With the Duke and Duchess of Sussex welcomed the newest addition to the Royal Family — a baby boy, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor! — it got us thinking: what are some musical staples the new parents should be playing for the little prince?  

We looked to our Instructional Supervisors for suggestions of sweet lullabies to stimulate Baby Sussex’s mind. At Education Through Music, we know that music education starts at home, and it is never too early to start introducing your child to an inspiring playlist. As a matter of fact, our latest Impact Report shows that students of music learn more deeply, are more likely to continue pursuing music throughout their academic careers, and are more likely to persist in tasks even when they are challenging.   

Check out the list below for some of the top songs Baby Sussex (and your little one) should be listening to at home:

Top 5 Songs The Duke and Duchess of Sussex Should Play for Their New Prince

1. “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” – A classic children’s song, with lyrics from an early 19th-century poem by Jane Taylor, “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star’s” melody was one of Mozart’s earliest compositions! This classic makes the list because it is believed that Mozart’s music is good for brain development. “The Mozart Effect,” was coined in 1991 after a two-year study revealed listening to classical music improves brain functions!
2. “Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)” by John Lennon – Originally written for John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s son, Sean, this song is the perfect serenade for a young prince!  The song features the famous Lennon quote “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” The song is also featured in Mr. Holland’s Opus, starring Richard Dreyfuss, who played a high-school music teacher who aspires to compose his own orchestra piece. In the film, Dreyfuss sings and signs the song to his deaf son.
3. “Baby Mine” from Disney’s Dumbo – This classic melodic lullaby was written for the 1941 Disney film. In it, Dumbo’s mother sang the lullaby to baby Dumbo while sweetly cradling him in her trunk. It was nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Song and was also included on AFI’s “100 Years…100 Songs” as one of the greatest American film songs. The has bee performed and recorded several times, most popularly by Bette Midler on the Beaches soundtrack.
4. “Lullaby (Goodnight my Angel)” by Billy Joel – It’s never too early to introduce your child to the “Piano Man”! Inspired by his daughter Alexa Ray, the song was actually written in the style of a Gregorian chant. The song inspired Joel and in 2004, he signed a deal with Scholastic Books to write two children’s books, the first book entitled “Goodnight, My Angel (A Lullaby)”! “Goodnight, My Angel (A Lullaby)” was a picture book created to reassure children that they are not alone in this world.
5. “Never Grow Up” by Taylor Swift – One of the current queens of pop, Taylor Swift wrote this song about her own childhood experiences growing up and moving out on her own. The song was inspired by kids, who like her, are navigating their way through their adolescence and developing into young adults.

BONUS PICK! “Brahms’s Lullaby” (Cradle Song) – The lullaby of all lullabies! Johannes Brahms composed this piece in 1868 and it was originally titled “Wiegenlied.” The song was dedicated to his friend Bertha to honor the birth of her son. Brahms had actually been in love with her when they were younger and based the melody of “Wiegenlied” on a song she used to sing to him.

Inspired by our playlist? Check out our Spotify channel today for more catchy tunes!

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