About

The meaning of a lullaby is "lull" which means to hush to sleep and "aby", taken from goodbye, which means a way of saying bye-bye to her children at night when they go to sleep.

HISTORY

For the greater part of history, lullabies were transmitted orally from one generation to the next. This still prevails in much of the world.

The practice of singing to infants and the details of song form and style are rooted in ancient traditions that have survived industrialization and urbanization.

Given the private nature of lullabies, nobody is certain when the first lullaby was actually sung. The oldest record of a lullaby dates back to 2000 BC. Research tells us that mother's have been expressing their distress through lullaby singing for at least the last 4,000 years.

There is evidence that mother's who were imprisoned in Holocaust concentration camps wrote lullabies. This provided them with a moment of peace and innocence, even in the most terrible situations.

Studies have examined the overwhelmingly positive effects of music on stress behaviors as well as therapeutic effects of mothers' voices on premature infants.

Most people have memories of the lullabies they have sung to their children, or the lullabies that were sung to them when they were young. Lullabies express one of the truest forms of love, and they will continue to be sung by mothers and caregivers around the globe!

IMPORTANCE

You don't have to have a voice of an angel to sing your baby to sleep with lullabies. Singing is the easiest way to soothe a child, and it is also a bonding experience between the parent or caregiver and the baby.

Lullabies are often a façade for a mother's expression of goals, expectations, or even warnings for her child. These songs allow for normally unsayable things to be said. Some lullabies include harsh lyrics that are aimed to warn the child about the future to come or complaints by the mother or caregiver. Since the child is unaware of the meaning of the words, the singer can address any feelings they might be having. More often than not, lullabies express difficulties of mothering and the tension and exhaustion of dependency that infants require. Ignorance is bliss when it comes to lullabies; the inappropriate lyrics are something that babies do not understand, instead, they respond to the calming sounds of the lullaby.

A lullaby can be an emotional song of anger, stress, or terror. Singing lullabies can reinforce and communicate positive feelings for the infant while also reducing the impact of negative feelings in the caregiver's life. Lullaby singing acts as a coping mechanism and survival tool for mothers and her children. Lullaby singing is also psychologically benefical for both mothers and children.

MOST COMMON LULLABIES

Although there are thousands, maybe even millions, of lullabies in the world, here is a list of the most common lullabies that have been sung and are still being sung today:

Baa Baa Black Sheep
Hush Little Baby
Kumbaya
Over the Rainbow
Rock-A-Bye Baby
Silent Night
Sleep, Baby, Sleep
This Little Light of Mine
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
When You Wish Upon A Star
You Are My Sunshine