Songs to Sing to Your Baby

My mother would tell you that I have always been bad at sleeping, and our first child doesn’t seem to be a natural either. It can be stressful and draining trying to help a fussy baby sleep but I found singing love songs to her really helped my mental health, transforming these times into periods of meditation on my love for her. Instead of just feeling exhausted or desperate, I felt connected and grateful song after song… after song!

Finding the right songs to get this effect was a challenge, though. It was important to have many songs to choose from since just singing the same one over and over my mind would wander. I ended up often adapting the lyrics, but when you’re sleep deprived and the baby is crying directly in your ear that is tough! It was also helpful to realize that, since you’re always singing a capella anyway, you can slow the tempo of a song way down to make it a lullaby (e.g., “Eight Days a Week” by The Beatles). This song list grew over the course of months. It is my pleasure to share it with you so that you can jump right in to enjoying the beautiful experience of singing your love to your new little one.

Under My Skin

Frank Sinatra

I've got you under my skin

I've got you deep in the heart of me

So deep in my heart that you're really a part of me

I've got you under my skin

I tried so not to give in

I said to myself, 'this affair never will go so well'

But why should I try to resist when, baby, I know so well

I've got you under my skin?

I'd sacrifice anything, come what might

For the sake of having you near

In spite of a warning voice that came in the night

And repeat, repeat in my ear

"Don't you know little fool, you never can win?

Use your mentality, wake up to reality"

But each time that I do, just the thought of you

Makes me stop before I begin

'Cause I've got you under my skin

Eight Days A Week

Songwriters: John Lennon / Paul McCartney

Oh, I need your love, babe

Guess you know it's true

Know you need my love, babe

Just like I need you

Hug me, love me, snug me, love me

I ain't got nothing but love, babe

Eight days a week

Love you every day, girl

Always on my mind

One thing I can say, girl

Love you all the time

Eight days a week

I loooooove you

Eight days a week

Is not enough to show I care

In My Life

Songwriters: John Lennon / Paul McCartney

There are places I'll remember

All my life, though some have changed

Some forever, some for better

Some have gone, and some remain

All these places had their moments

With loved ones and friends, I still can recall

Some are gone, and some are living

In my life, I've loved them all

But of all these friends and loved ones

There is no one compares with you

And these memories lose their meaning

When I think of love as something new

Though I know I'll never lose affection

For people and things that went before

I know I'll often stop and think about them

In my life, I love you more

In my life, I love you more

No One

(acoustic)

Alicia Keys

I just want you close

Where you can stay forever

You can be sure

That it will only get better

You and me together

Through the days and nights

Don’t worry 'cause

Everything's gonna be alright

People keep talking, they can say what they like

All I know is everything's gonna be alright

And no one, no one

Can get in the way of what I'm feeling

No one, no one

Can get in the way of what I feel for you

When the rain is pouring down

And your heart is hurting

I will always be around

This I know for certain

You and me together

Through the days and nights

Don’t worry 'cause

Everything's gonna be alright

People keep talking, they can say what they like

But all I know is everything's gonna be alright

And no one, no one

Can get in the way of what I'm feeling

No one, no one

Can get in the way of what I feel for you

I know some people search the world

To find something like what we have

And I tried to defy, tried to deny something so real

But 'til the end of time, I'm telling you there ain't no one

No one, no one

Can get in the way of what I'm feeling

No one, no one

Can get in the way, can get in the way of what I feel for you

Can’t Take My Eyes Off You

Lauryn Hill

You're just too good to be true

I can't take my eyes off you

You are like heaven to touch

I love to hold you so much

At long last love has arrived

And I thank God you’re alive

You're just too good to be true

Can't take my eyes off you

Pardon the way that I stare

There's nothing else that compares

The sight of you leaves me weak

There are no words left to speak

One day you’ll feel like I feel

But we both know that is real

You're just too good to be true

I can't take my eyes off you

Oh pretty baby

Don't let me down I pray

Oh pretty baby

Now that I've found you stay

And let me love you, oh baby

Let me love you

I love you baby

And if it’s quite alright

I need you baby

No more lonely nights

I love you baby

Trust in me when I say

You're just too good to be true

I can't take my eyes off you

You are like heaven to touch

I love to hold you so much

At long last love has arrived

And I thank God you’re alive

You're just too good to be true

Can't take my eyes off you

Fly Me To The Moon

Frank Sinatra

Fly me to the moon

Let me play among the stars

And let me see what spring is like

On Jupiter and Mars

In other words, hold my hand

In other words, baby, kiss me

You fill my heart with love

And let me sing forevermore

You are all I long for

All I worship and adore

In other words, just be you

In other words, I love you

My Girl

The Temptations

I've got sunshine on a cloudy day

When it's cold outside I've got the month of May

I guess you'd say

What can make me feel this way?

My girl, my girl, my girl

Talkin' 'bout my girl (my girl)

I've got so much honey the bees envy me

I've got a sweeter song than the birds in the trees

Well I guess you'd say

What can make me feel this way?

My girl, my girl, my girl

Talkin' 'bout my girl (my girl)

I don't need no money, fortune, or fame 

I've got all the riches baby that one can claim 

I guess you'd say

What can make me feel this way?

My girl, my girl, my girl

Talkin' 'bout my girl (my girl)

To Zion (or replace Zion with your baby’s name)

By Lauryn Hill

Now the joy of my world is in Zion

Now the joy of my world is in Zion

How beautiful there’s nothing more

Than to wait at Zion’s door

I've never been in love like this before

Now I’ll try to keep you from

The perils that will surely come

See life for you my love has just begun

Now the joy of my world is in Zion

Now the joy of my world is in Zion

And I thank you for choosing me

To come through unto life to be

A beautiful reflection of your grace

For I know that a gift so great

Is only one love could create

And I'm reminded every time I see your face

That the joy of my world is in Zion

Now the joy of my world is in Zion

Beloved One

Ben Harper

Your eyes shine through me

You are so divine to me

Your heart has a home in mine

We won't have to say a word

With a touch all shall be heard

When I search my heart it's you I find

My beloved one, my beloved one, my beloved one

You were meant for me

I believe you were sent to me 

from a dream straight into my arms

Hold your body close to me

You mean the most to me

We will keep each other safe from harm

My beloved one, my beloved one, my beloved one

Isn’t She Lovely

Stevie Wonder

Isn't she lovely?

Isn't she wonderful?

Isn't she precious?

Less than one minute old

I never thought through love we'd be

Making one as lovely as she

But isn't she lovely made from love?

Isn't she pretty?

Truly the whole world’s best

If there’s a heaven

Then we have been Heaven blessed

I can't believe what love has done

Through us, we’ve given life to one

But isn't she lovely made from love?

Isn't she lovely?

Life and love are the same

Life is Aisha

The meaning of her name

Lonnie, it could have not been done

Without you, we conceived the one

That's so very lovely, made from love

What A Wonderful World

(Or, as it’s known in our house, “Dad’s Song”)

By Louis Armstrong

I see trees of green, red roses too

I see them bloom, for me and you

And I think to myself

What a wonderful world

I see skies of blue and clouds of white

The bright blessed days, the dark sacred nights

And I think to myself

What a wonderful world

The colors of the rainbow

So pretty in the sky

Are also on the faces

Of people going by

I see friends shaking hands, saying how do you do

They're really saying, I love you

I hear babies cry, I watch them grow

They'll learn much more

Than I'll ever know

And I think to myself

What a wonderful world

Yes, I think to myself

What a wonderful world