LucilleJustRocks
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I won't take this in consideration but Imo it is just beautiful...being a leftist my heart is pounding esthetically here
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Season 266: Foreign Language
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mythinformed
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I call it 'NEW WAVE'..........the softer option for those scared of the Sex Pistols and not quite ready to have their nipples pierced !! lol
I have two songs in Catalan that I wrote about the Battle of the Ebro (The Spanish Republic's last major offensive against Franco in 1938). They were written for a commemoration of the battle and will surely be requested again next year on the 80th anniversary of the battle.
This first one tells the story of a French-Catalan (part of Cataluyna was ceded to the French at one point by the Spanish - and is still part of France) who has joined the Internationals Brigades, despite being 40 and a veteran of the First World War. At first, his battles were more like skirmishes. But now he has been co-opted into the Battle of the Ebro which after some early gains quickly became a classic trench warfare battle of attrition that the good guys would eventually lose.
The story of this guy was told to me by an ex-combatant. He was 17 at the time of the battle (the age of mandatory call up was lowered in 1938 - leading the intake of that period to be known as the "baby's bottle" brigade). Swiftly, the Frenchman received the nickname "Granddad" from the young troops. He had been at the bloody battle of Verdun and when they were ordered to dig trenches he had a terrible sense of deja vú - hoping the battle would not become like Verdun. It did, though perhaps not as brutal in scale. My informant was injured soon after a few days in the trenches and was evacuated to a field hospital. He never saw "granddad" again.
TRANSLATION OF THE CATALAN LYRICS IN ENGLISH IN THE YOU-TUBE DESCRIPTION
This first one tells the story of a French-Catalan (part of Cataluyna was ceded to the French at one point by the Spanish - and is still part of France) who has joined the Internationals Brigades, despite being 40 and a veteran of the First World War. At first, his battles were more like skirmishes. But now he has been co-opted into the Battle of the Ebro which after some early gains quickly became a classic trench warfare battle of attrition that the good guys would eventually lose.
The story of this guy was told to me by an ex-combatant. He was 17 at the time of the battle (the age of mandatory call up was lowered in 1938 - leading the intake of that period to be known as the "baby's bottle" brigade). Swiftly, the Frenchman received the nickname "Granddad" from the young troops. He had been at the bloody battle of Verdun and when they were ordered to dig trenches he had a terrible sense of deja vú - hoping the battle would not become like Verdun. It did, though perhaps not as brutal in scale. My informant was injured soon after a few days in the trenches and was evacuated to a field hospital. He never saw "granddad" again.
TRANSLATION OF THE CATALAN LYRICS IN ENGLISH IN THE YOU-TUBE DESCRIPTION
redpaul1
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Less of the ageing thank you very much. Ça plane pour moi - That's fine by me - was recorded in the same studio as 'Jet Boy Jet Girl', using the same backing track! So I guess these are the english lyrics
I thought those of you attempting to sing in Catalan this week might appreciate a little pronunciation guide.
Notes on the Pronunciation of Catalan.
Keep your vowels short – we tend to elongate vowels in English, the romance languages generally do not do that. The vowels are short and always pronounced as follows:
a - like cat
e - like bet
i - like big
o - like pot
u - like gut
For combinations (dipthongs) just combine the two sounds dia (day) "dee-ah"
Ignore the rule in English that elongates vowels or changes vowel sounds “Win / Wine... Pet / Peter.... Mat / Mate” etc.
If you see “Mate” in Catalan it is pronounced “mat-eh”. Note: If Catalan had the word “mate” (as in English) to get the English pronunciation it would be spelt: “meit”
An unstressed “o” in a word is pronounced like a “U”. So, “possible” is pronounced Pu-si-pleh”
Words normally have the stressed syllable on the anti-penultimate vowel. If that is not the case, then an accent is used to show you which vowel should receive the stress. This means you can get two spellings to serve for two different words. Compare Tio “tee-oh” (Uncle)
with Tió “tee-OH!” – Yule log.
Generally the consonants are pronounced similarly to English. However, there are some exceptions.
“V” is pronounced identically to “B”
Two “Lls” together sounds like a cross between “L” and “Y” – like the “l” sound in the word Million.
An “ny” combination is pronounced like the “N” in onion. So the word “any” (year) in Catalan is pronounced like the name Ann with a more “y” sound in the middle.
The “ç” is like a soft sibilant “S”
Look forward to hearing more attempts to sing in my adopted home language.
PS For Catalan songs check out the Groups "Sopa de Cabra" or "Els Gossos" or "Els Pets".
Dylan fans might like to check out Gerard Quintana's excellent translations into Catalan of many Dylan songs (look for (El Mirall de Dylan)
Notes on the Pronunciation of Catalan.
Keep your vowels short – we tend to elongate vowels in English, the romance languages generally do not do that. The vowels are short and always pronounced as follows:
a - like cat
e - like bet
i - like big
o - like pot
u - like gut
For combinations (dipthongs) just combine the two sounds dia (day) "dee-ah"
Ignore the rule in English that elongates vowels or changes vowel sounds “Win / Wine... Pet / Peter.... Mat / Mate” etc.
If you see “Mate” in Catalan it is pronounced “mat-eh”. Note: If Catalan had the word “mate” (as in English) to get the English pronunciation it would be spelt: “meit”
An unstressed “o” in a word is pronounced like a “U”. So, “possible” is pronounced Pu-si-pleh”
Words normally have the stressed syllable on the anti-penultimate vowel. If that is not the case, then an accent is used to show you which vowel should receive the stress. This means you can get two spellings to serve for two different words. Compare Tio “tee-oh” (Uncle)
with Tió “tee-OH!” – Yule log.
Generally the consonants are pronounced similarly to English. However, there are some exceptions.
“V” is pronounced identically to “B”
Two “Lls” together sounds like a cross between “L” and “Y” – like the “l” sound in the word Million.
An “ny” combination is pronounced like the “N” in onion. So the word “any” (year) in Catalan is pronounced like the name Ann with a more “y” sound in the middle.
The “ç” is like a soft sibilant “S”
Look forward to hearing more attempts to sing in my adopted home language.
PS For Catalan songs check out the Groups "Sopa de Cabra" or "Els Gossos" or "Els Pets".
Dylan fans might like to check out Gerard Quintana's excellent translations into Catalan of many Dylan songs (look for (El Mirall de Dylan)
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redpaul1
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Thanks Berni. Sadly a little too late for me! :-D
redpaul1
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Komm gib mir deine Hand
Für die zweihundertsechsundsechzigste SOTU von UU, eines von den vier Möppen-Töppen
Für die zweihundertsechsundsechzigste SOTU von UU, eines von den vier Möppen-Töppen
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CeeJay
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Sara, I plan to have my husband sing while play the ukulele. I hope that is within the rules. I will bring you something in Catalan and maybe something in mumbo jumbo
Mumbo Jumbo ?...sorry Linda ...? I thought that our regular speech was verboten..........................................................and he hits the floor running .....................accelarating , and looking smaller as he gets further away
:biglaugh:
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IamNoMan
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Hi gang! The Seasons of the Ukulele 265 Wrap up Video is Ready! Now I can get to work on Season 266.
lelouden
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I can still see yooooooou!
lelouden
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Mumbo Jumbo?
redpaul1
Well-known member
Here's a little counting song a friend just taught me. I have no doubt I'm mangling the Spanish. I brought in some backup singers to help.
Un elefante se balanceaba
sobre la tela de una araña,
como veía que resistía
fue a llamar a otro elefante.
Dos elefantes se balanceaban…
Tres elefantes...
Cuatro elefantes...
etc....
Translated as:
An elephant stood on the web of a spider,
She felt it was strong, it couldn't be tighter.
Along came her friend, she called to invite her.
Two elephants stood on the web of a spider.
Two elephants...
Three elephants...
Four elephants...
etc...
Un elefante se balanceaba
sobre la tela de una araña,
como veía que resistía
fue a llamar a otro elefante.
Dos elefantes se balanceaban…
Tres elefantes...
Cuatro elefantes...
etc....
Translated as:
An elephant stood on the web of a spider,
She felt it was strong, it couldn't be tighter.
Along came her friend, she called to invite her.
Two elephants stood on the web of a spider.
Two elephants...
Three elephants...
Four elephants...
etc...
LimousinLil
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Hi Sara! Thank you for hosting this week. I bring you a totally age-inappropriate song about a young girl, who yearns for the time when she, too, can share the secret of love as she watches young couples walking past, gazing into each other's eyes and holding hands.
Thanks Tommy for hosting the 265 season! I'm waiting for your participation in 266. I'm sure it will be fantastic!!
Back in 2012, Season 21 was a French themed Season. I did a punk version of "Sur le pont d'Avignon" that morphed into "Ca plane pour moi" halfway through:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odY3QOAwYQg
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robinboyd
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Wow, it's pronounced a bit like Japanese! That makes it easy!
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I can do a Hawaiian song at least
Of course Jannet, in Hawaiian is ok! Or maybe in spanish, I've heard you sometimes singing very well in spanish.
I'm hope you are ok and you could singing something for us.
Sara
This is a misunderstood song. Many think it is a children's song about a father and mother and child. This explanation was taken from a foreigners blog about this song and is my best interpretation of what the writers were trying to express.
The moon, the plum,
dressed in mourning,
his father calls,
his mother does not want.
What is the meaning of this song?
The true explanation can be found from the mouth of some old Mallorcan farmers still singing the song, called "the moon, the dark." Without a doubt, this was the original version. The word is applied to the brown color that is dark, dark, blackish.
Obviously, the moon appears dark brown but it is not. Astronomically the new moon is called noviluni. In the new moon phase of the moon's sun rays illuminate the face opposite to what is seen from earth and thus the moon appears dark. What do the lyrics mean, calling his father, and his mother does not want? Who are the father and mother? Metaphorically, the father is the sun and mother is the earth. His father, the Sun, wants to illuminate to totally dominate. Mother, the earth, does not want this to happen. She wants it to continue projecting its shadow on the near side of the moon so the dark will continue. Consider that this is the explanation and, therefore, the correct version of the song is:
The moon, the dark,
dressed in mourning,
his father call,
his mother does not want.
That is the ditty that originally was sung when there was a new moon.
Other versions are: "The moon, the plum / dressed in mourning, / mother called and / father does not want to", "the moon, the plum / and one sailor, and many more.
Good luck trying to figure out if any of that makes sense
I haven't got enough words to thanks you Linda. You have made an explanation more exhaustive about a very famous song that I have listened in my live. We sing this song without thinking about the real meanning. Thanks for you work!
The second part of the song that you have sung:
"Minyones boniques,
deseu els coixins,
son pare l'assota
davant els fadrins"
You are saying:
Beautiful girls
save your pillow
the father whips
before bachelors "
hehehe this one lyrics we never sing, but the first vers yes. ;-)
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