Danish Kids Songs Sites plus a Danish Children’s Song
Richard 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
February 20th, 2009 at 5:56 am
“du er min” means “you are mine”
February 20th, 2009 at 11:17 am
Thanks Monique – I was thinking that would sound better – am glad to have the confirmation that it’s correct! -Lisa
March 8th, 2009 at 3:50 am
I was wondering if anyone could help me find this one song that i remember from first grade, all i really remember it was something about a church and a lady and her lover husband or whatever, was out at sea. Sorry i really can’t help anymore but i remember some of the song i just cant put the words to it, let alone in Danish, it was a danish song.
I grew up in too many places and somehow i am the only one out of my parents and sister that ever spoke Danish, and they are of no help.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
My husband, who was Danish, used to sing this song to the kids when they were little and I would love to find a recording of this in Danish…I know we would all love it. None of us speak the language, but our memories of Daddy singing it to them were so special. Any help finding this would be greatly appreciated as he has passed on and we will never have the chance to hear it again. Thanks, Jane
LILLE KROLLETOP LITTLE CURLY HEAD
DEN LILLE OLE THAT LITTLE “OLE”
MED PARAPLYEN WITH THE UMBRELLA
HAM KENDER ALLE HE IS KNOWN
SMAA BORN I BYEN TO EVERY LITTLE CHILD
HVER LILLE PIGE EVERY LITTLE GIRL
HVER LILLE DRENG EVERY LITTLE BOY
SOM SOVER SODT WHO SLEEPS SWEETLY
I SIN LILLE SENG IN THEIR LITTLE BED
DAGEN ER FORBI LILLE KROLLETOP THE DAY HAS ENDED LITTLE CURLY HEAD
GLEM DIN BAMSE HVIS DU KAN FORGET YOUR TEDDY BEAR IF YOU CAN
LUK NU OJET I LILLE KROLLETOP CLOSE YOUR EYES LITTLE CURLY HEAD
OG SKYND DIG IN I DROMMELAND AND HURRY INTO DREAMLAND
OH OH HOR NU HER OH, OH, LISTEN NOW
LEGER DU IGEN ARE YOU PLAYING AGAIN?
STOP NU LILLE VEN STOP NOW LITTLE FRIEND
DAGEN ER FORBI LILLE KROLLETOP THE DAY IS ENDED LITTLE CURLY HEAD
SOV SAA BLIR DU STOR OG STAERK SLEEP SO YOU CAN BE BIG AND STRONG
LUK NU OJET I LILLE KROLLETOP CLOSE YOUR EYES LITTLE CURLY HEAD
OG SKYND DIG IN I DROMMELAND AND HURRY INTO DREAMLAND