MyMomma's Lullabyes 1960s
LULLABY In 1960s, my momma could get me to go to sleep with two songs, lullaby's of old songs from way before my time. Sometimes was just wound up from playing outside on freeway I-37 hill, or riding bikes, or even just making little cities for my toy cars on the big porch at 723 Doss. Our shotgun house 2009 Antelope was behind grandma's house 723 Doss, but not big porch.In our shotgun house the living room or first room as you walk thru screen door, doubled as bedroom. We had a black and white television, a desk that top could slide down and cover the papers, pencils, bills, a nice comfy fat chair, and behind door some shelves with knick knacks. The room opened into second room, and there was a small wall on east side. Since room was so limited, poppa shared bed with late brother Tommy, and I shared bed with momma.
One of the songs was French. Frère Jacques, Frère Jacques, Dormez-vous?
Dormez-vous? Sonnez les matines, sonnez les matines Ding dang dong, ding dang dong.
English Version: Are you sleeping, are you sleeping? Brother John, Brother John? Morning bells are ringing, morning bells are ringing Ding dang dong, ding dang dong. This is a version on youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QI0abuwq31g
I heard this mostly before 1964 so was pretty much 4 years or younger and with momma's soothing voice, worked every time. Not sure of poppa or Tommy a few feet away. And yea, we played on hill on I-37, mostly rolling down it.
The other lullaby was "My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean" which momma knew whole song though simple.
I think this was probably my favorite though so little, didn't know what a bonnie is. This is a version on youtube with lyrics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-Qu6uarPD4
Funny, no youtube, computer, recorders, nothing back then, just momma with beautiful voice. The French little lullaby she got thru first verse, then sort of does like everyone does for New Years Eve song, mumble it, Auld Lang Syne, "For All Acquaintance Be Forgot And Never Brought To Mind, nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuhh" yea that song, momma didn't sometimes remember French version but that was ok with me.
And then there is my beloved wife Paige, who hung herself due to depression April 2022. She had a "watch list" of songs she really liked, but one that stood out was "The Best of Times" by Styx. She would come to bed, roll me over and sing "Tonight's the night we'll make history, Honey, you and I 'Cause I'll take any risk to tie back the hands of time And stay with you here tonight" & "The best of times are when I'm alone with you Some rain some shine, We'll make this a world for two, Our memories of yesterday will last a lifetime We'll take the best, forget the rest, And someday we'll find these are the best of time, These are the best of times" This is whole song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fzJGxpcenc
Strange is she would sing that, and could fall asleep mid sentence, of course now I am awake, and is hard for me to get back to sleep, unlike her, or even Noah & Jacob. I do not recall her ever singing them lullaby's when they were babies though.
Photos: Photo #1 Momma Sarah Stakes sitting on hood of their new Nash auto on Antelope street facing northeast in 1952. Late brother Tommy born a few years later, then me, in 1959. But to this day, can still hear her singing. The Corpus Christi Police station would be directly behind her years later, corner of Brownlee & future Interstate 37. Of course no I-37 then.
Photo #2. My momma holding me & brother Tommy in our old shotgun house, the photo is dated December 1959, so I would have been not even year old.
Photo #3. My momma adjusts me in Radio Flyer wagon with brother Tommy in 1959/1960. Some photos you can just hear.
Photo #4. If Paige sang lullaby's to these two, Jacob & Noah, I don't remember it. Maybe later I will when memory better.
Photo #5. Noah & Jacob at Halloween. Chances are no lullaby's that night with all the candy eaten though. Were they really ever that little?
Photo #6 Baby Noah in 2001. Paige knew nothing about her history or past as she was adopted. She joked maybe the baby would come out with a hand on top of head saying 'Go Yankees!' I told her only thing worse would baby be a Dallas Cowboys fan. Noah was low maintenance, as was Jacob.