lay your head on my shoulder daddy mummy's not far away, this was just the hour the hour the hour that mummy loved best mummy loved best.

by Katie
(London, UK)

Lay your head on my shoulder daddy mummy's not far away, this was just the hour the hour the hour that mummy loved best mummy loved best. Now I've got you and you've got me so everything seems right.

My gran who has now passed away use to sing this to me, and I'd like to find where the song came from. It must be from the 1920-40s I think.

Thanks

Comments for lay your head on my shoulder daddy mummy's not far away, this was just the hour the hour the hour that mummy loved best mummy loved best.

Average Rating starstarstarstarstar

Click here to add your own comments

Oct 12, 2023
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Thank you! NEW
by: Katie

Gosh! What a delight to come back after all these years and find that you all replied and knew the song. Brought me to tears, thank you x
Apr 06, 2019
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Lay your head on my shoulder Daddy NEW
by: Roxanne

My dad has just sung me this-it was my Gramp's era - like a music hall song. He sings some parts differently but it may have been passed on as an oral tradition.
Nov 09, 2017
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Free download of score. NEW
by: Anonymous

http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/7924866?selectedversion=NBD8331795

NLA places a date of 1877 on their copy, but I think it's more likely to be closer to 1901, which is what handwritten on the front. My copy is dated 1908, which matches when Bamforth published their slideset.
Nov 09, 2017
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Daddy - publication and link to sheet music NEW
by: Anonymous

It was written in 1908 by Mary Mark Lemon and A.H Behgrend.
The postcard you will have seen will have been by Bamforth, who produced magic lantern slide sets to popular songs and later reproduced 3 of them as postcards, 1 for each verse.
You can get the score here https://www.dustymusic.com/sheetinfo.php?id=416
Oct 31, 2017
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Spotify NEW
by: Anonymous

Found the song on Spotify, Arthur Henry Behrend is artist, and the album is Victorian and Edwardian Ballads, really beautiful song and lullaby.

https://open.spotify.com/artist/24OMbvxTbOwaMS0TfKiPb3
May 18, 2016
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Take my head on your shoulder NEW
by: AnonymouEithne

I recently made a home made recording of this. If you want I can send you a copy. But it is an a very amateur recording.You can contact me at eshankar@hotmail.com
May 12, 2016
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Daddy NEW
by: Anonymousphil

I would like to buy the sheet music for this song as I am 83 now and wanted to sing it since I first heard it in 1954 but can not get it anywhere anyone please help
Apr 05, 2016
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Take you head on my shoulder NEW
by: Eithne Shankar

I would love to see those cards. I once found an etching in an Australian university ( forget which one) that I regret not buying. I just recorded this song for my granddaughter.
Apr 03, 2016
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		post card songs NEW
by: Anonymous

MY DAD USED TO SING THIS TO ME AND I HAVE A SET OF POST CARDS WITH PICTURES AND THE WORDS ON.
Apr 22, 2015
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Daddy Words by Mary Mark Lemon. Music by A. H. Behrend.
by: Juliette

It is a beautiful song, and dates from around 1895. I have been singing in magic lantern shows for over 20 years. The full lyric is as follows:

Take my head on your shoulder Daddy, turn your face to the west
It is just the hour when the sky turns gold, the hour that Mother loved best.
The day has been long without you, Daddy, you've been such a while away;
And now you're as tired of your work, Daddy, as I am tired of my play.

But I've got you, and you've got me,so ev'rything seems right;
I wonder if mother is thinking of us, because it is my birthday night.

Why do your big tears fall Daddy? Mother’s not far away
I often hear her voice Falling across my play,
And I'm sometimes afraid to think, Daddy, when I am big like you,
And you are old and gray, Daddy, what you and I would do -
If, when we got up to Heaven and mother was waiting there,
She shouldn't remember the two she left, so sad and so lonely here;

But year by year still sees no change, and so 'twill all be right,
We shall always meet her in our dreams; Daddy, good-night,
Daddy, good-night; dear Daddy, dear Daddy, good-night, good-night.


And here is a link to a 1916 recording of it.http://www.loc.gov/jukebox/recordings/detail/id/10175/
Mar 01, 2015
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		lay your head on my shoulders daddy
by: JaneAnonymous

my grandma, born in 1888 used to sing this. what I remember is

lay your head on my shoulder daddy, and turn your face to the west,
for this is the hour when the sky turns grey, the hour that mother loved best.
It often makes me cry daddy, to think that ? be true,
When I lay me down to sleep (dream?) daddy,
Alone, with mother and you.
But I've got you, and youve got me, and everything's allright.
I wonder if mother is thinking of me, because it is my birthday night.

I wish I'd paid more attention to these old songs and the tales she used to tell me......
Dec 04, 2014
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Take my Head
by: Eithne

My grandmother also sang this song to me and I know it all. Just love it and am trying to teach it to my grandchildren
Feb 06, 2014
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Take my head on your shoulder Daddy
by: Eithne

Katie

I know this song, or most of it. My granny used to sing it to me as a child. But I seem to hae different words. I always thought that it was an Irish song but I could be wrong. Once I saw a picture that could have represented this but did not buy it at the time.
would love to hear from you
Eithne

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Lullaby Search.

Share this page:

Amy's Lullabies are available at major etailers.

Lullaby and Goodnight - 33 Lullabies for Babies
 

Legal Stuff

Privacy Policy

Children's Privacy Policy

Terms of Use

Disclosure Statement