Nursery Rhymes›Brahms' Lullaby
Brahms' Lullaby
Key: G76 BPMGuitar & Piano chords
⬇ Download the chord sheet (PDF)
Brahms’ Lullaby Lyrics. Composed by Johannes Brahms in 1868, this is perhaps the most famous lullaby melody in the world, heard in music boxes and nurseries across the globe. Formally titled Wiegenlied, German for “cradle song,” the piece was written as a personal gift for the newborn son of Brahms’s friend Bertha Faber, and the melody is said to gently echo a song Bertha herself used to sing when the two were young, a quiet, personal tribute that went on to become one of the most recognized tunes in the world. On this page, you will find the lyrics, the history behind the song, and chords for guitar and piano.
Verse 1
G D7
Lullaby, and good night, with pink roses bedight,
G
With lilies o'er spread, is my baby's sweet head.
C G D7 G
Lay thee down now, and rest, may thy slumber be blessed!
Verse 2
G D7
Lullaby, and good night, your mother's delight,
G
Shining angels beside my darling abide.
C G D7 G
Soft and warm is your bed, close your eyes and rest your head.
Play it
Chords — guitar & piano
G
Guitar
Piano
D7
Guitar
Piano
C
Guitar
Piano
Good to know
What “Brahms’ Lullaby” Means
Composed by Johannes Brahms in 1868 as a gift for a friend’s newborn, the “Wiegenlied” (Cradle Song) has become the world’s most beloved bedtime melody. Its tender words — pink roses, lilies and guardian angels — are a musical wish for a child’s safe, peaceful and dream-filled night.
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