Nursery Rhymes›Bà Bà Mo Leanabh
Bà Bà Mo Leanabh
Key: Am~56 BPMGuitar & Piano chords
A gentle Scottish Gaelic lullaby from the Highlands and islands, built on a simple, rocking repetition that has soothed babies for generations. Here you will find a singable English adaptation, the meaning, and chords.
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Verse 1
Am Dm Am
Bà, bà, mo leanabh beag,
Dm Am E7
bà, bà, mo leanabh beag.
(Hush, hush, my little baby — hush, hush, my little baby.)
Am Dm Am
Hush, hush, my little one,
Dm Am E7
rest till the night is done.
Verse 2
Am Dm Am
Dèan cadalan sàmhach, a chuilein,
Dm Am E7
tha mi ‘n seo dlùth ort.
(Sleep peacefully, my darling — I am here, close beside you.)
Am Dm Am
Sleep now, peaceful, close your eyes,
Dm Am E7
I am close, right by your side.
Play it
Chords — guitar & piano
Am
Guitar
Piano
Dm
Guitar
Piano
E7
Guitar
Piano
Good to know
What this song means
Bà Bà Mo Leanabh (“Hush, Hush, My Little Baby”) is a traditional Scottish Gaelic lullaby from the Highlands and Western Isles. Like many Gaelic cradle songs, it leans on soft repeated sounds — “bà, bà” — that rock back and forth like the cradle itself, more feeling than words. It has been carried from mother to child, and singer to singer, for well over a century.
Traditional Scottish Gaelic lullaby. The English lines here are a singable adaptation for this arrangement, offered as a respectful tribute — not a literal translation.
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