Sleep my little one sleep

by Pauline
(North Lincolnshire)

Sleep my little one sleep
Fond vigil I keep
Lie warm in thy nest
Thy moonbeams caress

When the morn tints the sky
God will bid thee arise
When the morn tints the sky
God will bid thee arise

Holy Angels abide
All night by thy side
In dreams they unfurl
Heavens portals of gold

When the morn tints the sky
God will bid thee arise
When the morn tints the sky
God will bid thee arise


I use to sing this to my four children and then went on to sing it to my grandchildren.
I have recently sung this to my latest grandson who was born on boxing day 2010.

Comments for Sleep my little one sleep

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Jun 14, 2024
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		My mum NEW
by: Anonymous

I’ve just lost my mum and am so glad I’ve found this she sung it to me when I was young but never really knew all the lyrics. Thank you 😢
Jul 28, 2022
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Nostalgic memories of my beautiful mother NEW
by: Anonymous

This is wonderful. Thank you for sharing. My daughter and I have been searching for the lyrics. My mother taught me, then I passed it on, and now we sing for my Grandson.
Jan 20, 2022
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Lulaby NEW
by: Anonymous

I’m from Jamaica and my teacher taught us this lulaby no🇯🇲
Jul 02, 2020
Rating
starstarstar 		Brahms NEW
by: Anonymous

It is Brahms Lullaby (Cradle Song) or in it's original German 'Wiegenlied'. Beautiful. The English translation by W G Rothery.
Jul 02, 2020
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Brahms NEW
by: Anonymous

It is Brahms Lullaby, in it's original German 'Wiengenlied'. Words by W G Rothery. Beautiful.
Jun 27, 2020
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Memories NEW
by: Jane Gregory

Thanks from me too. I’m 60 and remember my mum singing this song. Never really knew the whole song. ❤️
May 14, 2020
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		I love this lullaby NEW
by: Chrissy

My father used to sing this to me (I'm 65 now) and his mother used to sing it to him, nearly 100 years ago. Thank you for posting all the words. I'm so delighted.
Mar 11, 2020
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Sweetest lullaby NEW
by: Annie

A lovely lullaby that takes me back to my childhood days. I used to sing them to my children and now I sing them to my grandchildren.
Oct 09, 2019
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Song that brings back very fond memories NEW
by: Lavi

A beautiful song that my mum would sing to us as a lullaby. I’m nearly 50. Brings back very fond memories 😊
Sep 27, 2019
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Such a lovely memory for me
by: Marie Quearney Haughan

I learned this song in School around 1957 Sr Mary Zoe she was a great nun thought strict as lots were then. I sang this song to my first child in 1972 & to the rest of my children, my grand children it’s 9 years since I sang it imagine my sunrise yesterday looking after my beautiful granddaughter she fell sleep in my arms as I sang it to her precious moment 💕
Jan 29, 2019
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Great NEW
by: RJ

This was a set piece song when i was about ten years old; I could not remember all the words;
It sounded lovely in the choir those them days

Thanks
Nov 26, 2017
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Such a lovely lullaby NEW
by: Anonymous

I can remember learning this song in my youth and then singing it to to my children - I am a young 75 year old and will now sing this to my grandchildren
Jun 18, 2017
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Thank you NEW
by: Anonymous

I have been looking for the words so that i can sing to my grandaughter having sung if to my children until i was hoarse. There is no better lullaby.
Feb 14, 2017
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Sweet dreams NEW
by: Anonymous

Learnt this in school, sing it to my friends children when they come to sleep over, only way to get them to sleep, oh I love this lullaby x
Oct 02, 2016
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Lovely NEW
by: Tinah

Learnt this song when I was 8 but have forgotten the rhythm and am pregnant want to start singing it to my baby. Anyone with a link where I can listen to the song?
May 25, 2016
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Sleep my little one sleep NEW
by: John

This used to be the GWN7 goodnight lullaby in the mid 1980s at 7 oclock every night.The kids said goodnight to Dooper dog
May 12, 2016
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Different ending NEW
by: Marianne

I learnt and sang this in choir many years ago. The last verse was:
Slumbers softly at rest
In thy dream land so blessed
Slumbers softly at rest
In thy dream land so blessed
Feb 19, 2016
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Grateful thanks NEW
by: samantha the cat

Thank you for having this on the internet. I learnt it when I was about 7 or 8. I had forgotten it till just recently while I was caring for my sick cat and deciding about putting her to sleep. The song helped me make the decision. I could not recall all the words so came to look for it. My recall of the last line of the first verse was "A lullaby of love" but whatever it was, I am grateful for having the complete song with all the variations. Blessings.
Dec 19, 2014
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		to a new born baby in Andorra
by: Clare

Our Andorran choir, The International Singers (15 nationalities at the moment) sings/hums this to each new baby born to a Singer. Yesterday was Leo's turn. He was two days old and we sang it to him in the hospital. The tune is known to everyone but of course the words are different for each language. I'm British in origin, Leo is Spanish and Alba who came too is Andorran. It seemed to work. He slept throughout :)) I took my husband along too as he is now 100 and I thought it would be fun for the two to meet.
Jun 11, 2014
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		memories
by: Karen Jean

MY Fantastic mother , deceased 12 years whom I miss so much sang this to me and my brothers - as did my wonderful grNdmother and both my mother & I sang it to my eldest of 5 dons .
Jun 06, 2014
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Memories...
by: Gaye

Just listening to the D Day coverage on Radio 2 (Jeremy Vine Show) and it SO reminded me of my parents -Dad used to sing this lullaby to me when I was tiny as I was difficult to get to sleep! He was in the RAF for the duration of the war but was able to return home quite frequently as my mum followed him to Coventry, where he was an aircraft engineer repairing the 'Spitfires and Lancasters when they returned to the UK. Feel quite tearful, both for memories of my late parents and for the memories of some of the very elderly servicemen speaking on the radio as I type.
Jun 06, 2014
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Memories...
by: Gaye

Just listening to the D Day coverage on Radio 2 (Jeremy Vine Show) and it SO reminded me of my parents -Dad used to sing this lullaby to me when I was tiny as I was difficult to get to sleep! He was in the RAF for the duration of the war but was able to return home quite frequently as my mum followed him to Coventry, where he was an aircraft engineer repairing the 'Spitfires and Lancasters when they returned to the UK. Feel quite tearful, both for memories of my late parents and for the memories of some of the very elderly servicemen speaking on the radio as I type.
May 11, 2014
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Thanks Heaps
by: Anonymous

I learned to sing these words to the tune of Brahms Lullaby in choir when I was in Primary school in the 1950's. I'm now a piano teacher and am teaching students to play Brahms lullaby and have been searching for the words as my memory had failed me. I finally found this today and am SO THRILLED as now I can add words for my students to sing along while they play.

Very fond memories and is still one of my favourite songs.
Marg
Apr 26, 2014
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Still has sweet memories of childhood
by: Anonymous

Thank you. Learnt it when I was 10years old. Hummed parts I could not remember but the tune has forever stayed in my memory!!Tonight I was thinking of my late grandchildren, and the tune popped into my head!!
Jan 25, 2014
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Brahms' Lullaby
by: Anne

The version my mother sang to me (and I to my children) The tune is Brahms' Lullaby:

Sleep, my little one, sleep. Fond vigil I keep,
while moonbeams up above whisper messages of love.
When the dawn tints the skies, God will bid thee arise.
When the dawn tints the skies, God will bid thee arise.

Holy angels abide all night by thy side.
In dreams they unfold heaven's portals of gold.
Slumber softly at rest in thy dreamland so blest.
Slumber softly at rest in thy dreamland so blest.
Oct 29, 2013
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		llulaby
by: Anonymous

i know it as
sleep my little one sleep
Fond vigil I'll keep
,,,,,,
when the moonbeams caress
When the sun hits the sky
god will bid thee arise
when the moon ..... ...
God will bid you at rest.
Sep 25, 2013
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		my version!
by: Trevor

Sleep,my little one,sleep.
Fond vigil I keep.
Lie warm in thy nest,
By moonbeams caressed.

When the morn tints the skies
God will bid thee arise.
When the morn tints the skies
God will bid thee arise.

Holy Angels abide
All night by thy side.
In dreams they unfold
Heaven's portals of gold.

When the morn ...... etc
Aug 25, 2013
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		memories
by: Anonymous

I also learnt this at school in 1955 in Kindergarten and have since sung it to my children and grandchildren. I agree with the correction 'by moonbeams caressed' but I also remember it as 'when the dawn tints the sky' but with so many years gone by this may be my own memory only.
Jul 07, 2013
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Thanks for the memories
by: Anonymous

I first heard this song at primary school in 1950. When my first grandchild was born in 1995,I couldn't remember the correct words to sing to him, so made up my own. Pleased to say I was nearly right.
Jun 04, 2013
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		correction
by: Anonymous

4th line - by moonbeams caress'd.
Sung to Brahm's lullaby.
Oct 13, 2012
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Thanks
by: Beth

Thank you I have been looking for this for my Granddaughter I used to sing it to my daughter but it has been 34 yearsand I forgot the words.....So this is fantastic xxx

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