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With Zummy · Azerbaijan

Laylay (Azerbaijani Lullaby)

Key: C~52 BPMGuitar & Piano chords

Laylay is both the word for lullaby in Azerbaijani and the soft, repeated sound mothers hum to settle a child to sleep, much like “la-la” in English. Woven through with the image of a red rose, this is one of the first songs an Azerbaijani child ever hears.

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Verse 1

C         F      C
Laylay, laylay, sleep, my sweet, the rose is folding red,
F         C      G7
deep inside the soft red rose, sweet dreams await your head.

Verse 2

C         F      C
Laylay, laylay, close your eyes, the garden rests tonight,
F         C      G7
in the petals of the rose, you’ll find your sleep is light.
Play it

Chords — guitar & piano

C
x
Guitar
CEG
Piano
F
Guitar
CFA
Piano
G7
Guitar
DFGB
Piano
Good to know

What this song means

In Azerbaijan, lullabies (laylalar) are far more than a way to help a child sleep; they carry a mother’s hopes, wisdom and love for her child from one generation to the next. “Laylay” itself, the word repeated at the start of nearly every verse, is both the name of the song and the soothing sound that gives it its gentle, rocking rhythm.

Traditional Azerbaijani laylay lullaby style. The English lyrics are an original singable arrangement offered as a respectful tribute to this living tradition.

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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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