Lullabies

No, no, I can't stop.

You were hoping I'd get away from classical music, weren't you? But I need only a couple of more posts so that I can add a Music is Good category to my sidebar.

That way Kelly Clarkson, Katrina and the Hurricanes, Scarlatti, Respighi, and maybe B.B. King can all hang out together here at ENT. Oh, had they blogged, the things they'd have said!

Anyway, on my way to work the other day I heard a rocking Brahms Violin Concerto in D on WFMT and said to myself,

Surely there's something racy to report on Brahms.

For example, wasn't he the guy who wrote the lullaby? Indeed he was. And he's still popular!

I like this version of the lullaby the best:
And even in Las Vegas they understand that without the lullaby, nobody would ever get to sleep!

Lullaby and good night, with roses bedight
With lilies o'er spread is baby's wee bed
Lay thee down now and rest, may thy slumber be blessed
Lay thee down now and rest, may thy slumber be blessed

Lullaby and good night, thy mother's delight
Bright angels beside my darling abide
They will guard thee at rest, thou shalt wake on my breast
They will guard thee at rest, thou shalt wake on my breast

Further verses from various sources may be added to lengthen the lullaby:

Sleepyhead, close your eyes, mother's right here beside you.
I'll protect you from harm, you will wake in my arms.
Guardian angels are near, so sleep on, with no fear.
Guardian angels are near, so sleep on, with no fear.
Lullaby, and sleep tight, hush! My darling is sleeping,
On his sheets white as cream, with his head full of dreams.
When the sky's bright with dawn, he will wake in the morning
When noontide warms the world, he will frolic in the sun.

These days the kids would probably prefer to hear it this way:



So I've decided that it's time for a revival of the lullaby.

I thought of a kid with bi-polar disorder (not my diagnosis, I inherited the case) who couldn't sleep at night without listening to CDs. This was before Ipods. Her father didn't like that she couldn't go to sleep without music, and I had to convince him it was a good thing, listening to music, much better than raising her medication.

That case worked out just fine. But I feel that in our hyper-caffeinated world, it really is time to revive the lullaby.

So send in your suggestions.
But not this one, okay?