy that's "stars being to shine"
Doh

Also, I sing "he's got the whole world in his hands" and add people in, so he's got mummy and daddy, he's got little baby Evie, mamma and grandpops etc etc

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Blandmum · 27/06/2006 07:29

I always used to singe the 'java song' to my two! mad! And 'you are my sunshine'.

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FrannyandZooey · 27/06/2006 08:24

All the Pretty Little Horses is lovely. We also like Papa's going to buy you a mocking bird.

There are other verses of Twinkle Twinkle which you may not know, might liven things up a bit:

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!

When the blazing sun is gone,
When he nothing shines upon,
Then you show your little light,
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!

Then the traveler in the dark
Thanks you for your tiny spark;
He could not see which way to go,
If you did not twinkle so.
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!

In the dark blue sky you keep,
While you thro' my window peep,
And you never shut your eye,
Till the sun is in the sky,
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!

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bumbleweed · 27/06/2006 08:57

Oh cool ideas, thanks guys.

I will have to google for the words to Sailing and Danny Boy. No I didnt know there were more verses for twinkle twinkle - certainly adds a touch more variety!

I love the idea of some traditional ones from other cultures but wouldnt know where to find the tunes.

Elf what is the tune of yours the words are lovely?

I've just remembered dh sings the sky boat song.

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Nemo1977 · 27/06/2006 09:02

MY DD loves youve got a friend by james taylor
and for some reason DS loved daisy daisy.

I tend to just sing anything that comes to mind but quietly..lol

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Elf1981 · 27/06/2006 12:27

bubleweed the tune kind of goes

to to sleep my baby
da da da da dada

Just sing it a bit speeded up to how you'd say it. Always gets my dd to sleep!
DH changes the words, so he will sing go to sleep my princess.
Pretty eyes can be big blue eyes, big brown eyes etc.
Have no idea where it came from, just that my gran sings it, will have to find out from her.

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BonyM · 27/06/2006 12:29

"Wouldn't It Be Lovely" from My Fair Lady always did the trick with my dds!

I realise it's not your traditional lullaby...

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whiffy · 27/06/2006 14:13

I sing Joni Mitchell/Bob Dylan and similar 60's protest songs. Don't know why but they work a treat on DS. "where have all the flowers gone" best because you can sing in a loop if yo get to end and they're still not asleep.

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CorrieDale · 27/06/2006 20:37

This is a nice site with lots of lullabies - quite often, the music is included here

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CorrieDale · 27/06/2006 20:44

We bought a lullabies CD from mothercare (£5 very well spent) and it's got some really nice ones. Including go to sleep my baby - though with different words. Can definitely recommend it.

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bumbleweed · 28/06/2006 12:39

thanks for the link CorrieDale - I will have a proper look later

I have used 'He's got the whole world in his hands' now twice and it works a treat!

I agree singing just about anything works, as its your voice and the rythm that babies like, but you have to have songs ready to hand so you are not just going "la di da di da" and driving yourself potty!

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Twiglett · 28/06/2006 12:46

can I just recommend stopping singing at bedtime and reading a book in a gentle, melodic voice

because you don't want a 2, 3, 4 or 5 year old that can only be sung to sleep

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Twiglett · 28/06/2006 12:47
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JackieNo · 28/06/2006 12:49

Used to drone 'Edelweiss' from The Sound of Music quietly to DS.

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MrsBadger · 28/06/2006 12:54

missed this thread the first time round, but have used (with varying success)
Mama's Going To Buy You A Mockingbird,
the Morningtown Ride,
Danny Boy,
Drink To Me Only,
Barbara Allen
Hey Jude,
Into My Arms (the Nick Cave one),
Away in a Manger - very popular for some unknown reason, as is
Silent Night
Summertime from Porgy and Bess
and not sung but spoken, Skimbleshanks

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QueenPeaHead · 28/06/2006 12:54

we sing songs every night - huge repertoire!
doh a deer
edelweiss
you are my sunshine
sing a song of sixpence
teddy bears picnic
halfway up the stairs is the stair where I sit
bobby shafto
lavender's blue
mary mary quite contrary
my favourite things
run rabbit run
how much is that doggy in the window
kookaburra
1,2,345 once I caught a fish alive
away in a manger
horsey horsey don't you stop
oranges and lemons


thousands and thousands of them. they get a little medley every night and get to choose. if I'm not around it doesn't matter - they can get to sleep without but it is nice for both of us! and less effort than reading because you can sing with your eyes closed lying on the floor

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MrsBadger · 28/06/2006 12:55

oh, and Hushabye Mountain from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Cheesey but true.

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QueenPeaHead · 28/06/2006 12:55

oh, and for some reason they are really into its a long way to tipperary at the moment

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southeastastra · 28/06/2006 13:13

elf1981 that was my mum's favourite lullaby ! i had forgotten the words ta

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Thomcat · 28/06/2006 13:18

I sing my girls the words of a Depeche Mode song most nights. That and Hush little baby, don't say a word.

Want the words to those 2 songs???????????

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Bink · 28/06/2006 13:25

MrsBadger, I did Drink to Me Only ... thought I was the only one in the world singing Ben Jonson to a baby

They also liked "I had a little nut tree", and Greensleeves, and The Ash Grove. Also "I sing of a maiden", and gentler carols (just cos I know the words and tune). More recently they seem to genuinely like (which amazes me, they're seven and five, and I am not a natural singer) me doing soppy bits out of musicals, eg "Tonight tonight" from West Side Story.

I can only do songs where both the words and music are pretty for me too - I would go bonkers if I'd had to do, eg Wheels on Blasted Bus.

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