# 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:** 7
**Author:** ![Blindmellowjelly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blindmellowjelly/32/13920_2.png) [@Blindmellowjelly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blindmellowjelly)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2023, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/121 "2023-05-19T03:05:34Z")
Shouffi Rhirou- 3 Mustaphas3 This song will be misunderstood by everyone, and never comprehended because it is gibberish.it is an in depth talented parody band that had spent time listening to yugoslav muslim musick. They are more popular than some serbo croat bands from the eighties… take it to the fridge. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/_WNiDtC_d70/maxresdefault.jpg "Choufi Ghirou") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WNiDtC_d70) ---
**Author:** ![Blindmellowjelly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blindmellowjelly/32/13920_2.png) [@Blindmellowjelly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blindmellowjelly)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2023, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/122 "2023-05-19T03:28:13Z")
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/_yNeYVPGgvY/maxresdefault.jpg "Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Top Remix Qawali") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yNeYVPGgvY) ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2023, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/123 "2023-05-19T08:33:46Z")
“Corsica” by Petru Gelfucci makes me homesick for a place I’ve never been. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/nVCH8E9n37E/hqdefault.jpg "Corsica - Petru Guelfucci") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVCH8E9n37E) ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2023, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/124 "2023-05-19T17:30:30Z")
Shades of the OP, I also go with Plastic Bertrand, _[Ca Plane Pour Moi](https://youtu.be/RcHcx8J9UzE)_. (There’s several songs I love by, for example, [Blondie](https://youtu.be/onE0Mlmghbc) and [Pat Benatar](https://youtu.be/7o75QaDGtQI) that are covers of songs originally in English but I “understand” the songs. I also “understand” the Jane Birkin/Serge Gainsbourg _Je t’aime_ [song](https://youtu.be/SIG0AJQTs8U) despite barely getting any of the lyrics.) ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2023, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/125 "2023-10-17T22:41:56Z")
Has anyone mentioned “Mayonaka no Door/Stay with Me” by Miki Matsubara yet? ---
**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:** [October 23, 2023, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/126 "2023-10-23T18:22:07Z")
“Athair Ar Neamh” — Enya > [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvOeDWynY4o](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvOeDWynY4o) I would love to learn at least one Celtic language (Goidelic or Brythonic), but I’m afraid it’s far too late for me. 😞 ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2023, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/127 "2023-10-23T18:34:34Z")
Late to the party, but I just thought about which non-German or non-English song I like the best. I came up with a Spanish rock song, “Entre Dos Tierras” by Heroes Del Silencio from, I think, 1990. It was a big radio hit here. I’ve never learned Spanish, but I know enough of other Romance languages to figure out what the band name and the song title mean, otherwise I’ve got no clue what the song is about. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/6wMMcCkRAsk/hqdefault.jpg "Héroes del Silencio - Entre dos tierras") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wMMcCkRAsk) ---
**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:** [October 23, 2023, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/128 "2023-10-23T21:28:00Z")
Nonsense! I have a Welsh student in her 90s. If she can do it, so can you! ---
**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:** [October 23, 2023, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/129 "2023-10-23T21:39:13Z")
I’m sure I could if I went to live in Ireland/Great Britain/France for a time. I can’t afford lessons in Canada though. I had several years of instruction in Russian, but I had to live in Moscow to become fully fluent. Ten months in Czechoslovakia wasn’t enough to learn Czech, which is a challenge even if you already know a Slavic language. ---
**Author:** ![Skunkdog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c2a13f/32.png) [@Skunkdog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skunkdog)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2023, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/130 "2023-10-23T21:46:49Z")
I have a love for unique songs I hear on film soundtracks and get roped into checking out their other stuff. 1. Ayub Ogada - Dicholo: Heard this on The Constant Gardener soundtrack and was hooked. Mr. Ogada went on to tour with Peter Gabriel on the Secret World tour before his death. 2. Bilderbuch - Bungalow: This seems to be a fairly silly song by this German band, but it’s catchy as hell. 3. Shakira - Estoy Aqui: One of her earliest songs and it’s still my favorite. ---
**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:** [October 23, 2023, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/131 "2023-10-23T21:47:50Z")
Here’s a good one :- [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/9NtvJ84arZ4/hqdefault.jpg "Lo que va a pasar") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NtvJ84arZ4) The amazing Irakere - Lo que va a pasar. I saw this lot 3 times at Ronnie Scotts jazz club, absolutely brilliant stuff. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2023, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/132 "2023-10-23T21:59:26Z")
> [@Skunkdog](#): > > Bilderbuch - Bungalow: This seems to be a fairly silly song by this German band, but it’s catchy as hell. Nitpick (it’s what we do here!): Bilderbuch are an Austrian band. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2023, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/133 "2023-10-25T17:25:34Z")
I was just wondering if anyone had mentioned this song. Considering that I haven’t heard it in nearly half a century, it’s stayed with me pretty well. ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2023, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/134 "2023-10-25T17:57:40Z")
So many great foreign songs, but this is probably the one I listen to the most. Neon Genesis Evangelion [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fShlVhCfHig](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fShlVhCfHig) ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2023, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/135 "2023-10-25T17:58:53Z")
Tom Jobim and Miúcha - _Pela Luz dos Olhos Teus_ [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/5pyk-DmkBsA/maxresdefault.jpg "Miúcha, Antonio Carlos Jobim - Pela Luz dos Olhos Teus (Pseudo Vídeo)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pyk-DmkBsA) ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2023, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/136 "2023-10-25T18:01:33Z")
While I think [Bobby Darin absolutely owns this song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8OlDPqYBLw), I do enjoy the original French version quite a bit. La Mer or Beyond the Sea. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/y6za0Iex_Eg/maxresdefault.jpg "La mer (Beyond the Sea) (French Original Version)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6za0Iex_Eg) ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2023, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/137 "2023-10-25T18:03:40Z")
Julieta Venegas - _Oleada_ [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8IJw2lD4jHk/hqdefault.jpg "Julieta Venegas - Oleada (Video Oficial)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IJw2lD4jHk) ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2023, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/138 "2023-10-25T18:07:36Z")
This thread has been a goldmine for finding ‘new to me’ music. Thanks all. Zouk Machine - Maldòn [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/BPdrGOFXzGA/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AGMBYAC4AOKAgwIABABGHIgTSg3MA8=&rs=AOn4CLAdZK49oMW6xb9BVx6CSKulWDOldQ "zouk machine - maldon") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPdrGOFXzGA) ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2023, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/139 "2023-10-25T20:17:50Z")
Here’s a song in Greek I really like. I think it was performed at the opening ceremony of the 2004 Olympics in Athens. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/sjip0aLCVs8/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGHIgTygzMA8=&rs=AOn4CLDKBS4BSjLuc_fR3ZX64PueV_wVLg "Despina Vandi - GIA") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjip0aLCVs8) ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2023, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363/140 "2023-10-25T20:21:54Z")
Here’s a song in Japanese (well Japanese and English) I really like: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Z6FPJOgfCkc/maxresdefault.jpg "Girls' Generation 少女時代 'GALAXY SUPERNOVA' MV Dance ver.") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6FPJOgfCkc) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-song-in-a-language-you-dont-understand/974363.md?page=8)