Archive for the 'Cuba' Category
Contents
Posts
Cool Cuban Kids Song – Tiene Pinochito – Little Pinocchio
Saturday, November 7th, 2009Jeanette wrote to us looking for the lyrics to a Cuban lullaby and I think we can help with this one! Here’s her letter, followed by the song she’s looking for…
Lisa,
There is a nursery rhyme or song that my grandmother used to sing to me (she has been dead about 8 years now) that I can only remember a few lines to… it could be a Cuban nursery song, I’m not really sure… I am dying to find the lyrics to the entire song, I now sing the parts that I can remember to my daughter and wish i could remember it.
It goes something like this…
Quien es me morena que habre su boca, en ella le caben dos mil calabasas un saco de higo y otro de pasas.
I hope you can help me locate this
Thank you so much!!
Jeanette Duque
Here’s a similar version we found in Spanish, with an English translation by Monique Palomares of Mamá Lisa’s World en español…
Original Spanish Lyrics
Tiene Pinochito
Tiene Pinochito
tan pequeña boca
que en ella le caben
cien platos de sopa
trescientos pepinos
y mil calabazas
un saco de higos
y otro de pasas
a la pobre niña
le entró la viruela
calentura mala
y dolor de muelas
el médico le receta
sardinas a la parrilla
a ver si le engordan
esas pantorrillas.Which means in English:
Little Pinocchio has
such a little mouth
that into it fits
a hundred plates of soup,
three hundreds cucumbers
and a thousand pumpkins,
a bag full of figs
and another one of raisins.
He caught the smallpox,
a bad fever
and his back tooth aches.
The doctor prescribes him
grilled sardines
to see if his calves
get bigger.This is a jump rope song.
Monique said regarding the original question, “Jeanette’s grandma’s version must have been : ‘¿Quién es mi morena que habre su boca, en ella le caben dos mil calabazas un saco de higos y otro de pasas…?.’ The ‘quién es mi morena que…’ means ‘who is my little brown girl who opens her mouth, into it fits, etc.’ It could have been a version created by her grandma to fit the situation. Perhaps she could sing it to us to help us figure it out…”
Thanks to Monique for providing the English translation and for helping with this song!
Mama Lisa
Can Anyone Help with a Song with the Line, “Like a Tree, We Would Grow”?
Monday, July 13th, 2009Alicia wrote:
Dear all,
I have had a friend at home that goes to a Canadian school in Cuba. He sings a song:
Like a tree
We would grow
We’re a family
Don´t you know
We were planted a long time ago
Like a tree we would try
Branches reaching
Towards the sky…Or something like that. He sang it very quickly and I couldn’t write the whole song. I’m searching on the internet for the song, but I can’t find it, and the children travel abroad…
Please, do you know the lyrics of this song?
Thank you very much for your help.
Sincerely.
Alicia Gómez.
If anyone can help with this song, please let us know in the comments below. Thanks!
Mama Lisa
De colores – All the Colors – Spanish Song about Springtime
Tuesday, March 24th, 2009I was inspired to post De colores now because of a drawing my daughter created the other day – it made me think of All the Colors! The song is a celebration of the colors of Spring!
This song is originally from Spain. The first translation below was done to fit the tune, so you could sing along in English, as well as Spanish. However, I’m including a YouTube video that shows Pete Seeger actually teaching this song to his audience. So you can learn it from him!
De colores
De colores, de colores se visten los campos en la primavera
De colores, de colores son los pajaritos que vienen de afuera
De colores, de colores es el arco iris que vemos lucir
Y por eso los grandes amores de muchos colores me gustan a mí
Y por eso los grandes amores de muchos colores me gustan a míCanta el gallo, canta el gallo con el quiri quiri quiri quiri quiri
La gallina, la gallina con el cara cara cara cara cara
Los polluelos, los polluelos con el pío pío pío pío pío pí
Y por eso los grandes amores de muchos colores me gustan a mí
Y por eso los grandes amores de muchos colores me gustan a míDe colores, de colores brillantes y finos se viste la aurora
De colores, de colores son los mil reflejos que el sol atesora
De colores, de colores se viste el diamante que vemos lucir
Y por eso los grandes amores de muchos colores me gustan a mí
Y por eso los grandes amores de muchos colores me gustan a míAll the Colors
(English Translation)All the colors, all the colors, oh how they dress up the countryside in springtime,
All the colors, all the colors of birdies, oh how they come back to us outside,
All the colors, all the colors in rainbows we see shining bright in the sky,
And that’s why a great love of the colors makes me feel like singing so joyfully,
And that’s why a great love of the colors makes me feel like singing so joyfully.The rooster sings, he sings cock-a-doodle, doodle, doodle, doodle, doodle, doodle, doodle-doo,
The chicken clucks, she clucks, cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck,
The little chicks they cheep, they cheep, cheep, cheep, cheep, cheep, cheep, cheep, cheep, cheep, cheep, cheep, cheep, cheep, cheep,
And that’s why a great love of the colors makes me feel like singing so joyfully,
And that’s why a great love of the colors makes me feel like singing so joyfully.All the colors, all the great, glowing colors that we see in the sky at sunrise,
All the colors, all the colors are seen in the thousand reflections in sunlight,
All the colors, all the colors are seen glittering in a diamond ring,
And that’s why a great love of the colors makes me feel like singing so joyfully,
And that’s why a great love of the colors makes me feel like singing so joyfully.I tried to keep the translation as close as possible to the original, while making it fit the melody. The biggest liberty I took was in the line “Y por eso los grandes amores de muchos colores me gustan a mí”, which I translated as “And that’s why a great love of the colors makes me feel like singing so joyfully.” A more literal translation would be, “And therefore, the great love of many colors pleases me.” or “And that’s why I like so many colors so much.” -Mama Lisa
Come visit the De colores Song Page for the French Translation, Sheet music and midi.
Here’s a street performer in Tijuana, Mexico singing De colores…
Happy Spring to all of you in the Northern Hemisphere and I hope you enjoy the autumn hues if you’re in the Southern hemisphere!
Mama Lisa
Spanish Song – Yo te daré (I Will Give You) with an MP3
Wednesday, March 18th, 2009Élodie Chebat sent us Yo te daré in Spanish with an mp3 recording. You can hear her sing it below, and read along with the lyrics, followed by an English translation…
Yo te daré
Yo te daré
Te daré mi hermosa
Te daré una cosa
Una cosa que yo sólo sé, caféI Will Give You
(English Translation)I will give you,
I will give you my pretty,
I will give you a thing,
The only thing I know, coffee.Many thanks to Élodie Chebat for contributing this song and for singing it for us, and to Monique Palomares of Mamá Lisa’s World en español for translating it into English.
Check out the Yo te daré song page for the midi, the score and a French translation.
Enjoy!
Mama Lisa
CD’s with Spanish Songs including Los pollitos
Thursday, February 26th, 2009Adrinel emailed me…
To whom it may concern:
I was wondering if you had a CD available to purchase of the children’s nursery rhymes… I was looking for Los pollitos especially..
Thanks!
AdrinelBelow are some CD’s and MP3’s from Amazon I found with Los Pollitos on them. I’m giving the links below to buy the cd’s as regular cd’s (but you can download the whole disc in mp3 form if you’d like). You can listen to samples of all of them before buying…
CD’s to Buy from Amazon with Los pollitos:
Los Merenguitos: Canciones Infantiles
¡A Bailar! Let’s Dance! (Spanish learning songs for kids/Canciones infantiles)MP3’s of Los pollitos – You can also buy single mp3’s of the song:
Los Pollitos (The Little Chicks) by Elizabeth Mitchell – I like this one a lot!
Los Merenguitos: El Barquito – El Cartero – Los Pollitos – Patito Patito – MP3 Download for .99 cents
Los Pollitos (The Little Chicks) – from ¡A Bailar! Let’s Dance! – MP3 Download for .99 centsIf anyone would like to recommend any other versions of Los pollitos, feel free to in the comments below.
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
Does Anyone Know a Spanish Lullaby about a Bug that Lost its Leg or Wing?
Saturday, February 21st, 2009Sabrina wrote to me looking for help with a Spanish lullaby, possibly from the Dominican Republic…
Hey Lisa,
I don’t know if you can help me out. My name is Sabrina, I am 29 years old and I was married to a Dominican man who unfortunately passed away of cancer last year. I am originally from Germany, so my Spanish is rather horrible, also I always wanted to learn this beautiful language…
I remember my husband singing a Spanish lullaby or children’s song for me from time to time. If I remember right, this song was about a bug/beetle who lost a leg or a wing. Searching for the lyrics and melody of this song through the internet I found your homepage. Can you help me to find this song? I am grateful for every hint or tip.
Thanks so much, SABRINA.
If anyone can help with the lyrics to this lullaby, and/or and English translation, and/or the tune, please let us know in the comments below…
Thanks!
Mama Lisa
Online Spanish Songs – Recordings and Spanish Lyrics
Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008I just found a treasure trove of online recordings of Spanish kids songs and the Spanish lyrics in PDF form in an online book called CANTAR, TOCAR Y JUGAR – Juegos musicales para niños (Sing and Play – Musical Games for Children) by Pilar Posada Saldarriaga.
Enjoy!
Mama Lisa
A Spanish Christmas Carol called Ay del chiquirritín – Oh, The Poor, Little Baby Boy
Monday, December 22nd, 2008I love how this Carol sounds in Spanish. The R’s are a bit challenging to sing – if you’re not a native speaker – at least for me they are!
Below you’ll find the Spanish lyrics to “Ay del chiquirritín”, followed by an English translation, then an mp3 recording and finally a YouTube video (with slightly different lyrics).
Enjoy!
Ay del chiquirritín
(Spanish Christmas Carol)Ay del chiquirritín chiquirriquitín
metidito entre pajas
Ay del chiquirritín chiquirriquitín
queridín, queridito del alma.Entre un buey y una mula Dios ha nacido
y en un pobre pesebre lo han recogido.Ay del chiquirritín chiquirriquitín
metidito entre pajas
Ay del chiquirritín chiquirriquitín
queridín, queridito del alma.Por debajo del arco del portalico
se descubre a María, José y el Niño.Ay del chiquirritín chiquirriquitín
metidito entre pajas
Ay del chiquirritín chiquirriquitín
queridín, queridito del alma.No me mires airado, hijito mío
mírame con los ojos que yo te miro.Ay del chiquirritín chiquirriquitín
metidito entre pajas
Ay del chiquirritín chiquirriquitín
queridín, queridito del alma.Oh, The Poor Little Baby Boy
(English Translation)Oh, the poor little baby boy*, little boy,
Who is lying in the straw
Oh the poor little baby boy, little boy,
Darling boy, little darling of our soul.Between an ox and a donkey, the Child God was born
And in a poor manger, they received him.Oh, the poor little baby boy, little boy,
Who is lying in the straw
Oh the poor little baby boy, little boy,
Darling boy, little darling of our soul.Below the arch of the portal
We find Mary, Joseph and the Child.Oh, the poor little baby boy, little boy,
Who is lying in the straw
Oh the poor little baby boy, little boy,
Darling boy, little darling of our soul.Don’t look at me angrily, my dear little one,
Look at me the same way as I look at you.Oh, the poor little baby boy, little boy,
Who is lying in the straw
Oh the poor little baby boy, little boy,
Darling boy, little darling of our soul.*The literal translation should be “Woe the little boy”. But that sounded too strong for a current translation so “poor little boy” seems more accurate in modern English.
Check out the song page of “Ay del chiquirritín” at Mama Lisa’s World for the French translation, a score and midi.
Thanks to Monique Palomares for contributing this song and singing this song for us! Translated into English by Monique Palomares and Lisa Yannucci.
Can Someone Help with a Cuban Bedtime Song?
Wednesday, October 22nd, 2008Mily wrote:
Hello,
I was born in Cuba but grew up in the US. When I was little my mother used to sing a song to me at bedtime and I have been trying to find the complete lyrics but haven’t been able to. The part I remember goes:
Al reflejo de la palida luna
En un barco pirata naci
El oleaje mecia me cuna
— (can’t remember this line)
De me padre aprendiYo contaba — (only remember the first part of this line)
Cuando apenas oi una voz
Era me padre que en gran agonia
Entregaba su espiritu a Dios.There may be other stanzas but this is all I remember. It would be great if you could find out what the song is called and what all of the lyrics are.
Thanks,
Mily OtiHere’s a loose English translation of the song:
In the pale reflection of the moon,
In a pirate ship I was born
The waves rocked my cradle.
—
I learned from Dad.I counted —
When I barely heard a voice
There was my father in great agony
Delivering his spirit to God.If anyone can help with the rest of the lyrics to this song, please let us know about them in the comments below.
Thanks!
Mama Lisa
A Nice Version of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” in Spanish
Friday, October 10th, 2008I just learned this Spanish version of Row, Row, Row Your Boat. It’s called Vamos a remar en un botecito (Let’s Go Rowing in a Little Boat). Below you’ll find it in Spanish, with an English translation and the midi tune.
Listen to the Tune to Row, Row, Row Your Boat
Vamos a remar en un botecito
(Spanish)Vamos a remar,
en un botecito,
rápido,
rápido,
rápido,
rápido,
en un botecito.Vamos a volar,
en un avioncito,
rápido,
rápido,
rápido,
rápido,
en un avioncito.Vamos a pasear,
en un cochecito,
rápido,
rápido,
rápido,
rápido,
en un cochecito.Let’s Go Rowing in a Little Boat
(English Translation)Let’s go rowing,
In a little boat,
Rapidly,
Rapidly
Rapidly,
Rapidly,
In a little boat.Let’s go flying
In a little plane
Rapidly,
Rapidly
Rapidly,
Rapidly,
In a little plane.Let’s go driving
In a little car
Rapidly,
Rapidly
Rapidly,
Rapidly,
In a little car.Many thanks to Andrea Giráldez for sending us this song. If anyone would like to sing it for us, please email me.
Visit the Vamos a remar en un botecito song page for the French Translation of this song.
Mama Lisa
Symbolic Foods Eaten Around the World for New Years
Saturday, December 29th, 2007In many parts of the world, the foods eaten on New Years Eve and New Years Day have important symbolic meanings. These symbols seem to fall into several major categories.
The first class symbolizes financial prosperity. This type of food is round like coins. Often, the dish will be round beans, like lentils, that will expand when it cooks, symbolizing expanding fortunes. Another financial symbol is food with big green leaves, representing paper money. The green may also be for growth. Foods like this are cabbage, collard greens and kale. Golden colored foods are also good for financial rewards in the New Year.
The second type of New Years food symbol represents the hope of having food on the table throughout the year. Pork is one important symbol of eating well year round. It’s also a sign of prosperity. In the olden times, if your family had a pig, you were doing well!
In some countries, actually having food on your table and/or plates at the stroke of midnight is a sign that you’ll have food throughout the year.
A third symbol involves eating sweet food in order to have a sweet year. In some countries people bake a coin in a sweet cake and the person who gets the coin will have good luck throughout the year. In Spain, Portugal, and parts of South and Central America, 12 sweet grapes, one for each month of the year, are eaten at midnight. The hope is to eat 12 sweet grapes to have 12 sweet months!
Fish is thought to symbolize good luck in many countries.
Another symbol for good luck involves eating food in a ring shape – like doughnuts or ring shaped cakes. This represents coming full circle to successfully complete the year – that’s good luck.
In Japan, long Buckwheat Soba noodles symbolize long life. Just don’t break them while you’re eating them!
Here’s a list of some symbolic food types and the places where they’re eaten for the New Year. Feel free to let us know what’s eaten for New Years in your country, in the comments below.
Round Food (Like Coins for Monetary Luck)
Italy, Brazil & Germany (Lentils)
Germany (Pancakes)
Philippines (Round Fruit)
Southern US (Black-eyed Peas)Green Leafy Vegetables (Like Paper Money for Monetary Luck)
Southern USA (Collard Greens & Turnips)
Denmark (Kale)
Germany (Sauerkraut)Golden Food (Like Gold for Monetary Luck)
Southern USA (Corn Bread)
Pig (Symbol of Plentiful Food in the New Year)
Hungary (Roast suckling pig with a 4 leaf clover in its mouth)
Italy (Cotechino con lenticchie – pork sausage with lentils)
Germany (Kassler mit Sauerkraut – financial luck)
Pennsylvania Dutch (USA – Pork with Sauerkraut)
Austria
ChinaFood on the Table or Plate at Midnight (Symbol of Plentiful Food in the New Year)
Germany
PhilippinesSweets (Symbolic of a Sweet Year or Good Luck)
Hungary (Doughnuts)
Greece (Round cake called Vasilopita – made with a coin baked inside – whoever gets the coin is lucky throughout the year)
Israel (Jewish New Year – Apple dipped in honey & grapes)
India
Egypt (Candy for kids)
Korea (Sweet Fruits)
Norway (Rice Pudding with an almond inside – good luck to the one who gets the almond)12 Grapes at Midnight (Symbolizing 12 Sweet Months)
Spain
Portugal
Mexico
Cuba
Ecuador
PeruRing Shaped Food (Good Luck)
Mexico (Rosca de Reyes – Luck)
Netherlands (Olie Bollen – Doughnut)Fish (Symbol of Good Luck)
Germany (Herring & Carp)
Poland (Pickled Herring)
Denmark (Boiled Cod)
Italy (Dried Salted Cod)
Japan (Red Snapper – Pink is a lucky color)
Vietnam (Carp)
China
Sweden (Seafood Salad)A Happy, Lucky and Prosperous New Year to All of You!
Mama Lisa
Many thanks to Ed Gawlinski for pointing out that they eat lentils in Italy for the New Year, which lead me on this long quest that resulted in this discussion!
A Song about Skeletons in Spanish with an English Translation from Costa Rica
Tuesday, October 16th, 2007Here’s a nice, gently scary song you might like to teach your children or students for Halloween or Day of the Dead. It’s called Los esqueletos or The Skeletons. In Costa Rica it’s used to teach numbers in an exciting way!
My husband and I loosely translated the English version so that you can sing it to the tune. Below you can hear the melody it’s sung to.
Los esqueletos
Cuando el reloj marca la una
los esqueletos salen de su tumba,
tumba, que tumba, que tumba, tumba, tumba.Cuando el reloj marca las dos
dos esqueletos comen arroz
tumba, que tumba, que tumba, tumba, tumba.Cuando el reloj marca las tres
tres esqueletos se vuelven al revés
tumba, que tumba, que tumba, tumba, tumba.Cuando el reloj marca las cuatro
cuatro esqueletos van al teatro
tumba, que tumba, que tumba, tumba, tumba.Cuando el reloj marca las cinco
cinco esqueletos se pegan un gran brinco
tumba, que tumba, que tumba, tumba, tumba.Cuando el reloj marca las seis
seis esqueletos juegan ajedrez
tumba, que tumba, que tumba, tumba, tumba.Cuando el reloj marca las siete
siete esqueletos se montan en cohete
tumba, que tumba, que tumba, tumba, tumba.Cuando el reloj marca las ocho
ocho esqueletos comen bizcocho
tumba, que tumba, que tumba, tumba, tumbaCuando el reloj marca las nueve
nueve esqueletos todos se mueven
tumba, que tumba, que tumba, tumba, tumbaCuando el reloj marca las diez
diez esqueletos se duermen otra vez. (retardando)The Skeletons
When the old clock, we hear it strike one,
Out from their dark tombs, all the skeletons come,
“Tumba, ke tumba, ke tumba, tumba, tumba”.*When the old clock, we hear it strike two,
White skeletons, two, gobble up rice, it’s true,
“Tumba, ke tumba, ke tumba, tumba, tumba”.When the old clock, we hear it strike three,
White skeletons, three, turn upside down, you see,
“Tumba, ke tumba, ke tumba, tumba, tumba”.When the old clock, we hear it strike four,
White skeletons, four, pass the theater door,
“Tumba, ke tumba, ke tumba, tumba, tumba”.When the old clock, we hear it strike five,
White skeletons, five, jump high into the sky,
“Tumba, ke tumba, ke tumba, tumba, tumba”.When the old clock, we hear it strike six,
White skeletons, six, play chess as the clock ticks,
“Tumba, ke tumba, ke tumba, tumba, tumba”.When the old clock, we hear it strike seven,
White skeletons, seven, rocket up to heaven,
“Tumba, ke tumba, ke tumba, tumba, tumba”.When the old clock, we hear it strike eight,
White skeletons, eight, eat up all the sponge cake,
“Tumba, ke tumba, ke tumba, tumba, tumba”.When the old clock, we hear it strike nine,
White skeletons, nine, shake their bodies in time,
“Tumba, ke tumba, ke tumba, tumba, tumba”.When the old clock, we hear it strike ten,
White skeletons, ten, lie down sleeping again. (Slow down.)*Literally: “Tomb, which tomb, which tomb, tomb, tomb.”
Many thanks to Lilliana for the tune and for contributing this song provided by Rosa María Solís Marín from Costa Rica. Thanks also to Jason Pomerantz for helping me with the translation.
-Mama Lisa
Does Anyone Know a Spanish Children’s Song about a Sardine Traveling Over Mountains?
Monday, June 18th, 2007Liz wrote:
As a child staying in Spain with family friends, I remember learning a song about a sardine. I can remember that as part of the song it traveled over mountains. I can remember laughing so much with my best friend who was Spanish, about this sardine travelling over mountains.
Has anyone else got any recollection of such a song? If so I would like to hear about it and get the words and tune.
Thanks
Liz
If anyone can help out with this song, please comment below or email me.
Thanks!
Lisa
Mama Lisa’s World News and Multimedia Features
Thursday, November 30th, 2006A significant part of the Mama Lisa sites is a large collection of songs and nursery rhymes from around the world. We currently have about 750 songs from around 90 countries and cultures.
When you consider how many languages there are in those cultures – that’s a lot of information! In order to make it easier to access all of the songs, we are in the process of converting the sites to a database. The database allow our visitors to search for songs on the site by language, by songs with sheet music, recordings, etc.
While we’re putting the songs into the database, we’re trying to obtain as much information as possible about each song. So if we can find the tune, we’ll include a midi tune and sheet music. If we find a recording of the song on the internet, we’ll provide a link to the recording. Sometimes we’ll make a recording ourselves. Anything we can do to help you know everything possible about that song.
If you happen to see any songs on the site that are missing a tune or recording and you know it, we’d be very pleased if you could help us get the tune. We’re able to make midis from sheet music, if that’s what you can send. We’re also happy to post recordings if you’d like to sing the song, play it on an instrument, or even hum it. Really, anything to help others get an idea how to sing or play the song.
Once the database is complete Mama Lisa’s World will have 98 countries and cultures and over 850 songs. How great is that!
-Lisa
UPDATE: The Database is now complete! We have 100 countries and cultures. We’re now working on a Spanish version of Mama Lisa’s World which will feature children’s songs, folks songs and nursery rhymes from around the world with Spanish translations.
________
Help Support
Mama Lisa's World!
$5, $10, $25
or any amount welcome!