Death Threats and Funerals: The Morbid World of Lullabies

"Sleep, little child, sleep" - by no means are lullabies always as gentle as this centuries-old classic. "We often associate lullabies with gentle melodies and innocent lyrics meant to soothe children. However, there is a wide range: from cheerful and harmonious songs to those with morbid and violent lyrics," says musicologist Stéphane Aubinet from the University of Oslo.

Funerals and Threats of Violence in Lullabies

In one of the eeriest lullabies known to him from Norway, the child is threatened, for example, to be grabbed by the leg and slammed against the wall if it does not sleep. In Russia and the Baltic countries, lullabies quite often describe the child's funeral in detail. And in "Rock-a-bye Baby," one of the most popular lullabies in the English-speaking world, the branch on which a child lies in its cradle breaks.

Aubinet has compiled international literature on lullabies and sleep songs, from the earliest recorded lullaby, which originated around 2000 BC in ancient Mesopotamia, to today's innovations like apps with sounds and lullabies for toddlers.

Musicologist Akkermann: Songs as "Mirrors of Society"

Musicologist Miriam Akkermann from TU Dresden and FU Berlin emphasizes: "Lullabies are always a mirror of the society of their respective time." Akkermann is the coordinator of the "Lullabyte" network, which investigates the influence of music on falling asleep. According to experts, song lyrics are generally a way to process personal experiences, burdensome experiences, and feelings like frustration or anger.

Singing in Children's Rooms is Declining

According to findings from the Berlin State Music Council, singing in families with young children is decreasing, as Akkermann says. This likely applies to lullabies as well. The reasons are unclear - it is certainly not due to a lack of knowledge: Many people still remember lullabies from their own childhood, as shown by the current project "Berlin Falls Asleep." According to Akkermann, lullabies from people of more than 170 nations in Berlin are being collected.

The positive influence of sung songs on the well-being of babies is shown by the results of a study presented in the journal "Child Development." When mothers and other caregivers were encouraged through a smartphone-based music program to sing more to their babies, they perceived an increased well-being of the infants. Intuitively, singing was primarily used for calming. Possibly, like close skin contact, it benefits both the baby and the caregiver, speculates the team led by Eun Cho from Yale University in New Haven.

Singing as a Universal Remedy Worldwide

Singing is a universally accessible practice for parents worldwide, requiring no special equipment or training, say the researchers. "For pediatricians and professionals working with families, recommending more singing with the child is a practical, easily accessible strategy to promote the child's well-being."

The Spanish poet Rodrigo Caro (1573-1647) described lullabies as "the mothers of all songs and the song of all mothers" - which aptly reflects their special significance, says Aubinet. According to his analysis, in 97 percent - almost all - of the 124 cultures considered, songs are used to help children fall asleep. 78 percent have a specific repertoire of lullabies, while others use various other forms of music, from popular music to religious songs, improvisation, and humming.

A Song for Every Child: Melodies as Identity in the Far North

According to Aubinet, there is a special tradition among the Sami, an indigenous people in northern Europe: Each child receives its own identity-forming melody, called Dovdna. Similar traditions of individual songs also exist among the Inuit cultures in Alaska, Canada, and Greenland, as well as among indigenous peoples in Siberia.

Typical for many northern and western European countries, on the other hand, are cheerful, hopeful songs. "In the 19th century, lullaby lyrics in Western Europe became increasingly gentle and sweet," says Aubinet. This reflects a new, romantic view of children as innocent beings. "This is how some of our most famous lullabies were created, including Brahms' 'Lullaby Opus 49', which can be found in countless music boxes."

Lullabies as a Means Against Frustration in Japan and Slovenia

There is little idyllic world, however, in lullabies from Japan from the early 20th century, as the musicologist explains. For example, they say that the child will be put in a straw sack and submerged in water if it cries. Girls from poor backgrounds, who worked as nannies in wealthy families, wrote their frustration about their hard lives into the lyrics.

"What do I need you for, little friend, my dear boy, my beloved son? For me - a girl, a foolish soul, a mother without a wedding ring?" says a lullaby from Slovenia. It tells the story of a young mother with an unwanted, illegitimate child. "It represents a form of lament that is quite widespread," explains Aubinet.

Sleep Songs Also for Animals and Rulers

According to musicologist Akkermann, a current trend is that adults increasingly use music as a sleep aid. In fact, some people fall asleep faster - although it is unclear whether this is due to the music itself or the fixed ritual of listening to music at bedtime. "Sleep rituals generally have a very positive effect."

In general, lullabies are by no means used only for babies: Kings and other rulers were sung to by their servants, explains Aubinet. And sometimes animals are also serenaded. "In some cultures in Mongolia and other parts of Asia, lullabies are sung to sheep." In Scotland, there were so-called Taladh-Bleoghain songs in the 19th century, which were sung to cattle and other livestock for calming.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.