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Contents
Posts
Can Anyone Help with a Dutch Children’s Song?
Thursday, May 14th, 2009Mrs. Brein from Argentina is looking for two Dutch songs that her father sang to her when she was a child. Here is what they sounded like -the spelling is phonetical
1. Traláreche: Traláreche, traláreche, oh my muther so fader chessen, eisi bebirj, eisi bebirj, oh my muther so fader cheseen. (It was sung while turning the hands from side to side, in place).
2. Oh Susana: Oh Susana, oh Susana, evarescas liver vonder shen, oh Susana evarescas liver shein. Sjeimen ofen drepken, sjeimen ofen drepken, has das kleinen esen trepken, Sjeimen ofen drepken, sjeimen ofen drepken, has das kleinen esen trepken (sung faster and faster).
If anyone can help Mrs. Brein, please let us know in the comments below.
Thanks!
Mama Lisa
Can Anyone Help with Any Belgian Kids Games?
Tuesday, March 10th, 2009Donna Bratton wrote to me on the Mama Lisa Facebook Group:
I am looking for games that children in Belgium play for a project. Does anyone know any? Thanks
If anyone can help out, please comment below.
Thanks in advance!
Mama Lisa
2 French Tongue Twisters with a YouTube Video with Translations
Wednesday, March 4th, 2009These tongue twisters were recited by François Martini, who gives the instructions: “À dire très vite” (To say very quickly). Below the video, you’ll find the tongue twisters written in French with their English translations…
“Un chasseur sachant chasser sait chasser sans son chien.”
(A hunter knowing how to hunt knows how to hunt without his dog.)“Rat vit rôt, rôt tenta rat, rat mit patte à rôt, rôt brûla patte à rat, rat secoua patte et quitta rôt.”
(Rat saw a roast, roast tempted rat, rat put leg to roast, roast burnt rat’s leg, rat shook leg and left roast.)Thanks to Monique Palomares of Mama Lisa’s World en français for help with the rat translation and to François Martini for his recitation!
Traditional Dutch Children’s Songs from 1895
Thursday, February 26th, 2009Peter pointed out an online collection of traditional Dutch songs published in 1895. The site is only in Dutch. Some of the songs may have archaic language. But it may be interesting for those of you who speak the language.
Thanks for letting us know about this site Peter!
-Mama Lisa
Mama Lisa Now Has a Facebook Group
Sunday, February 22nd, 2009We’d love it if you’d join the Mama Lisa Facebook Group. You can post anything you’d like about your culture. You can post your own musical recordings or YouTube videos… Links to culture and musical sites… Photos of your country… Questions about songs or cultural issues… Anything related to World Culture and Music…
Click on the icon below to access the group. If you have a Facebook account already, you just need to click on “Join the Group” to join. If you’re not a member, you simply have to sign up for free to become a member and then you can join the Mama Lisa Group…
Looking forward to seeing you in Facebook!
Mama Lisa
Can Anyone Help with a Scary French Lullaby?
Thursday, January 29th, 2009Etiennette was looking for help with a French lullaby:
I was wondering if anyone knew the complete lyrics to a lullaby my mother would sing to me and then to my children. I only remember a few, it’s a bit scary. Maybe that’s why I don’t remember too much. Here it goes…
Entendez-vous dans la pleine,
Un bruit venent jusqu’a nous
On dirait un bruit de chenes, (blank, blank)
C’est le lustucru qui passe (dah dah dah)
Allez-vous-en méchant homme – - – -
car ils font un petit songes,
Non vous n’aurai pas mes deux petit gars,
Lo-la lo-la tirala lo la.Etiennette Tosches
If anyone can help, please comment below.
Thanks!
Mama Lisa
Multicultural Songs about the Seasons
Wednesday, August 20th, 2008People often write me looking for songs about the four seasons, from around the world. Here are some! The links below take you to the different pages on Mama Lisa’s World of International Childrens Songs. There, you’ll find the lyrics in the original languages, with English translations.
Songs about Winter
Yuki (Snow) – Japanese
A, a, a, der Winter, der ist da (A, a, a, Winter is Here) – German
La neige tombe (The Snow is Falling) – French from Canada
Zemestoon (Winter) – Persian from Iran
Kış (Winter) – Turkish from TurkeySongs about Spring
La Primavera (Springtime) – Spanish from Peru
Haru Ga Kita (Spring Has Come) – Japanese
De Colores (All the Colors) – Spanish from Mexico & SpainSongs about Summer
Trarira, der Sommer, der ist da! (Tilitum, The Summer Has Come) – German
Songs about Autumn or Fall
Couleurs d’automne (Colors of Autumn) – French
Songs or Rhymes about All Four SeasonsJoereszäiten (Seasons) – Franconian from Lorraine Region in France
Les feuilles (Leaves) – French from CanadaWhen you get to the song pages you can access French and Spanish translations too, and in some cases mp3 recordings, midis and/or scores.
Feel free to add a song about any of the seasons in the comments below or email me.
Mama Lisa
The Symbolism of the Egg
Saturday, February 23rd, 2008As Easter approaches, it’s natural to think a little about eggs!
In days gone by the egg, due to its shape, was a symbol of the earth. Thanks to its obvious association with the beginning of life, it has also been the basis of many ancient creation stories. It has been a symbol of fertility, rebirth and the cycle of life. These latter symbols are so close to what Springtime is all about that it’s no wonder it’s been an important part of Spring celebrations since pre-Christian times.
As Europe became Christian, eggs became a symbol of Easter and the resurrection of Jesus. In the past, Christians gave up eggs for Lent (the 40 days before Easter when it’s customary to give up different types of food). But even though people didn’t eat them, the hens kept laying them! So people would hard boil and decorate them. This would help preserve them longer and serve as part of the holiday festivities.
The egg is also part of the Jewish Passover holiday that takes place in the Spring. The egg is placed on the Seder plate and is a symbol of sacrifice and loss. Yet to some it also symbolizes the full cycle of life, and therefore hope and rebirth. (The egg is a more recent addition to the Seder plate compared to the other symbolic items that are found there and its symbolic meaning seems to be more open to interpretation.)
In China, red eggs are given out at the one month birthday of a new baby. It’s customary to hold a Red Egg and Ginger Party at this time. Once again, the source seems to be the egg’s role as a symbol of fertility and the beginning of life.
So here we come full circle (or oval) with the egg as a wonderful symbol of birth, renewal and rebirth. This is something wonderful to consider as Springtime approaches in the northern hemisphere, where the Earth will soon come back to life!
Feel free to let us know about any special symbolism of the egg in your culture in the comments below.
The St. Nicholas Tradition in Poland and a Way to Teach Your Children about Holiday Customs Around the World
Wednesday, December 5th, 2007Ed Gawlinski wrote to me about his family’s holiday traditions. His letter shows how you can be creative and expose your children to many different customs around the world at this time of year…
Lisa,
The Polish Custom is for Saint Nicholas (świętego Mikołaja) to bring children presents on December 6th …. The traditions that go with this parallel those in Germany, Austria, and elsewhere in Europe. I found a short poem for Saint Nicholas that you might enjoy.
“On St. Nicholas Day,
The band of children waits;
For the good cookie he brings,
But for the naughty a switch that stings.”Na świętego Mikołaja,
czeka dzieci cała zgraja,
Da posłusznym ciasteczko,
Złe przekropi różeczką.I also have a story about Saint Nicholas. We would give our kids little gifts on Saint Nichols Day, Saint Lucia Day, Three Kings Day, etc. Our son-in-law referred to this as the 45 days of Gawlinski Christmas… One year as Saint Nichols day approached our second child, Allison was not being well behaved. She didn’t get a Saint Nicholas day present that morning. By noon, we had found where St. Nick hid the present. From then on, until well after Christmas, she was the best behaved little girl you ever saw.
Edward M. Gawlinski
Giving little gifts on the different international holidays gives you an opportunity to explain to kids how people do things differently around the world. You could also give a gift for a day of Chanukah and the Indian festival of Diwali (if you don’t celebrate these holidays already).
Feel free to comment below or email me to share your holiday customs with us!
-Lisa
Can Anyone Help with a Dutch Song that goes “”In the Vintertime when the vind blows…”"?
Wednesday, October 31st, 2007Gail wrote me:
Greetings Lisa,
I am wondering if you have ever heard of a Dutch children’s song that starts out: “In the Vintertime when the vind blows…” some of the other words were vindowpane and vestibule. It goes something like:
In the wintertime when the wind blows (and something) then frost forms on the windowpane… (something else) and then a phase containing – in the vestibule.
Thank you so much for your assistance. My grandmother used to sing it to me and I don’t remember the words. I having been trying to find out about this little ditty for around 30 years. With your help, I may finally get an answer.
Thank you so much!
Gail E. Mann
If anyone can help with this song, in Dutch and/or English, please comment below.
Thanks!
Lisa
Does Anyone Know the Dutch Song “”Het Maria Klokje”"?
Sunday, July 15th, 2007Lorraine simply wrote, regarding “Het Maria Klokje”:
Do you know this song? Thanks Lorraine from Ontario Canada
If anyone knows the lyrics to this song, please comment below or email me. If you can possibly provide an English translation, that would be great too.
Thanks!
Lisa
Can Anyone Help with Information about a French or Belgian Lullaby?
Sunday, July 1st, 2007Liliane from Belgium is looking for the origins of a lullaby that her mom used to sing to her. She’s curious about the country, area it’s from and the possible author, if any. The name of the lullaby is Dans le chemin creux de la lande (In the Sunken Lane of the Moor). She told us that her Mom is Belgian but, since the song mentions a moor, that made her think it might be from Brittany, France.
Here’s Liliane’s request in French, followed by the lullaby in French and then in English:
Liliane recherche les origines de cette berceuse que lui chantait sa mère (pays, région et éventuels auteurs).
Dans le chemin creux de la lande
Dans le chemin creux de la lande,
Les noirs lutins, les loups-garous,
La nuit venue, en sarabande
se poursuivent comme des fous.J’entends du bruit près de la porte
Ferme les yeux mon petit gars
Les méchants loups-garous emportent
Les enfants qui ne dorment pas.Fais dodo, mon petit homme
Car ta maman près du berceau
Veille sur ton léger somme
Jusqu’à demain, jusqu’à demain.
Fais dodoHere’s an English translation:
In the Sunken Lane of the Moor
In the sunken lane of the moor,
Blacks imps, werewolves,
When night has come, as in a mad noisy dance,
Pursue one another like lunatics.I hear noise close to the door
Close your eyes my little boy
The malicious werewolves carry off
The children who do not sleep.Go to sleep, my little man
Because your mom, close to the cradle
Watches over your light nap
Until tomorrow, until tomorrow.
Go to sleep.If anyone knows anything about this lullaby, or if you’ve heard of it in a specific geographic region, please comment below or email me.
Thanks!
Lisa
Does Anyone Know a Song, Possibly from Spain, called “Chichiwa”?
Tuesday, June 26th, 2007Sarah wrote:
My father-in-law came back from Spain singing this song called “Chichiwa”, and my 5 year old son loves it, but none of us know the words. Can anyone help? I’ve been trying to find it on the internet and there are references to it on a couple of Dutch websites, but no lyrics.
Hope someone can tell us more about it!
Sarah
If anyone can help out with this song, please comment below or email me.
Thanks!
Lisa
UPDATE: Maxine wrote to me that this song is in Spanish. She heard it while on vacation in Majorca. She wrote…
It starts off:
Compania (Hands go around head)
Brassand dah (Arms go outstretched)I then do not know the rest of the words, but the arms are then in a position to become some sort of creature… where the verse is Chichiwa, chichiwa, chichiwa wa wa
I’ve written to the holiday company on the hope they can help!!
The Origin of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
Monday, June 18th, 2007People all around the world are familiar with the tune to Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. It’s at least 245 years old! The tune is originally from France and it was first seen in print in Paris in 1761 – though the current song, Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star didn’t exist back then.
In the 1770’s, a poem called, Ah! Vous dirai-je Maman (Ah! Will I tell you, Mother), was set to the Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star tune and printed. The poem was a melodramatic love poem.
Later, a parody of the love song developed. It was also called Ah! Vous dirai-je Maman. This one is still loved by French children today:
Listen to Ah! Vous dirai-je Maman
Ah! Vous dirai-je Maman
(French)Ah! Vous dirai-je Maman
Ce qui cause mon tourment ?
Papa veut que je raisonne
Comme une grande personne
Moi je dis que les bonbons
Valent mieux que la raison.Ah! Will I tell you, Mommy
(English)Ah! Will I tell you, Mommy
What is tormenting me?
Daddy wants me to reason
Like a grown up person
Me, I say that sweets
Are worth more than reason.In 1781-2 Mozart wrote his Variations on “Ah vous dirais-je, Maman”. Many people think he wrote the tune to Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. He didn’t! He just created a wonderful piece based on the tune.
We have to travel over to England in 1806 to find the origins of the lyrics of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. That’s when Jane Taylor and her sister Ann published their second book of poems for children, called Rhymes for the Nursery. Jane wrote the poem, The Star, for the book. This is the poem the song is based on:
The Star
The Poem by Jane Taylor
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky!When the blazing sun is gone,
When he nothing shines upon,
Then you show your little light,
Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.Then the traveler in the dark,
Thanks you for your tiny spark,
He could not see which way to go,
If you did not twinkle so.In the dark blue sky you keep,
And often through my curtains peep,
For you never shut your eye,
Till the sun is in the sky.As your bright and tiny spark,
Lights the traveller in the dark,-
Though I know not what you are,
Twinkle, twinkle, little star.It’s a bit of a mystery when the poem and the tune came together to form the wonderful song Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. It seems like the first time they’re seen in print as a song was in 1838, in a book called The Singing Master. Here’s the song as children sing it in English today:
Listen to Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky!
Twinkle, twinkle, little star,
How I wonder what you are!The wonderful song has traveled around the world in many languages. You can find it in Spanish, Dutch, Swedish, Turkish and many other languages. If you’d like to share a version from your country, please email me.
Many thanks to Isa Santoveña for the midi tune, to Monique Palomares for the translation of Ah! Vous dirai-je Maman, and to Tiphaine Woerth for singing Ah! Vous dirai-je Maman for us!
-Lisa
New Recordings of French Children’s Songs
Thursday, May 3rd, 2007We were recently fortunate enough to receive a selection of recordings of French kids songs, sung by a French music teacher, Tiphaine Woerth.
Here’s a wonderful recording Tiphaine did of Ainsi Font, followed by the lyrics and an English translation.
Ainsi font
(French)Ainsi font, font, font
Les petites marionnettes
Ainsi font font font
Trois petits tours
Et puis s’en vont
Elle reviendront
Les petites marionnettes
Elles reviendront
Quand les autres partiront.They Do This Way
(English)They do, do, do this way
The little puppets
They do, do, do this way
Three little turns
And then they go away
They will come back
The little puppets
They will come back
When the others go away.Many thanks to Tiphaine Woerth for the recording and Monique Palomares of Mama Lisa’s World en français for the English translation.
Come visit the Mama Lisa’s World France pages to hear more of Tiphaine’s recordings.
Does Anyone Know the Dutch Song, “”Klap eens in je handjes, blij blij blij”"?
Monday, March 19th, 2007Nancy wrote:
Dear Lisa,
Do you know this Dutch song? My mother used to sing it to our children in the 1960’s:
Klap eens in je handjes, blij blij blij…
Appreciate if you can let me know the rest of it and any background history you may have.
Thanks,
Nancy Reimers
If anyone can help out with this song, and an English translation if possible, please comment below.
Thanks!
Lisa
Can Anyone Help with an Bahasa Indonesian Translation of a Little Song Called “Cat’s Head”?
Sunday, March 18th, 2007We have a special circumstance where we’re looking for a Bahasa Indonesian translation of a song called Cat’s Head. The song is originally Dutch. We were able to get an English translation of it. If anyone can translate it into Bahasa Indonesian from either language, we would greatly appreciate it. Both versions are below:
Cat’s Head
(English)It was the birthday of the cat’s head.
His little legs were celebrating
His little tail could not join the party,
It recently has been ill,
He just came out of the hospital
And he has such a pain in his throat
All the dancing and jumping
Is too much for him.Kat Kop
(Dutch)De kop van de kat was jarig
zijn pootjes vierden feest
het staartje kon niet meedoen
dat is pas ziek geweest
het kwam pas uit het zieken huis
en had zo’n pijn in z’n keel
en al dat dansen en dat springen
dat was hem veel te veel.If you’re able to provide a translation, please comment below or email me.
Thanks in advance for your help!
-Lisa
International Scouting Campfire Songs – “Can you send us one from your country?”
Wednesday, January 24th, 2007Larraine wrote to me looking for Scouting Campfire Songs from around the world. Here’s what she wrote, followed by my response with some suggested songs and sites to go to for help:
Dear Mama Lisa,
It has been suggested that I contact you with my request. I am the sketch producer of “The Live Wyre Gang Show” from the N.W. of England. (I’m also a cub leader).
Our Gang show is about to go into rehearsals and I have written a set to Celebrate 100 years of scouting, its finale is an International Camp fire. I would very much like to include as many International songs as possible, certainly at least one from each continent, so I wondered if you would be able to tell me where the best place to find the words and music of the songs you believe your members would vote for as their favourite. Detail/a picture of their uniforms, both boys and girls, their flags and any other details you think will be useful.
Thank you
Yours in scouting
Larraine EastwoodPS. I notice you have many songs from all over the world but I don’t know which ones are scouting campfire songs and would really appreciate your help.
I know of two scouting (or Girl Guides) songs on Mama Lisa’s World. I’m linking to them below. One is the Maori stick tossing song ‘E Papa Waiari’ from New Zealand. The other is Banana Sweet from Ghana, Africa.
Some sites for Scouting lyrics are:
American Boy Scout Songs
Camp-Songs
Guides and Scouts Europe – Regional French Songs
Siempre Scout – Canciones Generales – Spanish Scout Campfire Songs
Canzioniere Scout – Italian Scout Songs
Canzoniere e Liturgie di TUTTOSCOUT.ORG – Italian Scout Songs
GruppenstundenTipps: Lieder – German Scout SongsI think a good way to find more songs would be to type “scout songs” into Google in different languages. Just find an online dictionary to find out how “scout” and “song” are said in the other language and do a search. A good place to start that has free online dictionaries is www.freedict.com.
If anyone can suggest any other scout campfire songs or sites with scout songs from other countries, please comment below.
Thanks!
Lisa
Many thanks to Monique Palomares of Mama Lisa’s World en français for help with this post!
How to Find Sheet Music, Tunes and MP3’s on Mama Lisa’s World
Saturday, January 6th, 2007In addition to this blog, I also host Mama Lisa’s World. Mama Lisa’s World is a large collection of children’s songs and rhymes from countries all around the globe.
Matt, a music teacher from Rhode Island, wrote a question to me, the other day, about Mama Lisa’s World:
Hey Mama,
I love the concept of your site. It’s been exciting to watch it grow. My only frustration is not being able to find either written (preferably) or audio music to accompany the lyrics. How do I find the tunes for all these great lyrics?
Matt
Music Teacher, Rhode Island, USAHere’s what I wrote back, I’m sharing it with you, in case it helps you too…
Hey Matt,
Thanks for writing!
We’ve just added basic sheet music to a lot of songs on the Germany, France, Hungary, Spain and Mexico pages – plus many others.
We’re now in the process of converting the whole site to a database. We’re halfway through. Hopefully by the summer we’ll have a feature that will let you do a search on songs that have sheet music, midis or mp3’s. Midis play the tune of a song. MP3’s are recordings – usually of someone singing the song.
But for now, the songs on the countries that are in the database are working on a simple system. On the country pages they have symbols next to the song if they have special features. Here’s the key…
KEY TO SYMBOLS
– this song has sheet music
Midi – this song has a Midi tune
MP3 – this song has an MP3 recording
– this song has a Video recording
If there’s anything in particular you’re looking for, you’re welcome to ask – in case I know if we have it or not – I may be able to guide you to the right place to find what you’re looking for.
And, of course, we’re always looking for more sheet music, midi’s and mp3’s, so if you’d like to contribute any from your culture, we’d be thrilled!
I hope this helps!
Mama Lisa
Free Online Language Dictionaries
Friday, December 22nd, 2006While I have this link at hand, I’d like to recommend www.freedict.com. It’s a site devoted to free online language dictionaries. You can translate between English and the following languages:
Afrikaans
Danish
Dutch
Finnish
French
Hungarian
Indonesian
Italian
Japanese
Latin
Norwegian
Portuguese
Russian
Spanish
Swahili
SwedishI find that it can usually succeed at translating the words I need.
Feel free to recommend other language dictionaries that you like in the comments below.
-Lisa
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