request: rock and roll lullabyes
Remember Dave from Sketches of Strain? Dave doesn't blog anymore because he he's been busy making music. And now his old label has been talking to him about doing an album of lullabyes. He says every band has at least one great lullyabye.
bq. me about doing an album of great
lullabies. Every rock band has one. We're not looking for classics
like, "Hush little baby/Don't say a word/Blah Blah Blah..."
It would be a song of lullabies Moms we know would like to sing, like
"MLK" by U2" or "Angel" by Sarah McLachlan.
So he's asked me to ask you: What are some great rock and roll lullabyes (or is that lullabies?)
I told him that you would supply many answers to this question. Because you will.
By the way, Dave says hi to those who wonder about him. He's doing great; singing, writing songs and getting ready for grad school. He sends his love along with this request.
Comments
Here's one to get you started:
"Alright for Now"
Tom Petty, Full Moon Fever
Posted by: John Resnick | June 23, 2004 08:34 PM
Glad to hear that David is doing well! I'd wondered where he'd gotten off to.
The only thing I can think of off the top of my head is "Rock a Bye Bye" by Extreme.
(I know, I know...)
Posted by: Craig | June 23, 2004 09:21 PM
Off the top of my head, there's
Lullabye by Billy Joel
and
St. Judy's Comet by Paul Simon
That's all I got....
Posted by: No One of Consequence | June 23, 2004 09:24 PM
"I Will Take You Home" - Grateful Dead. Lullabyes don't get much better than this one.
Posted by: Chef Mojo | June 23, 2004 09:33 PM
I used to sing "My Hometown" (Springsteen) as a lullabye, although it's stretching the definition.
"Safe Here" by Tenant's Union works.
Posted by: mitch | June 23, 2004 09:38 PM
"Lullaby," Sean Mullins.
"You're My Home," Billy Joel
Posted by: Jeff G | June 23, 2004 10:08 PM
"Yes It Is" by the Beatles.
Posted by: dorkafork | June 23, 2004 10:09 PM
"Lullabye" by Ben Folds Five
"When You Dream" by Barenaked Ladies
Of course, "St Judy's Comet" by Paul Simon
And for some reason, my daughter could usually be lulled to sleep while I sang "Brian Wilson", also by Barenaked Ladies.
Posted by: Brad Rhine | June 23, 2004 10:40 PM
hmm. Stairway to Heaven. Turn it down a bit when it goes into A.
Posted by: Dave in Texas | June 23, 2004 10:55 PM
Van Morrison hums a great tune on his "Sense of Wonder" CD called "Evening Meditation".
Posted by: P. Stocks | June 23, 2004 11:27 PM
Life in a Northern Town - Dream Academy
Posted by: Matt | June 23, 2004 11:30 PM
Life in a Northern Town - Dream Academy
Posted by: Matt | June 23, 2004 11:30 PM
Sweet Child of Mine, Guns N Roses, sung in a hoarse, I-can't-believe-I'm-still-breastfeeding whisper
Posted by: Michelle M. | June 23, 2004 11:41 PM
Off the top o' my dome, here are a few nice, quiet, pretty, lullaby-ish songs I'd certainly play for (or at least sing to) my own kid to get him into the sleepy mood:
Big Star "Blue Moon"
John Cole/Jeff Buckley "Hallelujah"
Elvis Presley "Love Me Tender"
Nick Drake "Northern Sky"
Eric Clapton "Wonderful Tonight"
Randy Travis "Forever And Ever Amen"
Beatles "Til There Was You"
Et cetera...
Posted by: Peter | June 23, 2004 11:41 PM
Nice!!
Bonus points to Peter for reminding me of that Big Star song!!
Thanks, guys!!
Much love to all who are bravely blogging onward.
When I have some songs worth hearing, I will maybe get an audioblog or sump'n.
I'll keep checking back.
Thanks again, Michele and all.
DF
Posted by: David F. | June 24, 2004 12:00 AM
The Grateful Dead's "Ripple" is an exceedingly beautiful lullaby.
Posted by: Dean Esmay | June 24, 2004 12:59 AM
Neil Young/Prelude: "After the Goldrush"
Tears for Fears/Gary Jules: "Mad World"
Don McLean: "Vincent"
Bruce Springsteen: "I'm on Fire"
Tori Amos: "Winter"
Posted by: Phoenician in a time of Romans | June 24, 2004 01:26 AM
Lullabye, by Cracker (Gentleman's Blues)
Same band, and it isn't officially a lullabye, but I think it is anyway: Take Me Down To The Infirmary.
Posted by: Steve Skubinna | June 24, 2004 01:31 AM
Ride On/AC-DC (Maximum Overdrive Soundtrack)
In Your Time & You'll Accompany Me/Bob Segar
Mandolin Rain/Bruce Hornsby
Rough Boy/ZZ Top
Morning has Broken/Cat Stevens(Pre-Stupidity)
Sunrise/Norah Jones
(Sorry for sliding way into mellow)
Posted by: Keith | June 24, 2004 02:40 AM
Michelle Shocked - The L & N Don't Stop Here Any More
Posted by: kenneth | June 24, 2004 03:00 AM
"Grateful" - The Bangles
Posted by: David C | June 24, 2004 04:56 AM
"Crystal Ship" by The Doors
Posted by: Azrael | June 24, 2004 05:02 AM
Manu Chao - Bongo Bong
Nils Lofgren - Hi, Hello Home
Posted by: kenneth | June 24, 2004 05:43 AM
"This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)" - Talking Heads
"Julia" - The Beatles
"Sound-A-Sleep" - Blondie
"Wild Horses" - The Rolling Stones
Posted by: Lesley | June 24, 2004 07:30 AM
When Boyo was a baby he didn't have a lot of white nights but when he did, even I tried singing:
Ripple, Grateful Dean, mostly the nah-nah-nah-nah-nah part. Thanks for remindin' me Dean.
Thunder Road, Springsteen.
Chicka Boom-The Groovie Ghoulies while you bounce just a little and do the standing rock back and forth thing...he'd listen to the chorus forever...which is good, cuz that's all I remember.
And Boyo was very fond of anything with a Texas Shuffle so just about anything by ZZ Top or Stevie Ray Vaughn.
House at Pooh Corner-Kenny Loggins because for some reason I can't explain I know all the words to it. The first time I remember Boyo giggling was when I was doing the "honey jar stuck on his nose" part.
Okay...he's only eight...why do I feel like time is moving too fast all of a sudden?
Posted by: Timmer | June 24, 2004 07:45 AM
"Stay Free" - The Clash
really ... dump the guitars a ton and just murmer the words ...
Posted by: TC-LeatherPenguin | June 24, 2004 08:00 AM
Can't believe no one listed this one yet, but then again, it would be hard to top it in a redux.
Imagine - John Lennon
Imagine there's no heaven,
It's easy if you try,
No hell below us,
Above us only sky,
Imagine all the people
living for today...
Imagine there's no countries,
It isnt hard to do,
Nothing to kill or die for,
No religion too,
Imagine all the people
living life in peace...
Imagine no possesions,
I wonder if you can,
No need for greed or hunger,
A brotherhood of man,
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...
You may say Im a dreamer,
but Im not the only one,
I hope some day you'll join us,
And the world will live as one.
Posted by: Headzero | June 24, 2004 09:02 AM
Here's my entrants:
"Ooh La La" - The Faces
"Field of Diamonds" - Johnny Cash
((For the rock and roll challenged, "Ooh La la" is the Ron Wood/Ronnie Lane song now known for its chorus: "I wish I knew what I know now, when I was younger"))
Posted by: Jim H | June 24, 2004 09:09 AM
Queensryche - "Silent Lucidity"
Coldplay - "Clocks"
Pink Floyd - "Comfortably Numb" ;)
Posted by: Pietro | June 24, 2004 09:15 AM
Peter Gabriel -"Don't Give Up"
Nickel Creek - "Out of the Woods"
Posted by: DrSteve | June 24, 2004 09:32 AM
Oh, c'mon. How is it nobody's named...
Enter Sandman?
But seriously, when I'm out of my gourd trying to get the kids to crash, I stick to songs most self-respecting rockers would stay away from:
Jim Croce - Cat's in the Cradle
James Taylor - Sweet Baby James, Something in the Way She Moves
Simon and Garfunkel - pretty much anything
Billy Joel - any of his mellow stuff
and just about any love song from the early 90's
Posted by: Keiran Halcyon | June 24, 2004 09:35 AM
Sweet Child of Mine - Guns 'n' Roses
Home Sweet Home - Motley Crue
Glycerine - Bush
Anything, Anything - Dramarama
Silent Lucidity - Queensryche
Long Way Down - Goo Goo Dolls
Somebody to Shove - Soul Asylum
Bizarre, yes. But both of my rock n roll children -- love that site, by the way loved all of the above sung a cappella while doing the "baby dance".
Posted by: Creatively Evil | June 24, 2004 10:20 AM
I'm with Keiran - maybe this makes me an old fart, but songs I sang to my babies (now grown):
James Taylor: You Can Close Your Eyes,
Something in the Way She Moves
Loggins & Messina: Danny's Song
Fleetwood Mac: Landslide
One of the most beautiful songs of all time: CSNY's The Lee Shore
Posted by: Cassandra | June 24, 2004 10:26 AM
Luna by Smashing Pumpkins could qualify. And I always thought The Smith's There Is A Light That Never Goes Out is sort of a lullaby.
And I'll back up the people mentioning Big Star's Blue Moon.
Posted by: Ratan | June 24, 2004 10:59 AM
If Peter can suggest Randy Travis and Elvis Presley, then I feel justified in suggesting a few country tunes that I sang to my kids:
Willie Nelson -- "That's the Way Love Goes"
Jimmy Buffet -- "Stars Fell on Alabama," or my personal favorite, "Little Miss Magic":
She's constantly amazed by the blades of the fan on the ceiling,
The clever little glances she gives me can't help but be appealing,
She loves to ride into town with the top down,
Feel that warm breeze on her gentle skin,
She is my next of kin.
I see a little more of me every day,
I catch a little more mustache turning gray,
Your mother is the only other woman for me,
Little Miss Magic, what you gonna be?
Posted by: Curt | June 24, 2004 11:10 AM
I steadfastly maintain that "Rock-a-Bye" by that Sean Mullins chap is probably the worst fucking lullabye ever penned. What the hell was that man thinking?
Posted by: Ryan | June 24, 2004 11:30 AM
From the Beatles --
I'm Only Sleeping
In My Life
Rain
Goodnight
From They Might Be Giants --
Sleepwalkers
Posted by: Warren | June 24, 2004 01:38 PM
I used to sing my kids "If I only had a brain" from The Wizard of Oz as a lullaby.
If you can find a copy, Disney For Our Children has some wonderful lullabies recorded by rock singers, such as "Goodnight My Love" by Paula Abdul, "Tell Me Why" by Pat Benatar, and "Golden Slumbers" by Jackson Browne and Jennifer Warnes.
Posted by: Kris Hasson-Jones | June 24, 2004 02:33 PM
Never commented here before, but I have one.
The unplugged version of Stone Temple Pilots "Plush". A classic song played either hard of soft.
Posted by: hockeypuck | June 24, 2004 02:35 PM
End of the Line, Travelling Wilburys.
And I'd add to that, most songs sung by Roy Orbison, his voice was just perfect for the soft deep rumbles that are the best lullabye sounds.
Posted by: Mythilt | June 24, 2004 03:16 PM
"Didn't Leave Nothing But The Babe" sung by Alison Krauss, Emmylou Harris and another chick whose name I can't remember.
Posted by: Cobby | June 24, 2004 04:54 PM
Assuming that "Lullabye" means "something you might sing to someone at bedtime":
I second Peter's pick of "Love Me Tender" by Elvis Presley.
Others:
-"An Awful Mess" by The Softies
-"Lullabye" by Concrete Blonde
-Frente's cover of "Bizarre Love Triangle"
-The Sundays' cover of "Wild Horses"
Posted by: Dan | June 24, 2004 06:09 PM
"Wendell Gee" by R.E.M.
If it's taking awhile, "Here Comes a Regular" by the Replacements. It's long, and it's never too early to introduce them to alcoholic hopelessness.
Posted by: pk | June 24, 2004 06:17 PM
Silent Lucidity - Queensryche
Hush now don't you cry
Wipe away the teardrop from your eye ...
Posted by: Bill from INDC Journal | June 24, 2004 06:32 PM
Hey, Ryan-
"I steadfastly maintain that "Rock-a-Bye" by that Sean Mullins chap is probably the worst fucking lullabye ever penned. What the hell was that man thinking?"
You know, once upon a time, Mr. Mullins was a sweet-tempered, lanky, non-greasy, highly likeable guy from Atlanta who wrote fantastic songs. My old band opened for him a couple times at a club called Eddie's Attic in Decatur, GA.
Then he disappeared to L.A. and reappeared years later on Mtv, all greasy, bloated and Hollywood-ed out in leather pants and sunglasses inside and writing utter dreck(?!). Another casualty of the rock'n'roll star machine.
Sigh.
DF
Posted by: David F. | June 24, 2004 06:57 PM
The greatest rock lullaby of all time is Mark Lanegan's "Untitled Lullaby." It was on the first Free the West Memphis 3 benefit album.
Chilling and beautiful. Gorgeous stuff.
Cobby, the other chick is Gillian Welch. Dan, love that Sundays cover.
Posted by: zombyboy | June 24, 2004 07:13 PM
She's your baby - Ween (White Pepper)
Show me a smile - Fleetwood Mac (Future Games)
Spencer the Rover - John Martyn
Posted by: DaveC | June 24, 2004 09:43 PM
someday never comes- ccr
Posted by: frendlydude2k | June 25, 2004 12:26 AM
Rock n Roll lullabye = Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Ballad = Suckville
My nominees-
"Polly" - Nirvana
"Cut Dead" - Jesus & Mary Chain
Childhood innocence is highly overrated. The sooner you become acclimated to the dark side the better.
Posted by: Gumby | June 25, 2004 01:37 AM
"you're my baby now, make yourself easy")--and the arrangement would have to be toned down.
Traditional:
* Maid of Japan (Ella Jenkins)
* Pretty Trees around the World (Ella Jenkens)
* All the Pretty Little Horses
* Little Pierrot
Posted by: Attila Girl | June 27, 2004 05:39 AM