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or French Translations
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Contents
Posts
French Hello Song “Bonjour” with MP3
Monday, June 8th, 2009Hello songs are a wonderful way to help children who are learning a foreign language. It’s also nice for children to always sing the same song at the beginning of a class. Hello songs are great for this.
The song below is called “Bonjour”. It’s a French hello song written and sung by Alain Le Lait. Sit back and enjoy the song by clicking the MP3 below. You can read along with the lyrics in French, followed by an English translation by Alain…
Bonjour
(French Lyrics)Bonjour, bonjour
Comment ça va?
Bonjour, bonjour
Très bien, merci
Je suis content d’être ici
Avec tous mes petits amis
Bonjour, bonjour
Comment ça va?Merci, merci
Merci d’être ici
Merci, merci
Écoutez
Aimez-vous cette chanson?
J’espère que je suis dans le ton
Merci, merci
Merci d’être iciHello
(English Translation)Hello, hello
How are you?
Hello, hello
Very well, thank you
I am happy to be here
With all my little friends
Hello, hello
How are you?Thank you, thank you
For being here
Thank you, thank you
Listen up
Do you like this song?
I hope that I am in tune
Thank you, thank you
For being here.The French and English lyrics to this “Bonjour” song are © 2003 Alain Le Lait.
Alain Le Lait is a French native who grew up near Paris, France. He moved to the United States in the 1970s and now lives in Colorado. Alain writes and performs easy to learn children’s songs in French, Spanish and English. Check out his site www.Yadeeda.com to hear samples of his music and to buy his CD’s or mp3’s. Soon we’ll be posting Alain’s version of Alouette!
Merci Alain!
Mama Lisa
PS Here are some other Hello and Goodbye Songs…
Raffi Lyrics and Musical Arrangements
Sunday, May 31st, 2009Many children love Raffi’s music! I’ve just discovered something wonderful on his site… Raffi’s Lyrics and Scores – which include his specific arrangements to many of the songs he sings.
Enjoy!
Mama Lisa
Spanish Wrangler: Great Music for Exposing Kids to Spanish
Tuesday, April 21st, 2009The Spanish Wrangler sings really fun music for kids! The songs are mainly in English, but they’re peppered with Spanish words and phrases. Most of the songs tell a story – which children love. What a great way to expose kids to the Spanish language!
The Wrangler’s music is cool. You feel like you’re sauntering in a Western town. I thought it had a bit of a bluesy feel to it. So I asked the Spanish Wrangler how he would classify his music. He said, “a word I’ve seen used (and sometimes use myself) to describe my stuff is ‘roots-based.’ I think that signals that the songs are blues & country with some folk thrown in…” The folk is where the stories come from.
Check out the Wrangler singing in the song below (he’s great with the children!). You can see how he teaches Spanish words…
You can hear the whole song, plus others, on his site at Spanish Wrangler.
Here’s a link to buy the Spanish Wrangler’s CD’s.
Thanks to Wil Thomas aka the Spanish Wrangler for sharing his music with us!
Mama Lisa
Blog about Living in New Orleans
Wednesday, February 25th, 2009Check out the Toulouse Blog about life in New Orleans.
Here’s an excerpt of what he had to say approaching the Mardi Gras…
When one is called to Carnival, the first question will always be: what do I wear?
…You must simply find or make a mask, one that calls you to wear it, that dictates the costume that accompanies it, that leads you to surrender yourself to the spirit of the mask.
It need not even be a mask. My “mask” this year is a tri-corner, Asian-styled hat. I do not have the costume, but I already see the costume. When you can see the character in the object, when you can see yourself in the character, you will have found the one.
Without that mask, you can only be The Tourist. We see them at Carnival common as sparrows, and the camera is their mask. They come, take Carnival’s blurry picture and go home with fabulous hangovers… If you come do not choose to be The Tourist. Carnival is an occasion to be the spirit you know inside you. So take on your mask,… and enter through the gate The Tourists never pass, down the carriageway that opens into the courtyard at the heart of Carnival. It is filled with masks and spirits.
If reading the Toulouse blog gets you in the New Orleans mood, head on over to Home of the Groove to listen to some New Orleans music – (including some songs typically played in the Mardi Gras parade). You’ll feel like you’re in the heart of New Orleans. Bon voyage!
Mama Lisa
Danish Kids Songs Sites plus a Danish Children’s Song
Thursday, February 19th, 2009Richard wrote to me recommending a Danish kids song site…
Hi
On this web page Rimogremser.dk there are several Danish kids songs with midi files.
Thanks for a good a good web-site ;)
Best regards
Richard
Thanks for the recommendation Richard. The site is nice! It has cool line drawings to go with most of the songs and tunes – though no English translations.
I picked one of the songs on the site that’s in the public domain (possibly 100 years+ old) and tried my hand at translating it. Below you’ll find the lyrics in Danish, the illustration from the site, a link to the midi and my translation…
Når vi sejler op og ned
Når vi sejler op og ned,
ser vi fisken svømme.
Ære, være, du er min.
Lise, Lise, hvor vi elsker dig.Når vi sejler op og ned,
ser vi fisken svømme.
Ære, være, du er min
Michael, Michael, hvor vi hader dig.Midi of Når vi sejler op og ned
Rough English Translation:
When we sail up and down,
We see the fish swim.
Glory, be, you are mine,
Lisa, Lisa, we love you.When we sail up and down,
We see the fish swim.
Glory, be, you are mine,
Michael, Michael, we hate you.I welcome improvements to my translation!
I searched around some more and found another nice Danish site called Dansk Folkemindesamling (the link here is for the kids song section of the site). This one had a different version of the same song (also in Danish only). This one also had a Quicktime recording of children singing it. It’s where I learned that the song goes back to at least 1900. It’s a circle game. One goes “swimming” under the “circles” raised arms. At the end of each verse one joins the circle. One joins them to walk around so that together they form a chain which gets longer and longer.
Here’s the second version of the song…
1 Når vi sejler op og ned
så ser vi fisken svømme
ære være vi er her
for Mia, Mia hvem elsker du?2 Når vi sejler op og ned
så ser vi fisken svømme
ære være vi er her
for Per, Per hvem elsker du?3 Når vi sejler op og ned
så ser vi fisken svømme
ære være vi er her
for Ebbe, Ebbe hvem elsker du?This version is friendlier. Here’s the English translation I came up with:
1 When we sail up and down,
We see the fish swim.
We are honored to be here
For Mia, Mia, who loves you?2 When we sail up and down,
We see the fish swim.
We are honored to be here
For Per, Per, Who loves you?3 When we sail up and down,
We see the fish swim.
We are honored to be here
For Ebbe, Ebbe, Who loves you?Once again, I welcome improvements to my translation!
Mama Lisa’s World also has some Danish kids songs with English, French and Spanish translations and midis. We always welcome more songs if anyone would like to contribute any and also if anyone would like to sing any for us… Feel free to comment below or email me!
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
Radio Station on the Internet that plays Jazz
Friday, August 22nd, 2008I recently discovered KUVO Jazz 89 where you can hear great music right on the internet. Check it out if you like Jazz and the Blues!
Mama Lisa
Announcing Mamá Lisa’s World en español!
Monday, October 1st, 2007We’re very excited to make an important announcement – Mama Lisa’s World, our collection of children’s songs from around the globe, is now available in Spanish!
Mama Lisa’s World features almost a thousand kids’ songs from more than a hundred countries and cultures. Many are available in the original languages, with translations into English, French and now Spanish. It’s a great resource for parents, teachers and anyone interested in multicultural childhood culture.
I’d like to thank my friend and colleague, Monique Palomares, for her translations and my husband, Jason Pomerantz, for his programming. And, of course, I’m especially grateful to the many contributors who have made this great resource possible!
If you’d like to sing a traditional children’s song for us in Spanish, we be happy to post it!
Come on over and visit Mamá Lisa’s World en español!
New Blog about Music Education called “Musicing”
Tuesday, May 1st, 2007Vince Bates recently started a blog about music education called Musicing. I like his thoughts on music. He believes music should be taught in schools to become a vital part of the student’s whole life.
Here’s what Vince wrote (it’s also an explanation of what “musicing” means):
“‘Musicing’, to me, means any and all human action related to music… Joyful play, I think, is integral to musicing…. people engage in musicing because it is personally fulfilling – because it might lead to increased happiness and fulfillment…. This blog will explore how music in school can become joyful and personally fulfilling musicing.”
I’m curious about what Vince has to say and will be reading his blog to hear his thoughts on music.
Zooglobble Counting Down Top 50 Songs
Monday, April 30th, 2007Zooglobble is another blog to check out if you’re interested in children’s music. In it, Stefan Shepherd reviews lots of children’s musical CD’s.
He’s also been rating the top 50 children’s songs. His latest, songs 6 – 10, were Mary Had a Little Lamb, I’ve Been Working on the Railroad, Down by the Bay, Itsy Bitsy Spider and Freight Train. Can’t wait to see what his top 5 favorites are!
Super Simple Songs
Thursday, February 8th, 2007Devon and Troy over at Super Simple Songs made some nice changes to their site. Now you can watch their videos right from their home page.
They’ve also added some new videos, including Walking, Walking and The Days of the Week. I’m posting Walking, Walking for you to view right here, with Devon’s kind permission of course! Check it out. It’s particularly good for the preschool set. Then go on over to Super Simple Songs to see what else they’re cooking up over there.
Many thanks to Devon for allowing me to post this fun video!
-Lisa
A Yiddish Lullaby – Pretty Like the Moon – Sheyn vi di levone
Friday, December 29th, 2006Last weekend I recorded my husband’s 92 year old grandmother, Edna Pomerantz, singing a verse of a Yiddish Lullaby. It’s called Sheyn vi di levone, or Pretty Like the Moon, in English.
Here you can hear the recording and read the transliterated Yiddish lyrics, followed by an English translation (the last line might be a little different in the recording):
Sheyn vi di levone
(Yiddish Transliteration)Sheyn vi di levone,
Likhtik vi di shtern,
Fun himl a matone,
Bistu mir tzugeshikt!Pretty Like the Moon
(English Translation)Pretty like the moon
Bright like the stars
From Heaven you were
Sent to me as a present.Many thanks to Grandma Edna for singing this song for us and to Monique Palomares of Mama Lisa’s World en français for helping me with the translation!
-Lisa
Come visit the Come visit the Mama Lisa’s World Israel Page for more Yiddish songs.
Check out more lyrics to Sheyn vi di Levone.
While researching this song I came across a site with lots of lyrics to songs in Yiddish, Hebrew, and Judeo-Spanish, most with English translations.
“The Bath Song for Kids Learning English as a Second Language”
Tuesday, September 12th, 2006Check out the video of The Bath Song over at Super Simple Songs. Your kids and/or students will get a kick out of it!
-Lisa
Some Games to Play With Schoolchildren
Wednesday, May 10th, 2006Check out Troy’s (SongStreet) blog post about how to make, and play, a game called Gone Fishin‘ and another one about a game called Finger Faces.
Troy’s colleague Devon talks on his blog about another fun game called Freeze Dance.
These guys sound like every kid’s dream teachers. You can tell they love their work and make it fun to learn!
An April Song in English, based on a French Poem
Wednesday, April 5th, 2006David Solomons sent me this nice ditty he sang called APRIL. The English lyrics were written by S N Solomons, the music was composed and performed by David Solomons. The English version is based on a French poem by Remi Belleau (1528-1577).
MP3 of David Solomons singing April
APRIL
April, the grace and smile
That all beguile,
The tang and the sweet breath:
Perfume of Gods on high,
Who from the sky
Relish the scent of earth.April, courteous and gentil
Who from exile
Summons the wanderers,
The forked swifts that skim
Their way and seem
Of Spring the messengers.May-flower and eglantine,
And verdant thyme,
Lilies and roses red
At this so beauteous tide,
Growing in pride
With lovely raiment spread.English version of APRIL ©S N Solomons
Here’s Remi Belleau’s poem in French…
AVRIL
Avril, la grace, et le ris
De Cypris,
Le flair et la douce haleine:
Avril, le parfum des Dieux,
Qui des cieux
Sentent l`odeur de la plaine.C`est toy courtois et gentil,
Qui d`exil
Retires ces passageres,
Ces arondelles qui vont,
Et qui sont
Du printemps les messageres.L`aubespine et l`aiglantin,
Et le thym,
L`oeillet, le lis et les roses
En ceste belle saison,
A foison,
Monstrent leurs robes escloses.Come visit David’s page with this song and the musical score.
Check out the Online Video of David Singing APRIL!
Many thanks to David Solomons for sharing this song for us to enjoy!
David is a one man choral singer who has been playing instruments and singing for over 30 years. Here’s a link to David Solomons’ Home Page where you can hear more of his music!
A Well-known Japanese Song called “Moonlight on the Ruined Castle” or “Kojo no Tsuki”
Thursday, March 9th, 2006John Caughman sent me an mp3 of him singing the first verse of Moonlight on the Ruined Castle. First you’ll hear it in Japanese and then in English. Here’s the mp3 with a Japanese transliteration (so you can read or sing along), the English translation and the Japanese text…
MP3 of Moonlight on the Ruined Castle – Kojo no Tsuki
Kojo no Tsuki
Haru koro no hana no en
Meguru sakazuki kage sashite
Chiyo no matsu ga e wake ideshi
Mukashi no hikari Ima izu koMoonlight on the Ruined Castle
Cherry blossoms gracefully bloom o’er the fields that lie,
High up is the castle wall, where have warriors gone?
Where is the moonlight that brightly shone up high,
Shone upon the warriors who drained the glasses dry?Japanese Text of Kojo no Tsuki
Many thanks to John Caughman for singing this song for us!
-Lisa
Here you’ll find the complete lyrics to Moonlight on the Ruined Castle in Japanese text and with an English translation. I’ll post the full Japanese transliteration of Kojo no Tsuki in the comments below.
Come visit the Mama Lisa’s World Japan Page for more Japanese Songs.
You can also visit John Caughman’s site called Daygig Music to hear more of his songs!
Plum Blossoms, a sign in Japan that Spring is Coming
Monday, February 27th, 2006Devon of Head, Shoulders, Knees and all that posted an article in his blog about his trip to the Plum Blossom Festival in Japan, called Ume Matsuri. Here’s one of the wonderful photos he took there…
In Japan, Plum Blossoms are one of the first blooms in the new year. Here in New York we first see crocuses and grape hyacinths.
Devon also posted a review about The Laurie Berkner Band’s new music video DVD called “We are the Laurie Berkner Band”. I haven’t seen it yet, but I definitely recommend Laurie Berkner’s music. (She sings children’s songs and her music videos can often be seen on the TV channel called Noggin.)
Please feel free to comment below letting us know what the first signs of Spring are where you live. I’d be happy to post photos too.
Link to Listen Online to Folk Music from Florida, U.S.A.
Saturday, February 25th, 2006I just noticed a link to Music from the Florida Folklife Collection on Neil Gaiman’s Blog.
If you’re into folk music, check it out! It’s pretty good.
I also noticed while reading over Neil Gaiman’s Blog that he recently added some video clips. So if you’re a Neil Gaiman fan, take a look.
-Lisa
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