Lullabies and Children’s Songs

The singing of lullabies and children’s songs knows no geographical boundaries. Featuring many young singers and their mothers, this compilation documents the sounds of playtime and bedtime from Africa, Portugal, the Middle East, Mongolia, Japan, Solomon Islands, and the Nunavut Territory of Canada. Game songs include Baka children from Cameroon playing “the water drum” by splashing rhythmically in a river and Kanoukro girls from Côte d’Ivoire falling into each other’s arms and then pushing away. Some songs are lullabies for calming children, while others are for amusing them. One even warns little girls against running away from their parents.

Track Listing

101	Cameroon: Lullaby (Excerpt) Six Baka women	04:05
102	Cameroon: The Water Drum (Excerpt) Baka children	04:05
103	Cameroon: Hut Song (Excerpt) Baka girls and children	04:01
104	Côte d'Ivoire: Song of Two Little Girls Two Baoulé girls with female chorus, Kpouébo village	02:36
105	Côte d'Ivoire: Little Girls' Sung Games (Excerpt) Seven Baoulé girls, Kanoukro village	04:29
106	Central African Republic: Nzenzenze Group of Aka children	01:04
107	Central African Republic: Balibo sasasa Group of Aka children	01:11
108	Central African Republic: Mbola Group of Aka children	03:12
109	Central African Republic: Lullaby - Nzakara Nzakara woman	01:13
110	Benin: Ere Ere Damii accompanied by three young women	01:59
111	Portugal: Aurora teve um menino (Excerpt) Male soloist and choir, Baixo Alentejo Province	04:04
112	Portugal: Cançao de Embalar Elderly woman, Beira Baixa	02:44
113	The Yemenite Jews: Adon hakol mehayyeh kol neshamah (Lord of All, Reviveth All Souls) Aharon and Israel Habshush, dir. by Menahem Arussi	04:06
114	Mongolia: Ikh agsal (Quick, Short Movements) Tsembel (a Torgut woman from Bulgan)	00:57
115	Japan: Ihumke Kiyo Kurokawa	02:15
116	Solomon Islands: Rorogwela (Lullaby) Afunakwa	01:45
117	Canada: Two Aqausiit from Ungava Bay Jessie Grey	01:20
118	Canada: Aqausiq from Baffin Land Aggeok Pitseolak	00:49
119	Canada: Melodic katajjait Qaunak Martha Meekeega, Napache Etidloie Toonoo, Amilie Airo, Annie Annahatak, Maggie Grey, Jessie Tomassie, Soria Eyituk	03:11
120	Canada: Assalalaa from Baffin Land Qaunak Martha Meekeega, Temegeak Pitaulassie	00:37