Unlikely lullabies

I have no problems in admitting that I'm a terrible singer. I do like music and have my fair share of favourite tracks. But when it comes to putting my musical cords to work, you better be somewhere else.

However, having a 10-month old son has forced me to exercise my singing skills. When the baby needs to sleep and his mother is not around, or when she's not up to the job :-) I have to pitch in. I don't know any of the standard lullaby songs, so as any engineer would do, I make use of what I have.

The following tracks are perhaps the last ones to pass for as lullabies, but nevertheless, these are my, or rather our lullabies:

• Koi jab tumhara hriday tod de (Mohammed Rafi, Purab aur Paschim, 1970)
• Mera jeevan kora kagaz (Kishore Kumar, Kora Kagaz, 1974)

Apart from these two, I try my hand at Etho varmukilin (G Venugopal, Pookkalam Varavai, 1991), the only track that would qualify for the purpose.

Anyway, in case you are wondering if these songs work, then my answer is yes! At least I try to think so. More than the musical content (or the lack of it), my guess is that he stays calm because he doesn't feel lonely.

My wife says its a good thing that my baby can't talk yet and I can pass for as a singer till he does :-)

Whatever works, right?

Update: I'm happy to report that I've had great success with Ayiram Kannumai (Yesudas, Nokketha Doorathu Kannum Nattu, 1985). He's 2 years old now and still loves it!