Zee Avi is a wonderful singer from Malay.  She sings in both Malay and English.

Below is a video of a medley she created using English and Malay lullabies.  Here’s what she wrote about it…

Some of my favourite lullabies that were sung to me by my mother and grandmother when i was a little one (still little but you know what i mean).  There’s a couple of Malay ones in there too…

Twinkle star
Hush Little Baby
Lima Anak Ayam
Air Pasang Malam
Sing a song of sixpence
Rock-a-bye Baby

Here’s the video followed by the lyrics as sung by Zee Avi.

Here are the lyrics, including a translation to the Malay songs.  I numbered them so you can see where “new” songs start.  But they’re all sung together as a medley.

1. Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky!
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!

2. Hush, little baby, don’t say a word,
Mama’s gonna buy you a mockingbird.
If that mockingbird don’t sing,
Mama’s gonna buy you a diamond ring.

3. Lima anak ayam
(Five chicks)
anak ayam mati seekor
(A chick dies)
mati seekor mati seekor tinggallah empat
(A chick dying leaves four)

(Note: Sometimes lullabies are scary or sad.)

4. Air pasang malam surut pukul lima
(The tide ebbs at 5 in the evening)
nyonya bangun pagi siram pokok bunga
(A lady wakes up and waters her garden)
pokok bunga melur tanam tepi kolam
(Jasmine trees planted by the pond)
itik bertelur ayam mengeram
(Ducks lay eggs, chickens hatch them.)

5. Sing a song of sixpence,
A pocket full of rye.
Four and twenty blackbirds,
Baked in a pie.
When the pie was opened,
The birds begin to sing;
Wouldn’t it be a dainty dish,
To serve before the king?

6. Rock-a-bye baby, on the treetop,
When the wind blows, the cradle will rock,
When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall,
And down will come baby, cradle and all.

Here are links to the full lyrics of Sing a Song of Sixpence and Hush Little Baby .

Watch more of Zee Avi’s music videos online on her YouTube channel and check out her cd’s and mp3 downloads on Amazon.

Enjoy!

Mama Lisa