This is one of my most favorite community sing a long lullabies as it is all about these long, harmonious phrases of sleep. There is a great recording of this in one of the Winni concerts with 200 people singing along and creating wonderfully layered harmonies. (And as an added bonus, at the end of the song you hear someone in the audience go "ooohhhh" like that was such a beautiful experience to be a part of...)
This was written for our friend Elizabeth and Eric in celebration of their daughter, Riley. I love the sense of role in the lyrics which shows how we need one another to become what we imagine in life. The last verse builds upon the importance that we all have in living in community with one another whether that is in family, neighborhood, church, etc.
I wrote this on the same flat top guitar that "Where You Are" was created and was so grateful to the guitar for the melody (one of my first DADGAD creations) that I had to include it in the recording. It is rather clunky in its sound however it becomes nicely counterbalanced by some of the other instruments and helps to realistically ground the song.
lyrics
Riley’s Lullaby
Come my long unexpected child,
Close your eyes and sleep,
Do you know the miracle you are,
With you we have our family,
So sleep, sleep, sleep,
Close your eyes and sleep.
Come my long unexpected child,
Close your eyes and sleep,
Through our love, I have now become,
The mother I have longed to be,
Come my long unexpected child,
Close your eyes and sleep,
Through our love, I have now become,
The father I have longed to be
Come my long unexpected child,
Close your eyes and sleep,
Around your heart, the seeds of life are sown,
To grow within community.
credits
from Singles,
released February 1, 2019
Home recording - All Instruments and vocals - Bill Milford
Bill Milford lives in Tallahassee, FL. He performed professionally during his 20's and still plays out occasionally. He
has performed with Barb Siftar, Lindy Hearne, Lynn
Adler, Chris Peters, Gail Nickse, Fred Griffeth, Richie Summa, and many other fine artists. He made dozens of dollars during his folk career so he offers his recordings without charge....more
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