Go to sleep my baby

by Maggie
(New Zealand)

Go to sleep my baby, close your pretty eyes.
Angels high above you, pearling at you deary from the skies.
Great big moon is shining, stars begin to peep.
Time for little pikanini to go to sleep
Time for little eyes to go to sleep

My Nana sang it to me, and it's just made me cry writing it down.
Think I have the words right.
That's what I sang to my girls anyway.

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Sep 29, 2024
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My dads version NEW
by: Anonymous

My dad was from England, grew up to him singing me this version in the 2000s

Go to sleep my baby
Close your pretty eyes
Angels far above you
Peeping at you through the skies
Pale old moon is shining
Says (child’s name) you’re my girl/boy
It’s time for little (child’s name) to go to sleep

Aug 23, 2024
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My family’s version NEW
by: Anonymous

The version my mother sang in Ireland to me was
Go to sleep my baby
Close your pretty eyes
Angels up above you
Are smiling down at you from paradise
Great big moon is shining
Stars begin to peep
It’s time for little (she’d put my name in here)
To go to sleep.

May 22, 2022
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Dreamy lullaby NEW
by: Jane

My dad used to sing this to me and my kids in Wales He was 80 when he died in 1998. Now I sing it to my grandchildren. My daughter in law who’s 28, has never heard of it. The words as I remember them :

Go to sleep my baby
Close your pretty eyes
Angels are above you
Peeping at you deary from the skies.
Great big moon is shining,
Stars begin to peep
Time for a little Picanninis to go to sleep.

Beautiful soothing tune and words, my grand babies just melt when I sing this. I think picaninis is a beautiful word to describe all precious children. And if some think it’s racist, let’s reclaim it and repurpose our language just as language and meaning have changed and evolved since time began

Jul 04, 2021
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Sung in Norfolk NEW
by: Anonymous

My Mum used to sing this version to me I rural Norfolk ..I am 72.

Go to sleep, my baby, close your pretty eyes,
Angels up above you,
Waiting for the sun to kiss your eyes.
Great big moon keep shining,
Stars begin to peep.
Time for little piccaninnies to
Go to sleep..

Jun 24, 2021
Rating

Go to sleep NEW
by: Anonymous

My grandmother sang this to me (& my father) & I sang to mine but the words have changed over time …
Go to sleep my baby
Close your big blue/brown eyes
Angels up above you
Watch you from the dark night skies
Big blue moon is shining
Stars begin to peep
So now it’s time for (insert child’s name or …) our precious baby
To go to sleep.

Jul 05, 2020
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MK mum NEW
by: Anonymous

My mother used to sing the 1950's version on this list to me, I remember it well. I do not think there was anything racist about picaninies it was a name people from the west indies called their little children just the same as from the north calling little children bairns, we must not allow racism to keep crawling in and making people uncomfortable with words that are not meant to be unkind. I am now 76 and was brought up to respect folks of all different nationalities. We must not keep dividing people into little squares. I am white and would not dream of calling anyone anything other than a person. No division.

Jun 16, 2020
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Watching O're the skies NEW
by: Anonymous

Watching o'er the sky's..

May 28, 2020
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My sad memories NEW
by: Anonymous

My memories go something like-........ mommies gone a sleeping in the starry skies , pappas gone a weeping for his pretty bride, go to sleep my baby close those pretty eyes. Has anyone else heard that version?

Mar 26, 2020
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Another "Go To Sleep" lullaby NEW
by: Nana

I haven't been able to find the similar lullaby sung by my grandmother and mother, and by me to my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren:
"Go to sleep my little baby;
Go to sleep my little baby.
When you wake we'll play pasta-cake;
Then you'll ride you little poney"

Feb 09, 2020
Rating

1950's baby NEW
by: Anonymous

The version I remember my Mum singing to me was,
Go to sleep my baby,
Close your pretty eyes.
Angels are above you
Peeping at you deary from the skies.
Great big moon is shining,
Stars begin to peep.
It's time for little picaninnies to go to sleep.
Picaninny time to go to sleep.

Dec 01, 2019
Rating

Yorkshire background
by: Ann

I am now 73. This is the version sung to me by my mother.

Go to sleep my baby.
Close your big blue eyes.
Angels up above you.
Wipe away the tear drops from your eyes.
Great big moon a-shining
Stars begin to peep
Time for all the little children
To go to sleep.

Sep 19, 2019
Rating

Piccaninies NEW
by: Phil Price

It’s not racist. Go meet the people of Harlesden and Brent where I worked for a good while. They called (in conversation)their little children "my picca." including when they spoke to me a white man and others like me. I learned the tune from my parents over sixty years ago.

Aug 19, 2019
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Go to sleep my baby NEW
by: Anonymous

My father used to sing this to me (I am now 64). Thank you for confirming the words. Will now sign it to my new grandson

Aug 13, 2019
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Pickaninny
by: Anonymous

My Grandma used to sing this to me and now I sing it to my Grandson! I’ve substituted ‘Pickaninnies’ for ‘little babies’ as I don’t want him to learn such a racist word. Our parents and grandparents didn’t know any better - we do :)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pickaninny

Jun 05, 2019
Rating

I remember it as: NEW
by: Anonymous

From and brought up in Scotland, my mum sang it to me. I'm now 66. I remember it as:

Go to sleep my baby
Close your pretty eyes.
Angels up above you
Are peeping down at you from the skies
The great big moon is shining
And stars begin to peek
Now its time for little pickininies
To go to sleep.

Jun 01, 2019
Rating

Great great great grandma NEW
by: AnonymousTeresa Thompson

Go to sleep my baby,close your pretty eyes,Angel's are above you ,peeping at you deary from the skies,great big moon is shining ,stars begin to peep,its time to close your eyes now and go to sleep,my greatgrandmother sang this to my grandmother ,who then sang it to my dad,grandma also sang it to me,I sang it to my boys,now over 100yrs since great grandma Sarah sang it,I am singing it to her great great grandsons!!! Teresa Thompson

May 21, 2019
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Memories NEW
by: Anonymous

MY Mum used to sing this to me when I was little (im now 59) and now my daughter is singing it to her 2 little girls.

A little piece of my Mum :)

May 04, 2019
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Go to sleep lullaby NEW
by: Nicola

Go to sleep my baby,
Close your pretty eyes
Angels up above you sitting smiling in the sky,
Great big moon is shining
Stars begin to peep,
Now's the time for my baby _____to go to sleep.

Mar 07, 2019
Rating

The way Pa sing the song 75 years ago. NEW
by: Jeanne

"Go to sleep my baby. Close your sleepy eyes. The lady moon is watching from out the darkened skies. The little stars are peeping to see if you are sleeping. so go to sleep my baby, go to sleep - Goodnight.

Mar 05, 2019
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North east version
by: Anonymous

Go to sleep my baby, close those pretty eyes, angels are a watching, peeking at you dearly from the skies.
The great big moon is rising, stars begin to shine, now it’s time for baby, to go to sleep this night.
Mamas pickanini go to sleeeeep, mamas pickanini go to sleep.

Jan 06, 2019
Rating

Scout's Goodnight Light NEW
by: Baby G's dad

Scout's Goodnight Light from Leapfrog plays a variation of this song at the beginning of it's lullaby sequence:

Go to sleep, my sweet friend.
Close your pretty eyes.
Red/Blue/Green light shines above you,
Peeping at you gently in the night.

Tiny stars are twinkling,
High up in the sky.
Time to go to sleep, my astronaut,
Go to sleep.

It says R/B/G depend upon what color light it's shining.

My son loved this thing :-)

Jul 30, 2018
Rating

Lullaby NEW
by: Juney1

Go to sleep my baby,
Close your big brown eyes,
Angels up above you,
Singing their sweet song of lullaby,
The great big moon is shining,
Shining up above,
Time for my brown eyed baby to go to sleep.

My Dad always sang it to me when I was maybe 0-5 yrs old,
I loved it. I remember a line or verse about picaninnies too, this is what I remember ( and sang to my daughters but changed brown to blue!)

Nov 30, 2017
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go to sllep my baby NEW
by: jojo

I used to sing to my baby girl ,51 years ago but could never remember all the words

Jul 27, 2017
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I remember this! NEW
by: Cheryl

My Mom used to sing this to me at bedtime, I would have been about 3 when I recall it, so in 1965!
It's actually the chorus from a song called the Wyoming Lullaby, you can still find a recording on Youtube.

Jul 06, 2017
Rating

Lullaby - Go to Sleep my Baby. NEW
by: Anonymous

Our version was similar....

Go to sleep my baby, close your dreamy eyes, Angels are above you, watching from the glory of the skies. Great big moon is shining, stars begin to peek, it's time for little Piccaninnys to go to sleep, time for Piccaninnys to go to sleep.

I just love this lullaby, but so many people have never heard of it!

Jul 03, 2016
Rating

So Heartwarming NEW
by: Anonymous

My Nan used to sing to us this lullaby every time we stayed over. slight variation of the others, it went: Go to sleep my baby,
Close your pretty eyes
Angels up above you, peering at you dearly from the sky
Great big moon is shining, shining down on you,
Time for little heads like yours dear to go to sleep.

Dec 04, 2015
Rating

Go to Sleep My Little Baby NEW
by: Anonymous

My mother sang a version like this:

Go to sleep my little baby, close your pretty eyes
Angels up in heaven are peeping at my baby from the skies
A great big moon is shining, shining oh so bright
And it's time for sleepy heads like you dear to say good night.

Sep 13, 2015
Rating

Glad i foubd this
by: NILUSHI

My nana used to sing this.it has been about 10 years since she passed away I was unable to find the words...i just browsed and glad I managed to find the words. When I sing it to my kids now i think of her. It's a beautiful melody.. Thanks for sharing .

Dec 26, 2014
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Possible correction
by: Anonymous

I think it was "peaking at you dearly from the skies" my Mother used to sing it to me.

Apr 09, 2014
Rating

Yes that is it! Yay!
by: Anonymous

Yes I think you have it. My grandpa was from England and he used to sing to me too. I was looking for this song online and so glad to find it with all the words. Thank you!

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