Iav Nana (Georgian Lullaby)
Key: C~56 BPMGuitar & Piano chords
Iav Nana, “violet, nana, rose, nana,” belongs to Georgia’s iavnana song family, gentle cradle songs from the wine country of Kakheti where every verse blooms with flowers, nightingales and the safety of a mother’s arms.
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Verse 1
C F C
Iav nana, violet sleeping, vardo nana, rose in bloom,
F C G7
in the vineyard of your mother, sweet dreams fill the room.
Verse 2
C F C
Iav nana, nightingale song, drifting soft and low,
F C G7
sleep now in your mother’s arms, wherever you may go.
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Chords — guitar & piano
C
Guitar
Piano
F
Guitar
Piano
G7
Guitar
Piano
Good to know
What this song means
Iavnana is a whole family of Georgian folk lullabies, named for its recurring refrain iavnana, built from iav (violet) and nana, a very old word for lullaby some trace back to a pagan mother-goddess. Traditionally sung in the wine-growing region of Kakheti, these songs use flowers and vineyards to picture a safe, sweet-smelling world around a sleeping child.
Traditional Georgian iavnana lullaby style. The English lyrics are an original singable arrangement offered as a respectful tribute to this centuries-old song tradition.
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