# What's your favorite song in a language you don't understand? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [November 4, 2022, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363 "2022-11-04T17:17:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/1 "2022-11-04T17:17:51Z")
I have found that I can enjoy some songs without understanding the lyrics; the sounds of the words can be enough to convey meaning or mood. Or they’re just fun. So, what’s your favorite song in a language you don’t know? I’ll start, although it’s a bit of cheat. Plastic Bertrand’s _Ca Plane Pour Moi_ is mostly nonsense lyrics, but it’s French nonsense. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Ln31raI2ezY/maxresdefault.jpg "Plastic Bertrand - Ca Plane Pour Moi (1977) • TopPop") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ln31raI2ezY) ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/2 "2022-11-04T17:27:08Z")
I’ve found that the German language lends an extra edge of cool to Falco’s U.S. hits. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/zUaSZXedM9Y/maxresdefault.jpg "Falco - Rock Me Amadeus [High Quality]") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUaSZXedM9Y) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/KhB05p-37wI/maxresdefault.jpg "Falco - Der Kommissar [High Quality]") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhB05p-37wI) ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/3 "2022-11-04T17:28:16Z")
I really like Tokebakicitte. I speak a little French, but not well enough to follow the lyrics without a translation. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/4oclkgHvgM8/maxresdefault.jpg "Jérôme 50 - TOKÉBAKICITTE [Vidéoclip officiel]") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oclkgHvgM8) ---
**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:** [November 4, 2022, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/4 "2022-11-04T17:32:31Z")
**Ai Du** (and most other songs by), Ali Farka Toure. Sung in his native Bambara language of Mali. Oh, and the album with Ry Cooder won a Grammy. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/zLVdrgd8w_s/maxresdefault.jpg "Ali Farka Toure - Ai Du") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLVdrgd8w_s) Also **Wolf Totem** , by the Mongolian group The Hu [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/jM8dCGIm6yc/maxresdefault.jpg "The HU - Wolf Totem (Official Music Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM8dCGIm6yc) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/5 "2022-11-04T17:40:46Z")
I saw Ali Farka Touré perform at a small club. After his short set, a blues/creole/zydeco band came out and did a short set. That was really great, but the cherry on top was when everyone came out and performed together. At the after-party enough people spoke French for everyone to “chat”. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/6 "2022-11-04T17:42:04Z")
After listening to them for decades, I finally saw the Gypsy Kings in concert this years. The lyrics could have been a phone book, but the delivery and energy made many of their songs incredible. Here’s one of my favorites. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ZKfHt-AVR48/maxresdefault.jpg "Bamboleo") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKfHt-AVR48) ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/7 "2022-11-04T17:42:16Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/WSgIJr-hmls/hqdefault.jpg "Molodezhnaya, Moscow Oratorio, Conductor - Alexander Tsaliuk") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSgIJr-hmls) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/8 "2022-11-04T17:44:14Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > I finally saw the Gypsy Kings in concert this years. I’ve seen them many times. When you said, “Here’s one of my favorites” I knew what would follow. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/9 "2022-11-04T17:44:47Z")
The majority of foreign music I enjoy I can understand at least a bit. Don’t understand a word of this [CLASSIC](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cmWi0vn5Y4) that never fails to make me happy. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/10 "2022-11-04T17:54:17Z")
Has to be Chaiyya, Chaiyya. I love listening to songs in other languages, but usually I understand at least the title. The video is pretty good, too (it came on TV when I was travelling). Give it a minute or so to warm up, but then enjoy Bollywood dancing on top of a moving train for six minutes: [chaiyya chaiyya - Google Search](https://www.google.com/search?q=chaiyya+chaiyya&rlz=1C1CHBF_enCA934CA934&sxsrf=ALiCzsZkNbxJf2Pc1L2JB-DMlMfq74JmmA:1667584024529&source=lnms&tbm=vid&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwid36jLipX7AhXzGzQIHTXfCCYQ_AUoAXoECAIQAw&biw=1536&bih=754&dpr=1.25#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:37a1fd43,vid:WKX5x3KZXfY) ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/11 "2022-11-04T17:57:27Z")
How about this one? [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/W3q8Od5qJio/maxresdefault.jpg "Rammstein - Du Hast (Official Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3q8Od5qJio) ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/12 "2022-11-04T18:02:38Z")
Maybe the best pop song ever. Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66 “Mas Que Nada.” Jorge Ben wrote it in a seemingly untranslatable mix of Portuguese and native languages, and the English versions are all over the map. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/aNn3VEk72PA/maxresdefault.jpg "Sergio Mendes & Brazil 66 - Selections from Disc 1&2 from The Collection Album") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNn3VEk72PA) ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/13 "2022-11-04T18:03:03Z")
If i have to have lyrics, i prefer them in a language i don’t understand. Lyrics are, almost without exception, rubbish imho. Anyway … i love this song : [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/_WEzVDSDruo/maxresdefault.jpg "Duas luas") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WEzVDSDruo) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/14 "2022-11-04T18:06:01Z")
Reached No. 1 in the US in 1963: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/C35DrtPlUbc/maxresdefault.jpg "Sukiyaki (Ue o Muite Arukou) - Kyu Sakamoto (English Translation and Lyrics)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C35DrtPlUbc) ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/15 "2022-11-04T18:08:04Z")
Suo Gan, in Welsh: [Welsh boy treble Cai Thomas (12y) sings Suo Gan - YouTube](https://youtu.be/whKw72731L8) And Pokarekare Ana in Maori: [Hayley Westenra - Pokarekare Ana (English Subtitles)… - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GXua6gD4Hc) This group sings part of it in English: [Front Row Chorus - Pokarekare Ana - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rMAi-IUACI) ---
**Author:** ![BrickBat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@BrickBat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrickBat)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/16 "2022-11-04T18:17:39Z")
Smokin’ tune. I know maybe two dozen German words and recognize none in the frenetically sung lyrics. [Klebstoff](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIiOsPA-xfs) ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/17 "2022-11-04T18:19:50Z")
I’ll take Beethoven for $500… [https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=ode+to+joy&view=detail&mid=8733C4844908468DAAEA8733C4844908468DAAEA&FORM=VIRE](https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=ode+to+joy&view=detail&mid=8733C4844908468DAAEA8733C4844908468DAAEA&FORM=VIRE) ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/18 "2022-11-04T18:25:30Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > I’ll start, although it’s a bit of cheat. Plastic Bertrand’s _Ca Plane Pour Moi_ is mostly nonsense lyrics, but it’s French nonsense. That was my first choice as well. But since that one is already taken, I have to admit “Gangnam Style” is pretty catchy as well. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/cGc_NfiTxng/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AHOBoAC4AOKAgwIABABGDAgYihlMA8=&rs=AOn4CLCQ_snwhW8QWCmG0Ejkgos0Jj20PQ "PSY - GANGNAM STYLE [Original Video]") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGc_NfiTxng) ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/19 "2022-11-04T18:41:39Z")
bah. That feeling when the OP literally lists the song you came in to mention! ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/20 "2022-11-04T19:12:29Z")
Another #1 from 1963: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/EO7cD6qmydo/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AG-AoAC8AGKAgwIABABGHIgUSg6MA8=&rs=AOn4CLCo_XcYVSET_weJYRSfAFoqwKhrqg "The Singing Nun - Dominique (1963 )") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EO7cD6qmydo) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363.md?page=2)