Songs beyond Rock a Bye Baby

Years ago when my son was an infant, nighttime feedings were really popular at our house, especially at 1 am.  It would have been enjoyable to sit and listen to the silence if I hadn't been so dead tired. The padded rocking chair was dangerously too comfortable as I sat there with my infant son feeding him his bottle. After he finished his formula, I held him against my shoulder and rubbed his small back, waiting for his contented noise (read burp) to let me know he was ready go back to blessed slumber.  However, the awaited noise came, but his bright, blue eyes stared back at me, no sign of going back to sleep.

                I figured this was a good time to sing a lullaby to him, a nice quiet song, not a toe-tapping Broadway melody. Besides, I was still in my pajamas.

                I had read many articles stating that it is not the words that lull the baby to sleep, but your voice that is so soothing.  I was beginning to sing the classic, Rock a Bye Baby, but I was never a fan of the “bough breaking” part, so I stopped abruptly.  Then my tired brain began to think back to all the songs that I had heard throughout my life. From the recesses of my brain, I was able to remember the lyrics to “I Say a Little Prayer” sung by Dionne Warwick. As my son’s eyes started to grow heavy, I quietly crooned the song. It is about a woman setting off to work, but still thinking about her loved one throughout her work day.  Though Burt Bacharach  had originally intended this to be a love song, the words could easily apply to a parent singing it to their child.  I was a working mom and the lyrics really struck a chord with me. Also, it did the trick—he drifted off to sleep.

It’s amazing how there are certain songs get stuck in your memory.  This song had a simple melody, so singing it a Capella didn't sound half-bad. It had stood the test of time and I was doing my part in a small way in preserving history.

Just when I thought I was entertaining myself and my son didn't remember what I was singing to him, an incident happened to make me change my mind. A few days later, we were all watching “My Best Friend’s Wedding” on video. My son’s face lit up when the characters started to sing “I Say a Little Prayer” at the restaurant. He smiled at me and cooed at the lyrics. My husband raised his eyebrows and gave me an “atta girl” nod. I looked down at my son on my lap and smiled. I swear if he could have talked, he would have said, “Hey Mommy, they’re singing our song!”