Unsettling Lyrics: The Darker Side of Lullabies
Harsh, bloodcurdling melodies hymned with chilling, aggressive verses characterize these traditional soothing songs.
Traditionally, lullabies are designed to gently lull babies to sleep with soothing melodies and innocuous lyrics. However, a closer examination reveals a disturbing trend: some lullabies worldwide contain macabre and violent content.
"Hush, little baby, don't say a word," might seem like a harmless lullaby, but not all songs meant to help children slumber are as peaceful. According to Professor Stéphane Aubinet of the University of Oslo, these unsettling lullabies are found in numerous cultures, from cheerful and harmonious songs to those with dark and violent themes.
One such example comes from Norway, where a child is warned they will be grabbed by the leg and slammed against the wall if they don't sleep. In Russia and the Baltic countries, lullabies oftendescribe the child's funeral in detail. The classic English lullaby "Rock-a-bye Baby" also hints at danger, with the nursery rhyme's cradle hanging precariously from a branch that eventually breaks.
Aubinet has studied international literature on lullabies, tracing their history back to ancient Mesopotamia, around 2,000 BCE. His research also includes modern innovations like apps that utilize sounds and lullabies for toddlers.
Lullabies as a Reflection of Society
Dr. Miriam Akkermann, a musicologist from TU Dresden and FU Berlin, suggests lullabies function as mirrors of the societies in which they originate. Akkermann is the coordinator of the Lullabyte network, which investigates the influence of music on falling asleep. She explains that song lyrics can offer insights into personal experiences, stressful events, and feelings like frustration or anger.
Strangely, families with young children are singing lullabies less and less, according to findings from the Landesmusikrat Berlin. While the reason for this trend is unclear, it's worth noting that many people still remember lullabies from their childhood, as demonstrated by the Berlin Sleeps In project.
Research published in the journal "Child Development" indicates that singing to a baby can improve their well-being. Mothers and other caregivers who were encouraged to sing more to their babies through a smartphone-based music program reported an increase in the babies' well-being. Scientists speculate that singing may provide similar benefits to skin-to-skin contact.
The "Mother of All Songs"
Singing to a child is a universal practice requiring no special equipment or training, and it is accessible to everyone. Aubinet notes that 97 percent of the 124 cultures considered use songs to help children fall asleep, with 78 percent having a specific repertoire of lullabies. For pediatricians and professionals working with families, the recommendation to sing more with the child is considered a practical and easily accessible strategy to promote the child's well-being.
A particularly interesting tradition can be found among the Sámi, an indigenous people in northern Europe, where each child receives their own identity-creating melody, called Dovdna. Similar traditions of individual songs exist among Inuit cultures in Alaska, Canada, and Greenland, as well as among indigenous peoples in Siberia.
In contrast, many northern and western European countries tend to have cheerful, hopeful lullabies. According to Aubinet, lullaby texts in Western Europe became increasingly gentle and sweet during the 19th century, reflecting a new, romantic view of children as innocent beings. This development can be seen in famous lullabies like Brahms' "Lullaby Opus 49."
However, not all lullabies paint a picture of a peaceful world. For instance, early 20th-century Japanese lullabies contain lyrics suggesting that a crying child be stuffed into a straw bag and submerged in water. This might have served as a means for girls who worked as servants in wealthy households to express their frustration with their hard lives.
Many people seemed unaware of the sometimes dark texts of lullabies, according to feedback from the Berlin falls asleep project. In some cultures, animals are also sung to as a way to calm them down, such as sheep in Mongolia and other parts of Asia or cattle and livestock in 19th-century Scotland.
In conclusion, the darker themes hidden within some lullabies worldwide offer insights into the historical events, cultural practices, and societal fears that have shaped human culture and history. These elements are often concealed beneath seemingly innocuous melodies and lyrics, providing a glimpse into the more complex aspects of human nature.
- Education and personal growth can be fostered through the study of lullabies as they offer insights into society, history, and human nature.
- Lifestyle choices, such as a focus on education-and-self-development, can encourage the practice of singing to children, which effectively improves their well-being.
- In some parts of the world, lifestyle choices might involve the use of lullabies with dark and violent themes, providing a reflection of societal fears and stressful events.
- From fashion-and-beauty to home-and-garden, travel, and relationships, every aspect of human life is interconnected, and even seemingly innocuous elements like lullabies can reveal deeper, more intricate stories about our history and culture.
