Released 1941 (1941) Length 02:05 Composer(s) Frank Churchill | Genre Lullaby, ballad Writer(s) Ned Washington | |
"Baby Mine" is a song from the 1941 Disney animated feature Dumbo, widely considered one of the greatest songs in American film. The music is by Frank Churchill, with lyrics by Ned Washington. Betty Noyes recorded the vocals for the original film version. In the film, Dumbo's mother, Mrs. Jumbo, an elephant locked in a circus wagon, cradles her baby Dumbo with her trunk while this lullaby is sung.
Contents
The song was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 14th Academy Awards in 1942. It is also listed on AFI's "100 Years... 100 Songs" as one of America's greatest film songs.
Recordings
Early popular recordings include those by Les Brown, Glenn Miller, and Jane Froman, followed by several others; and years later, the song regained attention. Bette Midler covered the song on the 1988 Beaches soundtrack. In the same year, Bonnie Raitt and Was (Not Was) recorded the song for the album, Stay Awake: Various Interpretations of Music from Vintage Disney Films.
Alison Krauss recorded a cover for the 1996 album The Best of Country Sing the Best of Disney. Her version peaked at number 82 on the RPM Country Tracks chart in Canada. Krauss' cover earned her a Grammy nomination for Best Female Country Vocal Performance in 1997.
An instrumental version by violinist Jenny Oaks Baker was included in the Grammy nominated album Wish Upon a Star, released in 2011.
There have been numerous Disney compilation releases of the original, as well as an Original Cast recording from the musical, Disney's On the Record: A New Musical Review Various other cover versions of the song run the gamut of genres.
Lyrics
Baby Mine (original)
Music and lyrics by Frank Churchill and Ned Washington
Baby mine, don't you cry
Baby mine, dry your eyes
Rest your head close to my heart
Never to part
Baby of mine
Little one when you play
Pay no heed to what they say
Let your eyes sparkle and shine
Never a tear
Baby of mine
If they knew all about you
They'd end up loving you too
All those same people who scold you
What they'd give just for the right to hold you
From your head down to your toes
You're not much, goodness knows
But you're so precious to me
Sweet as can be
Baby of mine
Baby Mine (movie version)
(mmm)
Baby mine, don't you cry
Baby mine, dry your eyes
Rest your head close to my heart
Never to part
Baby of mine
Little one when you play
Don't you mind what they say
Let those eyes sparkle and shine
Never a tear
Baby of mine
(mmm) Instrumental (mmm)
From your head down to your toes
You're so sweet, goodness knows
You are so precious to me
Cute as can be
Baby of mine
Baby mine, baby mine.