Famous American lullabies: soothing English melodies with lyrics for parents and children
Want to sing a lullaby to help your child fall asleep? In times like these, it’s good to know some traditional American lullabies.
With simple melodies and gentle lyrics, English lullabies loved around the world have a mysterious charm that soothes the heart.
This time, we’ll introduce some of the most beloved American lullabies you can enjoy with your child.
We’ll also explain the meaning in Japanese and key pronunciation points, so be sure to try them during your daily bedtime routine!
Famous American lullabies: soothing English melodies with lyrics for parents and children (1–10)
Row Row Row Your BoatSuper Simple Songs
Super Simple Songs, based in Canada, brings music to children around the world.
It originally began at an English school in Tokyo, where they started writing songs to make them easier for kids to sing.
This piece is a soothing, traditional melody that conjures a gentle image of drifting down a river in a small boat.
Its tender message—that life is like a dream—may suggest the importance of time that flows unhurriedly.
This heartwarming work was included on the album “It’s Time for Bed,” released in September 2020.
That same year, Super Simple Songs partnered with Warner Music Group, expanding their reach worldwide.
Play it during your parent-child bedtime routine, and it’s sure to help you end the day on a calm and peaceful note.
Are You SleepingJim Brickman
It’s a soothing piano piece that gently leads you into a world of peaceful sleep.
Created by American pianist Jim Brickman, it features an arrangement of a famous French folk song.
In the original, the scene depicts gently waking those still asleep as the morning bells ring, but in this instrumental version, the familiar melody is transformed into a calming resonance through his delicate touch—he’s been nominated for a Grammy twice.
This track is included on the album “Sleep Baby Sleep: Classic Children’s Bedtime Lullabies,” released in November 2016.
Be sure to listen during those tranquil bedtime moments shared between parent and child.
a thousand years (lullaby)Christina Perri
This is one of the signature songs by American singer-songwriter Christina Perri, set to a grand melody that vows eternal love.
Originally written as the theme song for the film The Twilight Saga, released in October 2011, it became a wedding classic and was later adapted into a lullaby version for Perri’s own children.
Its steadfast declaration of loving beyond a thousand years gently warms the listener’s heart.
As you listen to this piece that has grown alongside the artist’s life, you may feel your bond with your child deepen even more.
Please try playing it during a calm moment before bedtime.
Brahms LullabyCéline Dion
This work is based on a renowned classical lullaby, sung by Canadian-born Celine Dion, known worldwide as a diva.
Her warm, maternal voice overlays the gentle melody that almost everyone has heard at least once, inviting listeners into a tender world.
Her singing evokes the very essence of a parent’s deep love, watching over a beloved child’s sleeping face and wishing for a peaceful night.
First recorded in 1996 as part of a charity project for a pediatric AIDS foundation, the piece was later included in her October 2004 album “Miracle,” themed around the bond between mother and child.
It will bring a soothing tune to quiet evening moments with your little one.
Baby MineAlison Krauss
This is a gem of a cover by American singer Alison Krauss, whose voice is often described as “angelic.” The original song, featured in Disney’s Dumbo, is a heartfelt ode to a parent’s unconditional love.
Alison’s pure soprano blends with the lyrics’ message—“I’m always by your side”—gently enveloping the listener’s heart.
Created for the 1996 compilation album The Best of Country Sing the Best of Disney, the track went on to receive a Grammy nomination the following year.
The warm tones of the fiddle are the very sound of comfort.
Play it during a quiet moment before bedtime, and it’s sure to bring a sense of calm to both parent and child.
Rock a Bye BabyBaby Lullaby Academy
This is a soothing piano piece by the U.
S.
-based music project Baby Lullaby Academy.
It paints a scene of a cradle gently swaying in the wind at the treetop.
The lyrics even include a slightly anxious moment where a branch might break, but that very detail seems like a bit of magic that highlights the strong bond between parent and child and the sense of being protected.
The original melody is thought to have originated around 1886, and this version appears on the album “Baby Lullaby: Calming Lullabies to Help Baby Fall Asleep Quick and Happy Baby Lullaby Academy,” released in May 2025.
Listening to this piece will surely wrap you in a calm, peaceful mood.
Be sure to include it in your relaxation time with your little one.
Beautiful DreamerNursery Rhymes 123
This is a track by the UK duo Nursery Rhymes 123, whose beautiful melody draws you into a dreamlike world.
The project, led by filmmaker Dan Smith and singer-songwriter Marta Bienne, pursues music that parents and children can enjoy together.
This piece is a masterful lullaby arrangement of a beloved American song from 1864, featuring gentle piano and strings.
If you listen closely to the warm vocals that speak to dreamers, you’ll feel your anxieties quietly melt away.
Included on their 2016 album “Lullaby Baby,” this tune will make calm bedtime moments with your child even more special.