oh my baby my lovely little baby, we'll sit below the sky and sing a song to the moon

by Kathleen Cousineau
(Chester)

Oh my baby my lovely little baby
your daddy's in the cotton field working for your food.
Singing toora loora toora loora bye bye
do you want the moon to play with
or the stars to run away with
they'll come if you don't cry
singing toora loora toora loora bye bye in your mummy's arms you're peeping and soon you'll be a sleeping singing toora loora toora loora bye.

Does anyone know where I can find the rest of the lyrics and/or a recording?

Comments for oh my baby my lovely little baby, we'll sit below the sky and sing a song to the moon

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Jan 13, 2024
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starstarstarstar 		YouTube Paul Robeson
by: Fiona

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZECr8GCOf8

Original recording of lullaby.

HTH
Jul 05, 2022
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starstarstarstarstar 		Meaning of 1st verse, last line NEW
by: Anonymous

"Workin for de coon" is NOT an insulting name for a black person. It relates to the raccoon meat given to the slaves for good work.
Sep 08, 2019
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starstarstarstar 		You’re all wrong! NEW
by: Wend

This is a song by George H Clutsam 1866-1955 (google him!) He was an Australian who moved to the UK in his early 20s.
It is clearly written as a lullaby in the style born out of black slavery.
Feb 22, 2019
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starstarstarstarstar 		Is there another version of this song?
by: Anonymous

I'm sure that my mum had a record of this song which was sung by a brother and sister - it was so beautiful, but I can't find it mentioned anywhere. Does anyone else know of this version?
Nov 24, 2018
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Beautiful song NEW
by: Anonymous

I am 55, white woman originally from Stoke-on-Trent. My Nan (granny) sang this song to me, without the preamble (just the chorus) when I was a baby, and later to my children. I’ve never heard it anywhere else, so I was delighted to find this page.
One note: my granny ended with the words ‘it’s an Irish lullaby’ !!
Jan 18, 2016
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		remembering NEW
by: brenda

I am a 69 year old white English womanan.l remember my mother singing this to me & my brothers.(using the n word) and later singing curly headed. She also sang it to my daughter. I hope to sing it to her babies too. I find it beautiful & haunting. I haven't head it for years. I don't know why I woke with the words in my head this morning.

Sep 02, 2014
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Ma Curly Headed Baby
by: Anonymous

This song is sung by Paul Robeson and was originally from the South. My mother was born in Ferguson, Missouri. Her mother sang it to her and she sang it to me and it has been passed down now through four generations.
Aug 14, 2014
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starstarstarstarstar 		original lyrics
by: Anonymous

This is an old song that harks back to slave life on a plantation. The original lyrics use the "n" word. My father used to sing this lullaby by substituting "little" wherever the "n" word appeared.

The complete lyrics (with racist words censored as noted by asterisks):


Oh my baby, my curly headed baby
We’ll sit below de sky and sing a song to de moon
Oh my baby, my little *little* baby
Your daddy’s in de cotton field a workin’ for the "food*

So lulla lulla lulla lulla bye bye
Do you want the moon to play with
Or the stars to run away with
They’ll come if you don’t cry

So lulla lulla lulla lulla by by
In de mammy’s arms be creepin’
An’ soon you’ll be a sleepin’
lulla lulla lulla lulla by

Oh my baby, my curly headed baby
I’ll dance you fast to sleep and love you so as I sing
Oh my baby, my little darkie baby
I’ll tuck your head like little bird below its mammy’s wing

So lulla lulla lulla lulla bye bye
Do you want the moon to play with
Or the stars to run away with
They’ll come if you don’t cry

So lulla lulla lulla lulla by by
In your mammy’s arms be creepin’
An’ soon you’ll be a sleepin’
lulla lulla lulla lulla bye

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