Godspeed. Sweet Dreams. {Our Favorite Lullaby}

We all have that song, the one that beckons life to slow down, melts away the outside world, and makes time completely stand still.

Godspeed by The Chicks has become one of my most cherished songs.

When my son has a rough night, we sing Godspeed, sometimes snuggled up rocking with his ‘special blanket’ or, my favorite, dancing cheek-to-cheek in his room, under the blue-green starlit sky of his constellation projector. If I didn’t love the song enough already, he has started singing along.

My son thought it was about astronauts. He is obsessed with space. We told him astronauts and mission control tell each other, “Godspeed,” before they launch into space. He now calls the song by its name, but for a moment, it was the ‘astronaut song.’ Since this song has become so special to our family, I wanted to learn more about the songwriter and the origins of the lyrics. And now that I know, I am compelled to share the beauty of this song and the love penned into each verse by songwriter, Radney Foster.

According to an interview with Songfacts, the songwriter created the lullaby for his son. When asked about the impact the song has had on families and listeners worldwide, Foster shared:

“The cool thing about that song is I can’t tell you the number of people who contacted me in the most unbelievable ways about how that song has touched their lives. Whether it’s played at the funeral of a child they lost, or I’ve had guys come up to me at shows with their hair cut high and tight and say, ‘Mr. Foster, I just spent a year and a half in Iraq, and every time I got my kids on the phone I sang that song to them.’ I mean, it’s been a really powerful, emotional experience for me.”

From my heart to yours, here is a feel-good mama moment that begs time to slow down. Grab some tissues and have a listen.

“Godspeed” by The Chicks