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How important is language for you to dig a song?
- Thread starter Alvaro Martín Gómez A.
- Start date
Language is not that important to me when it comes to music. It does however add an intimate layer when understood.
A lot of my favorite bands are from Japan and the majority of the lyrics are in Japanese. I'm a New Yorican, so I obviously do not (well, "did not") know the language, but I am learning to make the music that much more meaningful to me.
A lot of my favorite bands are from Japan and the majority of the lyrics are in Japanese. I'm a New Yorican, so I obviously do not (well, "did not") know the language, but I am learning to make the music that much more meaningful to me.
Language isn't that big of a deal for me. I dig Rammstein despite the fact that it's (almost) all german.
I picked carrots, because it depends a lot on the music. There is a CD I have with some really interesting music on it in numerous languages, and I can't understand most of it. But it's got some really cool stuff!
'Meleka' (Man, I hope that's how you spell that.) is just the best example I can think of. But I remember that their were other songs on my local public radio station that contained no words I knew that still felt like great songs.
I learned to really like South African Mpaqanqa music (Again, I hope that's how you spell it. Do a search on 'Johnny Clegg and Savuka'. Yeah. Their stuff. It grooves harder than anything. IF this doesn't make you want to dance, your wooden leg must be in the shop.) but I couldn't understand most of the lyrics. ANd what I could understand didn't make much sense.
A lot of the mostly instrumental stuff I liked on that station was done by foreign acts, so that even if I got the album I wouldn't be able to figure out what was what. Like Huayucaltia, and Inti-Illimani, and others that I'm blanking on the names.
Shorter answer = music > lyrics.
Yes I appreciate the irony that a guy that identifies himself first as a lyricist says music is more important than lyrics. But unless they are really good lyrics, it's true.
I learned to really like South African Mpaqanqa music (Again, I hope that's how you spell it. Do a search on 'Johnny Clegg and Savuka'. Yeah. Their stuff. It grooves harder than anything. IF this doesn't make you want to dance, your wooden leg must be in the shop.) but I couldn't understand most of the lyrics. ANd what I could understand didn't make much sense.
A lot of the mostly instrumental stuff I liked on that station was done by foreign acts, so that even if I got the album I wouldn't be able to figure out what was what. Like Huayucaltia, and Inti-Illimani, and others that I'm blanking on the names.
Shorter answer = music > lyrics.
Yes I appreciate the irony that a guy that identifies himself first as a lyricist says music is more important than lyrics. But unless they are really good lyrics, it's true.
In Memory of Elizabeth Reed is one of my all time favorite tunes. No lyrics. The music cranks me up, in that song and everything else I listen to. I really wish I knew was I was singing when driving in my car with the stereo cranked listening Amr Diab from Egypt or Zuchero from Italy.
I wish I could understand Michael Jackson's singing, although this guy seems to translate it really well:
I wish I could understand Michael Jackson's singing, although this guy seems to translate it really well:
listening to Rammstein at the moment, the music appeals to me, although Till's vocals are brilliant, but hearing him sing in English (stripped, English version of du hast) he doesnt sound right.
Doesn't matter to me. I'll find a way to sing along anyways.
Sometimes having it in another language just makes the point get across even more... if you know what I am saying. Like the feeling of the piece.
Some bands these days you can't even tell what they are saying even if it IS in english (though I prefer music where you can understand what they are saying).
Sometimes having it in another language just makes the point get across even more... if you know what I am saying. Like the feeling of the piece.
Some bands these days you can't even tell what they are saying even if it IS in english (though I prefer music where you can understand what they are saying).
bongomania
Commercial User
Well operas wouldn't be popular if it was
One of my favourite songs is Oye Como Va, I have no idea what that means, but it's a good song.
The chorus: "Oye como va, mi ritmo, bueno pa' gozar, mulatta" roughly translates to:
"Hear how my rhythm goes, it's enjoyable, dark-skinned woman."
Passinwind
I know nothing.
- Dec 3, 2003
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- Designer/Toaster Tech @ Passinwind Electronics
The chorus: "Oye como va, mi ritmo, bueno pa' gozar, mulatta" roughly translates to:
"Hear how my rhythm goes, it's enjoyable, dark-skinned woman."
I'm awesome baby, come dance, in other words.
I listen to the Persian singer Siavash Gomeishy. Even though i am half arab and half persian i cant understand it.
To me it's a bit complicated;
I prefer English lyrics, but I speak and understand norwegian as well. I just think it's a gruesome language - along with most languages beside English, in fact.
On the other hand...
On Orphaned Land's album "Mabool", there are bits and pieces of hebrew (spoken mostly), and traditional middle eastern vocal styles. I am absolutely in love with them.
However, I don't think I would like them as much if they were in English, it wouldn't be as mystic and compelling.
Usually, songs written in one language don't translate well.
There are, of course, numerous exceptions (Rammsund from Norway for example, are a big hit, and they sing Rammstein in Norwegian [nynorsk]).
The long and the short of it is:
I prefer English lyrics, but it's not the most important thing in the world - a song can sound just as great in Spanish as another song in Russian. It's all about the context; if I hear a Norwegian song that's originally in English, I will probably turn off the radio. Actually, if I hear a Scandinavian song at all, I tend to turn off the radio.
/edit
Now that I think of it... Les Claypool. I think his vocals can be pretty awesome, case in point, Tommy the Cat.
I prefer English lyrics, but I speak and understand norwegian as well. I just think it's a gruesome language - along with most languages beside English, in fact.
On the other hand...
On Orphaned Land's album "Mabool", there are bits and pieces of hebrew (spoken mostly), and traditional middle eastern vocal styles. I am absolutely in love with them.
However, I don't think I would like them as much if they were in English, it wouldn't be as mystic and compelling.
Usually, songs written in one language don't translate well.
There are, of course, numerous exceptions (Rammsund from Norway for example, are a big hit, and they sing Rammstein in Norwegian [nynorsk]).
The long and the short of it is:
I prefer English lyrics, but it's not the most important thing in the world - a song can sound just as great in Spanish as another song in Russian. It's all about the context; if I hear a Norwegian song that's originally in English, I will probably turn off the radio. Actually, if I hear a Scandinavian song at all, I tend to turn off the radio.
/edit
Now that I think of it... Les Claypool. I think his vocals can be pretty awesome, case in point, Tommy the Cat.
That reminds me of those attempts at translating made by famous artists just to reach more audiences. From English to Spanish, right now I recall KC & The Sunshine Band with "Please Don't Go" ("Por Favor No Te Vayas"), Bon Jovi with "Bed Of Roses" ("Cama De Rosas") and "This Ain't A Love Song" ("Como Yo Nadie Te Ha Amado" - nothing to do with the original title) and Bryan Adams with "(Every Thing I Do) I Do It For You" ("(Todo Lo Que Hago) lo Hago Por Ti"). Just two words: SIMPLY AWFUL!. Made me change the radio station or TV channel as well.
Since I've never connected with German rock or French rock or Russian rock or Japanese rock but I'm big on music, their music would have to be extra specially potent to be relevant despite language difference. It's amazing how popular English rock is in all countries but not so vice versa.
I used to be heavily into Yes and their lyrics make no sense (if you disagree argue it out with Jon Anderson
).
I also enjoy listening to Rammstein and speak no German.
Both Yes and Rammstein are a musical experience where lyrics aren't so important to me.
I also enjoy some Richard Thompson occasionally. Now if he were singing in German I wouldn't.
Peter
).I also enjoy listening to Rammstein and speak no German.
Both Yes and Rammstein are a musical experience where lyrics aren't so important to me.
I also enjoy some Richard Thompson occasionally. Now if he were singing in German I wouldn't.
Peter
Alvaro Martín Gómez A.;3690757 said:
For actually GOOD translations in somgs I think your only option is Tish Hinojosa. She does songs in both Spanish and English...at the same time pretty much. Like she'll do a verse in English and then do the same verse in Spanish before moving on to the next verse. My Spanish isn't great but often she makes it scan properly while retaining the same meaning, something I didn't see in your examples.
I don't know if I said that coherently enough. She doesn't change the rhythm or melody, but somehow still manages to say the same thing, even though nearly everything I can think to say in Spanish see,s to need more syllables than it's English equivalent
Yes, I got it, B2B. But what I find awful isn't the translation's quality (again, I don't care that much about lyrics). It's just that the songs don't sound right to me. As I said in my first post, a Colombian song sung in English (or any other language) doesn't sound appealing to me. Same here.
BTW, those of you who understand Spanish will find this really funny:
