# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![Reeses\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reeses_monkey/32/2885_2.png) [@Reeses\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeses_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/21 "2022-11-04T19:20:21Z")
This one. I have no idea what language it is or what he’s saying, but damn, is it a catchy tune. [24 Timmar - YouTube](https://youtu.be/4kj8KbkC8sI) ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/22 "2022-11-04T19:20:47Z")
“Maldito” by Jessy Bulbo. I understand a little Spanish, but I don’t know what this song is about. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/aSaN3KbyH6g/hqdefault.jpg "Maldito Jessy Bulbo") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSaN3KbyH6g) ---
**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, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/23 "2022-11-04T19:29:23Z")
And if standard German isn’t enough for you: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/0Y_VqqXphaQ/maxresdefault.jpg "voXXclub - "Rock mi" Flashmob in den Riem Arcaden in München") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Y_VqqXphaQ) ---
**Author:** ![veryfrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/87869e/32.png) [@veryfrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/veryfrank)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/24 "2022-11-04T19:31:16Z")
I’m only a beginner in German, so I can’t understand more than the occasional word sung in the language. I’ve been a fan of Nina Hagen forever, and I’d love to understand more of her work Deutsch. She’s recorded a number of tracks in both English and German; the _Bee Happy_ album is largely an English-language version of _FreuD euch_ so I can groove to “Riesenschritt” and understand it, knowing it’s her cover of The Monkees’ “Giant Step.” If I had to pick a fave song in the untranslated language though, I’d go with Rammstein’s “Der Meister” or Laibach’s “Tanz mit Laibach.” ---
**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:** [November 4, 2022, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/25 "2022-11-04T19:33:23Z")
Undoubtedly _Coisich a Ruin_ by Capercaillie. I don’t speak Gaelic, and I doubt I could say those lyrics even with practice. But I love the group and this song. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/pyxOh6MO0dI/hqdefault.jpg "Capercaillie - Coisich A Ruin") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyxOh6MO0dI) ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/26 "2022-11-04T19:34:02Z")
I guess Latin is a foreign language. So: Gaudete [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/1mLGFLdsjFQ/maxresdefault.jpg "Gaudete") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mLGFLdsjFQ) …with honorable mentions to the [Pearl Fishers duet](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVR2hkGtKmw) by Bizet and the totality of French rap music (no, honest, rap in French works _remarkably_ well.) j ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/27 "2022-11-04T19:36:24Z")
I prefer the German version 99 Luft Ballons. Also, I like this one: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/naAC37W42ro/maxresdefault.jpg "Mocedades "Eres Tu" (Remastered Audio) HD") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naAC37W42ro) ---
**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, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/28 "2022-11-04T19:37:05Z")
I’d give anything to learn Gaelic: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/HcT6Pov5gN4/hqdefault.jpg "Enya - Athair Ar Neamh (HQ) + Irish-Galeic & English lyrics") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcT6Pov5gN4) ---
**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, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/29 "2022-11-04T19:39:52Z")
And before anyone chimes in, _Smells Like Teen Spirit_ and _Louie, Louie_ don’t count. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/30 "2022-11-04T19:40:06Z")
> [@Reeses\_Monkey](#): > > This one. I have no idea what language it is or what he’s saying, but damn, is it a catchy tune. Swedish. The artist is Magnus Uggla (no, not ugly, it’s Swedish for Owl). I’m cheating, because I do know Spanish, but this song is smokin’ [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/xxhET61yB1A/hqdefault.jpg "Jarabe De Palo - Bonito (Videoclip Oficial)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxhET61yB1A) And how about some Arabic Disco (Actually Rai, which is a sorta fusion created in France). This was produced by Was (not)Was [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/tTcnIYYeZI8/maxresdefault.jpg "Khaled - Didi (Official Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTcnIYYeZI8) As for Rammstein. This is a couple of years old. A friend, half German and fluent, assures me it’s not a celebration of Germany. Quite the opposite. Note: it takes a while to get going and it’s not for the super squeamish, i.e. quite a lot of graphic violence: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/NeQM1c-XCDc/maxresdefault.jpg "Rammstein - Deutschland (Official Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeQM1c-XCDc) ---
**Author:** ![Lancia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lancia/32/17174_2.png) [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/31 "2022-11-04T19:43:24Z")
Emabhaceni by Miriam Makeba [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/zylr1hwPpsE/hqdefault.jpg "Miriam Makeba - Emabhaceni") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zylr1hwPpsE) ---
**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, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/32 "2022-11-04T19:44:55Z")
I don’t know what language this is, but I like the English interpretation: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/sdyC1BrQd6g/hqdefault.jpg "Benny Lava...(WITH LYRICS) Hilarious") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdyC1BrQd6g) ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/33 "2022-11-04T20:01:37Z")
Lucky by Lucie, Too Just _perfect_ power pop. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/gHsUaS9r5R8/hqdefault.jpg "Lucie,Too - Lucky (Official Music Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHsUaS9r5R8) ---
**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, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/34 "2022-11-04T20:09:39Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I saw Ali Farka Touré perform at a small club. We saw him perform in Bamako, Mali. A real treat. I could have also just mentioned most Malian artists in this thread like Habib Koite and Salif Keita. Also the music of Brasil, even though I no longer speak Portuguese. The Sergio Mendes album _Brasileiro_ is one of the best. Can you tell I’m a fan of the world music genre? Oh, I forgot the late and brilliant Amalia Rodrigues, the queen of Portuguese Fado music. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2022, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/35 "2022-11-04T20:15:36Z")
We once went to a _bal_ in Bidart, way South West France and attended a gig in Basque. The only words I understood in the entire set were “harmonium” and “Maria Magdalene”. Very good gig though. j ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2022, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/36 "2022-11-05T00:39:33Z")
The Comedian Harmonists [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/v_oBX-Cz2fg/hqdefault.jpg "Comedian Harmonists - Wochenend und Sonnenschein - Happy Days are Here Again") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_oBX-Cz2fg) ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2022, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/37 "2022-11-05T01:21:19Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > I guess Latin is a foreign language. So: Gaudete Speaking of Steeleye Span, _Cam Ye O’er Frae France_. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/xLBGqJAdY8k/maxresdefault.jpg "Cam Ye O'er Frae France (2009 Remaster)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLBGqJAdY8k) ---
**Author:** ![XOldiesJock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ec9cab/32.png) [@XOldiesJock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XOldiesJock)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2022, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/38 "2022-11-05T01:22:08Z")
**“SukiyakI” by Kyu Sakamoto.** You beat me to it. That’s the first song that came to my mind. I love it as much now as I did in 1963. Its haunting sound has always pulled at my heart strings. One time I was in a store and that song played on the PA system. When it came to the whistling part, people all over the store began whistling! By the way, the original (and best) lyrics as sung by Mr. Sakamoto are not the lyrics A Taste of Honey sang in the 1970s. Completely different. ---
**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 5, 2022, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/39 "2022-11-05T02:17:50Z")
I saw the Ethiopian “supergroup” Qwanqwa a week ago. It was my first exposure to them so I don’t have a favorite song, I don’t know what their song titles are, I don’t even know what language (or languages) they were singing in. But they had the crowd on their feet dancing and the pace never let up. And they’re still touring the U.S. so you can still catch them. They deserve some mention. Hmmm. Searching for videos I came across this great one from before the vocalist joined the group. The instrumentalists were just as terrific live. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/-fM4VUoj0SI/maxresdefault.jpg "Qwanqwa ቋንቋ - Kemekem (official music video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fM4VUoj0SI) And here’s one from their current tour. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/hDKZ_5Hrvgw/maxresdefault.jpg "Qwanqwa Band Live Performance") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDKZ_5Hrvgw) ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2022, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/40 "2022-11-05T02:46:46Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > And before anyone chimes in, _Smells Like Teen Spirit_ and _Louie, Louie_ don’t count. Sorry, but The Kingsmen’s version of “Louie, Louie” is a _perfect_ example of a favorite song whose words are often incomprehensible. A semi-favorite song from a German group whose lyrics don’t make sense even when they’re in English: _Onward marching to the “Rock of Ages”_ _Torn off pages from a magazine_ _Soldiers fading from the Earth degrading_ _Sun’s lost out to margarine_ _Kingdoms, empires read in tea leaves_ _Everybody fold your hands upon your heads_ _And hear the news_ _Somebody somewhere somehow sometime_ _Looked behind the arass_ _Where the groupies killed the blues_ - Lucifer’s Friend [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363.md?page=3)