Jennie sent me some Moroccan lullabies and songs today with this note…

Dear Mama Lisa!

I came across your website today after doing a Google search looking for children’s songs and lullabies from Morocco… Recently I just moved to Morocco, with my baby, and was interested in learning some songs.

I have picked up a few songs while I was here, and thought that I would share them with you. Unfortunately, I am not able to type in Arabic, so I will do my best transliteration. I hope you are able to use them! They are all sung in Morocco, although they may not all be from true Moroccan origin because of all the different cultural influences present in the country, as I know lots of Egyptian and French songs are popular here. Thank you and enjoy!

This one is a children’s song, the added (a) sound at the very end is if a girl sings since it is a language that uses different forms of words for different genders, without the (a) at the end is for boys.

Arso mo baba
Arso mo mama
bil alwan, bil alwan
Arso mo alami
Foq alqemami
Ana fanan(a)

I draw my father
I draw my mother
With all the colors, with all the colors
I draw a flag
Up on the cliff
I am an artist.

This song is a lullaby, and as far as I know is repeated over and over until the little one sleeps…

Endi baba wa endi mama
doma miyo
h’tah fil nom

I have my father, and I have my mother
Always with me
Even in sleep.

This one is a children’s song that makes use of animal sounds, so the mool is like a cow, the ma and ba’s are like sheep and goats, and the mia is like a cat, it is cute and one of my favorites!

Mool dar
Ma-lo
ba-ha
ba-shahal
mia-mia

The owner of the house
What’s with him
The house is for sale
How much is it
Hundreds and hundreds.

Keep up the good work!

Sincerely,

Jennie

If anyone can help with the original Arabic text of any of these songs, please email me. We’d also love to learn more about their origins. If you know anything about any of these songs, please let us know in the comments below.

Thanks to Jennie for sharing these lovely lullabies!

-Mama Lisa