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Fon LullabyFon Lullaby
A lullaby from Benin

Fon Lullaby

Key: A minor~53 BPMGuitar & Piano chordsOriginal · Fon, Benin
Relax In No Time video

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Fon Lullaby Lyrics. An original lullaby inspired by the Fon people of Benin’s historic Abomey kingdom, long celebrated for lost-wax bronze casting. The royal palaces of Abomey are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, remnants of the powerful Dahomey kingdom that once ruled here, famously defended in part by the Agojie, an elite corps of female warriors that awed and unsettled European visitors for generations. 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 bronze fire glows so soft,
Dm Am E7
the sculptor’s hands have quieted now, up in the workshop loft.
Am Dm Am
Sleep now, little one, the carved shapes rest so 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 bronze fire glows so soft, the sculptor’s hands have quieted now, up in the workshop loft. Sleep now, little one, the carved shapes rest so 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 “Fon Lullaby” Means

“No” means mother in Fon, spoken by the Fon people of Benin’s historic Abomey kingdom, long celebrated for lost-wax bronze casting depicting kings, animals, and spirits. This original lullaby draws on those bronze-workshop and firelight images of Fon life, with “no” used as a warm address rather than a literal translation.

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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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