History Main / NowILayMeDownToSleep

** In ''Discworld/{{Hogfather}}'', Susan mentions this as one of the reasons she hates the previous nanny of the kids she looks after.

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]]. A second variation avoids mentioning death by rendering the latter two lines as

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]]. In media, this is always said by children and has two uses:

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

* The bridge to Dru Hill's love ballad "5 Steps":

* WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck used it once in the ''Prince and the Pauper'' adaption.

* In ''[[Literature/IncarnationsOfImmortality On a Pale Horse]]'', Death decides to read his mail against the advice of his household staff, and one of the letters is from a girl who is afraid that she'll die in her sleep because her mother makes her recite this prayer before going to bed.

* In the ''Literature/HomecomingSaga'' series, the first half of the fourth book (dealing with a crisis during an interstellar voyage with most of the characters in [[HumanPopsicle suspended animation]]) is titled ''If I Should Wake Before I Die''.

* In Creator/OrsonScottCard's ''Homecoming'' series, the first half of the fourth book (dealing with a crisis during an interstellar voyage with most of the characters in [[HumanPopsicle suspended animation]]) is titled ''If I Should Wake Before I Die''.

* In ''AnneOfGreenGables'', Marilla has to figure out something for Anne to say for her evening prayers, seeing as she'd never been taught any. Marilla quickly rules this one out, because [[GenkiGirl Anne]] very much does ''not'' fit the adorable child image associated with it.

* In the last episode of ''Series/{{PennyDreadful}}'' an unnamed woman sings this prayer to her baby (composition by Tom Kitt), and the song continues to play during the opening credits, replacing the series theme.

* In ''[[IncarnationsOfImmortality On a Pale Horse]]'', Death decides to read his mail against the advice of his household staff, and one of the letters is from a girl who is afraid that she'll die in her sleep because her mother makes her recite this prayer before going to bed.

* In OrsonScottCard's ''Homecoming'' series, the first half of the fourth book (dealing with a crisis during an interstellar voyage with most of the characters in [[HumanPopsicle suspended animation]]) is titled ''If I Should Wake Before I Die''.

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

* In ''Literature/Gone'' In ''Plague'' Dekka says this prayer along with [[spoiler: Hunter]] as Sam prepares to [[spoiler: mercy kill him. He kills Hunter just as he says]] "If I should die-"

* 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..." ''[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7alnPmA1824 [maniacal laughter] ]]''

[[folder:Audio Play]]
On AudioPlay/WereAlive Burt mentions it when he, Saul and Angel are camping out on the roof of his store for the night.
-->'''Burt''': Remember to say you prayers boys, especially the part about "If I should die before I wake."
-->'''Saul''': Oh ''great''! There's no way I'm getting any sleep now.
-->'''Burt''': Good! I was hoping to force a lookout.

[[folder:Film]]
* Used rather ominously, though appropriately, in ''Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet1984'' when Nancy prepares for the climactic confrontation with Freddy.
** The Dream Master rhyme from ''Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet4TheDreamMaster'' is a variation of it:
--->'''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!
* ''Film/LittleMissMarker'': Sorrowful Jones (Adolphe Menjou) teaches the rhyme to Marthy Jane (Creator/ShirleyTemple) before she goes to bed. It's part of the process in which hard-boiled bookie Jones bonds with the little girl in his care.
* Used in the trailer for ''Film/MySoulToTake''.
* Nancy starts reciting this when she sees Jason in her cabin in ''Film/FridayThe13thPartVIJasonLives''.
* One adaptation of ''Literature/TheLegendOfSleepyHollow'' has Ichabod give a rather humorous variant, to show how completely paranoid he is about supernatural things:
--> '''Ichabod:''' And if I die before I wake, please bring me back to life!

[[folder:Newspaper Comics]]
* Done many times in newspaper comics with small children like ''ComicStrip/{{Dennis the Menace|US}}'' and ''FamilyCircus''.
* 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.
* Parodied in a ''ComicStrip/PearlsBeforeSwine'' strip with Larry the Croc and his son:
-->"Now I lay me down to sleep.\\
Mow da zeebas down like sheep.\\
Give dem to me nice and dead.\\
Me no happy 'til me fed."
* In one ''Comicbook/{{Peanuts}}'' strip, Snoopy says this prayer when he's camping with the birds. When he gets to "If I should die before I wake", they all panic and hide in his hat.

[[folder:Stand-Up Comedy]]
* Creator/BillCosby, in his "Cool Covers" routine from the ''Revenge'' album, describes how inappropriate it is to teach this prayer to a young child who's already scared to go to bed due to [[ThingsThatGoBumpInTheNight bedroom closet monsters]].
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcsPhK9pEYE Tim Hawkins mentioned this too.]]
--> 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!]]
* Creator/DennisMiller also mentioned the inherent creepiness in the prayer on his old HBO show. After completing the four lines, he responded with "Fuck that, I'm never going to sleep again!"
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* ''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..." ''[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7alnPmA1824 [maniacal laughter] ]]''
** [[MemeticMutation Can't sleep, clown'll eat me. Can't sleep, clown'll eat me. Can't sleep, clown'll eat me]].
* WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck used it once in the ''Prince and the Pauper'' adaption.
* In ''WesternAnimation/PussGetsTheBoot'', Jinx (later known as [[WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry Jerry]]) says it when he's caught by Jasper (Tom).
* 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!
[[/folder]]

* ''Little Miss Marker'' (1934). Sorrowful Jones (Adolphe Menjou) teaches the rhyme to Marthy Jane (ShirleyTemple) before she goes to bed.

* Parodied by, of all people, Father Mulcahy in ''Series/{{Mash}}'':

* In ''PussGetsTheBoot'', Jinx (later known as [[WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry Jerry]]) says it when he's caught by Jasper (Tom).