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Archive for the 'Songs about Spring' Category
Contents
Posts
Multicultural Songs about the Seasons
Wednesday, August 20th, 2008People often write me looking for songs about the four seasons, from around the world. Here are some! The links below take you to the different pages on Mama Lisa’s World of International Childrens Songs. There, you’ll find the lyrics in the original languages, with English translations.
Songs about Winter
Yuki (Snow) – Japanese
A, a, a, der Winter, der ist da (A, a, a, Winter is Here) – German
La neige tombe (The Snow is Falling) – French from Canada
Zemestoon (Winter) – Persian from Iran
Kış (Winter) – Turkish from TurkeySongs about Spring
La Primavera (Springtime) – Spanish from Peru
Haru Ga Kita (Spring Has Come) – Japanese
De Colores (All the Colors) – Spanish from Mexico & SpainSongs about Summer
Trarira, der Sommer, der ist da! (Tilitum, The Summer Has Come) – German
Songs about Autumn or Fall
Couleurs d’automne (Colors of Autumn) – French
Songs or Rhymes about All Four SeasonsJoereszäiten (Seasons) – Franconian from Lorraine Region in France
Les feuilles (Leaves) – French from CanadaWhen you get to the song pages you can access French and Spanish translations too, and in some cases mp3 recordings, midis and/or scores.
Feel free to add a song about any of the seasons in the comments below or email me.
Mama Lisa
A Springtime Song Called “La Primavera” from Peru
Sunday, April 15th, 2007Here’s a nice Peruvian children’s song about the Spring in Spanish followed by an English translation…
La primavera
La primavera
Cantan, cantan por los campos,
Primavera llega ya.
Por los campos viene riendo jaja
Riendo jajajaja
Primavera
Los campos florecen
Las aves aparecen
Sale el sol
Todo es amor
Llegó la primavera
Vestida de flores
Y yo quisiera
Vestirme de mil colores.Springtime
Springtime
They sing, sing in the fields,
Spring arrives at last!
In the fields it comes laughing, ha, ha!
Laughing, ha, ha, ha, ha!
Springtime,
The fields bloom
The birds appear
The sun comes out
Everything is love
Springtime arrives
Dressed in flowers
And I’d like to
Dress in a thousand colors!Many thanks to Anna Carina Morales Peña for sending this song and to Monique Palomares for helping me with the English translation.
If anyone knows the tune to this song, please email me.
Thanks!
Lisa
Spring Chicken Song
Tuesday, April 10th, 2007I’ve established a page where I post questions people have about songs and nursery rhymes. It would be great if you’re able to help answer any of our readers questions.
Occasionally the questions are about songs that are related to current events. Here’s one such question. The song is about Spring!
Hi my name is Vicky and when my daughter was younger she used to sing a song called Spring Chickens, however we can not remember the words. I was hoping you could help me.
Some of the words were:
I’m a real spring chicken and I’m yellow and small,
My feathers are fluffy and they’re keeping me warm.
My legs are not long, so I’m not very tall,
But I’m a real spring chicken and I’m having a ball,
I’m a chicken, I’m a chicken and I’m having a ball.Many thanks,
Vicky
If anyone can help with the lyrics to this song, please comment below.
Thanks and I hope you’re enjoying your Springtime!
Lisa
A Song about May by a French Renaissance Composer, with an MP3 Recording
Thursday, May 11th, 2006David Solomons does a wonderful job finding songs that celebrate the time of year. We’re lucky that he shares them with us from time to time! He helps us celebrate the seasons with him.
Here’s David’s latest email with the song…
Hi Lisa
You might like to include this little piece all about May by Antoine de Févin (c.1470 – 1511 or 1512). I found it in the Choral Public Domain Library. The words, as found there, are…
Il fait bon aimer l’oiselet
(French)Il fait bon aimer l’oiselet
Qui chante par nature
Ce mois de mai comment qu’il soit
Tant comme la nuit dureIl fait bon écouter son chant
Plus que nul autre
En bonne foi
Car il réjouit maint amant
Je le sais bien bien quant est à moiIl s’appele rossignolet
Qui met toute sa cure
A chanter son chant parfait
Aussi c’est sa natureHere is an English translation/paraphrase…
It Is Pleasant to Hear the Little Bird
(English)It is pleasant to hear the little bird
Singing from her very soul
This month of May, however it be
And for as long as the night will roll.It’s lovely to hear her song
Finer than any other’s
I do declare
Because it gives joy to many lovers
My songster fair.It is the little nightingale
Who puts all its devotion
Into its perfect song
From its very creation.Here’s an MP3 of David Solomons singing Il fait bon aimer l’oiselet.
Many thanks to David W. Solomons for sharing Il fait bon aimer l’oiselet with us. David is a one man choral singer who has been playing instruments and singing for over 30 years. Here’s a link to his home page.
-Lisa
A Troubadour Song about Spring from the 12th Century
Sunday, April 9th, 2006The troubadours were poet musicians who lived between the 11th through the 13th centuries. They spoke Occitan, a romance language that can still be heard in parts of southern France, Italy and Spain.
Monique of Mama Lisa’s World en français sent me a troubadour song about the Springtime. Here’s what she had to say about the song…
I translated Al’entrada del temps clar (When the Clear Days Come) into English. It’s an anonymous song from the 12th century about Spring, with the usual allegory of the young Spring Queen needing a young man in the dance of life, so she can renew. It’s a troubadour song which is a trobar lèu song, lèu meaning here light, easy.
Here’s Al’entrada del temps clar in the original Occitan language followed by an English translation. If you’re familiar with any of the romance languages, you might be able to recognize some words in the Occitan version.
A l’entrada del temps clar
(Occitan)A l’entrada del temps clar, eya
Per jòia recomençar, eya
E per jelós irritar, eya
Vòl la regina mostrar
Qu’el’es si amorosa
A la vi’, a la via, jelós,
Laissatz nos, laissatz nos
Balar entre nos, entre nos.El’ a fait pertot mandar, eya
Non sia jusqu’à la mar, eya
Piucela ni bachalar, eya
Que tuit non vengan dançar
En la dansa joiosa.
A la vi’, a la via, jelós,
Laissatz nos, laissatz nos
Balar entre nos, entre nos.Lo reis i ven d’autra part, eya
Per la dança destorbar, eya
Que el es en cremetar, eya
Que òm no li vòlh emblar
La regin’ aurilhosa.
A la vi’, a la via, jelós,
Laissatz nos, laissatz nos
Balar entre nos, entre nos.Mais per nïent lo vòl far, eya
Qu’ela n’a sonh de vielhart, eya
Mais d’un leugièr bachalar, eya
Qui ben sapcha solaçar
La dòmna saborosa.
A la vi’, a la via, jelós,
Laissatz nos, laissatz nos
Balar entre nos, entre nos.Qui donc la vezés dançar, eya
E son gent còrs deportar, eya
Ben pògra dir de vertat, eya
Qu’el mont non aja sa par
La regina joiosa.
A la vi’, a la via, jelós,
Laissatz nos, laissatz nos
Balar entre nos, entre nosWhen the Clear Days Come
(English)When the clear days come, eya
To be joyful again, eya
And to annoy the jealous ones, eya
The queen wants to show
That she’s so amorous.
Go away, go away, you jealous ones,
Let us, let us,
Dance together, together.She had a message sent everywhere, eya
That as far as the sea, eya
Let there be neither maiden nor young man, eya
Who shall not come to dance,
The joyous dance.
Go away, go away, you jealous ones,
Let us, let us,
Dance together, together.The king comes, eya
To disturb the dance, eya
For he is very afraid, eya
That someone will want to steal,
The April Queen.
Go away, go away, you jealous ones.
Let us, let us,
Dance together, together.But she wouldn’t let him do it, eya
For she needs not an old man, eya
But a graceful young one, eya
Who would well know how to comfort,
The delightful lady.
Go away, go away, you jealous ones,
Let us, let us,
Dance together, together.Whoever would see her dance, eya
And her pretty body move, eya
Could well say, in truth, eya
That in all the world she has no equal,
The joyous queen.
Go away, go away, you jealous ones,
Let us, let us,
Dance together, together.***
Monique further mentioned…
About the Occitan word that’s in the song, joia, in the troubadours’ time, the word had a very strong meaning of joy of life, it was a very deep feeling of happiness.
Many thanks to Monique for translating this song for us and for her interesting comments.
You can hear an MP3 of A l’entrada del temps clar. Follow the link, then click on the lightening bolt icon to hear the recording.
Come visit the Mama Lisa’s World’s Occitan Page for more Occitan Songs, and the Mama Lisa’s World Blog Occitan Page for more about Occitan.
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 Daffodil Ditty
Thursday, March 30th, 2006Yesterday I saw the first daffodils of the season. It made me think of an old English rhyme, which goes…
Daffy-down-dilly is new come to town,
With a yellow petticoat and a green gown.An alternative version is…
Daffy-down-dilly is new come to town,
With a petticoat green, and a bright yellow gown,
And her white blossoms are peeping around.Seeing daffy-down-dilly used for daffodil, made me curious about the word. I looked it up in the Oxford English Dictionary and found all of these variants of daffodil…
Affodil
Daff
Daffy
Daffadilly
Daffodilly
Daffydowndilly
Daffadowndilly
Daffodowndilly
DaffadoondillyThen there’s also the word daffying, that dates back to 1871, which means to gather daffodils.
Whatever you’re doing this season, I hope you get to see some lovely daffy-down-dillies. It’s a wonderful sign that it’s springtime!
Lisa
“Sakura, Sakura” another Japanese Cherry Blossom Song
Saturday, March 25th, 2006In my previous entry, I talked about the importance of Hanami, Cherry Blossom Viewing, in the Springtime, in Japan.
The cherry blossoms, called sakura in Japanese, bloom at a time when there are lots of new beginnings. Of course it’s the start of new life in the land. But in Japan, it’s also the start of the new school year, it’s when college graduates start new jobs and it’s also the start of the new fiscal year for Japanese businesses.
In honor of the Hanami, in my previous entry I posted a folk song called Hana (Sakura) or Cherry Blossoms. Here’s another traditional Japanese song that’s called Sakura Sakura…
MP3 of Sakura Sakura Played on the Piano
Sakura Sakura
(Japanese Transliteration)Sakura sakura
Noyama mo sato mo
Miwatasu kagiri
Kasumi ka kumo ka
Asahi ni niou
Sakura sakura
Hana zakariSakura sakura
Yayoi no sora wa
Miwatasu kagiri
Kasumi ka kumo ka
Nioi zo izuru
Izaya izaya
Mini yu kanCherry Blossoms, Cherry Blossoms
(English Translation)Cherry blossoms, cherry blossoms,
Blanketing the countryside,
As far as you can see.
Is it a mist, or clouds?
Fragrant in the morning sun.
Cherry blossoms, cherry blossoms,
Flowers in full bloom.Cherry blossoms, cherry blossoms,
Across the Spring sky,
As far as you can see.
Is it a mist, or clouds?
Fragrant in the air.
Come now, come,
Let’s look, at last!桜 桜
(Japanese Text)
If anyone can provide a better copy of the Japanese text for this song, please email me. I also welcome recordings and midis.
Thanks!
Lisa
Many thanks to Monique Palomares for creating the midi and for locating the Japanese text and to Susan Pomerantz for the piano recording of Sakura Sakura. Many thanks to HAMADA Miwa and team at the University of Toyama for allowing me to use the Sakura Sakura recording and midi from their wonderful site of Japanese Songs.
Come visit the Mama Lisa’s World Japan Page for more Songs from Japan!
Cherry Blossom Parties in Japan and a Japanese Folk Song called “Hana” (”Sakura”)
Saturday, March 25th, 2006When the cherry blossoms bloom in Japan, at the end of March and into April, it’s the sign that Spring is really here!
Cherry Blossoms are pronounced as sakura in Japanese. In Japanese text, sakura is 桜or 櫻.
Japanese people celebrate with hanami, viewing the cherry blossoms. They have picnics under the sakura trees, with co-workers, family and friends. People eat, drink sake and sing songs. This tradition dates back at least to the 9th century AD.
The cherry blossoms are in bloom for only a week or so. News reports forecast when the blossoms will be in full bloom in different areas in Japan. This is called the sakura zensen which means Cherry Blossom Front. This way, people can plan their hanami parties.
Japanese people have many words related to the cherry blossoms. Some are related to food. There’s sakura yu, which is a tea made with cherry blossoms. There’s sakura mochi which is a confection rolled in a cherry leaf.
Yozakura means night cherry blossoms. It refers to viewing the sakura after sundown. The trees look beautiful against the darker, evening or nighttime sky.
There’s also sakura fubuki which means cherry blossom (snow) storm. This refers to the last beauty the blossoms bring: when they’re falling, gently floating through the air in a whirlwind of blooms that resembles a snowstorm.
There are also songs about the sakura. Here’s a Japanese folk song called Hana (Sakura), in English, with the Japanese text, and an mp3 recording of the song played on piano.
MP3 of Hana (Sakura) – Cherry Blossoms
Cherry Blossoms
(English)How happy, spring has come over the Sumida*,
Rowing up, rowing down in the warm sunbeams,
Drops from the boatmen’s oars look like cherry blooms,
How can I describe for you the view o’er the streams?Lo, see the cherry trees that stand in the morning mist,
I hear them speak to me in a tender tone,
In the eve I love to see the waving willows,
They stretch their hands to me strolling alone.Oh, see the hazy moon rising o’er the banks,
Rows of cherry trees standing o’er the stream,
How I love the cherry blossoms in the moonlight!
How can I describe for you the night like in a dream?*The Sumida River, which runs along the banks of Tokyo
桜 – Hana
(Japanese Text)
Many people in Japan are very aware of nature and the seasons around them. They recognize the transient nature of the beauty of the sakura. The hanami is a special time to take in its beauty and perhaps reflect on the transient nature of all of life.
-Lisa
Many thanks the Japan Information and Culture Center, a part of the Embassy of Japan, for contributing this song and to Susan Pomerantz for playing the tune on the piano.
Please email me or comment below if you know the Japanese transliteration of Hana or if you’d like to send an alternate recording or midi.
Come visit the Mama Lisa’s World Japan Page for more Songs from Japan.
UPDATE: I just posted another traditional Japanese Cherry Blossom Song called Sakura, Sakura.
Looking for a Spring Song
Friday, March 17th, 2006Bill wrote me…
In the 50s, in Montreal, girls used to celebrate Spring with skipping ropes and elastics. While playing the elastic game they sung a “ditty” that went somewhat like this…
Yolem a Kaiser,Yokem addiay….
Do you know what I am referring to?
Bill Conrod
If anyone is familiar with this ditty, please comment below.
I also welcome other songs and poems celebrating Spring.
-Lisa
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