23 December 2011

Suo-Gân (Welsh Lullaby)

Another one of my favorite Christmas songs, especially to sing, is "Suo Gan." Featured in the movie The Empire of the Sun, Suo Gan is a traditional lullaby from Wales.  In fact, when I first sang the song in my choir, it was an arrangement by K. Lee Scott entitled "Welsh Lullaby."  It's a beautiful song.  Here is Chanticleer performing it in the original Welsh:


I realize, however, that most of you don't speak Welsh, so here it is again in English, performed by the Iowa Wesleyan College Choir and Mt. Pleasant Chorale.


The English lyrics are as follows:

Hush, my dear one,
Sleep serenely,
Now, my lovely
Slumber deep.

Mother rocks you,
Humming lowly,
Close your eyes now
Go to sleep.

Angels hover,
Ever nearer,
Looking on your
Smiling face.

I will hold you,
Close enfold you
Close your eyes now
Go to sleep.

Lovely darling,
I will guard you
Keep you from all
Woe and harm.

Slowly, gently,
I will rock you,
Resting sweetly,
On my arm.

May you slumber,
E'er so softly,
Dream of visions
Wondrous fair.

I will hold you, 
Close enfold you.
Close your eyes now
Go to sleep.

May you slumber, 
E'er so softly,
Dream of visions
Wondrous fair.

I will hold you,
Close enfold you.
Close your eyes now,
Go to sleep.


5 comments:

  1. SUCH A WONDERFUL POST. I LOVE YOUR LYRICS. THANK YOU SO SOO MUCH. happy THANKSGIVING

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  2. Thank you so much for sharing this. This song has returned to the forefront of my life as my now teenage daughter is enduring great heartache. I hold her and rock her as she weeps and I sing this beloved lullaby. I had forgotten some of the words. This beautiful rendition has brought them back to my memory.

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  3. I used to sing this to my baby sister and now I sing it to her little boy, my nephew. 💗 I think it's the most beautiful lullaby I've ever heard.

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