John wrote asking for help with a lullaby:

Hi Lisa,

My father was born in India, Granny’s family lived in India, between the early 1800’s and 1947. There is an Indian Children’s Lullaby, Ninnie Buba Ninnie, sung to my father and many generations of children. I am seeking the words and translation of the original, sweet children’s version of this lullaby. It is probably is Hindi.

Dealing with the shortened, commonly recognized version, the words and translation are as follows;

Ninnie baba Ninnie
Sleep baby sleep,
Mackhan roti cheene,
Butter, bread and sugar,
Makan roti hoa gia,
not known?
Soja Baba Soja,
Sleep Baby Sleep,
Mera baba so ja,
Unknown ?
Ninnie Nina baba so gaya, gaya
Little baby has gone to sleep.

It is the missing translations, and any other verses that I am seeking.

I look forward to your help with the above.

John & Chrissy Wellborne
Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia

I found this similar version below on The Tribune and elsewhere. It seems to be a popular version…

Nini baba nini
Muckan roti chini
Muckan roti hogiah
Chota baba so giah

If anyone can help with John’s version and/or translating the other version, please let us know in the comments below. We’re always please to post recordings too.

Thanks in advance!

Mama Lisa

Frank wrote to me:

A long time ago, my dad told me a rhyme in Slovenian about St. Matthew. I can’t write it in Slovenian but the English translation is as follows:

St. Matthew breaks up ice.
If he doesn’t have it, he makes it.

Do you know the origin of the rhyme and when in the calendar it pertains? My dad made reference to sometime in February but I found out that St. Mathews day is in September. I repeated the rhyme for my daughter when she was young and always thought it was around the end of February. Specifically February 24th both mine and my dads birthdates.

After browsing through your website, I thought you might have some knowledge about this very old rhyme.

Thanks

Frank Centa

Frank was able to send me an mp3 recording of the Slovenian rhyme. Perhaps someone could send us the Slovenian text for it.

If anyone can help in any way with this rhyme – if anyone knows anything else about it, please let us know.

Thanks in advance!

Mama Lisa

We’re thrilled to add counting-out rhymes to our collection of English nursery rhymes whenever we come across them. Counting out rhymes help choose who goes first in a game, or who’s “It”. I found these rhymes below in a book of games called What Shall We Do Now?: Five Hundred Games and Pastimes (1907) by Dorothy Canfield Fisher. It was just posted at Project Gutenberg. I modernized the language of the author’s explanation about counting-out rhymes. It’s from an old book.

To decide who is to begin a game there are various counting-out rhymes. All the players stand in a circle, surrounding the one who counts. At each pause in the rhyme (which occurs where there’s a line in the versions below) the person counting-out touches the other players in turn (usually on the fist) until the end is reached. The player on whom the last word in the rhyme falls is to begin the game. This is one rhyme:

Eena-a, | deen-a, | dine-a, | dust, |
Cat’ll-a, | ween-a, | wine-a, | wust, |
Spin, | spon, | must | be | done, |
Twiddlum, | twaddlum, | twenty-one. |
O- | U- | T | spells | out. |

Others:

Intery, | mintery, | cutery | corn, |
Apple | seed | and | apple | thorn; |
Wine, | brier, | limber | lock, |
Five | geese |in | a | flock; |
Sit and sing | by a spring |
O- | U- | T | and | in | again. |

*****

One-ery, | two-ery, |
Ziccary | zan; |
Hollowbone, | crack-a-bone, |
Ninery, | ten; |
Spittery | spot, |
Must | be | done, |
Twiddledum, | twaddledum,
Twenty-one.

*****

Ring | around | a ring-pot, |
One spot | two spot | three spot | san |
Bob-tailed | winnie-wack | tittero | tan |
Ham | Scram |
Fortune | man |
Singum | sangum | Buck! |

Feel free to share any counting-out rhymes you know in the comments below! I’d love to learn more from the English and non-English speaking world.

Enjoy!
Mama Lisa

I’m going into my daughter’s class this week to talk about some Japanese Festivals.  It may be helpful to other people who are also covering this topic for me to outline what I’m covering with links to more material.

1) Hina Matsuri – Doll Festival – March 3rd – people pray for their daughters’ future happiness, health and growth.

The hina (dolls) used for this festival are called hina ningyo. These are a set of dolls that are handed down from generation to generation which are specially taken out for this festival. The dolls are displayed on a special stand that has tiers which are covered in red cloth.

It’s also called Peach Blossom Festival, because it’s around the time the peach blossoms bloom. Peach blossoms are a symbol for a happy marriage.

Girls dress up specially on this day in their best kimonos. Some girls will dress up like the dolls and have little parties.

Here’s an old traditional song that’s sung for the Festival with the transliterated Japanese, and with a loose English translation.

Hina Matsuri Song

Transliterated Japanese

Akari o tsukema sho bon bori ni
O hana o agemasyo momo no hana
Gonin – bayashi no fue daiko
Kyoo wa tanoshii Hina Matsuri

Loose English Translation

Let’s light the lanterns on the tiered stand
Let’s put peach blossoms on the tiered stand
Five court musicians are playing flutes and drums
Today is a happy Dolls’ Festival.

MP3 of the Hina Matsuri Song

The girl below is singing the song in her special kimono in front of her dolls…

Right after the festival, the dolls are supposed to be put away. If not, it’s thought that the daughter will be slow to marry.

You can learn more about Hina Matsuri on previous blog posts.

2) Tango no Sekku – Boys’ Festival - officially called Children’s Day or Kodomo no hi - May 5th

It’s been celebrated for over 1000 years. Originally it was celebrated in the houses of warriors. It celebrated boys’ courage and determination. Many of the symbols of this day are about having the character of a warrior. Eventually this day became important to all households in Japan with boys. 

Print by famous artist Hiroshige (1797 – 1858)

Large carp windsocks, called koinobori, are displayed outside houses of families with boys. There’s one windsock for each boy in the house. The largest windsock is for the oldest son of the house.  The carp is a symbol of Tango no Sekku, because carp are considered strong and determined.

Here’s a traditional song for Tango no Sekku called Koinoburi or Carp Windsocks.

Koinobori
(Japanese Transliteration)

Yane yori takai koinobori.
Okii magoi wa otoosan.
Chisai higoi wa kodomotachi.
Omoshiro soni oyideru.

Carp Windsocks
(English)

Carp windsocks are above the roof.
The biggest carp is the father,
The smaller carp are children,
They’re enjoying swimming in the sky.

MP3 of Koinobori

You can read more about Tango no Sekku on previous blog posts.

3) Tanabata – The Star Festival – July 7th

Tanabata celebrates the meeting of a husband and wife. They are Orihime (the star Vega) and Hikoboshi (the star Altair). to meet they must cross the river Amanogawa (the Milky Way). They can only meet once a year on this night. it’s the one time they can cross the river. The story is that a flock of magpies help Orihime cross the river on this day only. If it’s a cloudy night, that means the river was too high and Orihame and Hikoboshi couldn’t meet. So in Japan everyone wishes for a clear night full of stars on July 7th.

Ayako Egawa in Japan wrote to me about one fun tradition on this day: “Children write their wishes on strips of fancy paper and put them on displays made of the branches of bamboo trees.”

Here’s a song for Tanabata…

Sasa no ha sara-sara

In Japanese Romaji:

Sasa no ha sara-sara
Nokiba ni yureru
Ohoshi-sama kira-kira
Kingin sunago

English Translation:

Bamboo leaves are rustling, rustling,
Swaying close to the roof’s edge,
Oh, how the stars are twinkling, twinkling,
Gold and silver grains of sand.

Midi Tune of Sasa no ha sara-sara

You can read more about Tanabata on previous blog posts..

Check out our Japanese Song Pages for many other Japanese kids songs and Holiday Songs.  You can find out more info about other Japanese festivals in the blog side column under Holidays Around the World (once you click it on, you’ll see the different holidays listed in the left-hand column).

Hope this helps!

Mama Lisa

Note: If you’re doing a presentation in a school, you should check if YouTube videos are blocked – if they are, make sure you can play mp3’s and midi tunes.

In Japan they celebrate Jugoya – the Full Moon Festival.  It’s also a celebration of the harvest.  The day of the celebration varies since it’s on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month of the Chinese calendar.  It’s usually on the night of the full moon in August or September. 

Here’s an illustration of a Jugoya display. It’s a typical image of Jugoya.

Ayako Egawa wrote about the festival:

We enjoy viewing the full moon and celebrating the harvest in Japan. We can especially see the beautiful moon in the clear sky at this time. The tradition of viewing a full moon is originally from China.  People enjoyed viewing the moon on small boats and writing tanka poetry (Japanese traditional poems from about 1000 years ago).

Japanese pampas grass and dango (rice dumplings), and vegetables such as taros and chestnuts are displayed on Jugoya in peoples’ houses and apartments.

Here are some photos of a Jugoya display.

Dango is yummy!

Ayako also wrote:

Some people gather to watch the beautiful full moon in Japanese gardens and temples. The green tea ceremony and KOTO playing are held. Pampas grass, SAKE, and DANGO (rice paste ball) are offered to the moon.

Japanese people associate the pattern of the moon’s surface with rabbits making MOCHI, that is rice cakes.

The Rabbit Song (Usagi) is associated with "JUGO-YA" (full moon night)…

MP3 of Usagi

Usagi

Usagi usagi
Nani mite haneru
Juugoya o-tsuki-sama
Mite haneru

Ayako translated the rabbit song like this:

"Pretty rabbit, what do you watch while hopping around?
I watch JUGO-YA moon while hopping around."

Thanks for sharing this with us Ayako and for the photos and illustration.  Thanks to HAMADA Miwa and team at the University of Toyama for allowing me to use the Usagi recording from their wonderful site of Japanese Songs.

You can visit our Usagi Song Page for the score, midi and Japanese text.

I find the Rabbit in the Moon image to be very interesting.  Here in the West we have the Man in the Moon.  I’d love to learn more about how different cultures see the moon.  Please share your country’s image of the moon with us in the comments below.

Thanks and remember to take the time to view the moon when it’s full – it’s a wonderful sight!

Mama Lisa

Today is a Japanese Springtime Festival called Setsubun. It’s celebrated every year on February 3rd. The tradition is to chase out the demons from your house by scattering roasted soybeans.

Ayako wrote to me about the holiday from Japan:

Hi Lisa,

February 3rd is “Setsubun” here. It is a ceremony, the day before spring, in which people scatter roasted soy beans in order to drive away goblins (bad luck) and draw in happiness.

When scattering beans, we say “Oni wa soto, Fuku wa uchi.” (鬼は外! 福は内!) It means “Go out goblins, come in happiness!”

So we open the window and scatter beans outside, saying “Oni wa soto!”, and quickly shut the window so that the goblin doesn’t come in, and scatter beans in the room saying “Fuku wa uchi!”.

We collect up and eat an amount of beans that correspond to our age, expressing a wish for good health.

I attach the photo of roasted soy beans (see above).

Hope you like it!

Ayako

PS Men sometimes put on demon masks. There are often the cases that father plays a role of demon with a demon mask and kids scatter beans at him. (I found the video below showing this…)

Also, I found an interesting site that kids can color the demon mask on the website and use as the demon mask by printing it! It is free!

Here’s a statue on the demon Oni that comes on this day…

Thanks for sharing this with us Ayako and for sending the photo! We hope you enjoy Setsubun today!

Best wishes for good health,

Mama Lisa

PSS I just found this video below of the demon walking in the town (among kids) – they’re throwing soybeans at him to get him to leave…

A few months ago I wrote about the Japanese holiday Tanabata, the Star Festival that takes place in July.

The story behind the festival is now in an online book at Project Gutenberg.  Here you can read more about the festival and the story of the stars…

The Meeting of the Star-Lovers

One of the greatest days in the calendar of old Japan was the seventh of July; or, as the Japanese people put it, "the seventh day of the seventh month." It was a vermilion day in the almanacs, to which every child looked forward with eyes sparkling, hands clapping, and fingers counting, as each night rolled the time nearer. All manner of fruits and other eatable vegetables were prepared, and cakes baked, in the household. The boys plucked bamboo stalks, and strung on their branches bright-colored ribbons, tinkling bells, and long streamers of paper, on which poetry was written. On this night, mothers hoped for wealth, happiness, good children, and wisdom. The girls made a wish that they might become skilled in needlework. Only one wish a year, however, could be made. So, if any one wanted several things – health, wealth, skill in needlework, wisdom, etc. – they must wait many years before all the favors could be granted. Above all things, rainy weather was not desired. It was a "good sign" when a spider spun his web over a melon, or, if put in a square box he should weave a circular web. Now, the cause of all this preparation was that on the seventh of July the Herd-boy star and the Spinning Maiden star cross the Milky Way to meet each other. These are the stars which we call Capricornus and Alpha Lyra. These stars that shine and glitter so far up in the zenith, are the boy with an ox and the girl with a shuttle, about whom the story runs as follows:

THE STAR-LOVERS MEETING ON THE BRIDGE OF BIRDS.

On the banks of the Silver River of Heaven (which we call the Milky Way) there lived a beautiful maiden, who was the daughter of the sun. Her name was Shokujo. She did not care for games or play, like her companions, and, thinking nothing of vain display, wore only the simplest of dress. Yet she was very diligent, and made many garments for others. Indeed, so busy was she that all called her the Weaving or Spinning Princess.

The sun-king noticed the serious disposition and close habits of his daughter, and tried in various ways to get her to be more lively. At last he thought to marry her. As marriages in the star-land are usually planned by the parents, and not by the foolish lover-boys and girls, he arranged the union without consulting his daughter. The young man on whom the sun-king thus bestowed his daughter’s hand was Kingin, who kept a herd of cows on the banks of the celestial stream. He had always been a good neighbor, and, living on the same side of the river, the father thought he would get a nice son-in-law, and at the same time improve his daughter’s habits and disposition.

No sooner did the maiden become wife than her habits and character utterly changed for the worse, and the father had a very vexatious case of tadashiku suguru ("too much of a good thing") on his hands. The wife became not only very merry and lively, but utterly forsook loom and needle. She gave up her nights and days to play and idleness, and no silly lover could have been more foolish than she.

The sun-king became very much offended at all this, and thinking that the husband was the cause of it, he determined to separate the couple. So he ordered the husband to remove to the other side of the river of stars, and told him that hereafter they should meet only once a year, on the seventh night of the seventh month. To make a bridge over the flood of stars, the sun-king called myriads of magpies, which thereupon flew together, and, making a bridge, supported him on their wings and backs as if it were a roadway of solid land. So, bidding his weeping wife farewell, the lover-husband sorrowfully crossed the River of Heaven. No sooner had he set foot on the opposite side than the magpies flew away, filling all the heavens with their chatter. The weeping wife and lover-husband stood for a long time wistfully gazing at each other from afar. Then they separated, the one to lead his ox, the other to ply her shuttle during the long hours of the day with diligent toil. Thus they filled the hours, and the sun-king again rejoiced in his daughter’s industry.

But when night fell, and all the lamps of heaven were lighted, the lovers would come and stand by the banks of the starry river, and gaze longingly at each other, waiting for the seventh night of the seventh month.

At last the time drew near, and only one fear possessed the loving wife. Every time she thought of it her heart played pit-a-pat faster. What if it should rain? For the River of Heaven is always full to the brim, and one extra drop of rain causes a flood which sweeps away even the bird-bridge.

But not a drop fell. The seventh month, seventh night, came, and all the heavens were clear. The magpies flew joyfully in myriads, making one way for the tiny feet of the little lady. Trembling with joy, and with heart fluttering more than the bridge of wings, she crossed the River of Heaven, and was in the arms of her husband. This she did every year. The lover-husband stayed on his side of the river, and the wife came to him on the magpie bridge, save on the sad occasion when it rained. So every year the people hope for clear weather, and the happy festival is celebrated alike by old and young.

This story comes from Japanese Fairy World, Stories from the Wonder-Lore of Japan (1887) by William Elliot Griffis.  You can read the whole book online at Project Gutenberg.

You can read about Tanabata, The Star Festival in modern Japan with a song on an earlier blog post.

“Little Things” is a poem written by Julia A. F. Carney (1823 – 1908). Here it is followed by a recording by Kaylee Kay:

LITTLE THINGS
By Julia A. F. Carney

Little drops of water
Little grains of sand,
Make the mighty ocean,
And the pleasant land.

So the little moments,
Humble though they be,
Make the mighty ages
Of eternity.

So our little errors
Lead the soul away
From the path of virtue,
Far in sin to stray.

Little deeds of kindness,
Little words of love,
Make our earth Happy,
Like the heaven above.

MP3 of Little Things

Rosa wrote asking for the hand movements of “Little Things”. Here’s what she wrote:

Dear Mama Lisa,

A pleasant good morning to you. I hope everything is well with your family and work. I wrote you this letter because I would like to know if you have a video of the poem Little Things. My daughter is one of the semi finalist in their school elocution this coming Friday and I don’t know how to put actions to the poem.

This is her first semi final elocution and I would really appreciate it if you could help me with your poems actions.

Thank you and looking forward to your prompt reply.

Rose Faelga
Philippines

We have only been able to find one video of the poem showing some of the actions. It’s sideways, so it’s hard to see. Here it is…

If anyone can provide a better video showing the actions to the poem, or if anyone can write out the actions, please let us know in the comments below or by emailing me at lisa@mamalisa.com . We appreciate your help even if it’s after Friday – it can still help other people looking for it.

We have a page for this poem on our nursery rhyme site, since part of it is found in many nursery rhyme collections. If you’re interested in hearing other recordings, check out our Little Drops of Water page.

Thanks for any help!

Mama Lisa

Many thanks to Monique of the French and Spanish version of Mama Lisa’s World for helping to find the YouTube above!

The significance of Groundhog Day is really that it marks the midpoint of winter. We’re halfway there folks!

Here’s the famous saying that’s told on this day…

MP3 Recording of Groundhog Saying

If the groundhog sees his shadow
We will have six more weeks of Winter.
If he doesn’t see his shadow,
We will have an early Spring.

The groundhog did see his shadow, so we’re in for the long haul. (We were anyway, so don’t feel too badly about it.) You can watch Punxsutawney Phil make his Groundhog Day Prediction for 2010 below…

While you’re waiting for the winter to pass, why not watch the movie Groundhog Day (one more time if you’re like me). It’s great fun!

Many thanks to Jason Pomerantz for reciting the Groundhog saying for us!

Stay warm.

Mama Lisa

You can read more about Groundhog Day below…

On February 2nd, Candlemas is celebrated in France every year. It’s called the Fête de la Chandeleur or Feast of Candlemas. It’s the exact mid-point of Winter.

Here’s a French proverb sent to me by Monique of the French Mama Lisa’s World. I tried to rhyme the translation for you below…

Proverb: “Que la Chandeleur soit brune ou claire, quarante jours d’hiver il reste à faire”

English Translation: “Whether Candlemas be dark or clear, forty days of winter will still be here.”

In France they make crêpes for Candlemas. Crêpes remind us of the sun, which we’re craving. Also, it is said that Pope Gelasius I, who introduced Candlemas into the Catholic Church, often gave crêpes to people who made the pilgrimage to Rome.

Check out the blog posts below for Candlemas songs, proverbs and crepe recipes (we added a recording to the Candlemas Song post below in honor of Candlemas)…

Here’s a song we received that’s originally from Benin, Africa. The recording is by Élodie Chebat from France.

MP3 of Iro ye

Iro ye
Nou ka ye manao
Iro ye
Nou ka ye manao
Nie nou do nou de
Anao
Napodenao
Akbe la mio nao
So yakbe na yoma

Many thanks to Élodie Chebat for contributing the song and recording.

If anyone can help identify the language and/or help with a translation, that would be great! Two of the most common languages in Benin are Fon and Yoruba, so it may be one of these. I tried translating some words from a Yoruba dictionary, but I only found “Iro” to mean “baboon”. This could be because we’re missing accents or because it’s a different language. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Mama Lisa

Funny!

Thanks to Monique for pointing this out!

Nyango Melissa, originally from Cameroon, recently sent me these songs with a recording. Here’s what she wrote with the mp3 of the songs…

Just thought of these the other day. The clock/time songs sound a lot like they’re of British origin:

MP3 of Tick Tock Songs

1) Tick, says the clock, tick, tick,
What you have to do, do quick,
Tick, says the clock,
Tick, says the clock, tick, tick,
What you have to do, do quick.

This one is usually sung at the end of the school day :-)

2) Tick, Tock, says the clock
Time is passing, go away
Tick, Tock, says the clock
It’s time for us to go away.

Tick, Tock, says the clock
Time is passing, go away
Tick, Tock, says the clock
It’s time for us to go away.

(Or the last line of each verse can be “It’s time for us to go and play.”)

So rushed, I just took a quick break to send these songs since they are running in my mind :-)

Nyango

Check out our Cameroonian Pages for more songs from Cameroon. Many thanks to Nyango Melissa Nambangi of the Minnesota African Women’s Association for contributing and singing these songs for us!

Mama Lisa

*****

Minnesota African Women’s Association has products available that were stitched by their sewing group. They’re available for purchase online at Etsy. They have beautiful pillows, dolls dressed in traditional and contemporary African fashions, tote bags, hats and more!

Erin Yuki Violet Taylor wrote:

If you are on the lookout for Japanese hand rhymes, this one is called Nabe Nabe Sokonuke…

Nabe nabe
sokonuke,
sokogenuketaro
kaerimasho.

While you’re saying it, you hold hands with the other person and swing your hands, and when you say “Kaerimasho” (let’s go home), you turn around and swing back to back. Then you turn around and go forward, and you go faster each time. Of the meaning, the only word I’m really sure of is Kaerimasho. But I think “nabe nabe sokonuke” has to do with a soup sort of a dish, and “sokogenuketaro” means something like “the bottom was empty”, but not completely sure.

Here’s the Japanese text:

なべなべそこぬけ

なべなべ
そこぬけ
そこがぬけたら
かえりましょ

Here’s the tune to Nabe Nabe Sokonuke.

You can hear it sung here.

I asked Ayako Egawa from Japan about the rhyme. Here’s what she wrote:

Hi Lisa,

I’m familiar with the “Nabe Nabe Sokonuke”, hand rhyme.
I remember I played with that when I was a kid.

The meaning is:

Nabe Nabe – Pan, Pan,
Sokonuke – Bottomless
Sokoganuketara – If the bottom is falling out,
Kaerimasho – Let’s go home.

The lyrics have no special meaning, you know how it is with this kind of hand rhyme.

I’m sorry that I couldn’t find Youtube video of this, but how to play this hand rhyme is exactly as you wrote.

I hope it will help you and you enjoy it!

Ayako

We found a video of Nabe Nabe Sokonuke where you can see it played.

Many thanks to Erin Yuki Violet Taylor for sharing this rhyme and describing how to play it, to Ayako for helping with the meaning and to Monique Palomares of the French Mama Lisa’s World for the midi tune.

If anyone would like to share anything else about the rhyme, chant it for us, or share another rhyme, please comment below or email me at lisa@mamalisa.com .

Thanks!

Mama Lisa

Erin Yuki Violet Taylor wrote on the Mama Lisa’s World Facebook Group Hand Clapping Rhyme Discussion:

When I was little we always played “double double”…

Double double, this, this,
Double double, that, that,
Double this, double that,
Double double, this, that.

Whenever you said “double”, you tapped the side of your fists with the other persons, when you said “this” you clapped your hands with theirs, and when you said “that” you’d clap the back of your hands with theirs and you go faster every time.

Here’s a video showing the game from the US…

I found a YouTube video of this rhyme showing a variation from Australia…

Double double, this, this,
Double double, that, that,
Double this, double that,
Double double, this, that.

Double double, out out,
Double double, cream cream,
Double out, double cream,
Double double, ice cream.

Thanks for sharing Erin!

Mama Lisa

Gini Smith sent me the following email with a Slovakian nursery song…

It is an old song which I know the English and the Slovakian. However, I could not write the Slovak, only phonetically.

My grandmother taught it to us kids and we loved it.

The Slavonic translation may have variations depending on the area the people lived in Slovakia.

The word Dance is tantsui – which is pronounced tant -su

My word Tin-u is like us saying LA LA LA LA or ba bum, ba bum

It is used more like a sound but could be a child’s way of saying tant-su.

Well here it is:

Tin-u – tin-u, tin-u, tin-u
Dido zabyv sviniu (Daddy kills pig)
Mama placheh (Mama cries)
dity scatchit (children jumping)
Tin-u, tin- u, tin-u

The Pig Song
(Full English Translation)

Dance, Dance – Dance, Dance,
Daddy’s killing the pig,
Mother’s crying,
The kids are dancing,
Dance, Dance, Dance.

It was as endearing to me as any other Nursery Song because it came from beloved grandmother – Baba.

Thank you.

Submitted by Gini Smith, Slovakian-American.

If anyone can provide the original Slovakian text, please let us know in the comments below or email me at lisa@mamalisa.com

Many thanks to Gini Smith for sharing this song with us!

Mama Lisa

On December 7th, 2009 at 1:30 Greenwich Mean Time, people in 156 countries joined together to sing “All You Need is Love” at exactly the same time to raise global awareness of AIDS in Africa, here they are…

Think of what can we do if we join together to make this world a better place.