Yao LullabyYao Lullaby
A lullaby from Malawi

Yao Lullaby

Key: A minor~55 BPMGuitar & Piano chordsOriginal · Yao, Malawi
Relax In No Time video

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Yao Lullaby Lyrics. An original lullaby inspired by the Yao people, historic traders of Malawi’s eastern shore along Lake Malawi. The Yao were among the first people in this part of southeastern Africa to adopt Islam, brought inland through centuries of trade contact with Swahili coast merchants, and their skill as long-distance traders made them key middlemen linking the African interior with coastal trade routes stretching all the way to the Indian Ocean. 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 trading paths are still,
Dm Am E7
the evening call has quieted now, upon the eastern hill.
Am Dm Am
Sleep now, little one, the lake shore rests tonight,
Dm Am E7
tomorrow’s sun will rise for you, and fill the sky with light.
In English

What the words mean

“Sleep now, little one, the trading paths are still, the evening call has quieted now, upon the eastern hill. Sleep now, little one, the lake shore rests tonight, tomorrow’s sun will rise for you, and fill the sky with light.”
Play it

Chords — guitar & piano

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

What “Yao Lullaby” Means

The Yao people of Malawi’s eastern shore were long known as skilled traders along Lake Malawi’s trade routes, with a culture shaped by both the lake and long-distance commerce. This original lullaby draws on those lakeside and trading images of Yao life.

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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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