Nursery Rhymes›Saramaccan Lullaby
Saramaccan Lullaby
Key: A minor~54 BPMGuitar & Piano chordsOriginal · Saramaccan, Suriname
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Saramaccan Lullaby Lyrics. An original lullaby inspired by the Saramaccan Maroon people of Suriname, descendants of enslaved Africans who escaped into the rainforest and settled along the Suriname River. Here you will find the lyrics, meaning, and chords.
Sing & play
Lyrics & chords
An original arrangement, with guitar & piano chords above each line.
Verse
Am Dm Am
Sleep now, little one, the river canoe is still,
Dm Am E7
the carved wood rests beside the hut, upon the forest hill.
Am Dm Am
Sleep now, little one, the jungle drum is near,
Dm Am E7
tomorrow’s sun will rise for you, and chase away all fear.
In English
What the words mean
“Sleep now, little one, the river canoe is still, the carved wood rests beside the hut, upon the forest hill. Sleep now, little one, the jungle drum is near, tomorrow’s sun will rise for you, and chase away all fear.”
Play it
Chords — guitar & piano
Am
Guitar
Piano
Dm
Guitar
Piano
E7
Guitar
Piano
Good to know
What “Saramaccan Lullaby” Means
The Saramaccan Maroon people of Suriname, descendants of enslaved Africans who escaped into the rainforest, live in villages along the Suriname River and are celebrated for intricate wood-carving traditions. This original lullaby draws on those river-village and wood-carving images of Saramaccan life.
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