The songs on this page are dedicated to my two grandsons, Felix Theodore Crooke and Axel Jia Ming Perry.

The lyrics of many lullabies are for the benefit of the adults rather than the child, as babies are too young to understand them anyway. Crow on the Cradle, for example, sounds like it might put a baby to sleep but would definitely keep baby awake if he/she understood the words.

All the Pretty Little Horses

This lullaby is also a gentle protest song. It originated in the days of slavery and deals with a typical situation where a female slave would have to nurse her master's children, while being forced to neglect her own baby, the "poor little lambie" at the mercy of the bees and the butterflies. One of the best recordings, again, is that of Odetta.

You can hear my performance and read the lyrics.

Here is Bill Richards singing the song to his new-born son.

All My Trials

A popular spiritual about freedom, which originated in the Bahamas. I first heard it sung by Joan Baez, whose early recordings were what got me seriously interested in folk music.

Here is my performance and here are the lyrics.

This song is on my third CD, Gospel Ship.

Brahms Lullaby

This is a well-known English translation of Johannes Brahms' Wiegenlied: Guten Abend, Gute Nacht, Op. 49, No. 4, commonly known as Brahms' Lullaby.

Connemara Cradle Song (Delia Murphy)

As far as is known, Delia Murphy (1902-1970) adapted the traditional song Down in the Valley to create this lullaby, in which the mother's thoughts are focused on her husband fishing out at sea, in a kind of prayer for his safe return.

There is an interesting article on the origins of this song here, from Sing Out magazine.

You can see my video here. Here are the lyrics.

The Crow on the Cradle

Sydney Carter wrote a lot of great thought-provoking songs. This is one of his most powerful, and also one of his most popular, having been recorded by Pete Seeger, Judy Collins and, many years later, Jackson Browne, Graham Nash and David Lindley at a No Nukes concert.

You can watch my video here, and the lyrics are here.

Hush Little Baby

I have few memories of my primary school years, but one thing I remember clearly is that my fourth grade teacher played the guitar and the squeeze box, and that he taught us this lullaby.

It is probably of English origin, and has been recorded by many singers, including Burl Ives, Ed McCurdy, Peggy Seeger, Jean Ritchie, Peter Paul and Mary, Joan Baez, Aretha Franklin, Nina Simone, Taj Mahal and The Weavers. There is also a version by Yo-Yo Ma.

It has often been rewritten as a popular song. Some examples are versions by BoDiddley (covered by Buddy Holly), Led Zeppelin, The Mamas and The Papas, Metallica and Eminem, who threatens to break the mockingbird's neck if it doesn't sing.

Here is me singing it, and here are the lyrics.

Mama's Gone To the Mail Boat

This song was colleected by John and Alan Lomax, from the singing of Tina Russell at Marvell's Inlet, South Carolina.

I first heard it sung by The Weavers.

The lyrics are here.

Morningtown Ride (Malvina Reynolds)

One of Malvina Reynolds' best known songs, this was a big hit for The Seekers in 1965.

The earliest recording was by The Limeliters in 1962. Malvina Reynolds does not seem to have recorded the song herself until 1970, when she included it on her album, Artichokes, Griddlecakes and Other Good Things.

Felix can hear the song here, performed by his grandfather and uncle, and he can read the lyrics here.

My Curly-Headed Baby (George H. Clutsan)

George Howard Clutsan (1866 - 1951) was an Australian composer and pianist, who published over 150 songs. This song was written in 1897 after a visit to the American Deep South. The words as originally written would be seen as politically incorrect today, but this is largely overcome by eliminating the phrase "little nigger baby" and doubling up on the title phrase.

The best known performer of this song was the great African-American singer, actor and social activist, Paul Robeson, who first performed it in 1937 in the film Big Fella.

You can hear me singing it here. Here are the lyrics.

Scarlet Ribbons (Jack Segal & Evelyn Danzig)

This rather sentimental song about an unlikely small miracle was written in 1949 and has been recorded by many singers, including Juanita Hall, Harry Belafonte, Perry Como, Val Doonican, Jim Reeves, Bobbie Bare, Cliff Richard, Roy Orbison, Gracie Fields, Doris Day, Vera Lynn, Dinah Shore, Renée Geyer, The Kingston Trio, Willie Nelson and Sinéad O'Connor.

Here is my performance and here are the lyrics.

Suliram

I first heard this Indonesian lullaby sung by The Weavers. The version I sing here was learned from my Indonesian friend when I was at University.

You can hear me sing it and the lyrics are here.