Lullabies--the Standard and the Morbid

As a musician, it should come as no surprise that I've used lullabies throughout my parental tenure to put my wee ones to sleep. Though I've made my way through a few standards ("Hush, Little Baby" (which Kellyn now refers to as "Rockingbird"), Brahms' Lullaby, etc.), I found out very early on that an old song from the 60's had a sweet, soporific effect on my offspring: "Patches" by Dickey Lee.

I came across this song on an old collection of my parents, and I was intrigued by the simplicity of the song . . . but it's hard not to raise an eyebrow at the lyrics:

Down by the river that flows by the coal yards
stand wooden houses with shutters torn down.
There lives a girl everybody calls Patches.
Patches my darling of old Shantytown.

We planned to marry when June brought the summer
I couldn't wait to make Patches my bride
now I don't see how that ever can happen.
My folks say no and my heart breaks inside.

Refrain:
Patches oh what can I do
I swear I'll always love you
but a girl from that place would just bring me disgrace
so my folks won't let me love you.

Each night I cry as I think of that shanty
and pretty Patches there watching the door.
She doesn't know that I can't come to see her
Patches must think that I love her no more.

I hear a neighbor telling my father
he says a girl name of Patches was found
floating face down in that dirty old river
that flows by the coal yards in old Shantytown.

Patches oh what can I do
I swear I'll always love you.
It may not be right but I'll join you tonight.
Patches I'm coming to you.

Yep, the guy offs himself after she goes first . . . how Shakespearean. Anyway, it works like a charm: hardly an eyelid can resist the gravitational pull of this song. I'm just really interested when I'm singing it to a younger sibling and Cavan perks up and says, "Hey, wait a minute . . . "

Here it is. (Musician's note: With its 3(!) key changes, the piece has a range of a minor 13th! Try that with a babe on your chest!)