Comments on: Origin of the song “Here Comes the Sandman” http://www.rainbowsongs.com/mikeblog/2006/11/21/origin-of-the-song-hear-comes-the-sandman/ Exchanging ideas about learning, music, community, and culture. Tue, 6 Jan 2009 19:48:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Mike Whitla http://www.rainbowsongs.com/mikeblog/2006/11/21/origin-of-the-song-hear-comes-the-sandman/#comment-19423 Mike Whitla Wed, 03 Sep 2008 13:29:27 +0000 http://www.rainbowsongs.com/mikeblog/2006/11/21/origin-of-the-song-hear-comes-the-sandman/#comment-19423 michelle Thanks for your story. You are the first person who has a story from a non-English speaking country. Wow this song got around!! michelle

Thanks for your story. You are the first person who has a story from a non-English speaking country. Wow this song got around!!

]]> By: michele weinbaum http://www.rainbowsongs.com/mikeblog/2006/11/21/origin-of-the-song-hear-comes-the-sandman/#comment-19407 michele weinbaum Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:43:05 +0000 http://www.rainbowsongs.com/mikeblog/2006/11/21/origin-of-the-song-hear-comes-the-sandman/#comment-19407 Sorry did not finish my daughter hit the button any way the rest is The little stars are peeping to see if you are sleeping Go to sleep my children Go to sleep good night I am so glad other people sing this adorable song I always loved it and will continue to sing it for many years to come. Sorry did not finish my daughter hit the button any way the rest is

The little stars are peeping
to see if you are sleeping
Go to sleep my children
Go to sleep good night

I am so glad other people sing this adorable song I always loved it and will continue to sing it for many years to come.

]]> By: michele weinbaum http://www.rainbowsongs.com/mikeblog/2006/11/21/origin-of-the-song-hear-comes-the-sandman/#comment-19406 michele weinbaum Wed, 03 Sep 2008 00:36:34 +0000 http://www.rainbowsongs.com/mikeblog/2006/11/21/origin-of-the-song-hear-comes-the-sandman/#comment-19406 I can not believe I found this site my grand mother who just recently passed away always sang this to my sisters and I. I have four children of my own and wanted to male sure that someone in our family continued to sing this song, So in honor of my grandmother and because I always loved it I sing it to my children. Here is her version. She grew up in Warsaw Poland. Here comes the sandman stepping so lightly stepping along on the tips of his toes and he scatters the sand with his own little hand in the eyes of the sleepy children Go to sleep my children close your sleepy eyes the lady moon will watch you beneath the darkened skies I can not believe I found this site my grand mother who just recently passed away always sang this to my sisters and I. I have four children of my own and wanted to male sure that someone in our family continued to sing this song, So in honor of my grandmother and because I always loved it I sing it to my children. Here is her version. She grew up in Warsaw Poland.

Here comes the sandman
stepping so lightly
stepping along on the tips of his toes
and he scatters the sand with his own little hand
in the eyes of the sleepy children

Go to sleep my children
close your sleepy eyes
the lady moon will watch you beneath the darkened skies

]]> By: Peggy http://www.rainbowsongs.com/mikeblog/2006/11/21/origin-of-the-song-hear-comes-the-sandman/#comment-19364 Peggy Sat, 30 Aug 2008 20:58:02 +0000 http://www.rainbowsongs.com/mikeblog/2006/11/21/origin-of-the-song-hear-comes-the-sandman/#comment-19364 It's interesting to see how songs can change a little, by just passing them down from one generation to the next. My grandfather was Danish and sang this song to my mother and she sang it to "us". I sang it to my children and now would like to pass it to my daughter to sing to her little girls. My mother would change it up a little... she would add the color of "our" eyes to the song to make it a little personal. "Go to sleep my baby Close your pretty blue eyes" ...or green or brown I was very Happy to have found your site Mike...Thank you! How wonderful to have such wonderful things to keep "our" familes tied together! It’s interesting to see how songs can change a little, by just passing them down from one generation to the next.
My grandfather was Danish and sang this song to my mother and she sang it to “us”. I sang it to my children and now would like to pass it to my daughter to sing to her little girls.

My mother would change it up a little… she would add the color of “our” eyes to the song to make it a little personal.

“Go to sleep my baby
Close your pretty blue eyes” …or green or brown

I was very Happy to have found your site Mike…Thank you!

How wonderful to have such wonderful things to keep “our” familes tied together!

]]> By: Don Beck http://www.rainbowsongs.com/mikeblog/2006/11/21/origin-of-the-song-hear-comes-the-sandman/#comment-18957 Don Beck Sat, 12 Jul 2008 22:42:40 +0000 http://www.rainbowsongs.com/mikeblog/2006/11/21/origin-of-the-song-hear-comes-the-sandman/#comment-18957 This was the song my dad sang to me; I sang to my kids and grandkids; and they in turn sing to their kids. Here is our version: Here comes the sandman stepping so lightly stealing along on the tips of his toes As he scatters the sand with his own little hands in the eyes of the night, night, children Go to sleep my babies, close your night, night eyes. The sandman will watch you throughout the darkening skies. And the little moon is peeping just to see if you are sleeping. Go to sleep my babies go to sleep goodnight. I'm tired now and sleepy too Come put me in my little bedsy wedsy wed. Thank you everybody for listening in and God bless you! This was the song my dad sang to me; I sang to my kids and grandkids; and they in turn sing to their kids.

Here is our version:

Here comes the sandman
stepping so lightly
stealing along on the tips of his toes
As he scatters the sand
with his own little hands
in the eyes of the night, night, children

Go to sleep my babies,
close your night, night eyes.
The sandman will watch you
throughout the darkening skies.

And the little moon is peeping
just to see if you are sleeping.
Go to sleep my babies
go to sleep goodnight.

I’m tired now and sleepy too
Come put me in my little bedsy wedsy wed.

Thank you everybody for listening in
and God bless you!

]]> By: Linda Lamb http://www.rainbowsongs.com/mikeblog/2006/11/21/origin-of-the-song-hear-comes-the-sandman/#comment-18946 Linda Lamb Sun, 29 Jun 2008 17:58:22 +0000 http://www.rainbowsongs.com/mikeblog/2006/11/21/origin-of-the-song-hear-comes-the-sandman/#comment-18946 The Sandman is a song that my mother sang to me, that I have sung to all 4 of my children, and am still asked to sing it to my 7 year old. I have read through the many versions on the site and although very similar I can't see an exact copy of the that I sing. Here comes the Sandman Stepping so lightly Stealing along on the tips of his toes As he scatters the sand With his own little hand In the eyes of the sleepy children Go to sleep my baby Close your sleepy eyes Angles up above you Are watching you from the skies My darling baby Stars begin to peep Time for little boys like you To go to sleep. It's good to know that sandman is being sung to children, whatever the version and very interesting to read everyone's stories The Sandman is a song that my mother sang to me, that I have sung to all 4 of my children, and am still asked to sing it to my 7 year old. I have read through the many versions on the site and although very similar I can’t see an exact copy of the that I sing.

Here comes the Sandman
Stepping so lightly
Stealing along on the tips of his toes
As he scatters the sand
With his own little hand
In the eyes of the sleepy children

Go to sleep my baby
Close your sleepy eyes
Angles up above you
Are watching you from the skies
My darling baby
Stars begin to peep
Time for little boys like you
To go to sleep.

It’s good to know that sandman is being sung to children, whatever the version and very interesting to read everyone’s stories

]]> By: jules http://www.rainbowsongs.com/mikeblog/2006/11/21/origin-of-the-song-hear-comes-the-sandman/#comment-18909 jules Thu, 15 May 2008 20:04:58 +0000 http://www.rainbowsongs.com/mikeblog/2006/11/21/origin-of-the-song-hear-comes-the-sandman/#comment-18909 I am so glad that you have this website! My mom used to sing this to us when we were little and i've always thought about this song, thinking about the lyrics....my memory is a little fuzzy and i'm not sure my mom sung it exactly like others (i really should ask her!) i know she added in 'close your big blue eyes' and added our names instead of darling. USA I am so glad that you have this website! My mom used to sing this to us when we were little and i’ve always thought about this song, thinking about the lyrics….my memory is a little fuzzy and i’m not sure my mom sung it exactly like others (i really should ask her!) i know she added in ‘close your big blue eyes’ and added our names instead of darling.
USA

]]> By: Mike Whitla http://www.rainbowsongs.com/mikeblog/2006/11/21/origin-of-the-song-hear-comes-the-sandman/#comment-18907 Mike Whitla Wed, 14 May 2008 12:22:20 +0000 http://www.rainbowsongs.com/mikeblog/2006/11/21/origin-of-the-song-hear-comes-the-sandman/#comment-18907 Edyth Thanks for your touching story about this amazing song. I'm so glad you stopped by to share it. Edyth

Thanks for your touching story about this amazing song.

I’m so glad you stopped by to share it.

]]> By: Mike Whitla http://www.rainbowsongs.com/mikeblog/2006/11/21/origin-of-the-song-hear-comes-the-sandman/#comment-18906 Mike Whitla Wed, 14 May 2008 12:21:25 +0000 http://www.rainbowsongs.com/mikeblog/2006/11/21/origin-of-the-song-hear-comes-the-sandman/#comment-18906 Mateus Thanks for your story about this song. But this song is not a folk song as we do know who wrote it. Mateus

Thanks for your story about this song. But this song is not a folk song as we do know who wrote it.

]]> By: Edyth Bassett http://www.rainbowsongs.com/mikeblog/2006/11/21/origin-of-the-song-hear-comes-the-sandman/#comment-18905 Edyth Bassett Wed, 14 May 2008 02:24:46 +0000 http://www.rainbowsongs.com/mikeblog/2006/11/21/origin-of-the-song-hear-comes-the-sandman/#comment-18905 In reply to the wonderful stories about this song, I would like to add mine. I am 87 years old. I was born in 1920 and in December 1923 my mother died. I lived with my maternal grandparents. My 3 month old baby sister lived with my father's cousin and my 2 year old brother lived with another of Father's cousins. My 5 year old brother lived with my father and his parents. When I was 7 years old, Father died and when I was 9 my grandfather died after a prolonged illness. It was 1929, the depression hit, and people were suddenly poor. I stayed with my aunt and uncle in their one room apartment and slept on the floor and sometimes in the large baby bed. There was no one to sing the Sandman song to me. They both worked, my aunt only 4 hours a day, while I looked after the 9 month old baby. Grandmother said I would be better off in the Girls Parental Home where I would be able to go to school and perhaps get help to go to college. I arrived at a lovely home on a farm with about a hundred girls. Shortly thereafter one of the supervisors decided we should put on a play "Hansel and Gretal". She added a sandman to sing Hansel and Gretal to sleep outside the witch's house. I was the sandman and I danced around and sang: Here comes the Sandman Stepping so lightly Stealing along on the tips of his toes And he scatters the sand With his own little hand In the eyes of the sleepy children. Oh hear the Sandman Singing so softly Singing the children to sleep everywhere See them close their bright eyes See them nod their tired heads And hear the Sandman singing. Go to sleep my children Close your sleepy eyes The Lady Moon will watch you From out the darkening skies The little stars are peeping To see if you are sleeping Go to sleep my children Go to sleep. Good night. I think I should add that I had four children and sang the Sandman song to each of them In reply to the wonderful stories about this song, I would like to add mine. I am 87 years old. I was born in 1920 and in December 1923 my mother died. I lived with my maternal grandparents. My 3 month old baby sister lived with my father’s cousin and my 2 year old brother lived with another of Father’s cousins. My 5 year old brother lived with my father and his parents.
When I was 7 years old, Father died and when I was 9 my grandfather died after a prolonged illness. It was 1929, the depression hit, and people were suddenly poor. I stayed with my aunt and uncle in their one room apartment and slept on the floor and sometimes in the large baby bed. There was no one to sing the Sandman song to me. They both worked, my aunt only 4 hours a day, while I looked after the 9 month old baby.
Grandmother said I would be better off in the Girls Parental Home where I would be able to go to school and perhaps get help to go to college. I arrived at a lovely home on a farm with about a hundred girls.
Shortly thereafter one of the supervisors decided we should put on a play “Hansel and Gretal”. She added a sandman to sing Hansel and Gretal to sleep outside the witch’s house. I was the sandman and I danced around and sang:
Here comes the Sandman
Stepping so lightly
Stealing along on the tips of his toes
And he scatters the sand
With his own little hand
In the eyes of the sleepy children.

Oh hear the Sandman
Singing so softly
Singing the children to sleep everywhere
See them close their bright eyes
See them nod their tired heads
And hear the Sandman singing.

Go to sleep my children
Close your sleepy eyes
The Lady Moon will watch you
From out the darkening skies
The little stars are peeping
To see if you are sleeping
Go to sleep my children
Go to sleep. Good night.

I think I should add that I had four children and sang the Sandman song to each of them

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