FAWM: "Softly (A City Lullaby)"

Softly (A City Lullaby)

Liner Notes

FAWM 2026 / Song 15 Instrument: laminate spalted maple concert (pineapple) ukulele tuned low GCEA

Found myself on the bus in NYC during 30 minutes of the skirmish prompt: “lullaby”

I wanted it to be a lullaby of peace that contains nature and the city, but not as opposites or enemies. A lullaby I could sing to a baby, an older child, a loved one, someone dying, myself.

1st draft: 26 minutes. I’ll stop here for now. I have to get off the bus and transfer to the subway!

Update 2/13: took some time to find a melody. Now with demo!

Lyrics

Sleep, the city’s sleeping Past the window on the stair The scaffolding is quiet, and The statues in the square Will hush each bus as it flows past The doors still swish, the gears still clash But softly, softly

Each fresh day, the edges Rise around us in a glare A wink in every window To remind us we are there Inside the city’s noisy press Until the night breathes in a breath So softly, softly

Green, the green is rising There is birdsong underneath Built on beauty waiting, too, In dreams when we’re asleep So close your eyes, love, find yourself You might be here or somewhere else All softly, softly

Softly, oh Oh, softly, sortly

Comments

@wynia 13h

This is so soothing! How lovely!! Gorgeous melody, tender playing, and beautiful vocals. I especially liked the lyric: "To remind us we are there Inside the city’s noisy press Until the night breathes in a breath So softly, softly"

@newukenewyork 8h

I appreciate you listening and letting me know what lyric spoke to you. :)

@gordon 2d

Thanks for letting me know about the video Really lovely song, beautifully sung and played. Thanks for this, just excellent

@newukenewyork 1d

Thank you very much for returning to listen. ❤️

@daveescoffery 2d

Gorgeous! I'm glad I came back to hear the melody weave around those intricately crafted words.

@newukenewyork 2d

Hi! Thanks so much for revisiting and letting me know. I appreciate it.

@benbrownnc 3d

So pleasant, I love it. Such a great pace.

@newukenewyork 2d

Thank you very much for taking a listen to this and to "Birds That Stay." I appreciated receiving your kind comments.

@lousyhitchhiker 3d

This absolutely lovely and paints a beautiful picture!

@newukenewyork 2d

Thank you so much for the kind comment.

@sparrow51 4d

Sweet delivery, nice lyrics, "The doors still swish, the gears still clash" particularly struck me.

@newukenewyork 3d

Thanks so much for commenting and letting me know what line especially worked for you. I always appreciate it.

@newukenewyork 5d

Thank you to those who commented on my lyrics for "Softly (A City Lullaby)" -- there is now a melody with video demo, if you are interested. :) @gordon @greenrocks @daveescoffery @clownresidue @dandrea @kahlo2013 @bunga @mccannrs @fb2studios @berni1954 @cindyrella @porrectus

@indigo_goose 5d

This feels like wandering around a living city at 1am. Where the city itself is personified and part of the rhythm of the lives of the people in it. Love it!

@newukenewyork 5d

Thank you so much -- and good timing. You were probably first to see the video demo I just uploaded. :)

@greenrocks 6d

Now i'm imagining the statues hushing. Enjoyed the flow from human made to birdsong. A lovely lullaby.

@newukenewyork 5d

Thanks very much for reading the lyrics of "Softly." I'm going to try to set it to music today, and this encourages me to keep at it!

@daveescoffery 6d

I love how the lyrics flow and the intricate rhymes. I hope to hear what you do with it melodically!

@newukenewyork 5d

Thank you so much for taking a look at the lyrics. Melody coming soon!

@clownresidue 6d

Your lyrics are so lovely! Beautiful use of figurative language

@newukenewyork 6d

Thank you very much!

@deandra 6d

Thank you for being a part of this skirmish! What a lovely lyric, especially impressive for completion in 26 minutes! Wow! I definitely feel this is a universal lullaby! Great job!

@newukenewyork 6d

Thanks for the encouraging feedback. I appreciate it! :)

@kahlo2013 6d

Softly, softly really helps create the ambiance and the images of the city at night…. It is a magical time and you capture that so well.

@newukenewyork 6d

Thank you so much for the thoughtful read!

@bunga 6d

This accomplishes both goals of working as a lullaby but also as a document of a specific place, and you've married the two together brilliantly.

@newukenewyork 6d

I appreciate you saying so! I'm glad this lyric "gets there."

@mccannrs 6d

Even a daily commute can be the inspiration for a great song! I particularly like the first verse, you've perfectly captured that early morning "quiet" that's unique to a city. I hope you get a demo up for this later, I would love to hear these lyrics set to music.

@newukenewyork 6d

Thank you very much for your thoughtful comment. I particularly like that first verse, too. I have too many songs where I think THIS is the verse, and then can't make the other verses match up. The more I write, hopefully, the more likely I'll hit two or three verses I love equally. :) Which isn't to "neg" my other verses. Just nice to hear my instincts echoed regarding what works best in a lyric I've written.