Lithuanian folk songs
Lithuanian family songs
50 songs in this genre
Lithuanian family songs examine the closest bonds and their loss: a mother and daughter part, siblings remember one another, an orphan seeks protection, or a young wife describes life among her husband's relatives. Personal sorrow becomes a shared language through which a community could speak about dependency, duty, tenderness, and unequal power within the household.
This collection contains 50 songs with original Lithuanian lyrics and English context. Each guide identifies the family relationship and situation at its centre, rather than treating every lament or domestic image as the same kind of song.
A Little Oak Grew in the Forest Lithuanian family song: English context on children growing, oak, linden, soldier, ploughman, weaver, and FAQ.
A Little Thistle Grew in the YardA Little Thistle Grew in the Yard Lithuanian orphan song: lost mother, household labor, thistle branches, and English context.
A Small Beautiful Bird FlewA Small Beautiful Bird Flew Lithuanian family lament: English context on bird and girl parallelism, father loss, dark cloud, black garment, and FAQ.
Across the Green Rye FieldAcross the Green Rye Field Lithuanian orphan lament: green rye, forest birds, father under gray earth, nine nights, candles, and FAQ.
Across the Guelder-Rose BranchAcross the Guelder-Rose Branch Lithuanian family song: daughter married far away, cuckoo transformation, brother's recognition, and FAQ.
At Father's EstateAt Father's Estate Lithuanian folk song: orphan girl, golden dew, linden tree, rue wreath, tears, family-song context, and FAQ.
At My Father's HouseAt My Father's House Lithuanian family song: cherry orchards, five tables, relatives, neighbors, conversation, and kinship warmth.
At the End of the GranaryAt the End of the Granary Lithuanian family song: daughter-in-law and mother-in-law conflict, golden oriole, cherry garden, and husband as defender.
Beneath the Little WindowBeneath the Little Window: Lithuanian family ballad of a drowned young man, a young widow, orphans, and fidelity.
Beside the RoadBeside the Road Lithuanian family song: wondrous jovaras, kanklės at the roots, bees, falcons, brothers riding, and world-tree family symbolism.
Dawn BreakingLithuanian dawn song from Juška tradition about a mother, daughter, high hill, grave imagery, possible bridal reading, symbols, and FAQ.
Dear Mother of MineDear Mother of Mine Lithuanian family song: two marriage choices, widower with children, young man, sorrow and joy, and FAQ.
Do Not Scold Me, Do Not Beat MeDo Not Scold Me, Do Not Beat Me Lithuanian family song: married woman's plea, birth family, blocked paths, and resilience.
Dolijute DolijaDolijute Dolija Lithuanian family song: riderless horse, sister's question, brother's death, stars, winds, and English context.
Father Went AwayFather Went Away Lithuanian orphan song: cruel stepmother, dead mother at the grave, combing hair, white shirt, girdle, and coming of age.
Fires Burn Beyond the LakeLithuanian orphan lament: fires and sparks beyond the lake, falling tears, cuckoo consolation, garden without dove, forest without cuckoo.
Green Fallow FieldsGreen Fallow Fields Lithuanian orphan lament: mother under linden, father under oak, sister and brother orphans, graves, bark, dew, and longing.
I Grew Up in the VillageI Grew Up in the Village Lithuanian family song: English context on married daughter, cuckoo, overgrown paths, mother, longing, and return.
I Traveled Day and NightI Traveled Day and Night Lithuanian Dzūkian orphan song: green meadow, hay rake, weeping girl, gray earth, dead parents, and life's refusal.
I Walk Through the Manor YardI Walk Through the Manor Yard Lithuanian orphan song: trees asked to replace family, oak, linden, birch, currant, and context.
I Will Go AwayI Will Go Away Lithuanian Samogitian family song: alien home, black bread, suffering girl, reed on water, and separation.
If I Had Many DaughtersIf I Had Many Daughters Lithuanian family song: English context on sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, mother-in-law tensions, and FAQ.
In the Dark NightIn the Dark Night Lithuanian family song: howling wolves, stepped repetition, true fear, separation from father, and context.
It Has Been LongIt Has Been Long Lithuanian family song: English context on overgrown paths, longing to return, kinship, cumulative structure, and FAQ.
Let Us Go, BrothersLet Us Go, Brothers Lithuanian orphan song: sutartinė-like refrain, forest rain, oak and linden, branches, leaves, and lost parents.
Lioj Saudai, EveningQuiet Lithuanian family song with evening refrain, mother laid on white bedding, sleeping, mint planted beside her, memory, and life.
Mėtaujėla MėtaujoMėtaujėla Mėtaujo Lithuanian orphan lament: poor orphan, lost treasure, grief, no shelter, branched tree, cold stone, and refrain.
My Head HurtsLithuanian cumulative love and family song asking for spring water from father, mother, siblings, and finally the beloved.
Oh Sun, Dear SunOh Sun, Dear Sun Lithuanian family lyric: sun beyond the seas, brother on the road, grief carried to a high hill, and FAQ.
Oh, Far AwayOh, Far Away Lithuanian family song: English context on kin beyond the clouds, longing for father, messenger, distance, and FAQ.
Oh, You PeonyOh, You Peony Lithuanian family song: daughter-in-law and mother-in-law, peony, rue garden, whip, spinning, weaving, and childhood contrast.
Poor Little OrphanPoor Little Orphan Lithuanian family song: orphan lament, cuckoo on the grave maple, dead father, brother-in-law, and birch switches.
Rue, Green RueRue, Green Rue Lithuanian family song: rue planted wrongly, barren hills, old widower, young man, unhappy marriage, and FAQ.
Sister, Let Us Cut RyeSister, Let Us Cut Rye Lithuanian orphan song: rye harvest, rain, linden tree, lost sister, refrain, and grief nature cannot replace.
The Linden HadThe Linden Had Lithuanian family song: linden with nine branches, storm, cuckoo, mother with nine daughters, matchmakers, and emptying home.
The Little Firefly FlowedBrief Lithuanian family song about a firefly circling the father's manor, a daughter married far beyond deep waters, and recognition.
The Little Sun Is SettingThe Little Sun Is Setting Lithuanian family song: English context on married daughter's longing, mother, mother-in-law, bitter and sweet dew.
The Little Sun RisesLithuanian family song paralleling the sun counting stars with a mother counting daughters and missing the eldest worker.
The Paths Have ClosedThe Paths Have Closed Lithuanian family song: overgrown roads, married daughter, cuckoo feathers, mother's window, no return, and FAQ.
The Son Spent the NightThe Son Spent the Night Lithuanian family song: English context on dream interpretation, cuckoo, falcon, spirits, death omen, and FAQ.
The Sun Has Set (Orphan Song)The Sun Has Set Lithuanian orphan song: lost orphan, graveyard, dead mother, cruel stepmother, combing hair, shirt, and curse.
The Two of Us TogetherThe Two of Us Together Lithuanian family song: English context on shared work, linden wood, bed, cradle, child, and household making.
The Wind BlewThe Wind Blew Lithuanian family song: English context on oak, wind, father, son, psychological parallelism, and leaving home.
Then It SetThen It Set Lithuanian family song: sunset, girl at table, green rue, maidenhood, women's cares, singing in garden, and cradle.
Three Oaks in the YardLithuanian family song with tuto betuto refrain: three oaks as brothers, three lindens as sisters, horse and dowry divided.
Two Brothers Wrote a LetterTwo Brothers Wrote a Letter Lithuanian family song: English context on mother, sister, brothers, letter, hardship, river crossing, and return.
What Is RumblingWhat Is Rumbling Lithuanian family song: father visits married daughter, father-in-law, clover refrain, obedience, and FAQ.
When I Lived with MotherWhen I Lived with Mother Lithuanian family song: English context on daughter-in-law hardship, mother-in-law, towel, apron, and oriole.
Who Walked Through My GardenLithuanian family song about a harmonious homestead: father with bees, mother with linen, sister with rue, God with rye, and FAQ.
Whoever Wants to Be FreeWhoever Wants to Be Free Lithuanian family song: ironic warning about marrying a forester, tavern drinking, night riding, and anxious waiting.