This album features both traditional and modern Irish and Scottish lullabies. Many of the songs are sung in Gaelic and include instruments such as classical guitar, tin whistle, piano, strings, and harp. This is a great way to expose your little one to the soothing sounds of another culture as they close their eyes and drift off to sleep.
Celtic Dreamland is a captivating collection of Scottish and Irish lullabies full of Celtic culture. Multiple songs on the album are sung in the mesmerizing Gaelic language, including Cagaran Gaolach (Loveable Little Darling), Casadh an tSugain (The Twisting of the Rope), and A Phluirin Mhilis (Sweet Little Flower). The gentle plucking of a classical guitar and the flowing harmonies of stringed instruments figure prominently in most of the lullabies, while others feature traditional Irish instruments such as the tin whistle (When Juniper Sleeps and An Fhideag Airgid) and harp (The Dove's Return). The songs Goodnight and Joy and Ye Banks and Braes are based on poems by Robert Burns, the national poet of Scotland. In Dream Angus a children's choir joins in for the final verse and chorus, providing an angelic and dreamy quality.
This album promotes calm and relaxation before bedtime. You can help your little one understand the motivation for the music by sharing the descriptions of each song included in the cover booklet. For example, Dream Angus is a traditional Scottish lullaby about a Celtic god of who travels the land with a bag of dreams draped over his shoulder. He sells his dreams to people just as they are falling asleep. The song also includes a new Scottish word for you and your little one: Bairnie, which means child. Eilean M'Araich (Isle of Arran) is about one of the singer's favorite Scottish sites: "Isle of my childhood, Isle of prosperity. Beautiful isle, across the sea. The gentle breeze which comes from you sustains my heart for ever more."
Putumayo Kids is the children's and educational division of Putumayo World Music. As one of the leading children's record labels, Putumayo Kids is committed to introducing children to other cultures through music from around the world.
With its growing collection of CDs featuring multilingual liner notes, Putumayo Kids produces music that entertains, educates and inspires cultural curiosity. More than three million Putumayo Kids CDs have been sold around the world. At least one percent of the CD sales benefit non-profit groups that support children, families, schools and other charities.
The Putumayo Kids music team chooses songs with child-friendly lyrics and rhythms by both renowned and undiscovered international artists. The collection of songs are tested in schools and with families. An international music selection contributes to the education of future global citizens while holding true to Putumayo's mission of sharing music that is "guaranteed to make you feel good".
Putumayo Kids has won numerous awards and is parent and teacher approved. Some organizations that have awarded honors to Putumayo Kids include Parents' Choice, National Parenting Publication Awards, Teachers' Choice and the American Library Association.