> Folk Music > Songs > The Bressay Lullaby / Baloo Baleery

The Bressay Lullaby / Baloo Baleery

[ Roud 25914 ; Mudcat 21937 ; trad.]

Norman Buchan published The Bressay Lullaby in ca 1959 in The Scotsman and included it in 1962 in his book 101 Scottish Songs.

Elizabeth Barclay sang the Bressay Lullaby in a BBC recording on the ca 1955 album The Columbia World Library of Folk and Primitive Music - Volume VI: Scotland.

Isla Cameron sang Baloo Baleary in 1956 on her Tradition Records album of “songs of the British Isles”, Through Bushes and Briars.

The Reivers sang Balloo Baleery on their 1959 EP The Work of The Reivers.

Margaret Bennett sang The Bressay Lullaby live at the Tron Theatre, Glasgow, in a concert Celebrating the 50^th Anniversary of the TMSA. This was published in 2016 on the TMSA DVD 101 Scottish Songs: The Wee Red Book.

Findlay Napier and Gillian Frame sang Baloo Baleery on their 2020 album of songs from Norman Buchan’s The Scotsman articles, The Ledger.

Jenna Reid sang Baloo Balilli, “a lullaby from Bressay Isle, Shetland”, on her 2020 EP Songs From Jenna Reid.

Claire Hastings sang The Bressay Lullaby on her 2023 album Lullabies From Scotland.

Note: The lullaby Baleerie Baloo that Karine Polwart sang on her 2006 album Scribbled in Chalk is her own composition and not this traditional lullaby.

Lyrics

Findlay Napier and Gillian Frame sing Baloo Baleery

Chorus (after each verse):
Baloo baleery, baloo baleery,
Baloo baleery, baloo balee.

Gang awa perrie fairies, gang awa perrie fairies,
Gang awa perrie fairies frae oor bairn noo

Noo come bonny angels, noo come bonny angels,
Come bonny angels tae oor bairn noo

They’ll shine ower the cradle, they’ll shine ower the cradle,
They’ll shine ower the cradle o oor bairn noo