Sleep Small, My Baby-O Lyrics. An original lullaby inspired by Liberia's English-based Kolokwa cradle-song tradition, unique in Africa for its distinct rhythm and warmth. Here you will find the lyrics, English translation, meaning, and chords.
Sing & play
Lyrics & chords
An original arrangement, with guitar & piano chords above each line.
Verse
Am E Am
Sleep small, sleep small, my baby-o,
Dm E Am
da palm dem singing by da shore.
C G
Moon deh high up over town,
Dm E Am
sleep small, sleep small, my dear one-o.
In English
What the words mean
“Sleep gently, sleep gently, my little one, the palm trees are singing by the shore. The moon is high above the town, sleep gently, sleep gently, my dear one.”
Play it
Chords — guitar & piano
Am
Guitar
Piano
Dm
Guitar
Piano
E
Guitar
Piano
C
Guitar
Piano
G
Guitar
Piano
Good to know
What “Sleep Small, My Baby-O” Means
Liberia’s English-based Kolokwa (Liberian English) carries its own rhythm and warmth, often used in gentle, sing-song phrases like ‘sleep small’ for a baby drifting off. This original lullaby captures that same coastal, homegrown voice.
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.
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