Brahms' Lullaby

The tune almost everyone on Earth can hum — Johannes Brahms' Wiegenlied, written in 1868. Here's its story, its words, and a gentle version you can play free right now.

Hear a gentle version

A soft, modern take in the spirit of Brahms' cradle song — tap to play:

Tip: The Lullaby app loops it seamlessly all night and fades it out with a sleep timer.

The story behind the song

Brahms wrote his Wiegenlied ("cradle song"), Op. 49 No. 4, for his friend Bertha Faber when her second son was born. Tucked into the accompaniment is a tender private joke: a melody Bertha herself had once sung to a young Brahms. Published in 1868, it quickly became one of the first lullabies to travel the world as printed sheet music — which is why, more than 150 years later, it's still the tune most people picture when they hear the word "lullaby".

The words

The original German opens:

"Guten Abend, gut' Nacht, mit Rosen bedacht…"

The most common English singing version begins:

"Lullaby, and good night, with roses bedight, / with lilies o'erspread is baby's wee bed."

Because it was translated many times, you'll hear small variations from one version to the next — all describing the same thing: a child tucked safely in for the night. And as with every lullaby, the words matter far less than the gentle, rocking melody carrying them.

Why it works so well

Brahms' Lullaby is a textbook example of what settles a baby: a slow, swaying rhythm, a small melody that rises and gently falls, and phrases that repeat just enough to feel safe and predictable. It's the same recipe every culture arrives at — we explain the science in how lullabies help babies sleep. If you'd like more of the classics alongside it, see classic lullabies and lullaby songs.

Frequently asked

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