Lullaby: The First Steps Podcast

Lullaby for Hamish was written for my grandson in Los Angeles, I want to share it with you all. I hope it encourages you to create your own lullaby for the small people in your life.

Ep7: Hayley’s Lullaby. An original lullaby for Hayley, it is inspired by the zulu word, thula, which means peace.

Ep 6: The Valley Below. This beautiful and moving song is the result of a community project run by sisters Oneewa and Shara. They consulted with twelve women who had experienced post natal depression or anxiety and created The Valley Below as an expression of their shared experience and are minder that you are not alone. A warning that this could be a difficult episode for some. If you feel you need help, please contact PANDA on 1300726306 or Lifeline on 131114.

Ep 5: The Midwife’s Lullaby. Written specially for midwives, in recognition of the important relationship they have with both babies and their parents. The first verse is also a simple lullaby perfect for anyone to sing to a baby.

Ep4: Humming lullabies. Sometimes it’s nice to not have words, and there are some beautiful lullabies which are just hummed. In this episode we will learn the lullaby from the movie, Pan’s Labyrinth.

Ep3: Brahm’s Lullaby. This is one of the best- known lullaby melodies, but few people know the lyrics. In this episode we learn the version performed by singer, Jewel.

Ep2: Thula baba, thula sana. A traditional zulu lullaby from South Africa. It is sung by a mother to her child as they wait for their father/husband to return from work. He has been away for a long time and they wish him a safe journey home.

Dalmatian Cradle Song. The arranger, Hugh Roberton, heard a woman singing this beautiful melody when he was on the Dalmatian Coast in the 1930’s. The lyrics were written by P.A. Grand and tell the tale of a woman singing to her child while hoping for the safe return of her husband who is out at sea.

Ep23: Arapaho Lullaby. From the American Indian people of the Arapaho tribe in Montana, this cradle song or‘ sleepsong’ has been passed down through many generations, and was sung to babies while they were on their mother’s back or being swung in their cradleboard.

Lullaby for Henry. Dedicated to my new great-nephew, Henry, this is my first original lullaby. It is inspired by a beautiful Golden Cloak ritual we used to use for my son Robbie, to keep away bad dreams.