My Dad always sang to us at bedtime when we were put to bed at night. He always sang the same two songs. They are ingrained in my memory still to this day. Of course, being a singer, I love singing to my kids. One evening while singing to Brielle at bedtime she said “mommy you are a good singer, like a real stage singer”. I had to chuckle and say thank you. Yes, I have sung on a few stages, but it is sweet when your kids think you are as amazing as any superstar out there.
I always told my Dad he should sing in church as a soloist or in the choir. He has such a wonderful voice! When he came to stay for the last two visits he sang to my kids at bedtime. The first time he sang Brielle said “Mommy! Papa knows our song!” She is so sweet. I explained to her that he used to sing that exact song to me when I was little like her and that’s how I know the songs. The songs he sang to us were not everyday songs, the first was “Lullay, Lullay”.
My Dad learned the song as a kid when he found a phonograph and a cylinder that played this song. He grew up in a big farm family in a big farm house in Boyd/ Edson, Wisconsin. The farm house is still there and the dairy farm is still being run by a Licht (my maiden name). Many in our family, including our son Barron are buried in the cemetery across the country road from the farm. Those childhood songs came from that farmhouse, from the phonograph he found in the attic. He sang it all through my childhood at bedtime, and now I sing it to my kids. I often even sing it over the camera microphone after I have already put the boys to bed. They get rowdy playing out of bed, so I tell them over the IPAD talking into the mic for the camera in the room, that if they get back into bed I will sing to them. I always sing “Lullay, Lullay”. It works like a charm! They always climb back into bed and the song calms them so they are ready to sleep.
The other song he always sang was “Galway Bay”, an old Irish Folk song. My Dad attended primary school in Edson, Wisconsin and the school was run by Nuns. They taught him this song. Even my aunts and uncles say they all know this song too, so it must have been sung often at school.
Here is Link to a YouTube video of Bing Crosby singing this song: https://youtu.be/
Brielle was singing “Lullay, Lullay” this afternoon as we were laying down the twins for nap time. As we were walking down the stairs she asked if I could record her singing the song. Here is the clip I got of Brielle, my sweet 4-year-old, singing “Lullay, Lullay” the song I sing to her at bedtime, as my Dad sang to me at bedtime.
Brielle singing Lullay, Lullay
So beautiful GREAT JOB Sweet Brielle precious memories are the ones kids will carry forever and the way family traditions begin.
Thank you Susan. Brielle is singing the songs to her brothers already, so I know she will be carrying on the tradition of these songs. We are blessed!
Magdalena,
You never know what will become a family heirloom. I guess these two songs will. Rachel also sings them to her children as do I. I have also sung them to Jessica’s son David. I guess I had better start singing them to Natalie and Jacy’s son and soon to be sons.
Thank you for sharing this. The phonograph was one old one with the big horn cone. It had to be hand cracked. The records were hollow cylinders that fit onto a metal tube. A needle from the cone followed the groves on the cylinder and sent the vibrations up to the fan shaped cone horn. It think it was invented by Edison. Your uncle Kelsey has this original phonograph along with the record cylinders. I don’t know if the one I learned this song from still is in the box of cylinders that were in the attic. I will have to ask him.
Anyway, the original needle was not present. I used a common pin and rigged it up with some tape. I know the box of cylinders had many broken ones. When I put it back, the one with the “Coventry Carol” was still intact as were many others. I think I was was less than 10 years old. I know it was before President Kennedy was assassinated.
Love you,
Dad
Thank you Dad for your response and even more details behind the story! I love it! Thank you again for passing these songs down to us. Love you so much! You are the best Dad!!