Wake-Up Songs can be viewed as a distinct sub-genre or tangential genre of lullabies, however instead of having the goal of putting the child to sleep, it is the reverse. The goal of wake-up songs is to get the child out of bed in the morning. They vary in length and style, but in general all have rhyming characteristics. Like all folklore, they are traditionally not recorded, but rather passed orally from parent or relative to child. In addition they often have common themes, which include topics such as waking up, being asleep, being lazy, and things that need to be done that coming day. Additionally they can include repeated verses and refrains. While original lullabies are often melodious and calming, wake-up songs tend to be more upbeat and positive to engender excitement.
Ben Wood, Dartmouth ’16, Russian 13, Professor Mikhail Gronas, Spring 2014
