History Main / NowILayMeDownToSleep

* A ''ComicStrip/{{Garfield}}'' [[https://garfield.com/comic/1987/04/29 strip]] shows Jon starting the prayer, but he stops because he hears Garfield open the refrigerator door.

* ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' often uses this, particularly when a character is at gunpoint or under some other apparently mortal threat. The main villains, such as Yosemite Sam and Elmer Fudd, often make the demand, "Say your prayers, rabbit!"
* The clown bed Homer botches up for Bart in ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' recites parts of the prayer in a way that is pure NightmareFuel. "If you should die before you wake..." ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3yuFlvRyqM [maniacal laughter] ]]''

* WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck used it once in the ''Prince and the Pauper'' adaptation.
* In ''WesternAnimation/PussGetsTheBoot'', Jinx (later known as [[WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry Jerry]]) says it when he's caught by Jasper (Tom).
* In the ''WesternAnimation/{{Popeye}}'' cartoon "For Better or Nurse", Popeye and Bluto are trying to injure themselves so they can get near nurse Olive at the hospital. As Bluto positions himself on a railroad track with a train approaching:
-->'''Bluto:''' Now I lay me down to rest,\\
Come on, choo-choo... do your best!
* ''WesternAnimation/PinkPanther'': In "Super Pink's Egg-cellent Adventure," these are the sumo baddie's ExactWords after Super Pink gets him in the noggin and his final words before passing out.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/{{Popeye}}'' cartoon "Nurse to Meet You", Popeye and Bluto are trying to injure themselves so they can get near nurse Olive at the hospital. As Bluto positions himself on a railroad track with a train approaching:

* IronicNurseryTune, especially in religious horror.

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* ''ComicBook/JudgeDredd'': One story has Walter the Wobot serve a jail sentence, where he's seen reciting a prayer for Judge Dredd to stay healthy in Walter's absence every night. Walter's cellmate begs to be put in a different cell.
[[/folder]]

** Parodied in ''Literature/{{Pyramids}}'': Arthur, classmate of the protagonist in a BoardingSchool, is seen (in a FlashBack scene) sacrifycing a goat to Great God Orm in a dormitory before bedtime.

--> Now I lay me down to sleep ...
--> I pray the Lord my soul ... to keep ...
--> If I ... should ''DIE'' ... before I wake ...
--> I pray the Lord ... my soul ... to take ...
--> [[MoodWhiplash *kiss* Sweet dreams!]] See you in the morning -- maybe! ... Oh, and don't let the bedbugs bite! [[EvilLaugh Muahahahaha!]]

* Used rather ominously, though appropriately, in ''Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet1984'' when Nancy prepares for the climactic confrontation with Freddy.

--->'''Chorus Children:''' Now I lay me down to sleep. The Master of Dreams my soul will keep. In the reflection by my side...
--->'''Alice Johnson:''' Evil will see itself, and it shall die!

--> '''Ichabod:''' And if I die before I wake, please bring me back to life!

* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}''

** Parodied in ''Literature/{{Pyramids}}'' - Arthur, classmate of the protagonist in a BoardingSchool, is seen (in a FlashBack scene) sacrifying a goat to Great God Orm in a dormitory before bedtime.
--->“''A fellow can’t sleep with all this religion going on.''”

-->Now I lay me down to sleep,
-->A bag of peanuts at my feet.
-->If I die before I wake,
-->Give them to my brother Jake.

-->'''Little girl:''' Now I lay me down to sleep
---->I pray the Lord my soul to keep,
----> May angels watch me through the night,
----> And keep me safe til morning light.
----> Amen.

-->If I should die before I wake, pray no one my soul to take
-->And if I wake before I die, rescue me with your smile.

-->Now I lay me down to sleep,\\

-->Now I lay me down to sleep
-->Pray the Lord my soul to keep
-->And if I die before I wake, Feed Jake
-->He's been a good dog, my best friend, right through it all
-->If I die before I wake, Feed Jake

-->Now I lay me down to sleep
-->Pray the Lord my soul to keep
-->If I should die before the world turns 'round
-->Lord, don't leave me in this one horse town

-->And if I die before I wake
-->I pray the Lord my soul to take
-->But please don't cry
-->Just know that I am making songs for you

-->Could be the next guy that you take before I wake,\\
Now I lay me down to sleep, eyes tight, when I pray.

-->If I die before you wake\\
Don't you cry, don't you ache\\
Nothing's ever yours to keep\\
Close your eyes, go to sleep

-->Now I lay me down to sleep\\
I pray the funk will make me freak\\
If I should die before I wake\\
Allow me, Lord, to rock out naked!

--> As I lay me down to sleep
-->I hear her speak to me
-->Hello 'Mari, how ya doin'?
-->I think the storm ran out of rain, the clouds are movin'
-->I know you're happy, cause I can see it
-->So tell the voice inside ya head to believe it

--> So now I lay me down to sleep \\
And I pray my Lord my soul to keep \\
And if I die before I wake \\
Then I promise I'll be there for you always
* Used straight in Music/PattiSmith's ''Frederick''.

-->Last night I prayed the Lord my soul to keep,\\
Then I cried myself to sleep.

* In the ''{{Popeye}}'' cartoon "Nurse To Meet You," Popeye and Bluto are trying to injure themselves so they can get near nurse Olive at the hospital. As Bluto positions himself on a railroad track with a train approaching:
-->'''Bluto:''' Now I lay me down to rest,
-->Come on, choo-choo...do your best!
* WesternAnimation/PinkPanther: In "Super Pink's Egg-cellent Adventure," these are the sumo baddie's ExactWords after Super Pink gets him in the noggin and his final words before passing out.

* The HIM song "Buried Alive By Love" plays with the second part of the prayer:

** In ''Discworld/{{Hogfather}}'', Susan mentions this as one of the reasons she hates the previous nanny of the kids she looks after due to [[TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth the implication that this would be a GOOD thing]].
** ''Discworld/{{Thud}}'': After extremist dwarfs break into Vimes's house, he, Sybil and their baby son briefly move into the Watch house. Four troll officers volunteer to guard Young Sam. Vimes hopes the boy will be impressed when he's older, as the best most kids can hope for is angels.
** ''Discworld/MakingMoney'': Moist recalls that this prayer was potent [[invoked]] NightmareFuel for him as a boy.
** Parodied in ''Discworld/{{Pyramids}}'' - Arthur, classmate of the protagonist in a BoardingSchool, is seen (in a FlashBack scene) sacrifying a goat to Great God Orm in a dormitory before bedtime.
-->“''A fellow can’t sleep with all this religion going on.''”

-->Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. An' when she got there the cupboard was bare, an' so the poor dog got none. Amen.

** And, true to form, also parodied by {{Beatallica}} in "Sandman" ("Taxman" + "Enter Sandman"). It's actually the same thing as Metallica's, except they replace "God" with "Cliff".

* Done many times in newspaper comics with small children like ''ComicStrip/{{Dennis the Menace|US}}'' and ''ComicStrip/FamilyCircus''.

A common Christian prayer said before bedtime, dating back at least to the 18th-century [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_England_Primer New England Primer]]. An alternative version avoids mentioning death by rendering the latter two lines as

In the first variation, expect some kind of mundane addition like "and also give me a pony".

* A ''ComicStrip/{{Garfield}}'' [[http://garfield.nfshost.com/1987/04/29/ strip]] shows Jon starting the prayer, but he stops because he hears Garfield open the refrigerator door.