Mama's Lullaby: Lullabies Sung By Women Around the World

Mama's Lullaby: Lullabies Sung By Women Around the World. Roslyn, NY: Ellipsis Arts, 2001.

This CD collects traditional and contemporary lullabies in many languages from countries across the globe including Malta, Wales, Brazil, the Ukraine, Italy, the US, Zimbabwe, and Japan. The songs are by turns haunting, comforting and playful, but each is recognizable as a lullaby by its slower tempo and lulling melody. The muscial forms are as diverse as the languages, ranging from jazz to waltz to bossa. The liner notes include lyrics in the original language as well as an English translation; they also provide excellent background information about the singer, the cultural traditions of the lullaby within that featured culture or country, and the story of the song itself.