A Playlist of Songs to Sing When You Are Absolutely Desperate to Entertain Your Baby
Entertainment
Did you know that “London Bridge” has something like 14 verses? This is the sort of thing you learn when you are trying to come up with some way to jolly a baby out of a fuss.
All of the songs on this playlist date from before the advent of modern recording technology, meaning they have the type of lyrics that are very memorizable without hearing them on the radio seven million times. Omitted are old-time narrative ballads, because it’s too easy to lose your place in the middle of “Barbara Allen” when trying to change a diaper. (Also, too many of them are about murder and mayhem.) These songs are all easy to learn while sleep deprived and very easy to loop endlessly without much thought, which is why there aren’t that many of them. You only need two or three; pick your favorites.
1. “London Bridge”
Okay, so, this particular track was the best I could do on Spotify, but it is included merely as a refresher regarding the melody in case it’s necessary. But take yourself to Wikipedia for the version included in the 1951 Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes by married folklorists Iona and Peter Opie. Loop this over and over for as many repeats as it takes to get through bath time. Eventually, as you become well acquainted with the deep-cut verses, you will begin to appreciate the pure linguistic pleasure to be had in enthusiastically repeating phrases like “wash away” and “bend and bow.” Much like Dr. Seuss, it’s maybe even more fun as an adult than as a child.
2. “Skip to My Lou”
Apparently this was originally some sort of very popular dance tune—a real club banger of the 1840s. And you can hear the echoes in the song; sing it enough times and you start to feel a little dizzy, like you’ve been whirling around too much too fast in too many petticoats. This particular version is by the blues musician Lead Belly and if that just really works for you, I am happy to report that there is in fact an entire album of his songs for kids.
3. “Froggie Went a Courtin’”