Lala, Mtoto
Key: A minor~56 BPMGuitar & Piano chordsOriginal · Swahili, DR Congo
▶ More lullabies on YouTube
Lala, Mtoto Lyrics. An original lullaby inspired by the Swahili-speaking communities of eastern DR Congo, along the great Congo River. 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 great river flows so wide,
Dm Am E7
the fishing boats are resting now, along the forest side.
Am Dm Am
Lala, mtoto, the evening star is bright,
Dm Am E7
tomorrow’s sun will greet the river, bringing morning light.
In English
What the words mean
“Lala” means “sleep” and “mtoto” means “child” in Swahili. “Sleep now, little one, the great river flows so wide, the fishing boats are resting now, along the forest side. Sleep, child, the evening star is bright, tomorrow’s sun will greet the river, bringing morning light.”
Play it
Chords — guitar & piano
Am
Guitar
Piano
Dm
Guitar
Piano
E7
Guitar
Piano
Good to know
What “Lala, Mtoto” Means
“Lala” means “sleep” and “mtoto” means “child” in Swahili, one of DR Congo’s national languages, widely spoken across the country’s eastern provinces along the great Congo River. This original lullaby draws on the river and forest landscapes of eastern DRC.
More songs to sing & play
Back to all our nursery rhymes and lullabies — each one with a different friend.
← All nursery rhymes Compare Lullaby Traditions 🌍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.
Spotted a mistake or know a better source? Tell us. How we work · Get in touch