In January, I received an email from a woman named Lisa Redfern, who read and really liked my book, Mamalita, and wanted to share with me some of her journey through adoption. Every sentence Lisa wrote was beautiful: Clear and straightforward, and very deeply moving. By the time I finished reading the email, I knew I was in the hands of an expert storyteller.

Then, at the end of her letter, almost as an afterthought, Lisa added this paragraph:

In 2010 I released my 8th recording, Sing Me Goodnight, a lullaby CD with two lullabies about adoption. ‘Waiting for You’ I wrote for domestic adoption and ‘Orphans Lullaby’ I wrote for international. You can hear clips of them on CDBABY:

Immediately, I went to the site to listen to the clips, and when I discovered Lisa’s singing voice was as clear and beautiful as her prose, I ordered the CD.  Finally, last night, almost three months later, I listened to all 13 tracks after dinner with my seven-year-old son, Mateo, as we baked sugar cookies in our kitchen.

We loved every song. Lisa dedicates Sing Me Goodnight to “Parents and children everywhere, especially those creating families through adoption.” If you’re an adoptive parent, or anyone else who has been touched by adoption, you will want to own this music. The CD contains traditional folk tunes such as “Hush Little Baby,” “Down in the Valley,” “Tell Me Why,” and “Beautiful Dreamer,” but my favorite selections are the ones penned by Lisa, including the two about adoption. The lyrics and melodies are haunting and complex, much like adoption itself. Here’s an excerpt from “Waiting for You”:

You’re the child I’ll raise as mine/I’ve loved you from the start.

I’ve been waiting here for you/And holding you in my heart.

***

Though my loss has brought me here/And loss brings you to me.

When we meet, we’ll build our life/It’s beautiful, you will see.

And from “Orphans Lullaby”:

In a foreign orphanage… when you cry out in need/You have to rock yourself to sleep.

They do the best they can/But there aren’t enough hands.

Wish I could hold you tonight/And sing an Orphans Lullaby.

After listening to “Orphans Lullaby,” Mateo brought up the subject of his early history, which he does only when something connects with him on a profound and emotional level. That emotional connection, to me, is the hallmark of a true work of art. We recommend!

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Tags: adoption songs, CDBaby, children's lullaby CDs, domestic adoption, international adoption, Lisa Redfern, Sing Me Goodnight, songs about adoption

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