To echo Simon Furey, Luisa Del Giudice, and Bill McCarthy: My three children have gone to sleep (maybe a defensive measure to escape the noise) many times to my baritonic Down in The Valley (Birmingham Jail), Goodnight Irene, Swing Low Sweet Chariot, Ole Man River, and other blues-related song. These songs seemed--and seem--to me to be soporific jewels--for the children. My selection of them no doubt is connected to my Welsh-Scot-Ozarks highland fatalistic weltanschauung--and no doubt connected to my oldest son's (now 24) penchant for blues music.

----- Original Message -----

From: [log in to unmask]>Karine Polwart

To: [log in to unmask]>ballads

Sent: Monday, November 08, 1999 3:03 PM

Subject: lullabies

Hello, I'm currently putting together a thesis proposal for postgraduate study on lullabies (specifically lullabies of North East Scotland but I have a general interest in them) and wondered if anyone could help me hook up with existing experts in the field (maybe, just maybe, the experts are on this list). Whilst I can and do access university library facilities (and the Scottish national library is on my doorstep) I have been living outside acedemia for a few years now and so I'm not too well connected. Can anyone advise who I should speak to? Also any suggestions as to obscure and unmissable reading material would be very welcome.

Many thanks. May you all sleep well!