A Child's World of Lullabies

Words, Music and Activities by Hap Palmer
©Hap-Pal Music, Inc.

Introduction

    These gentle songs weave a theme of appreciation and respect for the diversity of life on earth including animals, plants and people from many lands. This theme of diversity is reflected in the variety of musical styles; melodies from serene to tenderly spirited created a loving environment in which children can sing together, play quietly or peacefully drift off to sleep. Hap's original compositions Counting Miracles, Spinning on the Same Ball, A New World to Explore, Old Rocking Chair and Sleep On (based on a melody by Brahms) are combined with lullabies from many lands: Sleep My Baby (Nigeria), A La Nanita Nana (Spain), The Bambo Flute (China), Chippewa Lullaby (Native American), Hush Little Baby (England/Appalachia), All Night All Day (African American Spiritual) and Dormite Niñito (El Salvador).

   The soothing voices and rich harmonies of Hap and his sister Penny are accompanied by the sounds of acoustic guitar, piano, string quartet, woodwind ensemble, mandolin, dobro, fiddle and accordion. Children also learn about the music of many cultures by hearing the sounds of instruments from around the world: from China, the bamboo flute and gu-jen (Chinese harp); from Spain the Spanish guitar; from France the celesta; and from Nigeria the shekere, kannago and dundun. Native American instruments include the Chippewa flute, North American council drum, tarahuamara drum, chicahuasti and Yaqui dance belt. Children will be fascinated by this mixture of sounds and rhythms which provides a peaceful transition between play time and quit time. 

A Child's World Of Lullabies

Counting Miracles

Words and Music: Hap Palmer

How many stars are up in the sky?
How many grains of sand on the shore?
How many fish swim down in the sea?
''Tho we may count there will always be more

Chorus: We could count miracles all night long,
                   One by one
              On and on we would never be done
              So go to sleep, my little one

How many blades of grass in the field?
How many birds fly up in the air?
How many shells on the ocean floor?
Lifes many wonders abound everywhere

   Repeat Chorus

How many berries hang on the vine?
How many seeds does the spring breeze sow?
How many leaves are up in the tree?
Just when we know more new ones will grow

   Repeat Chorus

Go to sleep, go to sleep
Go to sleep, my little one
For one thing I know is true
The sweetest miracle is you
Yes, one thing I know is true
The sweetest miracle is you

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Hush Little Baby

Traditional - Additional Words and Music: Hap Palmer

Hush little baby don't say a word
Papa's gonna buy you a mockingbird
And if that mockingbird don't sing
Papa's gonna buy you a diamond ring
And if that diamond ring is brass
Papa's gonna buy you a looking glass
And if that looking glass gets broke
Papa's gonna buy you a billy goat
   Papa's gonna buy you, Papa's gonna buy you
   Papa's gonna buy you a billy goat
And if that billy goat don't pull
Papa's gonna buy you a cart and bull
And if that cart and bull turn over
Papa's gonna buy you a dog named Rover
And if that dog named Rover don't bark
Papa's gonna buy you a horse and cart
And if that horse and cart fall down
You'll still be the sweetest little baby in town
   Still be the sweetest, still be the sweetest
   You're still the sweetest baby in town

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Sleep My Baby

Lullaby from Nigeria

Sleep, my baby, near to me
Lu, lu, lu- lu, lu, lu-
Close your velvet eyes

Far away in their nest
Baby birds flutter down to rest
High in the trees far from harm
Tiny monkey sleeps
        Deep in his mother's arms

Sleep, my baby, near to me
Lu, lu, lu- lu, lu, lu-
Close your velvet eyes

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A La Nanita Nana

Spanish Folk Melody  English Words Hap Palmer

A la nanita nana, nanita ea, nanita ea-
Mi nina, tiene sueno bendito sea, bendito sea

Sounds of the night surround you
A soft breeze is blowing
Nearby the little fountain
Is sparkling and flowing
Hush while the cradle's swaying
Swaying and swinging
Listen and hear the song of the
Nightingale singing

A la nanita nana, nanita ea, nanita ea-
Mi nina, tiene sueno bendito sea, bendito sea

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All Night, All Day

African American Spiritual   Additional Words: Hap Palmer

Chorus: All night, all day
        Angels watchin' over me, my lord
        All night, all day
        Angels watchin' over me -

Now I lay me down to sleep
Angels watchin' over me, my lord
Pray the Lord my soul to keep
Angels watchin' over me -

             Repeat Chorus

Bless this precious earth we share
Angels watchin' over me, my lord
Land and water, plants and air
Angels watchin' over me -

Bless each home and family
Angels watchin' over me, my lord
Help us all sleep peacefully
Angels watchin' over me -

        Repeat Chorus

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Chippewa Lullaby

Chippewa - Native American Lullaby

Pine tree gently sigh
Sing a lullaby
For my baby

Little brooklet flow
Murmur soft and low
For my baby

Breezes come and sing
Let the cradle swing
For my baby

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Spinning On The Same Ball

Words and Music: Hap Palmer

Somewhere boys and girls in a far off land
Are waking up just as we say goodnight
They may not look like you or do the things you do
But within we're very much alike

The sadness in a tear, the comfort of a hug
Are feelings every child can understand
And laughter is a sound known the world around
The meaning is the same in every land

Chorus: 'Cause we're all spinning on the same ball
        Sailing through the same vast space
        We're all spinning on the same ball
        Living in the very same place

Hunger knows no language, thirst no boundary
They feel the same wherever people live
And a simple act of care, can happen anywhere
We see the need and take the time to give

Repeat Chorus

'Tho we learn to talk to God in different ways
The need to find life's meaning is the same
God looks with equal grace on every color face
And answers prayers to many different names

Repeat Chorus

Yes, we're living in the very same place

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A New World To Explore

Words and Music: Hap Palmer

What do you see, my baby,
What do you see, my love?
Are you looking out the window
At the stars above?
Do you see the paintings
Hanging on the wall?
Or your Teddy bear up on the shelf
Beside your bright blue ball?

   All the world is fresh and new
   A mystery to you
   But now it's time to sleep, my dear
   Knowing I'll be near

Chorus: Close your eyes
             Let me rock you off to sleep,
             A peaceful slumber calm and deep,
             Keep you safe through the night,
                   To greet the morning light
             Close your eyes
             Tomorrow is a bright new day
             The sun will send a golden ray
             Wake you up in the morn
             With a new world to explore

What do you see, my baby?
Innocent eyes aglow
What you spy with open wonder
I may not always know
Do you see your dolly
Lying on the rug
Or that spider as she weaves her web
To catch a flying bug?

   All the world is fresh and new
   A mystery to you
   But now it's time to sleep, my dear
   Knowing I'll be near

Repeat Chorus:

Close your eyes, close your eyes
Close your eyes, close your eyes

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Old Rocking Chair

Words and Music: Hap Palmer

Lean back, snuggle in my lap
Tonight let's take time to share
Quiet sounds and peaceful sights
Outside in the old rocking chair

 Chorus:  We're rocking, we're rocking
              We're rocking tonight
               Rocking, we're rocking
               Beneath the moonlight

Dusk covers the valley
Stars slowly come into sight
Birds chatter among the trees
Before saying goodnight

Crickets sing a merry song
The night breeze whispers a prayer
Nature plays her lullaby
Heard from the old rocking chair

   Repeat Chorus

Shadows dance across the porch
Cast by the heaven's soft glare
Rich designs of rustling leaves
Surround the old rocking chair

   Repeat Chorus

Wood weathered by years of use
Seat tattered and worn with wear
But lean back in those aging arms
And no place can compare
Yes lean back in those aging arms
And no place can compare

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Bambo Flute

Lullaby from China

From the bamboo mother makes a flute,
Bamboo flute for baby small
Held in little hands,
Pressed to rosy lips,
Lilting melodies rise and fall

Lu, lu, lu, lu, melodies rise and fall
Lu, lu, lu, lu, sleepy heads nod and fall

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Dormite Niñito

Lullaby from El Salvador

Dormite, niñito; no llores chiquito
Vendrán angelitos las sombras de noche.
Rayitos de luna, rayitos de plata
Alumbran mi niño que está en la cuna.

Rayitos del sol el cielo azul
Dejan dormir y empieza vivir.
Dormite, niñito, con ojos diamantes
Estrellas brillantes florido el cielo

Now sleep, little baby;  don't cry, little darling
The angels are coming with shadows of evening
The rays of the moonlight spin fine threads of silver
To shine on my baby asleep in the cradle

The rays of the sun, the blue of the sky
Will wake you from dreams when morning is nigh
Now sleep, little baby, with eyes bright as diamonds
And brilliant as starlight that shines from the heavens

Note: in this lullaby from El Salvador, the word "dormite"
is traditionally used instead of the word "duermete"

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Sleep On

Music: Johannes Brahms - Additional Words and Music: Hap Palmer

The flowers all sleep soundly
Beneath the moon's bright ray
They nod their heads together
And dream the night away
The rustling trees wave to and fro
And murmur soft and low
Sleep on; sleep on; sleep on, my little one

The birds sleep in the branches
The horse lies in the hay,
The dolphins say goodnight
Floating peacefully in the bay
The bear is snuggled in its den
The pig sleeps in the pen
Sleep on; sleep on; sleep on, my little one

The hens sleep in their house
Roosting quietly in a row
The mice out in the field
Burrow down in the earth below
The monkeys sleep up in a tree
The fish down in the sea
Sleep on; sleep on; sleep on, my little one

The baby kangaroo
Snoozes safe in its mother's pouch
The dog is dozing off
Curled up by the parlor couch
The weary turtle slides inside
It's cozy shell to hide
Sleep on; sleep on;  sleep on, my little one

The camels slumber under
A star filled desert sky
The cat lies on the rug
While her kittens sleep nearby
The drowsy cows sleep peacefully
Underneath the tree
Sleep on; sleep on; sleep on, my little one

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Produced by: Hap Palmer, Miriam Mayer   Arranged by: Miriam Mayer   Vocals: Hap Palmer, Penny Palmer   Vocal Arrangements: Hap Palmer   Engineer: John Slattery   Recording Consultant: Tom Perry   Piano: Steve Kaplan   Acoustic, Classical and Electric Guitars: Grant Geisman   Spanish Guitar: Steve Carnelli   Acoustic Guitar: Hap Palmer   Bass, Acoustic Bass: Jim Garafalo   Drums: Tom Walsh   Violins: Peter Kent, Robin Lorrentz   Viola: Tom Tally   Cello: Matt Cooker   Fiddle: Miriam Mayer   Nigerian Percussion: Francis Awe   Chippewa Flute, Native American Percussion: Guillermo Martinez   Accordion, Celeste, Piano: Doug Legacy   Gu-Jen: Hui Zhao   Flute, Bamboo Flute: Suzanne Teng   Flute, Oboe, Clarinet: Jon Kip   Spanish Consultants: Oscar Contraras, Raphael Juarez   Designed and Illustrated by: Carol Schumacher Onaitis   Guide Editor: Paula Benjamin Little   All Songs © 1993 Hap-Pal Music, Inc.
     

©Hap-Pal Music. All rights reserved. These songs and activities are for the personal use of parents and teachers only. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means - electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher Hap-Pal Music.