Lull me to sleep

March 23, 2012 9:42 PM

Does anyone remember these lyrics to Brahams Lullaby, or did my mom make them up? I think there were more but I am stuck. Lullaby and Goodnight/ It is time you were sleeping/ In the morning when you wake up/ There will b-e lots to do/ Lullaby and Goodnight/ Da la lala la la la (part I have forgotten)
posted by saradarlin to media & arts (6 answers total)

Lullaby and goodnight
With roses bedight
With lilies overspread
On baby's wee bed
posted by Weeping_angel at 9:59 PM on March 23, 2012

My Mom's version:

Lullaby and goodnight
With roses bedight
With lilies be blessed
Lay thee down now, and rest, may thy slumber be blessed!
Lay thee down now, and rest, may thy slumber be blessed!

I'm guessing she was making part of it up, with the overabundance of "blessed." Still, it's The Right Way to me, and my kids.
posted by kestralwing at 10:10 PM on March 23, 2012

Brahms's original text, along with a couple of common translations (the more literal in the second column and the more common-usage in the third).

Also, a sweet bit of history: Brahms composed the piece as a gift for a woman he'd been in love with, after she had a baby. He wrote, “Frau Bertha will realize that I wrote the ‘Wiegenlied’ for her little one. She will find it quite in order… that while she is singing Hans to sleep, a love song is being sung to her.”
posted by kalapierson at 10:54 PM on March 23, 2012 [5 favorites]

(And your mom, like most modern moms, was singing more optimistic words than the original, which says it's up to God's will whether the baby wakes, period! :))
posted by kalapierson at 10:58 PM on March 23, 2012

I can't be the only one who only knows the Bugs Bunny version...?

Lullabye, and good night
Close yer big, bloodshot eyes...
posted by mon-ma-tron at 6:56 PM on March 24, 2012 [1 favorite]

I didn't realize this until now, but my mom always sung me Anne Murray's version:

Lullaby and goodnight,
May sleep softly surround you
While your dreams fill your eyes
With a melody of love
May the moonlight embrace you
The starlight caress you
May the sunlight still sing you
This melody of love.

The whole thing sounds familiar now that I've looked at the text, but I can never recall more than the first few lines.
posted by flying kumquat at 6:33 PM on March 25, 2012