I just came across this performance of Ave Maria, done by the two singers from the symphonic metal band, Nightwish. I’ve heard this song many times, and I can recognize that the words I’m hearing are not the words I’ve heard before.
The male singer here is from Finland, and the female singer is Dutch. To my ears, after the initial Latin “Ave Maria”, Marco sings the rest in Finnish. And then Floor starts in Latin and then switches to Dutch, before finishing in English.
Am I hearing correctly, or just imagining things?
Here’s the performance:
The second best thing about this performance is watching the guitarist who is accompanying them. Dude is all, “This is fucking awesome!”
Mister_Rik:
The male singer here is from Finland, and the female singer is Dutch. To my ears, after the initial Latin “Ave Maria”, Marco sings the rest in Finnish. And then Floor starts in Latin and then switches to Dutch, before finishing in English.
He sings his part, two verses, in Finnish.
Ave maria
äiti maan lapsien
taas meihin katsoo suojellen
kun poika syntymäpäivä on
mä pieni ihminen turvaton
pyydän siunauksen
Anna harras mieli joulu puhtain tuo
ja hengelläs meitä suojaa
näin muistaen kaiken luojaa
johda meistä jokainen poikas luo
Roughly translated:
Ave maria
Mother of earth’s children
Again watch over us and protect us
On your son’s birthday
I small unsafe (without protection) human
ask for a blessing
Let a pious mind (mood) a purest Christmas bring
and with your life protect us
and so remembering the creator of all
lead us all to your son
She then sings a part of the Latin Catholic prayer .
Ave Maria, gratia plena,
Maria, gratia plena,
Maria, gratia plena,
Ave, Ave, Dominus,
Dominus tecum.
She then switches over to a part of the Hymn to the Virgin .
The murky cavern’s heavy air
Shall breathe of balm if thou hast smiled;
Then, Maiden! hear a maiden’s prayer,
Mother, list a suppliant child!
After that they both sing “Ave Maria” to end the song.
He needs singing lessons.