Nursery Rhymes›European Lullabies›Bà Bà Mo Leanabh
With Elena · Scotland

Bà Bà Mo Leanabh

Key: Am~56 BPMGuitar & Piano chords

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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.
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Chords — guitar & piano

Am
×
Guitar
CEA
Piano
Dm
××
Guitar
DFA
Piano
E7
Guitar
EGB
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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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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