Nursery Rhymes›Junkanoo Lullaby
Junkanoo LullabyJunkanoo Lullaby
A lullaby from The Bahamas

Junkanoo Lullaby

Key: A minor~53 BPMGuitar & Piano chordsOriginal · Junkanoo, The Bahamas
Relax In No Time video

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Junkanoo Lullaby Lyrics. An original lullaby inspired by Junkanoo, the vibrant Afro-Bahamian street parade of costumes, cowbells, and goatskin drums. Junkanoo costumes are painstakingly built by hand from crepe paper, cardboard, and wire, often taking an entire year to prepare, and the parade itself traditionally runs through the night, powered by the steady beat of goatskin drums and cowbells. 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 cowbells rest tonight,
Dm Am E7
the goatskin drum has quieted now, beneath the fading light.
Am Dm Am
Sleep now, little one, the painted mask 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 cowbells rest tonight, the goatskin drum has quieted now, beneath the fading light. Sleep now, little one, the painted mask is near, tomorrow’s sun will rise for you, and chase away all fear.”
Play it

Chords — guitar & piano

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

What “Junkanoo Lullaby” Means

Junkanoo, a vibrant street parade of costumes, cowbells, and goatskin drums, fills the streets of Nassau every Boxing Day and New Year’s, a tradition rooted in Afro-Bahamian heritage. This original lullaby draws on those parade and drum images of Junkanoo life in The Bahamas.

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Sources & rights

  • An original lullaby by Relax In No Time, inspired by the musical traditions of its region. The words, melody, arrangement and recording are ours.
  • 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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