50 Lullabies for Babies, from Brahms to Disney and Around the World

What is the most popular lullaby?

"Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" and "Brahms' Lullaby" are the most popular lullabies in the English-speaking world, followed by "Rock-a-bye Baby" and "Hush, Little Baby". Among modern songs, "You Are My Sunshine" and "Can't Help Falling in Love" are the ones parents sing most at bedtime.

Traditional lullabies

1. "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star": sung to the same French melody as the alphabet song.
2. "Rock-a-bye Baby": the classic cradle rhyme.
3. "Hush, Little Baby": a folk lullaby full of promises.
4. "Brahms' Lullaby": Johannes Brahms' "Wiegenlied", known as "Lullaby and Goodnight".
5. "All the Pretty Little Horses": an old American lullaby.
6. "Sleep, Baby, Sleep": a gentle traditional song.
7. "Lavender's Blue": an old English folk song.
8. "Bye, Baby Bunting": a short nursery lullaby.
9. "Frère Jacques": the French round, also sung as "Are You Sleeping".
10. "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep": a nursery rhyme many parents slow down for bedtime.
11. "Amazing Grace": the hymn many parents hum without thinking.
12. "You Are My Sunshine": the 1939 song that became a family lullaby.

Classical lullabies

13. "Wiegenlied", Franz Schubert: a tender cradle song from 1816.
14. "Mozart's Lullaby": long credited to Mozart, now thought to be by Bernhard Flies.
15. "Berceuse", Frédéric Chopin: a rocking piano lullaby.
16. "Berceuse", from Gabriel Fauré's Dolly Suite: written for a little girl.
17. "Summertime", George Gershwin: sung as a lullaby in Porgy and Bess.
18. "Clair de lune", Claude Debussy: moonlight in music.
19. "Gymnopédie No. 1", Erik Satie: slow and calming.
20. "Air on the G String", Johann Sebastian Bach: slow and serene.

Modern songs to sing at bedtime

21. "Can't Help Falling in Love", Elvis Presley: slow and easy to sing.
22. "Somewhere Over the Rainbow", Israel Kamakawiwo'ole: soft ukulele.
23. "What a Wonderful World", Louis Armstrong: the world you want to show them.
24. "Golden Slumbers", The Beatles: based on a lullaby poem from 1603.
25. "Good Night", The Beatles: the lullaby that closes the White Album.
26. "Blackbird", The Beatles: gentle guitar many parents play at bedtime.
27. "Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)", John Lennon: written for his son.
28. "Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)", Billy Joel: written for his daughter.
29. "Dream a Little Dream of Me", The Mamas & the Papas: a goodnight wish.
30. "Moon River", Andy Williams: a slow, dreamy waltz.
31. "Edelweiss", from The Sound of Music: short and soothing.
32. "Here Comes the Sun", The Beatles: for the morning after.

Disney and movie lullabies

33. "Baby Mine", from Dumbo: tender and protective.
34. "Stay Awake", from Mary Poppins: a lullaby that tells them not to sleep.
35. "Feed the Birds", from Mary Poppins: gentle and wistful.
36. "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes", from Cinderella.
37. "When You Wish Upon a Star", from Pinocchio.
38. "You'll Be in My Heart", from Tarzan: a mother's promise.
39. "Remember Me", from Coco, in its lullaby version.
40. "Rainbow Connection", from The Muppet Movie.
41. "Hushabye Mountain", from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: a true movie lullaby.
42. "Candle on the Water", from Pete's Dragon: a light in the dark.

Lullabies from around the world

43. "A la Nanita Nana": a Spanish lullaby, often sung at Christmas.
44. "Arrorró mi niño": a lullaby from Spain and Latin America.
45. "Duérmete mi niño": a simple Spanish cradle song.
46. "Au clair de la lune": a French song about moonlight.
47. "Fais dodo": the French bedtime lullaby.
48. "Suo Gân": a Welsh lullaby, famous from the film Empire of the Sun.
49. "Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral": the Irish-American lullaby.
50. "Numi Numi": a Hebrew lullaby.

Songs for newborns

In the first weeks, the simplest songs work best: "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star", "Brahms' Lullaby", "You Are My Sunshine" and "Rock-a-bye Baby" are short, slow and easy to repeat when you are exhausted at 3 a.m. Newborns respond more to a familiar voice than to a perfect performance, so sing whatever comes naturally. For welcome-home songs, see our list of songs about having a baby.

Lullabies for toddlers

Toddlers often want the same song every night and will notice if you skip a verse. "Hush, Little Baby" lets them guess what comes next, "Baby Mine" and "Rainbow Connection" are long enough to settle into, and "Twinkle, Twinkle" becomes a song they sing back to you.

How to sing a lullaby

• Slow down: sing slower than feels natural, close to a resting heartbeat.
• Keep it quiet: a soft voice or a hum works better than a big performance.
• Repeat: the same song every night becomes a signal that it is time to sleep.
• Use their name: babies love hearing their own name in a song.
• Do not worry about your voice: your baby prefers your voice to any recording.

Why bedtime songs help

Cradle songs exist in almost every culture. Research suggests that singing to infants can help them stay calm longer than speaking, and a bedtime song is one of the simplest parts of a calming routine. For parents, singing can be calming too, especially on the long nights.

A lullaby for a baby shower

A lullaby makes a sweet gift for a baby shower: a book of bedtime songs, a music box or a song recorded by the grandparents. Many families also play "Brahms' Lullaby" or "Baby Mine" during the shower itself.

A lullaby with your baby's name

The most personal lullaby is one written for your baby: their name, the day they were born, the people who love them and a melody you can sing every night. See our guides to a custom lullaby with your baby's name and a custom lullaby for a baby.

How to create a lullaby for your baby

1. Choose a gentle style from 14 genres: acoustic, classical, folk and more.
2. Add your baby's name and any nicknames.
3. Share a few details: the day they arrived, who loves them, your hopes for them.
4. Review the lyrics and edit or regenerate them for free before any music is made.
5. Listen to 4 free 45-second previews and choose your favorite.

The full 3 to 4 minute song costs $24.99, or $29.99 for Premium with four full versions and editable lyrics. You get the MP3, a gift page and the lyrics as a PDF to frame for the nursery.

Give your baby a lullaby of their own: create a song and hear four previews for free.