Comments for English lyric of Mozart's cradle song as I know them

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Our family’s version
by: DuelaDent52

It’s fascinating to see how many different lyrics there have been! To my memory, my mammy always sang it to people like this:

And if I could climb to the skies
Wonders for (insert name) I’d buy
Sunlight to crown [his/her/their] wee head
Starlight to guide [them/you] to bed
And o’er the world silver wide
Gently the moon sheds her light
Clouds shall be dream ships for you
Floating like bellows(?) of blue
O luuuu la lo

It usually calmed me down when I was crying.

Dana: That is so beautiful, Duela! I might make an English arrangement of that for my students. I'll bet "bellows" is "billows!" Thanks for sharing.
My Grandmother sang this one
by: Anonymous

Sleep little prince be at rest
A little bird in the nest
Garden and palace are still
Darkness comes tiptoe down hill
Lady moon sends forth her light
Time will soothe all youthful fright
Safe watch o’er you we will keep
Sleep o my darling, now sleep
O sleep, O sleep
Cradle song
by: Honor

I remember this song as Sleep now my baby at rest.birds fly away to their nest. Peace lies oe'r valley and hill each summers day now is fill. Brightly the stars in the sky shine down on us from on high singing a soft lullaby a lull a lullaby
Korean version...
by: marijo1951

I'm so glad to find this thread. Earlier today I went to see a wonderful Korean film 'Broker'. In one very moving scene, the young mother sang to her baby, thinking they were alone, although they were being spied on. Although the words in the subtitle didn't exactly match the lyrics I remember, the tune was instantly recognisable as the Mozart's lullaby that we sang at school in the 1960s (the 'Sleep now my baby at rest' version)
Mozart Cradle song
by: Anonymous

Wow, the version I sang in choir for this song is very different from the ones I see here. I sang this in my freshman year of choir for 2017 UIL solo and ensemble. The lyrics were:

Sleep oh my darling now sleep
Mother her vigil doth keep
Birds are asleep in their nest
lambkins and bees are at rest
All now is quiet and still
Hushed are the veil and the hill
Soft be thy slumber and deep
Sleep oh my darling now sleep
Oh sleep, oh sleep.

Quiet now reigns in the house
Still are the cat and the mouse
Turmoil of day now is o’er
Birdlings are singing no more
All now in slumber doth lie
(This is the one line I can’t remember)
Sleep oh my darling now sleep
Oh sleep, oh sleep

Wish I could remember than one line.

Dana: Hi, Anonymous, it is possible that the line you can't remember is "Bright are the stars in the sky," which is what my students sing.
Thanks for contributing these lyrics. It is amazing how many different versions there are!
Burl Ives
by: Maggie

Burl Ives had an LP of lullabies in which he sang a version of this song, as I remember it.
"Sleep, oh my darling, and rest;
Birds are asleep in their nests.
Garden and meadow are still—
Bees are no more by the mill—
Only my baby so bright
Lying awake in the night,
Nestle your head on my chest
Sleep, oh my darling and rest.

Listen! No sound can be heard—
Thru the house nothing has stirred.
Little gray mouse is not near,
Cellar and kitchen are clear—
Only my baby so bright
Lying awake in the night,
Nestle your head on my chest
Sleep, oh my darling, and rest.

Oh, sle-eep, and rest."

Dana: Maggie, this is very sweet. Thank you for sharing this version!
Is this the same song ?
by: Kathleen DR

"Sleep now my baby at rest
Birds fly away to their nest
Peace lies on valley and hill
Each pretty bee now is still.
Brightly the moon in the sky
Shines down on us high.
Sleep now thy mother is nigh."

I learned this in primary school
at a 1969 BBC schools singing broadcast.


Dana: Kathleen, this HAS to be the same song...

The lyrics are slightly different, but quite parallel to all the other versions!

I'll bet the line "shines down on us on high" ought really to be "shines down on us from on high"...

Thanks for sharing.
Sleep little Bird...
by: Tanya

Thanks so much for this thread. I’ve been trying to fill in the gaps to this lullaby. My mum used to sing it to me in the 60s.

I remember:
Sleep little bird in your nest,
Sleep while I’m watching you rest
Now ‘Neath the moon’s silvery beam
ships softly glide on the gleam

Over the world shining bright
echoes across the still night
Shall I come sailing with you
over your pillow so blue
I love, I love you

If I should climb to the sky
Wonders for you I will buy
Starlight to crown your small head
Moon Light to guide you to bed

Over the world shining bright,
echoes across the still night,
Shall I come sailing with you,
over your pillows so blue,
I love, I love you.


Dana: What beautiful lyrics! Thank you, Tanya.
Thankyou, Mrs Schmale
by: Malcolm King

Whilst at West Heath Junior School, Birmingham in the 1960s, our Music Teacher, Mrs Schmale, taught us this cradle song amongst many others from Germany. I remember the words distinctly and she is responsible for my love and appreciation of all things musical.
My Grandma used to sing this to me.
by: Dean

Sleep little bird in the nest
Love now is watching you rest
Over the world silver bright
Gentle the stars guide you tonight
Love shall be waiting for you
Floating on pillows of blue
Oh la la loo la la loo
Oh la la loo la la loo
My little Lala Lala loo
My little Lala Lala loo.

She would sing this to me when I was around 6-7 years old to get me to sleep, it has stayed with me all my life but the lyrics may have been altered by her as a quick get me to sleep song or my memory may just be wrong and she may have known and sung the correct lyrics all along?
Love you Nanna. X

Dana:
Hi, Dean. Did you know that this pretty song is originally in German? That may be the reason the English lyrics vary so much - they are all translations!
Cradle Song
by: Anonymous

Sleep now my baby and rest.
Birds fly away to their nest,
Peace lies o're valley and hill,
Each busy bee is now still.
Brightly the moon in the sky,
Shines down on us from on high.
Sleep now thy mother is nigh,
Singing her sweet lullaby.
Her Lu--ll--aby.

Softly the daylight doth fade.
All now in slumber are laid.
Quiet is all in the house,
Scarcely the stir of a mouse,
Only a bird's plaintive cry,
Echoes to us from on high,
Sleep now thy mother is nigh,
Singing her sweet lullaby.
Her Lu--ll--aby.

I hope this is of interest. Are there any more verses?? I learned this as a child in the 1940's

Dana:
This is lovely. Thank you for adding it here.

There seem to be many verses, but not necessarily put together with each other. Have you looked at verses contributed by other visitors to this page?
there is a second part of it
by: Anonymous

I also sang this song at a school choir like 30 years ago. I could remember the first two lines of the second part of it....
"If I could climb to the sky
Wonders for you I would buy...
Couldn't remember the rest... have been searching for years.
More Lyrics to Mozart's Cradle Song
by: Anne Smith

This is the version I sang at school in the 60s

Sleep little prince all is still
Folded the sheep on the hill
Silent the hum of the bees
Birds are at rest in the trees,
Quiet and peaceful the room,
Slowly the big silver moon
Rises and peeps o'er the sill
Sleep little prince and be still
Lie still, lie still

Not even a mouse is astir
Kitchen and cellar are bare
Calm lies o'er palace and park
Never a sound in the dark
Save from the maiden who sighs
Stirs in her slumber and cries
Dreaming as fond lovers will
Sleep little prince and lie still

Who is so happy as thou?
Free as the bird on the bough
Plenty of nice things to eat
Fine golden shoes for thy feet
Carriage and horses to ride
Footmen to run by thy side
All shall be thine if thou will
Sleep oh my Princeling be still
Lie still, lie still

Dana:
This is so pretty and old-fashioned. It fills me with yearning for simpler times... thank you for sharing!
At Last
by: Jane

I learnt this version at the Sacred Heart College in Hastings over 50 years ago. Many times I tried to get the music and to see if I had the words right, or should I say remember.
Finally I have found them. I cannot thank you enough. I can now be sure of passing on this beautiful lullaby correctly.

Dana:
That's wonderful, Jane!
Sleep my little child sleep
by: O.OF

My mother sang this lovely song to me too! Very nice to see the words I remember from when I was very small written down. I was astonished when I found out that the song my mother sang to me was based on the cradlesong attributed to Mozart. Wonder where she learnt it? as she sang the first line in German though she didn't speak German. I remember the tune slightly different in places from the "Mozart" melody. But I don't know if that's just me remembering it wrongly. This would have been sung to me in the late 1950s. I'd love to know how she knew it.
Can you help with the rest of the words
by: Anonymous

Sleep pretty darling and rest
Birdies are keeping their nest
Gardens and fields all lie still
Hushed is the hum of the rill...


Dana:
Since the original is in German, I think you could make up your own words...
Cradle Song
by: Anonymous

Delighted to find this lovely cradle song, which I first played on the piano when I was twelve. I've always loved it although the lyrics I know vary a little. There is a second verse but I cannot remember all of it :-

If I could fly to the sky
Wonders for you I would buy -
Sunlight to crown your small head,
Starlight to guide you to bed
......................?

does any one know the remainder of the second verse?
Recollection of English school version in 1960's
by: Malcolm Dixon

I sang this as a solo in the school choir, my recollection is:

Sleep now my baby at rest
Birds fly away to their nest
Peace lies on valley and hill
Each busy bee now is still
Brightly the moon in the sky
Shines down on us from up high
Sleep now thy mother is nigh
Singing her sweet lullaby, lull-a-by....
Finally, after years searching
by: Annabel

Thank you so much for this. I have been searching for years to find out the lyrics of this lullaby that my late mother used to sing to me. This makes me deeply happy to have finally found it. This is how I remember it...

Sleep little bird in the nest
Love is now watching you rest
While neath the moon's silvry beam
Ships softly glide all a'gleam
Gossamer sails shining bright
Beckon across the soft night
Shall I come sailing with you
Make all your wishes come true
Oh ladidadidoo

Now if I could climb to the sky
Wonders for you I should find
Sunshine to crown your small head
Starlight to guide you to bed
Gossamer sails shining bright
Beckon across the soft light
Shall I come sailing with you
Make all your wishes come true
Oh ladidadidoo
My memory of this lullaby from school in the sixties began
by: Anonymous

Sleep now my baby at rest
Birds fly away to their nest
Peace lies on valley and hill
Lyrics from my Mum singing this lullaby
by: Maire

I have a recording of my late Mum singing this lullaby when she was about 25 years old!
She died nearly 4 years ago & I treasure the recording of her voice. These are the lyrics she sings - and 2 verses!

Sleep Little Bird (Sung by Mum {Teresa McCann})

Sleep little bird in the nest
Love now is watching you rest
While neath the moon's silvry beam
Ships softly glide all a'gleam
Gossamer sails shining bright
Beckon across the soft night
Shall I go sailing with you
Where happy dreams come true
O luuuuu

If I could climb to the sky
Wonders for you dear I?d find
Sunshine to crown your small head
Starlight to guide you to bed
Gossamer sails shining bright
Beckon across the soft light
Sleep baby dear do not cry
Sleep in your lullaby
Oh Luuuuu


Dana:

Hi, Maire,

I love those lyrics! Especially "Sunshine to crown your small head... Starlight to guide you to bed." Thank you for writing to share those. What a treasure to have a recording of your mother at 25 years old.
Mozart's cradle song
by: Anonymous

Sleep little bird in the nest
Birds fly away to their rest
Peace lies o'er valley and hill
Each busy bee now is still
Brightly the moon in the sky
Shines down on us from on high
Sleep for thy mother is nigh
Singing her soft lullaby.

Dana:
Thanks so much for sharing this version!
More Please
by: Anonymous

I am trying to find the words we sung at a choir festival in the sixties as I now want to sing them to my new grandson.

I know -
Sleep little bird in the nest
Love now is watching you rest
while neath the moons silvery beam
ships softly glide all a gleam
gossamer sail shining bright
beckons across the soft night
clouds shall be dream ships for you
floating on billows of blue
oh lul la la la lal la loo

surely there is more????

Dana:

Hello, Anonymous. No, I can't find any additional lyrics to go with yours. The lyrics already submitted by another anonymous contributor (see below) are very close to the ones you are remembering:

Sleep little bird in your nest
Mother is watching your rest
While neath the moon's silvry beam
Ships softly glide all a'gleam
Gossamer sails shining bright
Beckon across the soft night
Shall I come sailing with you
Where happy dreams come true
O lu -----layloo
Re: Cradle Song
by: Anonymous

Thanks very much. I'm only just learning to use my iPad and as I'm 80 it takes time. Glad u liked the words -- I sing them now to my great-granddaughter ! ! It's a lovely tune.

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