# Do you like/listen to music in languages you don't speak? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 17, 2008, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-listen-to-music-in-languages-you-dont-speak/477511 "2008-12-17T02:59:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Sleel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/73ab20/32.png) [@Sleel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleel)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-listen-to-music-in-languages-you-dont-speak/477511/41 "2008-12-19T07:16:02Z")
Lots and lots. Electronic music often samples stuff that would be classified as “world music,” tribal, traditional, odd stuff that many people in the first world haven’t heard. I’ve got quite a bit of trance, industrial, etc. that uses samples like that. Plus I’ve got lots of traditional or world music myself, from Tuvan throat singing and Maasai songs, to bits of [the Sundiata](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epic_of_Sundiata#The_Epic_of_Sundiata). Some foreign pop is really catchy too. ---
**Author:** ![Achren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/898d66/32.png) [@Achren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achren)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-listen-to-music-in-languages-you-dont-speak/477511/42 "2008-12-19T08:10:00Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > I had a big “world music” kick a couple years ago where I listened to everything from Brazilian to African to Japanese music… but one artist in particular that really sticks out in my mind for making evocative, sometimes relaxing and entrancing, sometimes more upbeat, but always beautiful music is an African named [Rokia Traoré](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9PYBNt8aR4&feature=PlayList&p=B8F4B68A2B6F9F56&index=23) Thank you much for linking that. Incandescent music. The instrumentation reminds me of _In the Heart of the Moon_. ---
**Author:** ![Lucky\_13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucky_13/32/13209_2.png) [@Lucky\_13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucky_13)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-listen-to-music-in-languages-you-dont-speak/477511/43 "2008-12-19T09:06:12Z")
Someone mentioned Jackie Chan, which reminded me of one of my favorite non-English songs, “Endless Love”, which is the [theme of the movie _The Myth_](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJDPksQAq48). It is a duet by Jackie Chan, who sings in Mandarin (I think) and Kim Hee Sun, who sings in Korean. ---
**Author:** ![WormTheRed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bbe5ce/32.png) [@WormTheRed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WormTheRed)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-listen-to-music-in-languages-you-dont-speak/477511/44 "2008-12-19T09:30:15Z")
I’ve just very recently started listening to more and more Reggaeton. I really like the beat and the sound, even though my Spanish is limited to ordering more drinks. Latin hymns are also very soothing, but there I pretend to know what they’re singing 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-listen-to-music-in-languages-you-dont-speak/477511/45 "2008-12-19T09:32:39Z")
All music lyrics sound like random words pieced together without becoming a whole (and looking at the booklet, I’d say that this is true 90% of the time), so personally I couldn’t care what language a song is in. It’s all just sounds to me. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-listen-to-music-in-languages-you-dont-speak/477511/46 "2008-12-19T09:46:01Z")
Yep. German, French, and Italian mostly (okay, I don’t “speak” them, but I do have some reading knowledge of all three). I just found some old dance band stuff with vocals in Hungarian. I was surprised what an elegant sound that language has, considering it looks like typographic Dada in print. I like _Ieva’s Polka_ a lot too. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-listen-to-music-in-languages-you-dont-speak/477511/47 "2008-12-19T10:20:40Z")
Well, if we are linking to stuff, I’ll link to the most unforgettable Coupe Decale video. Coupe Decale is a musical movement that began in Paris night clubs and soon found its true home in Cote D’Ivoire. It features a numbing and repetitive rhythm with meme-like catchphrases that show up in different songs. Once a catchphrase catches on everyone includes a few snatches of it in their next song. Often songs will offer commentary on current events, as seen through the eyes of most underemployed urban young people. Really, the music can be a lot of fun, once you get over how obnoxious it is. This song was all the rage about a year and a half ago. You heard it everywhere and the dance was the hot thing at all the _boite de nuit_s. This is the wonder that is **Grippe Aviaire** , or “Bird Flu” I’m disabling the link because it involves men in underwear doing sketchy things to chickens. Don’t watch this at work. Add your own “www” to [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WiLsxbq8Vs) ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-listen-to-music-in-languages-you-dont-speak/477511/48 "2008-12-19T13:22:31Z")
The bulk of my CD collection is musicals in non-English. The languages include German, Japanese, French, Swedish, Norwegian, Icelandic, Finnish, Dutch, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Czech, Hungarian, Danish, Hindi & Hebrew. I guess that’s a “yes.” ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-listen-to-music-in-languages-you-dont-speak/477511/49 "2008-12-19T15:07:08Z")
IIRC Super Furry Animals have an album where they sing exclusively in Welsh, one of the tracks sound like they’re singing backwards, which makes my sister feel a little car sick 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-listen-to-music-in-languages-you-dont-speak/477511/50 "2008-12-19T15:12:13Z")
BTW, there are some songs I can’t hear the music for without singing in a different language. Whenever I hear “New York New York,” I immediately belt out Dudu Fisher’s Hebrew cover. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-listen-to-music-in-languages-you-dont-speak/477511/51 "2008-12-19T15:24:39Z")
> [@Pushkin](#): > > IIRC Super Furry Animals have an album where they sing exclusively in Welsh, one of the tracks sound like they’re singing backwards, which makes my sister feel a little car sick 😛 I think it’s called Mwng. ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-listen-to-music-in-languages-you-dont-speak/477511/52 "2008-12-19T15:43:55Z")
Yes, I do. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-listen-to-music-in-languages-you-dont-speak/477511/53 "2008-12-19T15:45:50Z")
I have a lot of music in Gaelic, but that’s about it, unless Latin chants count. ---
**Author:** ![schnuckiputzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecb155/32.png) [@schnuckiputzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/schnuckiputzi)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-listen-to-music-in-languages-you-dont-speak/477511/54 "2008-12-19T15:50:07Z")
Lots of Gaelic, German, Latin, some Japanese, Hungarian, Spanish, Zulu, and Italian. And whatever that madeup language…Loxian, I think, that Enya sings in. ---
**Author:** ![Apocalypso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Apocalypso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apocalypso)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-listen-to-music-in-languages-you-dont-speak/477511/55 "2008-12-20T03:05:46Z")
I like Rhapsody (now Rhapsody of Fire), an Italian band. Their lyrics are mostly in english, but a few are entirely in Italian, and a lot of them have Italian or Latin bits in them. A bit cheesy, but I like it a lot. BTW, I think I remember either Christopher Lee or Ian McKellen saying some of the younger cast members on the LOTR films played their music constantly. Christopher Lee did the narration on one of their albums after LOTR came out (Symphony of Enchanted Lands part II). Some of the other heavy bands I like have vocals in German and other languages (not sure offhand what languages). I also like a few Turkish pop singers, which is kind of odd given the rest of my musical tastes. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-listen-to-music-in-languages-you-dont-speak/477511/56 "2008-12-20T04:23:25Z")
I have lots and lots of songs sung in Gaelic and a few Arabic. I also have a few songs in Italian from operas. I used to know a few songs in French thanks to a French teacher that liked teaching us songs, but I don’t own any in music form. Although I’d like to find the French version of Beyond the Sea. ---
**Author:** ![Toxylon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@Toxylon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxylon)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-listen-to-music-in-languages-you-dont-speak/477511/57 "2008-12-20T13:23:09Z")
I don’t think I have a single song in my 5000 or so total in another language than English (which is not my mother tongue). I guess I qualify for Vox Imperatoris’ dissident request. My record collection reflects mostly the fact that there still is a whole bunch of great (old) Anglo-American music I haven’t experienced yet. Whenever I get the urge to get some new music, that’s where I’ll look for. Still, I don’t especially care for music sung in another language (including my mother tongue). To me, English is the language of rock and pop. I also feel Americans make the best movies, so shoot me. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-listen-to-music-in-languages-you-dont-speak/477511/58 "2008-12-20T16:05:33Z")
We listen to a lot of African music by Ali Farka Toure, Habib Koite and Salif Keita, all Malians who primarily sing in tribal dialects. We also enjoy Portuguese (fado)and Brazilian music, as well as music by several Latina artists. We both have some skill with Spanish and Portuguese, but not enough to be able to follow much of what’s being sung. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-listen-to-music-in-languages-you-dont-speak/477511/59 "2008-12-20T16:08:16Z")
I’m surprised to see people who like _Dragostea din tei_. I like that song, but when it comes up on my playlist, I cannot help but think of the Spanish… eh… version of the song. [Here is the youtube clip.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqxumHvUkWw) And despite what it may appear if you don’t understand Spanish, it is actually a positive song. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Windwalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/5e9695/32.png) [@Windwalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Windwalker)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2008, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-listen-to-music-in-languages-you-dont-speak/477511/60 "2008-12-20T16:11:04Z")
> [@Toxylon](#): > > I don’t think I have a single song in my 5000 or so total in another language than English (which is not my mother tongue). I guess I qualify for Vox Imperatoris’ dissident request. > > My record collection reflects mostly the fact that there still is a whole bunch of great (old) Anglo-American music I haven’t experienced yet. Whenever I get the urge to get some new music, that’s where I’ll look for. > > Still, I don’t especially care for music sung in another language (including my mother tongue). To me, English is the language of rock and pop. I also feel Americans make the best movies, so shoot me. Hey, I’m curious, where are you from? As for the OP, I have a decent collection in other languages, usually due to friends from those countries. Some songs lose a lot if you don’t understand what they’re saying, but others lose comparatively little. I have stuff in Swedish, Italian, Norwegian, Spanish (though I’m starting to learn it), Estonian, Arabic, Farsi, and Hindi, as well as various African languages. The arrangements of the ones I listen to are usually pretty good and work well with the voice as just another instrument. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-listen-to-music-in-languages-you-dont-speak/477511.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-like-listen-to-music-in-languages-you-dont-speak/477511.md?page=4)