set to music by Frances Cockburn
for soprano, alto, tenor and bass chorus
with three part female and male verses

SATB performance time approx 2m 30s

Music

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Words

Chorus:
O hush you my baby, O hush you my love:

When lilacs are lush and bees in the blossom,
When cuckoos are calling and blackbirds do sing;
O sleep in your silence, babe of my bosom,
As through the green boughs your cradle I swing.

O smile in your sleeping, my beautiful baby,
Although our ship's rocking and waves they rise high;
Far o'er the wild water, wherever our way be,
O child of my heart, 'tis safe you shall lie.

On green hills afar the shadows they darken,
The moon's silver cradle is shining above;
Within it I'll lay you, and there you shall hearken
The songs that the stars sing, O child of my love.

anon.

Our source for the poem was The Appletree Book of Celtic Verse, compiled by W A Ross, published by Appletree (on the web at www.appletree.ie). See our links page for more details.

Price

The price of this piece depends on the number of singers in your group. This is a single payment for a licence to make as many copies as you need for your group to rehearse and perform the song as often as you wish. Copies of the song must not be given, lent or sold to any other group.

Companion pieces