Nursery Rhymes›Asian Lullabies›Dandini Dandini Dastana
With Anna · Turkey

Dandini Dandini Dastana

Key: Am~56 BPMGuitar & Piano chords

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One of Turkey’s best-loved lullabies, sung for generations with the same playful refrain — a gentle story of cattle in the garden, a moon born from a mother’s love, and an old wish to keep every child safe from harm.

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Verse 1

Am         Dm      Am
Dandini dandini dastana,
Dm         Am      E7
dandini dandini dastana.
(Dandini dandini dastana – the traditional refrain that opens this lullaby.)
Am         Dm      Am
Hush now, hush now, little one, the cattle graze at rest,
Dm         Am      E7
the gardener will guard the field, so give your eyes a rest.

Verse 2

Am         Dm      Am
Dandini dandini dastana,
Dm         Am      E7
dandini dandini dastana.
(Dandini dandini dastana – the same gentle refrain, sung again.)
Am         Dm      Am
A moon was born from mother’s love, so bright and safe and warm,
Dm         Am      E7
sleep now, sleep now, little one, until the morning’s dawn.
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Chords — guitar & piano

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

What this song means

Dandini Dandini Dastana has soothed babies across Turkey for generations, built around a repeating, sing-song refrain that gives the melody its rocking rhythm. Its verses shift from version to version, but often return to the same gentle images: animals settling for the night, a mother’s protective love, and old wishes — like guarding a child from the evil eye — tucked warmly inside a simple bedtime story.

Traditional Turkish lullaby. The Turkish refrain is the real, characteristic traditional opening; the English lyrics are a singable adaptation inspired by the song’s documented imagery, not a literal translation of every verse.

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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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