Music is one of the deepest and most emotional ways that people communicate. There’s nothing more vulnerable or personal than singing a song to someone.
That’s one reason it means so much to us when someone does it. Recently, in an incredibly sweet video, sisters Zoey and Gabby reminded us of how sweet it can be to sing to one another.
In the video, Gabby is just a wee newborn. Zoey, her big sister, is holding her. Like all little babies, Gabby has a tendency to get fussy. She’s crying pretty uncontrollably when the footage starts. But luckily, her older sister is determined to be there for her and help to comfort her. Now, Gabby is just a little one herself. She’s not exactly a practiced singer, either. In fact, she flubs some of the words of the song she chooses. But when this toddler starts to serenade her infant sister, the effect is almost instantaneous.
Gabby stops crying almost the exact second her big sister starts to sing to her. It’s very comforting for her: just to know that someone is there, loves her and heard her crying. What’s more, the words to the song have a special meaning, too. Zoey is singing You Are My Sunshine to her baby sister. It’s a great way to tell her how much she loves her, and that she is going to take care of her. This is one of the most popular songs in the world, and it’s always been a favorite for lullabies.
Written a little over a century ago, You Are My Sunshine has been released many times. During the Depression era, the song popularized rural music, as Salon reports. Later, June Carter’s husband, Johnny Cash, would record a more grizzled version of his own. It’s a song that has been covered again and again. It’s appeared in commercials, television shows and films. However, it’s hard to think there could be a better version than the one that Zoey sings to her baby sister.
What is your favorite lullaby to sing to your kids? Let us know in the comments and pass this heartwarming video on to friends and family members.