Lullaby Mix

I was recently asked to lend my musical "expertise" to help a future mother compile a list of tracks for her gestating child to listen to while both inside and out of the womb. The parameters were classic, but not classical, some things off-beat so the kid won't get shoved into lockers (or will take locker-shovings with aplomb) and perhaps gender appropriate for the double-X chromosome variety of spawn. Also, soft and not grating since it is a lullaby mix and you don't want the child to turn into a demon.

I made three mixes, but here is the list of the one I sent.

Beach Baby - Bon Iver
True Born Sons of Levi - Samamidon
England - The National
Isadora - Christian Scott
Tiger Mountain Peasant Song - Fleet Foxes
Sisters of Mercy - Leonard Cohen
All Things Must Pass - Yim Yames
Anthems for a Seventeen-Year-Old Girl - Broken Social Scene
Knot Comes Loose - My Morning Jacket
Lilac Wine - Jeff Buckley
Big Red Machine - Justin Vernon and Aaron Dressner
January Hymn - The Decemberists
Daisy - Stone Temple Pilots
Corpus Christi Carol - Jeff Buckley
Wings - Tim Buckley
Morning Theft - Jeff Buckley
Sweet Lil Gal (23rd and 1st) - Ryan Adams

Marginalia:

Beach Baby speaks for itself.

True Born Sons of Levi is (at least) historically appropriate for this child.

A mix like this owes itself deep humming baritone voices like Leonard Cohen and The National's Matt Berninger.

I liked the idea of sandwiching Tim Buckley in between his son (and since JB's Hallelujah had been deemed too passe, I went with two other lesser-knowns of his and threw another in there for good measure; I'm comfortable dedicating a sixth of a lullaby mix to Jeff Buckley).

January Hymn and Daisy were needed to offset the maudlin parts. Yim Yames' cover of George Harrison's All Things Must Pass imbues the spirit of continuity, and Sweet Lil Girl, well, have a listen.

Tiger Mountain Peasant Song is an unbelievably beautiful song. Here is a live version.

England --The record version is a touch more docile, but the trumpet is really what does a number on me.

Speaking of trumpets, Christian Scott is one of the best ever. Here is Isadora

Broken Social Scene's official music video for Anthems for a Seventeen Year Old Girl

Ryan Adams Sweet Lil Gal

Suggestions from readers are always welcome.