Marys_lullaby

MARY'S LULLABY

Time signature: 4/4
Tempo ~80 bpm

Original by Winston Coles (1994)
Chords and melody below based on Ennis Sisters youTube
Chords further simplified with aid of chordify
If you read music, Vinland Music's Comfort & Joy is recommended for the original melody, as well as chords.

youTube Videos

UNDER CONSTRUCTION: Everything needs to be checked !

Accordion Notation

Beats per bar = 4
Beat symbol = Dot ( . ) or equivalent

Either row (high) = Buttons 6 to 10*
Either row (low) = Buttons 3 to 6

Verse 1

"7 "7* | ;6 "6 .7 .8 | .9* :8 .9* | ;8 "7 .7 .6 | .7 :7*
"4 "3* | ;3 "3 .4 .5 | .5* :5 .5* | ;5 "4 .4 .3 | .4 :3*
Stand si-lent for a mo- ment, you'll hear a ba - by cry__

"7 "7* | ;6 "6 .7 .8 | .9* .9* ;8 "8 | .6 .7 "7* "7 "7* "6* | .:6
"4 "3* | ;3 "3 .4 .5 | .5* .5* ;5 "5 | .3 .4 "3* "4 "3* "2* | .:3
And ang-els help-ing Mar-y sing her gen-le lul__ - la__ - bye

"7 "7* | ;6 "6 .7 .8 | .9* :8 .9* | ;8 "7 .7 .6 | .7 :7*
"4 "3* | ;3 "3 .4 .5 | .5* :5 .5* | ;5 "4 .4 .3 | .4 :3*
With voi-ces soft as mus - ic that bab-ies un - der - stand

"7 "7* | ;6 "6 .7 .8 | .9* .9* ;8 "8 | .6 .7 "7* "7 .7* | ::6 |
"4 "3* | ;3 "3 .4 .5 | .5* .5* ;5 "5 | .5 .4 "3* "4 .3* | ::3 |
Young Mar-y's gen-tle lul - la - by  takes Him to slum - ber land

Chorus:

.8 .8 .9 .10* | ;9* "8 :8 | "8 ;8 "8 "8 "8* .7 | .7* "7* "7 .8*
.5 .5 .6 .6* | ;5* "5 :5 | "5 .5 "5 "5 "4* .4 | .3* "3* "4 .4*
Sleep, my prec - ious ba - by, sleep, a- mong the cat - tle, goats and sheep

"7 "7* | ;6 "6 "8 "7 .6 | "9* "8 .8* ;8 "8 | ;8 "8 "8 "8* .7 | .7* "7 "7* :6~ | ~.:
"4 "3* | ;3 "3 "5 "4 .3 | "5* "5 .4* ;5 "5 | ;5 "5 "5 "4* .4 | .3* "4 "3* :3~ | ~.:
With just a man-ger to__ lie in, the day will come you'll be a__ king__

Verse 2

"7 "7* | .6 .6 .7 .8 | .9* .8 "8* .8 "8 | ;8 "7 .7 .6 | .7 :7*
"4 "3* | .3 .3 .4 .5 | .5* .5 "4* .5 "5 | ;5 "4 .4 .3   | .4 :3*
The__ wise men stand with gifts in hand in - side the sta - ble door

"7 "7* | ;6 "6 .7 .8 | .9* .9* ;8 "8 | .8 .7 "7* "7 "7* | .:6
"4 "3* | ;3 "3 .4 .5 | .5* .5* ;5 "5 | .5 .4 "3* "4 .3* | .:3
And lis-ten to young Mar - y sing,  helped by the hea - ven - ly choir

"7 "7* | .6 .6 .7 .8 | .9* .8 "8* .8 "8 | ;8 "7 .7 .6 | .7 :7*
"4 "3* | .3 .3 .4 .5 | .5* .5 "4* .5 "5 | ;5 "4 .4 .3   |  .4 :3*
They see the love up - on her face and hear it in her song

"7 "7* | ;6 "6 .7 .8 | .9* .9* ;8 "8 | .8 .7 "7* "7 .7* | .:6
"4 "3* | ;3 "3 .4 .5 | .5* .5* ;5 "5 | .5 .4 "3* "4 .3* | .:3
Then ten-der-ly she tucks Him in, and sleep- i - ly He__ yawns

Chorus x 2

Guitar Chord Notation (for simple strumming)

Key of G (To play in G, but sound in A or in B, Place CAPO at fret 2, or at fret 4, respectively)
Key of C (To play in C, but sound in D, E, or F, place CAPO at frets 2, 4 or 5, respectively.)

Verse 1

Chorus

Verse 2

(First draft, subject to correction)

G C G Am
C F C Dm
Stand silent for a moment, you'll hear a baby cry

D    G C G D7 G
G    C F C G7 C
And ang-els help-ing Mary sing her gen-le lul-la-bye

G C G Am
C F C Dm
With voices soft as music that babies un-der-stand

D G C G D7 G
G C F C G7 C
Young Mar-y's gen-tle lul - la - by  takes Him to slum-ber-land

C G D
F C G
Sleep, my precious bab-y, sleep, Among the cattle, goats and sheep

Em G C G D7 G
Am C F C G7 C
With just a manger to lie in, The day will come you'll be a king

C G Am
F C Dm
The wise men stand with gifts in hand  inside the stable door

Em C G D7 G
Am F C G7 C
And lis-ten to young Mary sing,  helped by the heav'n-ly choir

C G Am
F C Dm
They see the love up-on her face  and hear her heaven-ly song

Em C G D7 C
Am F C G7 C
Then ten-der-ly she tucks Him in,  and sleep-i-ly He yawns

Chorus x 2

Embedded youTube VIDEOS

I am only aware of two recordings of this beautiful NL Christmas lullaby. The first, on cassette tape, was by the composer Winston Coles and his brother Ellis Coles, and doesn't appear to be currently available. The second (below) is a variant by The Ennis Sisters, beautifully done.

Key: A for all except final chorus
B for the final chorus at 2:40

Composer: Winston Coles

Singers: The Ennis Sisters

Images: wallcoo.net

Posted by: gdgest

Background Materials, Information & Links

Lyrics:

Verse 1

Chorus

Verse 2

Stand silent for a moment, you'll hear a baby cry,
And angels helping Mary sing her gentle lullaby;
With voices soft as music that babies understand,
Young Mary's gentle lullaby takes Him to slumber-land.

Sleep, my precious baby, sleep, among the cattle, goats and sheep;
With just a manger to lie in, the day will come you'll be a king.

The wise men stand with gifts in hand inside the stable door,
And listen to young Mary sing, helped by the heavenly choir;
They see the love upon her face and hear her heavenly song,
Then tenderly she tucks Him in, and sleepily He yawns.

Chorus x 2

Return to Top of Page

Background Links:

Click HERE for additional info about this song and its composer.

Click HERE for biographical (wikipedia) info on the Ennis Sisters

Additional information may be found in COMFORT AND JOY, a music book published by Vinland Music in 2002.