Edo Lullaby
Edo Lullaby is a traditional Japanese cradle song. It originated in Edo, was propagated to other areas, and is said to be the roots of the Japanese lullabies.
It was one of the themes used by the English composer Gustav Holst in his work Japanese Suite Op. 33 composed in 1915. The themes were provided to the composer by the Japanese dancer Michio Itō.
Lyrics
Japanese
ねんねんころりよ おころりよ。
ぼうやはよい子だ ねんねんしな。
ぼうやのお守りは どこへ行った。
あの山こえて 里へ行った。
里のみやげに 何もろうた。
でんでん太鼓に 笙の笛。
Romanized Japanese
nen, nen korori yo, okorori yo.
bōya wa yoi koda, nenneshina~
bōya no omori wa, doko e itta?
ano yama koete, sato e itta.
sato no miyage ni, nani morōta?
denden taiko ni, shō no fue.
English translation
Hush-a-bye, Hush-a-bye!
My good baby, Sleep!
Where did my boy's babysitter go?
Beyond that mountain, back to her home.
As a souvenir from her home, what did you get?
A toy drum and a shō flute.