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Chanda Mama – “Moon” Video by Playing for Change

Friday, October 2nd, 2009

Chanda Mama is a song from India about the moon. Different versions exist in the various languages of India. This one is in the Telugu language, a language mainly spoken in southern India.

Playing for Change made the Chanda Mama video with musicians around the world. Playing for Change creates music all over the world to make money to build music and art schools in communities that are in need of inspiration and hope. Music and art can have meaning across cultures and be appreciated by people of all economic classes and educational backgrounds. What better way to improve the world!

The lyrics to the Playing for Change version of Chanda Mama (in the video) are something like this…

Chanda maama chanda maama raavayyaa
nannu yettukoni muddulaadu kovayyaa

maaraalu nenenni cesinaa gaaraalu nive cupinaa
maaraalu nenenni cesinaa gaaraalu nive cupinaa

Chanda maama chanda maama raavayyaa
nannu yettukoni muddulaadu kovayyaa

If anyone can help with the meaning of these lyrics (and/or if you can verify or correct the original lyrics), please let us know in the comments below.

We have another version of Chanda Mama which is a Telugu children’s rhyme, with an mp3. You can click the link to hear it and to read the lyrics in Telugu with an English translation.

Enjoy!

Mama Lisa

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Posted in Chanda Mama, Chandamaama, Children's Songs, Countries & Cultures, Folk Songs, India, Indian Folk Songs, Indian Nursery Rhymes, Languages, Mama Lisa, Music, Nursery Rhymes, Playing for Change, Telugu, Traditional Music, YouTube | No Comments »

Four White Horses – Caribbean Folk Song

Saturday, May 2nd, 2009

My daughter taught me Four White Horses yesterday. She recently learned it in her music class. It’s a Caribbean Folk Song and a hand clapping game all wrapped up into one!

Here are the lyrics…

Four White Horses
Hand Clapping Song

Four white horses, on the river,
Hey, hey, hey, up tomorrow,
Up tomorrow is a rainy day.
Come on up to the shallow bay,
Shallow bay is a ripe banana,
Up tomorrow is a rainy day.

Here’s a YouTube Video so you can see one way to play the hand clapping game (you’ll have to wait to get past the theme song at the beginning of the video)…

Here you can hear a chorus singing it…

Check out our song page of Four White Horses for an mp3 and other info about the song.

Feel free to share any versions you know of this song in the comments below. We also welcome any info about the meaning and history of the song.

Cheers!

Mama Lisa

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Posted in American Kids Songs, Caribbean, Caribbean Childrens Songs, Caribbean Folk Songs, Children's Songs, Countries & Cultures, English, Folk Songs, Four White Horses, Hand Clapping Rhymes, Languages, Mama Lisa, Music, Nursery Rhymes, Traditional Music, USA, West Indies, YouTube | 7 Comments »

Can Anyone Help with a Spanish or Italian Song Called “Bella Mama”?

Tuesday, January 27th, 2009

Tiffany wrote:

Hi Lisa,

I found your website on Google. What a treasure! I was trying to search for a song I’d heard of (I’m guessing in Spanish) called “Bella Mama”. My Google search led me to your website, but I can’t figure out how to search for a specific song. Might you be able to direct me?

Thanks
Tiffany in Austin, TX

I’m not familiar with “Bella Mama”, if anyone else is familiar with this song, please help Tiffany out in the comments below.

Thanks!

Mama Lisa

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Posted in Countries & Cultures, Italian, Italy, Languages, Mama Lisa, Questions, Readers Questions, Spain, Spanish, Traditional Music | 6 Comments »

The Echo Song with a YouTube Video

Monday, November 24th, 2008

Orlando di Lasso (1530 or 32 – 1594) was a Flemish Renaissance composer. He wrote over 2000 pieces in his lifetime. They were religious and secular choral works in Italian, German, Latin and French.

Some of Lasso’s works were masses that he dedicated to the pope. Interestingly, he also wrote some drinking songs, and plain ole humorous songs. I would say The Echo Song fits into the humorous category. What’s funny is that when you hear choral music, you expect it to be serious in nature. I find The Echo Song to be a surprising exception to this idea.

Enjoy David Solomons rendition of the song in the YouTube video below. After the video I posted the lyrics, though they’re in David’s video. I also posted his English translation of the song. After that you’ll find another rendition of the song by a full choir (the video is black but you can hear the song). It’s interesting to compare renditions.

O La, O Che Bon Eccho!
(Italian Lyrics)

O la, o che buon echo!
Pigliamo ci, piacere!
Ha ha ha ha ha! Ridiamo tutti!
O buon compagno!
Che vuoi tu?
Vorria che tu cantassi una canzona.
Perchè? Perchè si?
Perchè no?
Perchè non voglio.
Perchè non vuoi?
Perchè non mi piace!
Taci dico!
Taci tu! O gran poltron!
Signor, si!
Orsu non più!
Andiamo!
Addio buon echo!
Addio buon echo!
Rest’ in pace!
Basta!
Basta!
Basta!
Basta!

Here’s the English translation:

The Echo Song
(English)

My word! Oh, what a lovely echo!
Let’s try it out.
Pleased to meet you!
Ha ha ha ha ha! Let’s all laugh!
Oh my fine companion?
What do you want?
I’d like you to sing a song.
Why? Why should I?
Why not?
‘Cos I don’t want to.
Why don’t you want to?
‘Cos I don’t fancy it.
Shut up, I say!
You shut up, you big fool!
Yes, Sir!
Come now, no more!
Let’s go!
Goodbye lovely echo!
Goodbye lovely echo!
Peace be with you.
That’s enough!
That’s enough!
That’s enough!
That’s enough!

Score of O La, O Che Bon Eccho!

Many thanks to David Solomons for bringing his wonderful Youtube video and The Echo Song to my attention!

Mama Lisa

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Posted in Choral Music, Composers, Countries & Cultures, English, Italian, Italy, Languages, Mama Lisa, Music, Orlando li Lasso, Sheet Music, The Echo Song, Traditional Music, YouTube | Comments Off

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Chanda Mama – “Moon” Video by Playing for Change

Four White Horses – Caribbean Folk Song

Can Anyone Help with a Spanish or Italian Song Called “Bella Mama”?

The Echo Song with a YouTube Video