Nursery Rhymes›Oceania Lullabies›Moe Moe Pepe
With Zummy · Samoa

Moe Moe Pepe

Key: Am~56 BPMGuitar & Piano chords

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A much-loved Samoan lullaby, echoing the same gentle imagery as “Rock-a-bye Baby” — a baby swaying high in the treetops — set to its own distinct Samoan melody.

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Verse 1

Am         Dm      Am
Moe moe pepe,
Dm         Am      E7
moe moe pepe.
(Sleep, sleep, baby – sleep, sleep, baby.)
Am         Dm      Am
Sleep, sleep, baby, high up in the tree,
Dm         Am      E7
when the wind blows, the cradle rocks so free.

Verse 2

Am         Dm      Am
Sleep, sleep, baby, though the bough may break,
Dm         Am      E7
be pleased, my baby, for the rocking’s sake.
Play it

Chords — guitar & piano

Am
x
Guitar
CEA
Piano
Dm
xx
Guitar
DFA
Piano
E7
Guitar
EGB
Piano
Good to know

What this song means

Moe Moe Pepe is one of the most cherished lullabies in Samoa, sung by Samoan parents around the world. Its imagery closely parallels the English “Rock-a-bye Baby” — a baby rocked in a treetop cradle — but it carries its own entirely distinct Samoan melody, passed down through generations of families.

Traditional Samoan lullaby. Lyrics and translation adapted from the well-known traditional text.

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Sources & rights

  • Words and melody: see the credits in the text of this page. Older songs are traditional or in the public domain; songs by known authors keep their authors' credit.
  • Recording and arrangement: real instruments played by hand, no AI music, by Relax In No Time.
  • Chords: written by us for guitar and piano.
  • Translation: our own meaning-for-meaning translation, written for understanding. The sung words stay in the original language.

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