Sweet and Low Lyrics
A mother asks the west wind to blow softly and bring the baby's father home across the sea, while the little one sleeps. Father will come soon, under the silver moon.
Sweet and Low
Sweet and low, sweet and low,
Wind of the western sea,
Low, low, breathe and blow,
Wind of the western sea!
Over the rolling waters go,
Come from the dying moon, and blow,
Blow him again to me:
While my little one, while my pretty one, sleeps.
Sleep and rest, sleep and rest,
Father will come to thee soon;
Rest, rest, on mother's breast,
Father will come to thee soon;
Father will come to his babe in the nest,
Silver sails all out of the west
Under the silver moon:
Sleep, my little one, sleep, my pretty one, sleep.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/sweet-and-low/
- Type
- Lullabies
- Tune
- Sung lullaby (Joseph Barnby's setting is the best known)
- Best for ages
- Newborn to 4 years
What Does Sweet and Low Mean?
The father is away at sea, and the mother speaks to the wind of the western sea, asking it to blow "sweet and low", softly, and to carry his boat home. In the second verse she promises the baby that father will come soon, with silver sails coming in from the west under the moon. It is a calm song about waiting for someone you miss.
History and Origin
Alfred, Lord Tennyson wrote it as one of the songs in his long poem The Princess; the songs were added in the 1850 edition. Joseph Barnby set it to music in 1863, and his version became one of the most popular parlor songs of the time. This text comes from Childhood's Favorites and Fairy Stories.
Learning Activities
- Soft voices: sing or say it as quietly as you can, the way the wind should blow.
- Map the sea: talk about sailors who travel far and the families waiting for them.
- Moon watch: look for the moon before bed, the silver moon of the last verse.