Frere Jacques – Brother John with an MP3 Recording in French and English
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Contents
Posts
Frere Jacques – Brother John with an MP3 Recording in French and English
Saturday, November 14th, 2009Here’s a nice recording of Frère Jacques in both French and English by Ezwa.
Here are the lyrics of the French and English versions of Frère Jacques. The version on the mp3 recording mixes these lyrics…
Frère Jacques,
Frère Jacques,
Dormez-vous?
Dormez-vous?
Sonnez les matines.
Sonnez les matines.
Ding, ding, dong.
Ding, ding, dong.Are you sleeping?
Are you sleeping?
Brother John,
Brother John?
Morning bells are ringing.
Morning bells are ringing.
Ding, dong, ding.
Ding, dong, ding.Enjoy!
Mama Lisa
“You’re Not Supposed to Say That!” – Mama Lisa’s Thanksgiving Silliness
Monday, November 2nd, 2009Here’s a Thanksgiving poem I wrote in honor of turkeys all over the U.S. in autumn. It’s geared towards older kids.
You can click on the mp3 below to hear my husband and me recite it…
You’re Not Supposed to Say That!
“Cock-a-doodle-doo!” said the turkey.
“What?!” went the rooster.
“Cock-a-doodle-doo!”
“You’re not supposed to say
“Cock-a-doodle-doo!”
Said the rooster.
“Oh yes I am!”
Said the turkey.
“No you’re not!”
Said the rooster.
“What am I supposed to say?”
Asked the turkey.
The rooster replied,
“Gobble, gobble, gobble!”
“BOOM”
Went the farmer’s gun
And the rooster fell down dead.
“Don’t tell me what I’m
Supposed to say!”
Said the turkey,
“Cock-a-doodle-doo!”Many thanks to my husband, Jason Pomerantz, for playing the part of the Turkey (hee, hee, hee)!
Hope you enjoyed the show!
Mama Lisa
Ghost of John – Halloween Song with MP3 Recording
Monday, October 26th, 2009My daughter and her friends Marisa and Melisa taught me this Halloween song, which seems to be traditional American. It’s called Ghost of John. Below are the lyrics and two renditions, one by Marisa and one by Melisa, plus a drawing by Melisa.
But first, here’s Marisa announcing it with a Halloween song about Halloween songs…
Halloween is coming soon,
One, Two Three,
If you want a spooky song,
Call on me.Here’s the Ghost of John song…
MP3 of Ghost of John by Marisa
MP3 of Ghost of John by Melisa
Ghost of John
Have you seen the Ghost of John?
Long white bones and the rest all gone,
Ooh, ooh!
Wouldn’t it be chilly with no skin on?While the girls would sing the song they would all stand in the mirror, looking for the ghost of John. Of course, someone would see part of the ghost… like his ear, in the mirror. Then they would all scream. Finally, they ended the game because they were freaking each other out. I guess that’s what Halloween is all about… ghosts!
Many thanks to Marisa and Melisa for singing Ghost of John for us and to Melisa for the drawing!
Mama Lisa
A Good Morning Song Featuring African Languages with an MP3
Monday, October 26th, 2009I woke up this morning with a cup of coffee and by listening to “Good Morning to You” in English, French and some African languages on my computer. What a wonderful way to wake up!
The recording was done by recording a phone call over the internet. Thanks to Nyango Melissa for calling and singing this morning! She made my day! Now you can enjoy her singing too! Just click the mp3 link below and read along with the lyrics. Enjoy!
Good Morning to You
(In English, French, Hausa, Mbonge & Swahili)Good morning to you,
Good morning to you,
In English, I speak
In English, I speak
Good morning to you,
Good morning to you,
In English, in English I speak.Bonjour Mesdames,
Bonjour Messieurs,
En français, je parle
En français, je parle
Bonjour mesdames, bonjour messieurs
In French, in French I speak.Salam alekum
Alekum sala
In Hausa, I speak
In Hausa, I speak
Salam alekum
alekum sala
In Hausa, in Hausa I speak.O-we-li-ni-e
O we li ni e
In Mbonge, I speak
In Mbonge, I speak
O we li ni e
O we li ni e
In Mbonge, in Mbonge I speak.Hujambo bwana,
Hujambo bibi
In Swahili, I speak
In Swahili, I speak
Hujambo bwana
Hujambo bibi
In Swahili, in Swahili I speak!It’s the 2nd time we were able to easily use this technology of recording a phone call. If anyone else would like to sing a traditional (non-copyrighted) song for us, or recite a rhyme, please email me at lisa@mamalisa.com for directions.
Nyango has sent us many songs from Cameroon over the past couple of years. It’s great for everyone to finally hear her voice! She recorded 6 songs today. You can find them on the Cameroon Pages at the link just above. They’re the ones with the MP3’s.
Many thanks to Nyango Melissa Nambangi of the Minnesota African Women’s Association for contributing and singing these songs for us!
Mama Lisa
*****
Minnesota African Women’s Association has products available that were stitched by their sewing group. They’re available for purchase online at Etsy. They have beautiful pillows, dolls dressed in traditional and contemporary African fashions, tote bags, hats and more!
Laughing is Contagious – A Song from Cameroon with an MP3 Recording
Sunday, October 25th, 2009Nyango M. Nambangi sent us this Cameroonian song from Africa. What’s even better is that we have a recording to go with it!
Nyango wrote: “Here’s a song our mother taught us and her Middle School students. The tune is very British, in my opinion, but I have not been able to find the lyrics or tune or any reference to it anywhere. The end actually gets the listeners laughing!”
MP3 Recording of Laughing is Contagious
Laughing is Contagious
Ha, ha, ha!
Laughing is contagious.
Ha, ha, ha!
And sometimes advantageous.
Ha, ha, ha!
And very careful be
And laugh with caution now.
Ha, ha!Ha, ha, ha!
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha
Ha, ha, ha!
ha, ha, ha, ha, ha
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha
Ha, ha ha!This recording is extra special to us because it was done by recording a phone call! It’s the first time we were able to easily use this technology of having someone call and recording them. Also, Nyango have sent us many songs from Cameroon over the past couple of years. It’s great for everyone to finally hear her voice!
If anyone would like to sing a traditional (non-copyrighted) song for us, please email me at lisa@mamalisa.com for directions.
Many thanks to Nyango M. Nambangi of the Minnesota African Women’s Association for contributing and singing this song for us!
Mama Lisa
*****
Minnesota African Women’s Association has products available that were stitched by their sewing group. They’re available for purchase online at Etsy. They have beautiful pillows, dolls dressed in traditional and contemporary African fashions, tote bags, hats and more!
Two French Goodbye Songs with Recordings
Friday, October 23rd, 2009I was recently asked for a Goodbye Song in French. While looking for a song I found out that some French school teachers use the French version of Auld Lang Syne, “Ce n’est qu’un au revoir”, as a Goodbye Song. It’s a Scout song that’s also called “Le chant des adieux”. When teachers use it as a Goodbye song, they sing the 1st two verses. Here they are in French with an English translation….
Faut-il nous quitter sans espoir
Sans espoir de retour ?
Faut-il nous quitter sans espoir
De nous revoir un jour ?Refrain
Ce n’est qu’un au revoir, mes frères,
Ce n’est qu’un au revoir.
Oui, nous nous reverrons, mes frères,
Ce n’est qu’un au revoir.Here’s a literal English translation by Monique Palomares…
Must we leave each other without a hope
To see each other again some day
Must we leave each other without a hope
A hope of returnIt’s only a goodbye, my brothers
It’s only a goodbye,
Yes, we’ll see each other again, my brothers
It’s only a goodbye.Here you can hear the whole song…
Another Goodbye Song we have here today was written and sung by Alain Le Lait. It’s in French and English. Sit back and enjoy the song by clicking the MP3 below. You can read along with the lyrics in French and English…
Listen to Alain’s French Goodbye Song
Au revoir
by Alain Le LaitAu revoir, good bye,
Now it is time for me to go away.
Au revoir, good bye,
But I wish I could stay with you all day.Thanks for your smiles
And for singing along
I hope to see you again before too long.Au revoir, good bye,
Il se fait tard et je dois m’en aller
Au revoir, good bye,
Mais j’aimerais rester toute la journée
Pour vos sourires et vos bien jolies voix
Je vous remercie et a une autre fois.Au revoir, good bye,
Au revoir, good bye,
Au revoir, good bye.(English Translation of French Verse)
Good bye, good bye
It’s getting late and I must go
Good bye, good bye
But I’d like to stay with you all day
For all your smiles and your pretty voices
I thank you and I’ll see you another time.The French and English lyrics to this “Au revoir” song are © 1994 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.
Merci Alain & Monique!
Feel free to share any French Hello or Goodbye songs you know in the comments below.
Mama Lisa
PS Here are some other Hello and Goodbye Songs…
ABC’s in New York’s Roads and Buildings
Saturday, July 25th, 2009Rachel Young found all the letters in the alphabet using Google Maps in the buildings and roads of New York. Young was inspired by the idea of Australian graphic designer Rhett Dashwood who made an alphabet of roads and buildings in the state of Victoria, Australia.
I thought the use of Madison Square Garden for "O" in the NY ABC’s was a nice touch…
This shows an important point: there are so many ways to be creative in life… all it takes is an interesting idea!
Enjoy the Alphabet of New York… as a bonus you can hear my daughter sing the ABC’s when you click on the image above!
Mama Lisa
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…
A Recording of Don Gato in Spanish with the Lyrics and an English Translation
Tuesday, May 26th, 2009We recently received a new recording of Don Gato wonderfully sung in Spanish by Élodie Chebat. You can click the mp3 link below to hear it. While listening, you can read the lyrics in Spanish below, followed by an English translation…
El señor don Gato
(Spanish)Estaba el señor Don Gato
Sentadito en su tejado
Miarrau miau miau miau
Sentadito en su tejado.Cuando le vinieron nuevas
Que había de ser casado
Miarrau miau miau miau
Que había de ser casado.Con una gatita parda
Con un pinta en el rabo
Miarrau miau miau miau
Con un pinta en el rabo.El gato de la alegría
Se ha caído del tejado
Miarrau miau miau miau
Se ha caído del tejado.Se ha roto siete costillas
Y la puntita del rabo
Miarrau miau miau miau
Y la puntita del rabo.Le llevaron a enterrar
Por la calle del pescado
miarrau miau miau miau
Por la calle del pescado.Al olor de las sardinas
Don Gato ha resucitado
Miarrau miau miau miau
Don Gato ha resucitado.English Translation
Lord Tom Cat was
Sitting on his roof,
Marrameow meow meow meow
Sitting on his roof.He received news
Saying he had to get married,
Marrameow meow meow meow
Saying he had to get married.With a grey kitty
With a spot on her tail,
Marrameow meow meow meow
With a spot on her tail.From the exuberation, the cat
Fell down from the roof,
Marrameow meow meow meow
Fell down from the roof.He broke seven ribs
And the end of his tail,
Marrameow meow meow meow
And the end of his tail.He’s taken to be buried,
Through the fish street,
Marrameow meow meow meow,
Through the fish street.Smelling some sardines
Lord Tom Cat resuscitated
Marrameow meow meow meow
Lord Tom Cat resuscitated.Many thanks to Élodie Chebat for singing Senor Don Gato for us and for contributing this version of the song!
Check out the Don Gato Song Page for another version of Don Gato in Spanish, with English and French translations, and the sheet music and midi. Check out the Senor Don Gato English version too that’s sung in the US!
Enjoy!
Mama Lisa
Early Spring a Poem by Fay Inchfawn with an MP3 Recording
Friday, April 3rd, 2009Here’s a lovely poem called Early Spring by Fay Inchfawn. Inchfawn’s real name was Elizabeth Rebecca Ward (1880 – 1978). She was born in England.
Early Spring
Quick through the gates of Fairyland
The South Wind forced his way.
‘Twas his to make the Earth forget
Her grief of yesterday.
“‘Tis mine,” cried he, “to bring her joy!”
And on his lightsome feet
In haste he slung the snowdrop bells,
Pushed past the Fairy sentinels,
And out with laughter sweet.Clear flames of Crocus glimmered on
The shining way he went.
He whispered to the trees strange tales
Of wondrous sweet intent,
When, suddenly, his witching voice
With timbre rich and rare,
Rang through the woodlands till it cleft
Earth’s silent solitudes, and left
A Dream of Roses there!You can read a whole book of Elizabeth Ward’s poetry called The Verse-Book Of A Homely Woman online at Project Gutenberg.
Hina Matsuri – Doll Festival in Japan
Thursday, March 19th, 2009Hina Matsuri or “Doll Festival”, is celebrated in Japan on March 3rd every year.
Ayako Egawa wrote to me from Japan about the holiday:
“Families with daughters celebrate March 3 by displaying Hina-dolls on a stepped shelf to express the wish for their daughters’ good health and growth. I posted a photo of ‘Hina-dolls’ (below). They are pretty.”
“We decorate Hina-dolls with flowers of peach and field mascard (canola) on ‘Hina Matsuri’. These below are flowers of peach.” The peach blossoms are thought to repel evil.
Ayako makes flower arrangements. She wrote, “This is a ‘Hinamatsuri’ arrangement I made. It has in it flowers of peach, field mustard (canola – the small yellow flower), gerbera, roses, persion buttercup (the big yellow flower) and lemon leaf. The point of this arrangement is arrange the flowers of peach vertically going higher. The pink tone of the flowers create an elegant mood.”
Here’s the Hina Matsuri Song that’s sung all over Japan for the holiday. You can hear it being sung below by Sakura and Hatsami. The recording is followed by the transliterated lyrics, an English translation and the Japanese text…
Hina Matsuri Song
Transliterated Japanese
Akari o tsukema sho bon bori ni
O hana o agemasyo momo no hana
Gonin – bayashi no fue daiko
Kyoo wa tanoshii Hina MatsuriLoose English Translation
Let’s light the lanterns on the tiered stand
Let’s put peach blossoms on the tiered stand
Five court musicians are playing flutes and drums
Today is a Happy Dolls’ Festival.Japanese Text for the Hina Matsuri Song
うれしいひなまつり
You can read more about Hina Matsuri in a previous posts I’ve written about it by clicking on the links below.
You can visit the Mama Lisa’s World Hina Matsuri Song Page for sheet music to this song.
Many thanks Ayako Egawa for sharing her photos with us about Hinamatsuri and for commenting on them, to Sakura and Hatsami for singing the Hina Matsuri Song and to Peter Galante of Learn Japanese with JapanesePod101.com for allowing us to use this wonderful recording! The recording is from their podcast about the Hina Matsuri Festival (it’s mainly in English).
Happy Hina Matsuri!
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
Senzenina – A Zulu Protest Song and Funeral Song
Wednesday, March 11th, 2009This is a protest song and it is traditionally sung at funerals. It was important during the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. Senzenina means “What have we done” with the implication “what did we do to deserve this?” (Also spelled “senzeni na”.)
Here you can see the original lyrics, with an English translation and a wonderful mp3 recording that we just received by Élodie Chebat.
Senzenina
(Zulu/Xhosa)Senzenina
Sono sethu ubumnyama
Sono sethu yinyaniso
Sibulawayo
Mayibuye i Africa.What Have We Done?
(English Translation)What have we done?
Our sin is that we are black
Our sin is the truth
They are killing us
Let Africa return.We found that this song is considered to be in both the Zulu and Xhosa languages. Trying to figure out which language it was in, I looked up the words to this song, and found some of them in a Zulu dictionary and some in a Xhosa dictionary. On further research I found in the Encyclopedia Britannica: “The Zulu and Xhosa languages are similar enough to be considered dialects of one language, but speakers of Zulu and Xhosa consider them to be separate languages.” (FYI They are both Southeastern Bantu languages.)
Many thanks to Élodie Chebat for contributing and singing this beautiful song!
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
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
Traditional Scottish Music Downloads
Thursday, February 12th, 2009Ashley wrote to me looking for some Scottish songs to download. Here’s what she wrote…
Hi Lisa,
I came across your website while I was looking for some traditional Scottish songs for my primary two class, your website is great!
I was just wondering if you knew of anywhere I could download music to go with the lyrics?
I’m looking for music for;
Three Wee Craws
Ally Bally
Murder Murder Polis
The Big Ship Sails
My Girl’s a Corker
I’ve a Laddie in America
Dance to your DaddieIf you know of any websites to download traditional Scottish music, please let me know!
Thanks,
Ashley
We have lyrics to traditional Scottish songs on Mama Lisa’s World. a couple of them have mp3’s to download.
I’ve been able to find the following songs to download from Amazon (clicking the link will bring you to the download page – most downloads are .99 cents per song):
Ally Bally – MP3 Downloads
The Big Ship Sails – MP3 Downloads
My Girl’s a Corker – MP3 DownloadIf anyone knows where you can download the other songs, or if you’d like to sing any of them for us, please comment below or email me.
Thanks!
Mama Lisa
Wedding Custom and Song in Occitan from France
Thursday, January 8th, 2009Guest blogger, Monique Palomares works with me on Mama Lisa’s World en français. Monique grew up speaking the Occitan language in southern France. Occitan was the language spoken by the troubadours – largely in southern France – but also in parts of Spain and Italy.
Recently, Peter emailed us asking about the lyrics of a Gascon Occitan song called “Lo torrin”. (Gascon is an Occitan Dialect.) Peter’s wife is learning how to play the “boha” (the Gascon bagpipe) and he wanted to sing along. He got the lyrics and forwarded them to us.
The song “Lo torrin” is a “wedding song” that the wedding party-goers would sing to the newlyweds. “Lo torrin” specifically refers to a garlic soup spiced with pepper. This soup was traditionally brought to newlyweds on the morning after their wedding night.
In this old tradition, the bride and the groom would ride around the village in a cart with their brand-new chamberpot, on their wedding day. It symbolized the start of their new life together and it also let people know about their wedding. Remember that at that time there were no bathrooms, only outhouses. Yet people wouldn’t go out at night to “go” in the outhouse (”la cabane au fond du jardin”*). During the evening meal and party the newlyweds would sneak out around midnight and they would go to sleep at some accomplice’s place (an aunt’s, a grandma’s…). Later in the night or early in the morning, the young people at the wedding (those in their late teens and their twenties) would search for them. When they found them, they’d get them out of bed so that they could eat the soup that had been cooked especially for them.
In some areas, they wouldn’t cook a soup, they would pour into a brand new chamberpot the leftovers of the drinks with chocolate and biscuits (nobody needs further description to guess what it was supposed to look like). This was supposed to help them recover from the wedding night.
When I was a child and in my neighborhood the bride and groom wouldn’t tour around the town with their brand-new chamberpot, but they’d still be gotten out of bed. Nowadays the tradition survives in some places. Since nobody now uses chamberpots, “pots de la mariée” (brides’ chamberpots) are still on sale for this event.
*”La cabane au fond du jardin” refers to the little wooden cabin used as toilets at the other end of the garden and it’s also the title of a spoof song imitating the style of the French singer Francis Cabrel.
Below, you can hear Jane Thomasson playing the “boha” and Peter Horton singing the first verse of the song. After that you’ll find the lyrics in Occitan, and then an English translation…
Click to Hear the first verse of Lo Torrin
Lo torrin
(Gascon Occitan)Obritz la pòrta, obritz (x2)
La novèla maridada luron lonla (x2)Vos portèm lo torrin (x2)
E la sopa ben pebrada luron lon la (x2)Coma obrirei jo (x2)
Que soi dens mon lheit cochada luron lon la (x2)Au pròche de mon marit (x2)
Que me ten tota embraçada luron lon la (x2)Que me ten e me tendrà (x2)
Tota la nèit empenada luron lon la (x2)Se perdèvi mas amors (x2)
Ont las anguerei o quèrre luron lon la (x2)Seren per debat París (x2)
A dus cent cinquanta legas luron lon la (x2)Dabans la pòrta i a (x2)
Un grand pè de heuguèra luron lon la (x2)Dens ‘quera heuguèra (x2)
Un beròi nid de tortèla luron lon la (x2)La tortèla i a cohat (x2)
E apèi s’es envolada luron lon la (x2)En partint a feit rocó (x2)
E la bèra n’es plus bèra luron lon la (x2)Obritz la pòrta, obritz (x2)
La novèla maridada luron lon la (x2)Se no l’obrissètz pas (x2)
En ‘questa ora vos l’enfoncèm luron lon la (x2)The “Torrin”
(English Translation)Open the door, open it, (2 x’s)
You, bride (newlywed) luron lon la…We bring you the tourrin*
And the soup spiced with pepper.How would I open it
If I’m lying in my bed?Close to my husband,
Who holds me in his arms**.Who holds me and will hold me
Saddened, all night long.If I lost my love
Where would I go for him?He’d be, northwards, near Paris,
250 leagues from here.In front of the door is
A big fern.In this fern is
A pretty turtle dove nest.The turtle dove hatched there
Then she flew away.When she left, she went “coo”,
And the pretty one isn’t pretty any more.Open the door, open, (twice)
You, bride.If you don’t open it
Now we’ll break it open.Click here for the Lo torrin Song Page – where you can access the Sheet Music, midi tune and French and Spanish translations.
Note: There are some other songs about getting married in Occitan and French, most of which are addressed to girls. They’re along the lines of Joan Baez’s song The Wagoner’s Lad: “Oh hard is the fortune of all womankind, she’s always controlled, she’s always confined, controlled by her parents until she is wife, a slave to her husband the rest of her life!”
Many thanks to Peter Horton for contributing the lyrics to “Lo torrin”and the sheet music (which came from the “Bohaires de Gasconha”), and for singing the first verse for us, accompanied by Jane Thomasson playing the “boha” (local bagpipe).
-Monique Palomares
UPDATE: Here’s a Recipe for Lo Torrin Soup!
French and Occitan Christmas Carol Links
Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008Here are some Carols you can find the lyrics and translations to and often an mp3, midi, score, YouTube video and French and Spanish Translations – just click the link to access them:
Occitan Christmas Carols
Nadal tindaire – Jingling Christmas – from Occitania
Nadal tindaire – Jingling Christmas – Recording only – from OccitaniaPastres, rintratz vòstrei tropèus – Shepherds, Bring Your Flocks In – Occitania
Lo paure Satan – Poor Satan – OccitaniaFrench Christmas Carols
Nous étions trois bergerettes – We Were Three Young Shepherdesses – France
Patapan – France
Willie Take Your Little Drum – English Version of the French Carol Called PatapanEnjoy!
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
Christmas in Thailand and a New Thai Version of Jingle Bells
Monday, December 22nd, 2008Jet sent me a Thai version of Jingle Bells that she wrote. We don’t have any Thai Christmas songs, so I thought it would be nice to post here.
Here’s the note Jet wrote to me, followed by her song, followed by explanations of some of the Thai words:
I remembered hearing an Australian version of Jingle Bells, and I found it at your website. Your Australian versions of Jingle Bells prompted my to try my hand at writing a Thai version of the song as follows; hope you like it.
To be sung to the tune of “Jingle Bells” …
Dashing through the Soi,
Clutching at your hat
Racing with the dogs,
Chasing off stray cats.
Hoping it will be cool,
Finding out you’re wrong
Red faced and hot and dripping sweat
You have a cold beer by the khlong.Jing-en ben, jing-en ben,
Christmas time is here,
Chicken, somtam, sticky rice,
Good friends and good cheer, oh!Sawasdee, from us all,
Party time is near,
Sanook time, one and all,
Good friends and good cheer!Use tuk-tuks to get around,
They have the fastest moves,
It seems they have no rules,
They go where they can.
Hang on for your life,
Question who is nuts,
They rev and weave to a fare-thee-well
You end up praying for your life!Jing-en ben, jing-en ben,
Christmas time is here,
Chicken, somtam, sticky rice,
Good friends and good cheer, oh!
Sawasdee, from us all,
Party time is near,
Sanook time, one and all,
Good friends and good cheer!Note:
Soi = street
Khlong = canal
Jing-en ben = the way Thai people pronounce “Jingle Bells”
Somtam = papaya salad
Sawasdee = hello
Sanook = fun
Tuk-tuk = a three wheeled open vehicle, used to get around the cityWritten by Ms. Jetharee Uditananda in November 2008
I asked Jet if there are any specific Christmas time traditions in Thailand. Here’s what she wrote:
There are no specially “Thai” Christmas traditions here that I know of. Only one thing stands out; the Thais have “borrowed” the Western idea of gift giving, parties and family gatherings in the Christmas-New Year period.
Now, Thais do not only “go home” to their home towns during the Thai New Year (we call it our “Songkran” festival in April), we also take the opportunity of a few days of holiday to “go home” in the Christmas-New Year period to see relatives and loved ones.
Wishing you a lovely Christmas and a Happy New Year Jet
Thanks Jet!
Finally, I found on some forums they mentioned that The Alvin and the Chipmunks album is the most popular music in Thailand at Christmastime. (You can hear clips at the link.) They also sing “Jingen Ben Jingen Ben Jingen Aun A Ray” (Jingle Bells), “Sandy Craw iss Comen to Taun” (Santa Claus is Coming to Town) and “I Deeming Ova Why Clissimus” (I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas).
Many thanks to Ms. Jetharee Uditananda for sharing her version of Jingle Bells with us and for letting us know about Christmas in Thailand. Thanks also to Dave Maddock of Project Gutenberg for the mp3 recording.
Mama Lisa
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Copyright ©2009 by Lisa Yannucci. All rights reserved.
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