The Sun Has Set lyrics and meaning
Jau saulutė nusileido
Už aukštų kalnų
Mik vaikeli mik mažuti
Čiūčia liūlia liū
Tu moki pirmą žodį
Mama-aa
Ir moki verkti ūū-ūū
Mik vaikeli mik mažuti
Čiūčia liūlia liū
Danguje žvaigždutė švyti
Ir aplink tamsu
Mik vaikeli mik mažuti
Čiūčia liūlia liū
Bet aš žinau tik žodį
Mama-aa
Ir moku verkti ūū-ūū
Mik vaikeli mik mažuti
Čiūčia liūlia liū
The Sun Has Set: song interpretation
This song can be understood as a lullaby sung to put a small child to sleep. At the beginning, the sun sets behind high hills, and the quiet refrain "Ciucia liulia liu" urges the child to sleep. Sunset here marks the time of sleep and calm.
The song gently observes that the child knows only the first word, "mama," and knows how to cry. This image can be interpreted as a picture of early infancy, when the child's whole world is contained in the mother and in crying.
In the second stanza a little star shines in the sky, darkness surrounds everything, and the sleep refrain returns. The image of darkness and star can be understood as a gentle night calm in which the mother watches over the child. That is one possible meaning, but the lullaby character and maternal tenderness are clear.
The Sun Has Set: symbols and phrases
- Setting sun
- The sunset behind high hills marks sleep time and begins the lullaby's calm.
- "Ciucia liulia liu"
- A tender sleep refrain. It creates the rhythm and warmth of the lullaby.
- The word "mama"
- The child's first word and the center of the child's world. It marks early infancy.
- Little star in the sky
- The star shining in darkness creates a gentle night calm in which the mother watches over the child.
The Sun Has Set: song history
"The Sun Has Set" belongs to children's songs, more specifically lullabies sung while putting an infant to sleep. The whole structure rests on the repeated sleep refrain "Sleep, little child, sleep, small one, ciucia liulia liu," while the sunset behind high hills and the little star shining in darkness create a quiet night mood. These are typical lullaby images, through which the surrounding space calms together with the child.
The exact recording time and place are not given on the page, so the song is presented by genre. The tender observation that the baby knows only the first word, "mama," and how to cry reveals early infancy, in which the whole world is held in the mother; such intimate lyric attention to a small child is typical of Lithuanian lullabies.
sources
- Lithuanian Folk Songbook, vols. 1-23, Vilnius 1980-2011 (LLTI)
- P. Jokimaitienė, Lithuanian Folk Children's Songs, Vilnius 1970
- Catalogue of Lithuanian Folk Songs, 6 vols., Vilnius 1972-1986
The Sun Has Set: sources
The Sun Has Set: frequently asked questions
What kind of song is this?
It is a lullaby, a children's song sung while putting a small child to sleep.
What does "Ciucia liulia liu" mean?
It is a soft sleep refrain that creates the lullaby's rhythm and warmth. Similar sound refrains are common in Lithuanian lullabies.
Why does the song say the child knows only "mama"?
It portrays early infancy: a small child's world is centered on the mother and expressed through crying.
What do sunset and the star signify?
The setting sun and the star shining in darkness mark the time of night, sleep, and maternal care.