By amylee
First, make some space and time …
Ain’t got no lullabies? Oh yes we do:
A List: Countdown to Sleep …
14. My Bloody Valentine - Only Shallow
Still no idea what it’s about, but it’s a bona fide lullaby for our purposes. (How does a royal (subject) sleep anyway?) So let’s sing this beauty a lullaby and put it to sleep on the Marconium for good.
13. Aqualung - Strange and Beautiful (I'll Put A Spell On You)
Stalker looks to The Bard for inspiration in hopes of getting his target to fall in love with him.
12. Ella Fitzgerald - Lullaby of the Leaves
The southern summer breeze rustling the leaves is what this fine person longs for to sing her to sleep.
11. Eliza Carthy - Child Amongst the Weeds
Inspired by the stillborn twin sister of Lal Waterson’s son, lullabies for those who remain.
10. The Pogues - Lullaby of London
A drunken father walks home by the river to sing his son to sleep in hopes that he will be shielded from the grittier side of life.
9. James Taylor - You Can Close Your Eyes
James sings Joni to sleep before he skips out on her.
8. Magnolia Electric Company - Night Shift Lullaby
Beautiful lullaby for those in the working class who have to sleep in the daytime.
7. The Pretenders - Lovers of Today
Sing us the phone book. Even better, sing us to sleep.
6. The Rolling Stones - Sleep Tonight
Gorgeous gospelly Keith ballad, even better as he finally learned how to sing. The blessed Ian Stewart passed away in between the recording and the album release, 30 seconds of his piano playing were added to the end of the song in tribute.
5. The Grateful Dead - Brokedown Palace
It’s the river that sings the lullaby that gets the singer to fall asleep on the riverbed. Possibly permanently.
4. Low - Try to Sleep
Because there’s never enough. Definitely feel that. But then you never wake up.
3. Leonard Cohen - You Want it Darker
Lenny’s Blackstar. Too complex to interpret with confidence, (kind of fun to see the people on the interwebs who are trying) I'll go out on a limb here and guess that whom or whatever the referenced lullaby (which may be the prayer that may be the song itself) is putting to sleep, they won’t be waking up. Released on October 21, 2016, Cohen passed away nineteen days later.
2. Alternative TV - Let’s Sleep Now
Thanks for the invite, I’d love to sleep through this mess. Our problem is that if, as you say, the real evil lies within, the dreams we’re going to dream most likely won’t be too sweet. Wherever we go, there we are and all that.
1. The Teardrop Explodes - Sleeping Gas (Live at Zoo Club 1981)
A lullaby for all of us. We’re all in it together and we’re all screwed. Cope even counts down the altitude of the planes for us and bids us goodnight.
N.B. - I’m probably serious.
The Adult Lullaby A-List Playlist:
The Berceuse B-List Playlist:
(Sorry, Marco … )
Los Lobos - Goodnight My Love
Harmonians - Lullaby Angel
Lou Reed - Goodnight Ladies
Cornershop - Sleep on the Left Side
Samingad - Lullaby
Mischief Brew - Anti-Lullaby
James Yorkston - Sleep is the Jewel
Kate Rusby - Who Will Sing Me Lullabyes
U2 - MLK
Janis Ian - Lover’s Lullaby
James - Lullaby
Queens of the Stone Age - This Lullaby
Dua Lipa - Golden Slumbers
The Taxpayers - New German Lullaby
The Smiths - The Hand That Rocks the Cradle
Airiel - In Your Room
Lamb - Heaven
Alt-J - Dissolve Me
The Waterboys - Rags
Low - Lullaby
The Doors - The Crystal Ship
Grateful Dead - We Bid You Goodnight
Guru’s Wildcard Pick Playlist:
Taylor Swift / The Civil Wars - Safe and Sound
Counting Crows - Goodnight Elizabeth
Hüsker Dü - Terms of Psychic Warfare
The Instrumental / Classical List:
I’m so sorry, folks. There were so many wonderful instrumental, ambient, and classical noms and i just couldn’t get them on either list. So, please accept this consolation list. Sweet dreams.
These playlists were inspired by readers' song nominations from last week's topic: Pass these out: adult lullabies and other songs about inducing sleep. The next topic will launch on Thursday at 1pm UK time.
New to comment? It is quick and easy. You just need to login to Disqus once. All is explained in About/FAQs ...
Fancy a turn behind the pumps at The Song Bar? Care to choose a playlist from songs nominated and write something about it? Then feel free to contact The Song Bar here, or try the usual email address. Also please follow us social media: Song Bar Twitter, Song Bar Facebook. Song Bar YouTube. Subscribe, follow and share.
Please make any donation to help keep Song Bar running: