Lullabies to Savor – Twilight Comes Tiptoeing

With much enthusiasm and a pull on my heart, I highly recommend Ginger Parish’s CD of Lullabies, Twilight Comes Tiptoeing.  The poignant songs remind me of those precious moments when I sang to my small boy as I helped him fall asleep.  I also remember my mother playing simple songs on her old guitar, soothing me when I was sick or couldn’t sleep. These are some of the most precious memories I hold.

The songs on this album strongly summon those memories, with their comforting melodies and compelling instrumentals. Ginger’s resonant voice has an emotional quality that reaches deep.  The title song, “Twilight Comes Tiptoeing,” is an especially strong example of that richness. I re-played “Sweet, Sweet Wind,” three times in a row because I found it so gratifying. My favorites, though, are the songs on which her 12 yr old son, Loren, joins her on the vocals. The purity of their voices is highlighted in harmony. “Close Your Eyes” is a sweet modeling of the connection between parent and child.

While it just makes sense that music would be helpful for aiding sleep in young children, the research is also incredibly supportive. The recurrence of a lulling rhythm and gentle melody provides much needed stability for young children.  The quiet mood and heart-beat tempo create a safe environment. All this make lullabies ideal to help calm an infant. Babies aren’t the only ones that benefit, though. I believe the effect of a lullaby is positive on all ages. Instead of watching a violent television show before bed, what if more adults listened to this CD as they were drifting off?

Research also shows that children love to hear the sound of their parent’s voice. It is not the quality of the voice that matters, but the connection. This album’s songs are easily remembered and a great source for building your own lullaby repertoire. They also provide that special experience to build a heartfelt connection with your child, one they will always remember. “Nani” is a great place to start because the title is repeated often and the catchy tune is easily accessible.

In addition to being a musician, song writer, and vocalist, Ginger is also a director/teacher of Music Together, an internationally recognized early childhood music and movement program. One emphasis of the program is on the importance of lullabies. Involvement with families and her knowledge of music research has surely influenced her work. Above all, though, she is a parent. My favorite source of inspiration is when she rocked her child to sleep, the location where most of these songs were born. She writes, “I have known no greater sweetness, no greater depth of connection, than those times.”

Twilight Comes Tiptoeing won a Parents’ Choice Award.

Where can you purchase your own copy of the CD or download it?
Here at CD Baby.