The story is a monster momma soothing her monster baby back to sleep. I figured human nightmares would be the basis for a monster's lullaby, so used real nightmares told to me by others (we are strange imaginative humans.)
Musically, I took "Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral" into a dark basement and did unspeakable things to turn it into the melody you hear. After recording the song, I went to sleep with my song playing over and over in my head, leading to troubling dreams. Success?
lyrics
Hush, oh my darling with terrors in the night.
Only mamma's singing can banish out the light.
Death will surround you, softly like a sigh.
In this monster's lullaby.
Think of the horsemen bowling with their heads.
Think of the zombies tucked beneath your bed.
Think of the turtles clicking nails like knives.
In this monster's lullaby.
A tangle of string caught tight against your throat.
Boiled in hot soup: will you sink or float?
Monkeys smashing cribs, oh, hear the babies cry!
In this monster's lullaby.
Close your eyes.
One- two- three.
Sleep my monster.
Baby.
Echoing footsteps, but no one's ever there.
A disembodied arm that drags you down the stair.
Falling where no one can hear your last good-bye.
In this monster's lullaby.
Thanks to : Sue Poitras, Sandy Malloy, Rebecca Schuetz, Deidra Knauth, Deborah Sternklar and Brad Towle and anonymous others for sharing their worst nightmares.
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