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Contents
Posts
Radio France Podcasts
Saturday, March 14th, 2009
Radio France has French news podcasts that are spoken a little slower than normal for people who don’t speak French as a first language. I found them reasonable to understand. Check it out if you know some French and would like to practice!
If you’re fluent in French, up to a challenge, or just want to listen to their music, check out Radio France’s podcast directory page, featuring music and news.
Pili’s Spanish Language Podcast
Saturday, January 24th, 2009Guest blogger, Monique Palomares works with me on Mamá Lisa’s World en español. Monique grew up in a multilingual family in southern France. Spanish is one of the languages she spoke growing up.
If your parents or grandparents had a different mother tongue from yours and if you lived your childhood in such a multicultural context, you sure know how I feel.
I was happy when in August 2007, Pili, a Spanish student of Fine Arts in Salamanca, Spain, posted a comment on this blog to tell us about her podcast. It aimed to help improve people’s abilities in the Spanish language.
I listened to Pili’s podcasts as they came out. Throughout the podcasts, Pili would tell her American friend Lucy about her life in Spain.
I particularly enjoyed…
-Her stories about Spanish cultural events like La San Fermín in Pamplona, and hearing about customs like eating tapas, and learning about Spanish movies.
-The fact that she would speak clearly and a little more slowly than the very fast Spanish speech you normally hear.
-The fact that she now and again used colloquial idioms (not naughty ones!) that you might not find in dictionaries and that keep your language up-to-date.Pili posted until December 2007 and her old podcasts are still available on her site.
Now she’s coming back with a renewed version including free podcasts and more extended material that’s available by subscription. You can check the guide to the podcasts on her website dpili.com, it’s in pdf format, so you can download it for free!
Well, to make a long story short, I’m glad she’s back.
A Recording of Walt Whitman Reading His Poem “America”
Saturday, May 24th, 2008Walt Whitman (1819-1892) is one of America’s greatest poets.
Here’s a recording of him, from 1890. He’s reading from a poem called “America” which has been preserved on a wax cylinder from 1888.
The lines he’s reading can be a little hard to understand. Here’s what he’s saying:
“America
Centre of equal daughters, equal sons,
All, all alike endear’d, grown, ungrown, young or old,
Strong, ample, fair, enduring, capable, rich,
Perennial with the Earth, with Freedom, Law and Love…”I found this to have special meaning on Memorial Day weekend, when America honors her sons and daughters who have died fighting for Freedom.
Language Learning – Free Recordings To Help
Monday, May 19th, 2008There’s no better way to learn a foreign language than to hear it spoken. The internet can be a great tool for finding recordings that can help, but sometimes it can be hard to find what you need.
Fortunately, the good folks at Open Culture have done the work for us. Here’s an updated collection to dozens of language lessons podcasts. In addition to favorites like French and Spanish, you’ll find less popular (in America) tongues like Tagalog and Luxembourgish. There’s even some that cover Latin!
“Chanson d’Automne” – Autumn Song – A Poem by Verlaine
Monday, November 26th, 2007Here is one last poem about Autumn before I focus on the topic of the upcoming December holiday season.
I came upon this poem while looking for French podcasts to brush up on my French in anticipation of a trip to France in the Spring. There’s a whole podcast in French devoted to this poem that you can listen to. It inspired me to come up with my own translation, which you can read below.
Chanson d’Automne is a very sad poem that was written by Paul-Marie Verlaine in 1866. Most French people are familiar with this poem as it’s taught in school. French children are often required to learn it by heart.
Chanson d’Automne
Les sanglots longs
Des violons
De l’automne
Blessent mon cœur
D’une langueur
Monotone.Tout suffocant
Et blême, quand
Sonne l’heure,
Je me souviens
Des jours anciens
Et je pleure;Et je m’en vais
Au vent mauvais
Qui m’emporte
Deçà, delà,
Pareil à la
Feuille morte.Autumn Song
The long tears
Of Autumn’s
Violins
Wound my heart
With a monotonous
lethargy.All suffocating
And pale when
The hour strikes,
I remember
The old days
And I cry…And I am going away
On an ill wind
That carries me
Here, there,
Just like a
Dead leaf.Follow the link to hear Chanson d’Automne recited
Recording onto the Computer
Thursday, December 7th, 2006From time to time people ask me how one goes about recording audio onto the computer.
The first thing you need to record is a microphone. As far as I know, most computers aren’t made with one built in.
Before buying a microphone, you need to figure out where you can plug it into your computer. It sounds so basic – and it might be – but you’ll need that information to know what type of plug your microphone should have (USB, standard microphone jack, etc.).
If you have a free USB port, that’s the best choice. A USB port will give you a digital recording, which makes it easier to produce a clean sound.
The photo below shows what a USB port looks like – it’s the dark one to the right. The red port on the left is a standard microphone port.
Here’s what some microphone jacks and plugs look like. (The two on the left are USB jacks.)
(You should be aware that USB microphones will only work on computers – they can’t be plugged into cassette decks and things like that.)
The microphone I have stands on the tabletop and plugs into the USB port. It costs US $24.00. It’s called Logitech USB Desktop Microphone. (It’s the top microphone in the photo below.)
My husband makes longer recordings. He’s produced podcasts of The Wizard of Oz among other things. So he likes a microphone headset that is worn on the head. It’s called Logitech Premium USB Headset 350. It’s now being sold for US $25 to $35.00. (It’s the lower headphone set in the photo above.)
Once you have a microphone, you’ll need software to record into.
My husband and I usually use a program called Sony Soundforge, which costs about US $52.00 and gives many professional level mixing tools. The truth is, we usually don’t use any of that power!
Yesterday, Paul DeShaw wrote to me about Audacity software. It’s a Free Audio Editor and Recorder. Paul wrote “There is simple software available for all operating systems for recording. Audacity is one such program, freely available at http://audacity.sourceforge.net/.”
I haven’t tried Audacity yet. But it looks like it will take care of basic recording operations and it looks easy to use.If anyone would like to share any other information about recording onto the computer and/or recording devices, please feel free to comment below.
-Lisa
Podcasts Are a Great Way to Improve Your Foreign Language Skills
Friday, June 30th, 2006There are a lot of new tools on the internet to help you keep up with a second language. You can learn new vocabulary, keep your ears in tune, and perhaps even start to learn a new language from scratch!
Podcasts are one of these tools. Podcasts are audio recordings that are available over the internet. You can either download them in mp3 format and then listen to them from your computer or iPod, or you can listen to them “live”, streaming right from the net.
I’ve been working on improving my French. One new French podcast I’ve found is called Learn French by Podcast. The podcast is “moderated” in English, but a native French speaker talks for a minute or so in French. Then, what was said is often clarified in English. Then it’s repeated in French.
This works well for me as I understand most of what they say, but there might be a word or two I don’t remember. It gives me a chance to recall it myself and sometimes it’s clarified later in the program. They also have a PDF document you can download that goes along with the podcast.
Devon, who works at Knock Knock English, has a podcast that’s geared for Japanese children who are learning English. In the podcasts, Devon speaks in English, and his co-worker Ayako, speaks in Japanese. My guess is that these podcasts would also work well for an English person who’s learning Japanese, as almost everything seems to be said in both languages.
Last, but not least, my husband, Jason Pomerantz of Fiddle and Burn, recently finished recording a podcast of the classic children’s novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. This is a great tool if you’re trying to learn English. You can download the book at Project Gutenberg and read along while you listen to the story. It’s broken down by chapter, so you don’t have to listen to the whole book all at once!
It’s a great book in its own right, so even if your first language is English, you’ll probably enjoy hearing it.
Feel free to recommend any podcasts you like in the comments below.
Happy listening!
Lisa
“Wizard of Oz” MP3 Reading of the Complete Novel
Saturday, May 6th, 2006My husband, Jason Pomerantz of Fiddle And Burn, has just completed his reading of L. Frank Baum’s classic novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. It’s lots of fun to hear!
Come listen to an MP3 Recording of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Jason says…
I hope you have as much fun listening as I’ve had recording!
Thanks, Jason!
-Lisa
Burning Monsieur Carnaval for Mardi Gras in France
Monday, February 27th, 2006In France, Carnival is a big celebration held before the beginning of the Christian fasting season of Lent. French adults and kids who celebrate Carnival will dress up in costumes and have parties. And, as I discussed last week, at the end, they will burn an effigy of Monsieur Carnaval.
Monsieur Carnaval… is responsible for all the wrongdoing people do throughout the year. At Carnival time in France, Monsieur Carnaval is judged for his behavior throughout the preceding year. Usually he’s found guilty and an effigy of him is burned at the Carnival.
While Monsieur Carnaval is burning, people dance in a circle around the fire singing (in French)…
Adieu pauvre Carnaval. Tu t’en vas et moi je reste pour manger la soupe à l’ail.
Here’s an English translation…
Goodbye poor Carnaval. You are leaving, and me, I am staying to eat garlic soup.
The soup is made with garlic, a vegetable, since, once Carnival is over, it’s time for Lent. Traditionally during the fast, meat was not allowed to be eaten.
There’s a similar song in Occitan called Adiu paure Carnaval (Farewell Poor Carnival). Occitan was the language of the Troubadours. It’s still spoken in some areas of Southern France (and some regions in Spain and Italy.) As the effigy burns, Adiu paure Carnaval is sung, speaking of Monsieur Carnival leaving the singer to eat garlic and oil soup.
Here’s Adiu paure Carnaval, in Occitan, with an English translation and an mp3 recording.
Adiu paure Carnaval
(Occitan)Adiu paure, adiu paure,
adiu paure Carnaval
Tu te’n vas e ieu demòri
Adiu paure Carnaval
Tu t’en vas e ieu demòri
Per manjar la sopa a l’alh
Per manjar la sopa a l’òli
Per manjar la sopa a l’alh
Adiu paure, adiu paure,
adiu paure CarnavalLa joinessa fa la fèsta
Per saludar Carnaval
La Maria fa de còcas
Amb la farina de l’ostalLo buòu dança, l’ase canta
Lo moton ditz sa leiçon
La galina canta lo Credo
E lo cat ditz lo PaterFarewell, Poor Carnival
(English)Farewell, farewell,
Farewell, poor Carnival
You are leaving, and I am staying
Farewell, poor Carnival
You are leaving, and I am staying
To eat garlic soup
To eat oil soup
To eat garlic soup
Farewell, farewell,
Farewell, poor Carnival.The young ones are having a wild time
To greet Carnival
Mary is baking cakes
With flour from her home.The ox is dancing, the donkey’s singing
The sheep is saying its lesson
The hen is singing the Credo
And the cat is saying the Pater.Many thanks to Monique Palomares, of Mama Lisa’s World en français, for teaching me about the tradition of Monsieur Carnival and for translating and singing the song.
Come visit the Mama Lisa’s World Occitan Page for more Occitan Songs.
The ABC’s in French with an MP3
Thursday, January 26th, 2006Here are the ABC’s in French as sung by Monique’s first grade class…
L’alphabet
(in French/en français)A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y et Z
Maintenant je sais mon alphabet,
Chante avec moi la prochaine foisABC Song
(English)A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y and Z
Now I know my ABC’s,
Next time won’t you sing with me!Many thanks to Monique’s class for the wonderful recording of The ABC Song. Merci Beaucoup!
Lisa
Come visit the Mama Lisa’s World France Page for more French children’s songs with their English translations and…
Mama Lisa’s World en français for children’s songs around the world with their French translations
and
Mama Lisa’s Blog Entry with the ABC’s in English
The First Recording Ever Was of “Mary Had a Little Lamb” by Thomas Edison
Tuesday, January 24th, 2006Thomas Edison made the first recording of the human voice in 1877. He recited the nursery rhyme Mary Had a Little Lamb. He re-recorded it in 1927 for posterity.
Mary Had a Little Lamb
Mary had a little lamb,
Its fleece was white as snow.
And everywhere that Mary went,
The lamb was sure to go.Listen to Thomas Edison reciting Mary Had a Little Lamb, MP3
“Gaspar, Melchior and Balthasar” (The Three Wise Men) – A Christmas Song in Spanish with an mp3 recording
Thursday, December 22nd, 2005Here’s a wonderful song about the three wise men as performed by La Banda del Musiquero Loco. It has a nice exotic sound to it. Below you’ll find the original Spanish lyrics and an English translation.
MP3 of Gaspar, Melchior and Balthasar
Gaspar, Melchior and Balthasar
(Spanish)Del lejano Oriente vienen
Con la caravana entre los mercaderes
Cartapacios rollos de papiro
Traen los regalos para el niño divinoSon tres magos en tres camellos
La luz de Belén en el firmamento
Son sus corazones de zafiro
incienso y mirra para el niño dormido.Gaspar, Melchor y Baltazar
Gaspar, Melchor y BaltazarHere’s an English translation by Monique Palomares…
Gaspar, Melchior and Balthasar
(English)From far East they’re coming
With the caravan, among the merchants
Saddlebags, papyrus rolls,
They’re bringing the presents for the divine child.They are three magi on three camels
Bethlehem light up in the sky
Their hearts are of sapphire
Incense and myrrh for the sleeping child.Gaspar, Melchior and Balthasar
Gaspar, Melchior and BalthasarLyrics and music by Mariela Chintalo and Diego Dubarry.
Many thanks to La Banda del Musiquero Loco for the wonderful recording and to Monique Palomares at Mama Lisa’s World en français for the English translation. ¡Muchas gracias!
Come visit La Banda del Musiquero Loco’s website to hear more of their recordings!
And the Mama Lisa’s World Argentina Page for more Argentinean Children’s Songs
Jingling Christmas – An Occitan Carol with an MP3 Recording
Wednesday, December 21st, 2005Here are the lyrics to Nadal Tindaire (Jingling Christmas) an Occitan Christmas song. The song is in Occitan and with an English translation…
MP3 Recording of Nadal Tindaire
Nadal tindaire
(Occitan)Avèm ausit las aubadas
Que se’n venon de sonar
Sus de trompetas dauradas
Dison qu’un Daufin serà
L’una fa :”Tarara tararèra
Lintampon ladèri tampon”
E l’autra li fa lo respon :
“Tarara tararèra
Lintampon ladèri tampon”
Novèl vengut pichon poponQuand dintrarem dins l’estable
Li tirarem lo capèl
Li direm : “Enfant aimable
Venèm vos cantar Noël”
Un farà “Tarara tararèra
Lintampon ladèri tampon
E l’autre farà lo respon :
“Tarara tararèra
Lintampon ladèri tampon”
Novèl vengut pichon poponSonatz pifres e trompetas
Timbalas e caramèls,
O vos claras campanetas
Ambe lo còr dels angèls
Digatz-li “Tara tararèra
Lintampon ladèri tampon”
E cadun farà lo respon :
“Tarara tararèra
Lintampon ladèri tampon”
Novèl vengut pichon poponHere’s the English translation by Monique Palomares…
Jingling Christmas
(English)We’ve heard the morning tunes
That have just been played
On golden trumpets
They say it’ll be a Daufin (King’s son)
One goes : ” Tarara tararèra
Lintampon ladèri tampon”
The other answers back:
‘Tarara tararèra
Lintampon ladèri tampon”
Welcome, little baby.When we enter the cowshed
We’ll take our hat off for him
We’ll say to him “Lovely child,
We’ve come to sing to you for Christmas”
One will go ” Tarara tararèra
Lintampon ladèri tampon”
The other will answer back:
‘Tarara tararèra
Lintampon ladèri tampon”
Welcome, little baby.Play, fifes and trumpets
Timpani and pipes
Or you, clear little bells
Along with the angels choir
Tell him “Tarara tararèra
Lintampon ladèri tampon”
And everyone will answer back:
“Tarara tararèra
Lintampon ladèri tampon”
Welcome, little baby.Many thanks to Monique Palomares at Mama Lisa’s World en français for sending me the lyrics to Nadal Tindaire and for the English translation.
Come visit the Mama Lisa’s World Occitan Page for more Occitan Children’s Songs.
“Huachi torito” (Giddy-up, Little Bull) from North Argentina with an MP3 Recording
Monday, December 19th, 2005Here’s a version of Huachi torito, in Spanish and with an English translation, from North Argentina as sung by La Banda del Musiquero Loco…
MP3 Recording of Huachi torito
Huachi torito
(Spanish)Del arbol nació la rama
De la rama nació la flor
De la flor nació María,
De María el Niño Dios.Huachito torito
torito del corralito
Huachito torito
torito del corralito.Al niño recién nacido
todos le ofrecen su don
o soy pobre nada tengo
Le ofrezco mi corazón.Huachito, torito,
torito del corralito
Huachito, torito,
torito del corralito.Huachito, torito,
torito del corralito
Huachito, torito,
torito del corralito.Here’s the English translation of Huachito torito…
Giddy-up, Little Bull
(English)From the tree was born the branch,
From the branch was born the flower
From the flower was born Mary,
From Mary then Infant God.Giddy-up! Giddy-up, little bull
Little bull from the little farm.
Giddy-up! Giddy-up, little bull
Little bull from the little farm.To the new-born baby,
They all give their present
I am poor, I have nothing,
I give him my heart…Giddy-up! Giddy-up, little bull
Little bull from the little farm.
Giddy-up! Giddy-up, little bull
Little bull from the little farm.Giddy-up! Giddy-up, little bull
Little bull from the little farm.
Giddy-up! Giddy-up, little bull
Little bull from the little farm.Many thanks to La Banda del Musiquero Loco for the wonderful recording and to Monique Palomares at Mama Lisa’s World en français for the English translation. ¡Muchas gracias!
Come visit La Banda del Musiquero Loco’s website to hear more of their recordings!
And the Mama Lisa’s World Argentina Page for more Argentinean Children’s Songs
“Hallelujah Chorus” Lyrics and MP3 Recording
Sunday, December 18th, 2005Here are the lyrics to the Hallelujah Chorus, with an MP3 by Chorus Oratorio, as recorded by Thomas Edison.
MP3 of HallelujahHallelujah Chorus
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!The Kingdom of this world is become
The Kingdom of our Lord
And of His Christ, and of His Christ;
And He shall reign forever and ever
And He shall reign forever and ever
And He shall reign forever and ever
And He shall reign forever and everKing of Kings,
Forever and ever. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
And Lord of Lords,
Forever and ever. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!King of Kings,
Forever and ever. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
And Lord of Lords,
Forever and ever. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!King of Kings,
Forever and ever. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
And Lord of Lords,
King of Kings, and Lord of Lords,
And He shall reign for ever and ever
And He shall reign for ever and everKing of Kings
Forever and ever. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
And Lord of Lords.And He shall reign for ever and ever,
Forever and ever,
King of Kings,
And Lord of Lords,
King of Kings,
And Lord of Lords,
And He shall reign for ever and ever.King of Kings,
And Lord of Lords.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!And the Mama Lisa’s World Blog Holiday Songs Page for more Holiday Songs from Around the World
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
Thursday, December 15th, 2005We wish you a merry Christmas dates back to the 16th century. No one knows who wrote it. It seems to have been a caroling song – and these carolers are demanding a nice drink and some fig pudding!
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas,
We wish you a Merry Christmas,
We wish you a Merry Christmas
And a Happy New Year!Refrain
Good tidings we bring
To you and your kin,
We wish you a Merry Christmas
And a Happy New Year.!Now bring us figgy pudding*,
Now bring us figgy pudding,
Now bring us figgy pudding
And a cup of good cheer!Refrain
We won’t go until we get it
We won’t go until we get it
We won’t go until we get it
So bring some right here!Refrain
We wish you a Merry Christmas;
We wish you a Merry Christmas;
We wish you a Merry Christmas
And a Happy New Year!Here’s a more modern verse…
We all know that Santa’s coming,
We all know that Santa’s coming,
We all know that Santa’s coming,
And soon will be here.Refrain
*Figgy pudding is a pudding that features prunes, molasses, walnuts and spices.
Enjoy your figgy pudding and your cup of good cheer!
-Lisa
David W. Solomons was kind enough to send me his rendition of We Wish You a Merry Christmas, in MP3 format.
Many thanks to David W. Solomons for his recording of We Wish You a Merry Christmas. David is a one man choral singer who has been playing instruments and singing for over 30 years. Here’s a link to more of David Solomons’ Christmas music or visit his home page.
Wonderful Wizard of Oz – Chapter 2 of the MP3 Podcast Recording
Wednesday, November 30th, 2005Chapter 2 of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum, is now available on Mama Lisa’s Children’s Classics.
In this chapter, read by Jason Pomerantz, Dorothy rescues the munchkins from tyranny and sets forth on her journey down the Yellow Brick Road.
Wizard of Oz – Chapter 2 – MP3 Podcast Recording: The Council with the Munchkins.
Wizard of Oz
Friday, November 18th, 2005
I keep wanting to write that The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is one of my favorite children’s books. But when I really think about it, I realize that it’s actually one of my favorite books PERIOD!
After having seen the movie umpteen times, as a kid and adult, I wasn’t expecting any surprises from the novel, and I had never gotten round to reading it.
But then, in the late eighties, Books of Wonder released an edition that reproduces the first printing, from the turn of the 19th century, in exquisite detail. My husband and I purchased it and we were immediately enticed by the wonderful illustrations by W.W. Denslow.
I was even more charmed by how imaginative the story was, in a way that was different from the movie.
Once my son turned 5, my husband read this book aloud to the two of us. He did a wonderful job, and I wished more people could hear him.
Now that we’ve entered the age of podcasting, that wish can come true. (And I didn’t even have to knock my slippers together!)
So here’s my husband, Jason Pomerantz of Fiddle and Burn, reading The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum. (These files have been recorded in MP3 format. Feel free to play them in your browser or download them. If you play them in your browser, be patient… It might take a few minutes to begin playing.)
Wizard of Oz – Chapter 1 – MP3 Podcast Recording: The Cyclone
New chapters will be coming out on a weekly basis, so check back often.
I’m also using this project to spearhead a new website – Mama Lisa’s Classics of Children’s Literature. Over the next few months, this site will fill with articles discussing some of the best loved stories ever told. We’ll discuss the history of such books as Treasure Island, The Brothers Grimm, Huckleberry Finn and many others. Since these works are in the public domain, we’ll be able to include links to free, downloadable versions of the complete texts of many of these works. Some will feature MP3 podcasts.
For now, check out the Wizard of Oz page – and remember: There’s no place like home!
Floating Lanterns Festival in Thailand and “Loi Krathong Song” with an mp3
Tuesday, November 15th, 2005Wouldn’t it be great if you could take all the bad luck in your life and just let it float, far away, down a river? In Thailand, you can!
The Loi Krathong or Floating Lanterns Festival takes place on the night of the full moon in the 12th lunar month, which is usually in November. A “Krathong” is a little ship, made from banana leaves, and “Loy” is “to float”. So “Loy Krathong” means “to float little ships made from banana leaves”. And, during the evening of the festival, people all over Thailand do just that! They light candles and joss-sticks (incense), put them in their ships, and launch their Krathongs on a nearby river. They believe the little boats carry all their bad luck away. The ships themselves are an offering to the water goddess.
Another important part of the festival is the “Nopamas Beauty Queen Contest”. Nopamas was a legendary beautiful woman of the 13th century who was the consort of an important king. It’s believed that she created the first Krathong and the contest is held in her honor.
The Loi Krathong Festival is both a time of joy and an important expression of Thai spirituality and identity. It’s also quite a beautiful spectacle and tourists come from all over the world to witness the majestic processions of Krathongs floating peacefully into the night.
Here’s the Loy Krathong Song, which is associated with the holiday, with an mp3 recording…
Loy Krathong Song
(English Translation)November’s full moon shines,
Loy Krathong, Loy Krathong,
And the water’s high,
In the golden river and the canal.
Loy Loy Krathong
Loy Loy Krathong
Loy Krathong is here
And everybody’s full of cheer.
We’re together at the canal
Everyone with his Krathong,
As we push away, we pray,
We can see a better day.MP3 Recording of Loy Krathong Song
Thai Transliteration
Wan Pen Duan Sip Song
Nam Koh Nong Tem Taling
Rao Tanglai Shai Ying
Sanuk Ganjing Wan Loy Krathong
Loy Loy Krathong
Loy Loy Krathong,
Loy Krathong Gan Laew
Koh Shern Nong Kaew
Ook Ma Ram Wong
Ram Wong Wan Loy Krathong
Ram Wong Wan Loy Krathong
Boon Ja Song Hai Rao Suk Jai
Boon Ja Song Hai Rao Suk JaiMany thanks to Burt and Joy at Soppong River Inn in Thailand for providing me with the recording of Loy Krathong.
Happy Loi Krathong!
-Lisa
Come visit the Mama Lisa’s World Thailand Page for more songs from Thailand.
Here’s the story of the first Loy Krathong Festival.
Children’s Day in India – Celebrated on November 14th
Sunday, November 13th, 2005The history of Children’s Day in India, plus a Rhyme called My Cousin Monkey Goes to Wed, with an MP3 Recording
Jawaharlal Nehru was born on November 14, 1889. He was the first prime minister of India, after his country gained independence from Britain.
He was extremely outspoken about the importance of children for the future of India. He loved roses and felt that people needed to cultivate children just like roses. And that, above all else, children should be nurtured. Children affectionately called him “Chacha”!
He felt that girls should be given the same opportunities as boys. We can see just how well he put this into practice by viewing the life of his own daughter Indira: she eventually went on the become the third prime minister of India!
His love of children was so well known throughout India, that his birthday was made into a national holiday, “Children’s Day”.
Children’s Day is celebrated mainly in schools and colleges. There’s dancing and singing and contests, and sometimes teachers put on fun performances for their students and give them sweets.
Perhaps best of all for kids is that they’re excused if they don’t do their homework!
I couldn’t find any songs that are specific to Children’s Day, but here’s a fun rhyme from India. It’s called My Cousin Monkey Goes to Wed and it’s in the Telugu language, with an English translation below it, and an mp3 recording…
Koti Baavaku Pellanta
(Telugu)Koti baavaku pellanta
Kondaa konaa vididi anta
Kukka nakkala vindu anta
Enugu vaddana cheyunu anta
Elugu vintha choochunu anta
Kodi, kokila, kaakamma
Koti pelliki paata antaMy Cousin Monkey Goes to Wed
(English)My cousin monkey goes to wed
Hill and dale are well bedecked
Dog and fox have come to dine
Trumpeting elephant’s serving fine
Bear has come to watch the fun
Cock and crow and cuckoo sing
My cousin monkey’s wedding songMP3 of My Cousin Monkey Goes to Wed – Koti Baavaku Pellanta
Many thanks to Midhun for reciting this rhyme and to Dr. Srinivas Gummaraju for sending it to me with the English translation. Dhanyavaadaalu!
Come visit The Mama Lisa’s World India Page for more Children’s Songs from India.
If anyone would like to send me a song that specific to Children’s Day or any other kids songs from India, please comment below.
Thanks! Lisa
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