Question of the week: What is your fave song that is not in English?

[Elena]

Hey dear internet people!

Lately, I've been listening to a band that's from my home country, who usually sing in English, but recently they came out with a song in Bulgarian and as the kids say these days - it hit different 😄 So I started thinking how many of my favorite songs aren't in English and it was quite a few. Is that the case for you?

Do you have a favorite song that is in a different language? 

Bonus points if you have a fave lyric that you could quote and translate for us 😊

[jrham]

I love Polo & Pan even though I have NO idea what they are singing about since I don't know French! I've never looked up the translations, but your inquiry changed that! Turns out that this song isn't very deep, but its lighthearted and fun. I guess this is the lyric I like the best in this particular tune:

"Wild jungle, open your arms

You and I don't need very much

Let's take root in the woods

Naïve children or renegades

With our legs in the stream

Listening to the song of this funny bird

It invites us to go a bit higher

To share our ideals"

https://open.spotify.com/track/260V7huyJrXnyYe0dFv2Fa?si=738c2560f6c44a11

[Soundofus]

Very tough question as I could answer with 50 to 100 songs in French my native language... 😊

I have chosen a song of one of my favorite French singer unfortunately deceased from Covid 19 in April 2020. He was a very creative musician who knew as nobody else write beautiful song in a typical French Pop / Rock style. Even chose one of his songs was very difficult as much he produced lot of great ones.

So this singer is named Christophe and the song I have chosen is titled : Les Paradis Perdus  // Lost Paradises

https://open.spotify.com/track/5J3JCHjicZAQ9gexvbtOWx?si=70e4c4fb05b34cef 

Les Paradis Perdus                                                                   Lost Paradises

Dans ma veste de soie rose                                                      In my pink silk jacket
Je déambule morose                                                                 I am gloomy
Le crépuscule est grandiose...mais                                         The twilight is magnificent ... but

Peut-être un beau jour voudras-tu                                           Maybe one day you will want to
Retrouver avec moi                                                                     Meet up with me
Les paradis perdus                                                                      In the lost paradises

Dandy un peu maudit, un peu vieilli,                                        Dandy, a little cursed, a little aged,
Dans ce luxe qui s'effondre                                                        In this collapsing luxury
Te souviens-tu quand je chantais                                              Do you remember when I sang
Dans les caves de Londres                                                          In the cellars of London?
Un peu noyé dans la fumée                                                        A little drowned in smoke
Ce rock sophistiqué                                                                     This sophisticated rock
Toutes les nuits tu restais là                                                        You stayed there every night

Peut-être un beau jour voudras-tu                                             Maybe one day you will want to
Retrouver avec moi                                                                       Meet up with me
Les paradis perdus                                                                        In the lost paradises

Dandy un peu maudit un peu vieilli                                             Dandy a little cursed a little old
Les musiciens sont ridés                                                               The musicians are wrinkled
Sur ce clavier qui s'est jauni                                                         On this keyboard which has turned yellow
J’essaie de me rappeler encore une fois les accords de          I try to remember again the chords of
Ce rock sophistiqué                                                                       This sophisticated rock
Qui étonnait même les anglais                                                      Who even surprised the English?

Peut-être un beau jour voudras-tu                                                Maybe one day you will want to
Retrouver avec moi                                                                          Meet up with me
Les paradis perdus                                                                           In the lost paradises

twitter.com/soundofus

www.soundofus.com

[AdamDam]

Great question, @Elena!

One song that comes to mind for me that isn’t in English is “Viajes” by Los Acidos, which has lyrics in Spanish:

https://open.spotify.com/track/1pPgG4aNKINEthuvpX0zm1?si=3b23eecf1b8e4a28

I think the song’s lyrics about going on travels nicely accompany its “trippy” and upbeat psychedelic rock sound, and I’d say that this is my favorite lyric in particular from “Viajes”:

“En las nubes escenas

Una obra teatral

En extraños ocasos

Plan salvaje

En los viajes”

Here's a translation of this lyric into English,  according to Google Translate:

“In the clouds scenes

A theatrical play

In strange twilight

Wild plan

On trips”

Cheers!

[geovanebento]

This is the country duo João and Maaria and I love the song: Gestos Simples

 

Por quantas vezes me perdi por procurar você
E inocente me entreguei achando que era amor
Só com o tempo descobri que a vida é bem mais simples

(Quantos foram os nossos carnavais)
(E o nosso amor carnal)
(E o cenário do inferno que a gente criou)
(Paixão inexplicável)
(Da paixão me diz, o que restou)?

Como esquecer se nesse tempo enlouqueci
Se foi por você, foi por amor que me perdi

(São nos gestos simples que se prova o verdadeiro amor)
(Não quero um milhão de rosas, basta uma flor)
(Que venha acompanhada com você)
(Que venha acompanhada com você) (Êhe-ê-ê-ê)

(São nos gestos simples que se prova o verdadeiro amor)
(Não quero um milhão de rosas, basta uma flor)
(Que venha acompanhada com você)
(Que venha acompanhada com você)
(O verdadeiro amor) (Ôho-ô)

(Huuuu-iêh-ê-ê)

(Quantos foram os nossos carnavais)
(E o nosso amor carnal)
(E o cenário do inferno que a gente criou)
(Paixão inexplicável)
(Da paixão me diz, o que restou)? (Huuuu-ô-ô-ô-ô)

Como esquecer se nesse tempo enlouqueci
Se foi por você, foi por amor que me perdi

(São nos gestos simples que se prova o verdadeiro amor)
(Não quero um milhão de rosas, basta uma flor)
(Que venha acompanhada com você)
(Que venha acompanhada com você) (Êhe-ê-ê-ê)

(São nos gestos simples que se provaaaaaaaaa) (Hu-huuuuuuu - hu-hu)
O verdadeiro amor
(Que venha acompanhada com você)
(Que venha acompanhada com você) (Êhe-ê-ê-ê)
O verdadeiro amor (Ôho-ô)
O verdadeiro amor (Ôho-ô)
(Eu só queria te dizer que o simples que resolve... tudo)

(São nos gestos simples que se prova o verdadeiro amor)
(Não quero um milhão de rosas, basta uma flor)
(Que venha acompanhada com você)
(Que venha acompanhada com você)
(O verdadeiro amor)

https://open.spotify.com/album/6BeGVsn8ghKLd6yxEGxzy2?si=VcPfot7lR1eLEgqQXqCEmw

[Jerald_dohg]

F4 METEOR GARDEN!!!!!😍

https://open.spotify.com/track/5W0vkOs581fREbiwofwJcL?si=462452e725f44569

https://open.spotify.com/track/2AwYywTNbeiWqQcLqt8UwP?si=5552130d360840de

[Hubo]

Ooooooohhhhh — I've really been into Froukje lately (we should have sent her for Eurovision). 😄

This track: Zonder Gezicht (Without Face)

https://open.spotify.com/track/0KAqcZyd6eiKjyneZRmePT

My favourite part is this:
Je gaf me je gewicht
Nam het aan met ogen dicht
En nu ben ik slechts een stem zonder gezicht

Translated:

You gave me your weight

Took it on with my eyes closed

And now I'm just a voice without a face

[Sebasty]

I have more instrumental songs than non-english songs in my library. One I can think of is this one:
spotify:track:1h6fyYyKfPTu4QCvPOz3pB:small 

I have no idea what the lyrics are, but I heavily enjoy the instrumentation and the tribal way of singing.

[Queen_V_]

I like Despacito. I know it sounds basic, but, come on! It's a good song!

[myheartnsoul]

Anything by Kraftwerk

[BigSense]

Hey Elana 

My current fav song of thats not in english is by a belgim rapper,

Artist: Fresh Track: Chop

He's rapping in French but the energy and musicality is refreshing (No pun intended)

Enjoy

[Bella_K]

Ohh that's an interesting question @Elena !

As I listen to a lot of K-Pop and similar myself, I do have a lot of favourite songs from that genre. I'd say one of my favorites is 'What is Love?' by the girl band Twice - it's just a generally light-hearted and the lyrics are super sweet!

E.g. some of the main chorus:

What is love? 사랑이 어떤 느낌인지
I wanna know 하루 종일 웃고 있다는데
I wanna know 세상이 다 아름답다는데
I wanna know, know, know, know
What is love? 언젠간 나에게도 사랑이 올까

Which translates to:

What is love? What does love feel like?
(I wanna know) How it keeps you smiling all day?
(I wanna know) How the whole world turns beautiful?
I wanna know know know know
What is love? Will love come to me someday?

They do incorporate some English that they sing in the song too as you can see, which is also cool!

https://open.spotify.com/track/3zhbXKFjUDw40pTYyCgt1Y?si=07812a40d5074769 

[vaajy]

Finnish dance band:

https://open.spotify.com/track/7dKHvT2cfvBoobB2xXv0T6?si=e44ae0d015204114

Favourite part:

I'm ready for an adventure, so just get to know me
Still don't fall in love because I don't want anything from you
Just a moment of fire

[yykhern]

One that comes to mind will be "ユーリカ (Eureka)" by 帰りの会. I've been searching through all the lesser-known j-rock bands on Spotify and happened to stumble upon this great finding. 

Favourite lyric would be (and a really rough translation):

ユーリカ

Eureka

この心にもいつか終わりがあって

This heart will end someday

僕らの歩幅じゃ間に合わないとしても

Even if our footsteps won't make it in time

ユーリカ

Eureka

この映画が終わって 幕が下りるまで

Until the curtain goes down and this movie ends

君だけみてくれたら なにもいらない

If you only look at me, I don't need anything

君だけいてくれたら なにもいらない

If only you are there, I don't need anything

https://open.spotify.com/track/4ppMjfF030ksH3QC8qko9G?si=623a55d7633444bb 

[likethebossiam]

Yugoslavian rock band September's Ostavi Trag, as sampled in Kendrick Lamar's DUCKWORTH., is definitely one of my favourite non-English songs. The opening choral arrangement is heavily sampled by producer 9th Wonder in the 2nd part of Lamar's song.

I don't really know the meaning of the lyrics, but part of the reason this is one of my favourite non-English songs is the mystery of not knowing what the singer is belting out means.

https://open.spotify.com/track/6zMQAgnWYRvzNIQGfjmXad?si=3977dd74fe094b45

https://open.spotify.com/track/0y9uTzK9cNKSAEHnpeRG8C?si=4a387855b4ef4be9

[bulletproofarmy7]

I listen to LOTS OF SONGS that are not in English (my favorite music genre is K-pop) and I love ALL OF THEM, but here’s my favorite.

Spring Day by BTS is my favorite. WHY? The song is really nice, it talks about missing someone, and it is really nice to listen to. You MUST listen to it, it is such a nice song. BTS does not just make pop tracks, they also make meaningful songs too.

Here’s a translation of  my favorite lyrics:

추운 겨울 끝을 지나
다시 봄날이 올 때까지
꽃 피울 때까지
그곳에 좀 더 머물러줘
머물러줘

How much more do I have to wait?
How many more nights do I have to stay up?
Until I can see you? (until I can see you?)
Until I can meet you? (until I can meet you?)

Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/track/2j1fFjWHCI9KJSwcuYAOyF?si=oQOh16dqQne-iRFEJQ804Q

[Jerald_dohg]

https://open.spotify.com/track/16iRlyUMJVPqz62DlomMre?si=4f19b960ec2b4817

[AbandonedHeart]

Slovak song Vlasy by Fallgrapp
Lyrics:

Prstami prechádzam si vlasy,
Tie trasú sa asi keď sama si,
S vlasmi zápasím.

Prstami prechádzam si vlasy,
Tie trasú sa asi keď sama si,
S vlasmi zápasím.

Aké sú keď sú asi samy,
Keď rastú bez hany pred očami,
Keď v noci nezaspím.

Aké sú keď sú asi samy,
Keď rastú bez hany pred očami,
Keď v noci nezaspím.

Nádej vkladám do tvojich rúk,
Strč vlas skrz prst a skús ma nezabiť.
Nádej vkladám do tvojich rúk,
Skús si ten akt tak trochu predstaviť

Nádej vkladám do tvojich rúk,
Strč vlas skrz prst a skús ma nezabiť.
Nádej vkladám do tvojich rúk,
Skús si ten akt tak trochu predstaviť

Nádej vkladám...

Prstami prechádzam si vlasy,
Prstami prechádzam si vlasy,
Keď v noci nezaspím,
Aké sú ked sú asi samy,
Aké su keď sú asi samy.

Nádej vkladám do tvojich rúk,
Strč vlas skrz prst a skús ma nezabiť.
Nádej vkladám do tvojich rúk,
Skús si ten akt tak trochu predstaviť.

Nádej vkladám do tvojich rúk,
Strč vlas skrz prst a skús ma nezabiť.
Nádej vkladám do tvojich rúk,
Skús si ten akt tak trochu predstaviť.

Nádej vkladám...

https://open.spotify.com/track/3OM9kkvq38BNvqwIJNl4tp?si=b1721b382b244a12