"Cancion de cuna para dormir a un negrito" by Montsalvatge

Composer:Xavier Montsalvatge (1912-2002)
Cradle Song for a small black child
From Cinco Canciones Negras
Text: Rafael Alberti
Teresa Berganza, soprano; Felix Lavilla, piano
Aix-en-provence festival 18 July 1964

Translation

Ninghe, ninghe, ninghe, so tiny,
the little black child that doesn't want to sleep.
Head of coconut, grain of coffee,
with pretty freckles, with eyes wide open
like two windows that overlook the sea.

Close your tiny eyes, frightened little black boy;
the white boogey-man can eat you up.
You're no longer are slave! And if you sleep a lot
the master of the house promises to buy you
a suit with buttons, so you can be a "groom."

Ninghe, ninghe, ninghe, sleep little black child,
head of coconut, grain of coffee.

Translations from
Lied and Art Song Page