Mary wrote me looking for the full lyrics to an Irush lullaby:
My sister-in-law is trying to find a lullaby sung to her as a child but she doesn’t know the title. She has a very new little grandson…
I remember the day that I was born
T’was a frosty winter morn
The doctor said I was a chubby chap
And when the nurse she put me on her lap
She washed me all over I remember
And powdered me all up you see
Then she put me in the cradle by the fender in that little shirt
me mother made for me.Anything you can help us with would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Mary Cunningham
If anyone knows more lyrics to this lullaby, or the name of it, please comment below.
Thanks!
Lisa
This article was posted on Tuesday, November 14th, 2006 at 1:49 pm and is filed under Children's Songs, Countries & Cultures, English, Ireland, Irish Kids Songs, Irish Lullabies, Languages, Lullabies, Questions. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
27 Responses to “Looking for a Song Sung to Babies in Ireland about That Shirt Me Mother Made for Me”
Leave a Reply
January 12th, 2007 at 11:37 pm
Old Irish Lullaby…I sing it to my 6 mo old daughter, “All Through the Night”
Sleep, my child, and peace attend thee,
All through the night;
Guardian angels God will send thee,
All through the night;
Soft the drowsy hours are creeping,
Hill and vale in slumber sleeping,
I my loving vigil keeping,
All through the night.
While the moon her watch is keeping,
All through the night;
While the weary world is sleeping,
All through the night;
O’er thy spirit gently stealing,
Visions of delight revealing,
Breathes a pure and holy feeling,
All through the night.
Hark, a solemn bell is ringing,
Clear through the night;
You, my love, are heav’nward winging,
Home through the night.
Earthly dust from off thee shaken,
By good angels art though taken;
Soul immortal shalt though waken,
Home through the night.
February 6th, 2007 at 12:48 pm
Hugh Cumming wrote me:
I see that someone wants these words. This is the version that I have, but I would appreciate the music for it.
Oh, I’ll never forget the day that I was born.
‘Twas on a cold and frosty winter morn.
The doctor said I looked a lovely chap,
And, when the nurse she took me on her lap,
She bathed me all over, I remember
And after powder puffing me, you see,
She put me in the cradle by the window
In the little shirt my mother made for me.
The first time that I wore my knickerbockers,
They seemed to sunny(?) after wearing frocks,
I looked a little picture they did say
And, when they let me out to run and play,
I didn’t like the pants I was wearing.
So straightaway I took them off, you see,
And I started walking home so brave and daring
In the little shirt my mother made for me.
Now one day when I was on my holidays,
Across the briny ocean I did gaze;
The water looked so good I thought I’d go
In for a dip, but in the meantime, oh
All the girls at me were starin’
Some were taking pictures I could see.
‘Twas a lucky thing for me that I was wearing
The little shirt my mother made for me.
Regards
Hugh Cumming
February 6th, 2007 at 12:53 pm
John Malcolm wrote me:
Found at this link:
That little shirt my mother made for me
I’ll never forget the day that I was born
It was on a cold and frosty winter morn
The doctor said I was a chubby chap
And when the nurse she took me on her lap
Oh she bathed me all over I remember
And after powder puffing me you see
She put me in a cradle near the window
In that little shirt my mother made for me
The first day I wore my knicker frocks
I felt so funny after wearing frocks
I looked a little picture they did say
But when they left me out to run and play
Oh I didn’t like the pants that I was wearing
So in the street I took them off you see
And I started walking home so brave and daring
In that little shirt my mother made for me
And then to school they said that I must go
I didn’t like my teacher you must know
And when I played the truant quite so dear
The teacher said now boy you come here
With a big stick she beat around upon me
There’s no mistake about my pedigree
I had the map of Scotland painted on me
Neath that little shirt my mother made for me
I’ve found a sound clip of part of the melody.
I’ve now found a full recording of the song you can listen to at this URL…
http://www.phildallaire.net/Ted_Drouillard/shirt.htm
Regards
John Malcolm
February 6th, 2007 at 1:12 pm
Thanks for your help!
It looks like this song was written by Harry Wincott (1867-1947). He was born in London.
Wincott wrote many pub songs at the turn of the century.
September 30th, 2007 at 6:27 pm
I have been looking for the melody as well (as has my cousin as it was a song our Grandmother sang). So far I’ve ID’d the following as a source for one rendition. Let me know if any of you find others.
John Unbehend
Seattle
January 27th, 2008 at 6:26 pm
My grandma sang my dad a very similar song but with a different mid line –Oh she washed me all over i remember, and after powder puffing may you see, she put me in a cradle by the fender in a little shirt my mother made for me
January 31st, 2008 at 3:07 pm
Thank you Lisa
Your version is the way I heard my mother sing it when I was a small child. It was said to be an Irish lullabye. (however my mon was scotish and my dad Irish) I sang it also to my wee girls when they where young. Good memories and good songs.
September 28th, 2008 at 10:12 am
Thank you all for the lyrics to “Little Shirt Me Mother Made for Me”.
I wonder if you could help me remember a song about Toy Soldiers. It’s very sad:
. . . Don’t you (?) while I’m gone he said and don’t you make any noise. And tottling off to his trundle bed he dreamt of his little toys. And while he was dreaming an angel song awakened our little boy blue.
The years are many the years are long but his little toy friends are true.
September 29th, 2008 at 2:23 am
Here it is
Little Boy Blue
‘The little toy dog is covered with dust,
But sturdy and staunch he stands;
The little tin soldier is red with rust,
And the musket moulds in his hands.
Time was when the little toy dog was new,
And the soldier was passing fair;
And that was the time when our little Boy Blue
Kissed them and put them there.
“‘Now, don’t you go till I come,’ he said,
‘And don’t you make any noise.’
So toddling off to his trundle-bed
He dreamt of his pretty toys;
And as he was dreaming, an angel song
Awakened our little Boy Blue–
Oh! the years are many, the years are long,
But the little toy friends are true.
“Aye, faithful to little Boy Blue they stand,
Each in the same old place–
Awaiting the touch of a little hand,
The smile of a little face;
And they wonder as waiting the long years through
In the dust of that little chair,
What has become of our little Boy Blue,
Since he kissed them and put them there.”
Eugene Field
October 19th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
THE LITTLE SHIRT MY MOTHER MADE FOR ME. This is an old Scottish song, and recorded by the Canadian Country singer, Wilf Carter.
May 26th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
When I was a little boy in Sierra Leone, our choirmaster taught us “All Through the night.” The song didn’t appeal to me then, because at that age, hardly any great piece of art is unappealing.
This morning between finishing touches to my manuscript and making tea (Sierra Leone is still British) I heard myself singing the second verse. I wish to thank Beth McRaye very much for her generosity for availing the world to that eternal lullaby.
Good-luck in all her endeavours.
mohabho@verizon.net
June 26th, 2009 at 6:47 am
I am a45 year old woman, and when I was about 5, my sister and I remember putting on a very small record (those were the days!) and singing at the top of our voices
I shan’t forget the day that I was born,
Twas on a cold and frosty winters morn,
The doctor said I was a chubby chap
And when the nurse, she put me on her lap,
Ooh, she washed me all over I remember,
And powdered me all over tenderly,
It was a good job for me that I was wearing
The little shirt my mummy made for me.
This was 40 years ago to a 45 record that my parents had. I wish I knew who sang it, all I know is that we played it all of the time and there was another 45 that we used to play just after, called “straight down the middle” which I think was Bing Crosby about golf! Nonetheless, we maybe got the words wrong, but we loved both of those songs and I’ve often wondered if there was anyone else out there that felt the same!
July 19th, 2009 at 5:36 am
The Little Shirt my Mother Made for Me was a song written by my Great Grandfather Harry Wincott. I have a copy of the sheet music for this.
January 9th, 2012 at 6:30 pm
Ms. Karen Gee:
Is there any possibility I could get a copy of your grandfather’s sheet music for The Little Shirt My Mother Made For Me?
I am willing to pay for it.
I live in California and i look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you for your attention to this request.
Orvil L. Archbold
March 20th, 2012 at 3:38 pm
In the early 60’s my Parents, along with my Uncle Ernest Auntie Kathleen Uncle Frank & Auntie Violet, used to collect my sister Linda & myself from boarding school in Shepton Mallet (Somerset, UK) we would all be piled into a Ford Zephyr station waggon and sang “The Little Shirt My Mother Made for Me” along with many others, on the drive to Weston-Super-Mare’s beachside with donkey rides etc – This little song brings back those deliriously happy memories from 50 yrs ago. Better than a snap shot !! Thank you for having it on your site. Did ORVIL ARCHBOLD hear back from KAREN GEE re the sheet music??
Any possibility of acquiring a copy too ???
I live in Sydney Australia & would like to pass it on to my 4 grandchildren. Many thank yous !!
September 1st, 2012 at 10:09 pm
I remember this as a Stanley Holloway song…….Here goes…..I remember well the day that I was born…’twas on a bright and frosty winter’s morn….the nursie said I was a chooby chap…and then she ????put me onher lap….Oh she washed me all over I remember, and powdered me all over tenderley….then she ??? and put me by the fireside in the little shirt my Mother made for me……………………………
September 1st, 2012 at 10:13 pm
I remember this as a Stanley Holloway song…….Here goes…..I remember well the day that I was born…’twas on a bright and frosty winter’s morn….the nursie said I was a chooby chap…and then she ????put me onher lap….Oh she washed me all over I remember, and powdered me all over tenderley….then she ??? and put me by the fireside in the little shirt my Mother made for me…………………………..Last summer I went for my holidays…upon the briny ocean I did gaze ?????????/ some people on the beach at me were staring, and someone taking snapshots I could see………it were a good job for me that I was wearing…that little shirt my mother made for me……………..I’m a few years late and it is incomplete but I hope this helps….best regards from Ray, and with complete words I believe I could write out the melody.
June 16th, 2013 at 5:58 pm
Ray’s version, albeit incomplete, has the lyrics I recall from Holloway’s rendition.
March 6th, 2014 at 3:08 am
There is an excellent version of this song by Foster and Allen which can be downloaded from itunes – their lyrics are slightly different from those given above – but flow better.
June 12th, 2015 at 5:30 pm
Hi have searched high and low this past hour for the words of the little shirt my mother made for me .didn’t recall the title do now yous site made my day Eamonn
December 9th, 2016 at 7:41 pm
My mam sang it to me I know it off by heart her gran came from Ireland a little shirt my northern made for me
March 15th, 2017 at 9:57 pm
My Mom is turning 90, April 2 2017. She sings this song all the time. We want to do it at her party, but can’t find the written music for keyboard. Any help out there would be wonderful1
December 2nd, 2017 at 9:59 am
A song my Mum used to sing to me – I remember the tune too!
“I won’t forget the day that I was born,
T’was on a a cold and frosty winter’s morn,
The doctor said I was a cheeky chap,
As nursey laid me gently on her lap.
Oh, she washed me all over, I remember,
And powdered me so gently don’t you see,
Then she laid me in a cradle by the fender,
In a little shirt me mother made for me”.
December 2nd, 2017 at 4:15 pm
That’s great Julia! Would you like to sing it for us? :) -Mama Lisa
April 27th, 2018 at 2:09 am
I remember on the day that I was born
It was a cold and frosty day November morn
I was lying in my bed with nothing on
Cause my mother had the washing in the pond
Well my father said you canny leave him naked
For cold enough that he’s about to freeze
And there I was just staring looking glakid
In the little shirt me mother made for me
I have more All the lyrics written to me by my aunt when I was 9
April 27th, 2018 at 1:09 pm
Please share them! :)
March 6th, 2021 at 10:38 am
The Little Shirt My Mother Made For Me
I can’t forget the day that I was born
Was on a cold and frosty winter’s morn’
The doctor said I was a chubby chap
But when the nurse, she took me on her lap
She washed me all over I remember
And after powder-puffin’ me, you see
She laid me in the cradle by the window
In The Little Shirt My Mother Made For Me.
When I began to crawl it was a sight
I used to frighten mom from morn’ til night
There’s no mistake I was a little curse
‘Cause when my daddy, he came home from work
Every night he would say; “Where’s Little Sam got?”
As down the kitchen, happy as could be
They used to find me scrapin’ out the jam pot
In The Little Shirt My Mother Made For Me.
The first day that I wore my Knickerbocks
I felt so funny after wearin’ smocks
I looked a little picture, they did say
But when they let me out to run and play
Well, I didn’t like the britches I was wearin’
And in the street I took ’em off, you see
I started walkin’ home so bold and darin’
In The Little Shirt My Mother Made For Me.
Last year when I was on my holiday
Upon the briny ocean I did gaze
The water looked so nice I thought I’d go
To have a swim, but, in a minute, oh
All the girls along the beach at me were starin’
And some were takin’ pictures, I could see
Was a good thing for me that I was wearin’
The Little Shirt My Mother Made For Me.