Our 10 Favorite Lullabies of All Time

As defined in Merriam-webster.com, a lullaby is a defined as “a song to quiet children or lull them to sleep”. For Filipinos especially, lullabies are almost part and parcel of how we care for our children. It is a means to soothe them, show them we are there for them, and even bond with our children through song.

Singing lullabies to our children has many benefits. First and foremost, it is a simple and effective way to strengthen the bonds between the parent and the child. Since it is now known that infants in the womb are able to hear their parents’ voice, the familiar sound has a very big impact on how safe and secure a child feels. Lullabies and soothing melodies add to this sense of calm from a very early age, and give the child a sense of security and well-being that he will carry on until adulthood.

Music and lullabies also help in stimulating the brain. They help with language development, memory and even his brain development. Though babies are not yet able to understand the words of the lullabies, they retain this information - much like putting in investment savings in your child’s brain bank. 

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Here are a couple of favorite lullabies of Filipino moms and dads.

1. Brahms Lullaby

This may just be one of the most well-known lullabies all over the world. The melody is very simple and very soothing.  It is one of the most used lullabies by Filipino moms and dads.

2. Ugoy ng Duyan 

This may be the Filipino counterpart of “Brahms Lullaby” in terms of being known and sung in the Philippines. The melody is sweet and simple and the lyrics speak very intimately of how lullabies are part of a mother’s love for her child.

3. Rock a Bye Baby

This is also a go-to lullaby for many parents because of the simple lyrics and the soothing melody.

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4. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Not only is this a well known nursery song, it also doubles as a lullaby for sleepy babies.

5. Hush Little Baby

This song is nice because it is fun to change the lyrics to make the song cute and funny.

6. Songs from Disney Movies

This lullaby from Prince of Egypt and the song from Land Before time, plus so many other Disney classics are favorites of parents to be slowly sung or hummed to their children.

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7. Lullabies in regional dialects
Parents sometimes consciously or unconsciously pass on the lullabies if the dialects they grew up in to their children.  My mom used to sing an Ilokano lullaby to us when we were young and still does now to her grandchildren.  Singing songs like these not only give the benefits stated above but a sense too of loving one’s roots.

8. Sweet contemporary songs

Parents sometimes find that there are songs that specifically touch their hearts and somehow express their feelings well to their child.  I, for one, sing “You” by the Carpenters to my children as a lullaby.  “Tahan” by Regine Velasquez is the go-to lullaby of my friend Joyce Torres to her daughter.  Songs by other artists, both local and international, may serve as lullabies too.

9. Blanket of Love

Barney really has had an impact on the songs and experiences many children have now.  Barney songs are sweet, simple and easy to listen to.

10. Invented songs and hummed melodies
These are lullabies from the heart.

Lullabies truly are powerful tools to child development and parent-child bonding.  Isn’t it wonderful that something as simple as singing a little lullaby to your child can have such a big effect in his development?  Not only does your child feel loved and cared for, he is also learning.
 
Photo by JORGE RAVINES FOTOGRAFIAS from flickr creative commons