December 31, 2022 – Crimson Lake, Alberta
When we were in Portugal in 2017, we were walking by a tiny shop selling tourist trinkets. Portuguese music was wafting from an open window. I would have walked on by, but the most enchanting voice came over the speaker system and I was drawn into the store.
The lyrics were entirely foreign, but the rhythm and beguiling voice of the performer captivated me. I asked the shopkeeper who the artist was. She directed me to a CD and explained that Ana Moura is a Fado singer, famous in Portugal and gaining an international reputation.
I bought the CD, which began a love affair that has not faded. I do not understand a word she says, but Ana Moura mesmerizes.
This video clip cemented my …
… Hopeless Infatuation
Language is not a barrier to music. I don’t understand the lyrics of most songs written in English, so there is no need to limit my entertainment to music written in my only language.
You probably don’t have time to listen to all of the clips below, but I hope you find something of interest this New Year’s Eve.
Miriam Makeba was named on Time Magazine’s 100 Women of Influence list in 1967. She sings in her native South African Xhosa; tongue clicks and all.
I understand just enough French to know that La Vie En Rose means “I See Life in Pink”, which is a sad, sorry translation of beautiful French lyrics. Madeleine Peyroux performs Edith Pilaf’s iconic Parisian love song here:
My French is rudimentary, but my Japanese is non-existent. And yet, I can relate to this performance of Sukiyaki by Kyu Sakamoto.
Sing along with the first verse:
上を向いて歩こう
涙がこぼれないように
思い出す春の日
一人ぽっちの夜
Luciano Pavarotti performs Schubert’s Ave Maria. It doesn’t get much better than this.
Guantanamo Bay has negative connotations in America. In Cuba, the song Guantanamera (girl from Guantanamo) is a national treasure.
Cuban National Treasures.
1,133,213,342 people have viewed this Puerto Rican YouTube video. I had never heard of Vivir Mi Vida by Marc Anthony, but more than a billion people obviously enjoyed it.
La Porte Arriér (The Back Door) is a classic Cajun “foreign” language song.
A fun Anglo-Italian rendition of Tu Vuo’ Fa’ L’Americano. Watch for a reference to “baseball.”
A Yiddish-Ukrainian song Goodbye Odessa – kinda gloomy, give it a miss unless you are in a mood for a depression-era, leaving the Ukrainian homeland, tune.
Generation Xers will recognize this 1983 German pop song 99 Luftballons, and the big hair.
I have included quite a few songs sung by pretty women. Here are some L’italiano hunks for the rest of you.
Remember Nana Mouskouri? This clip contains some images as amazing as the Greek singer’s voice.
Le Festin – the only song on this list sung by a Parisian rat.
Je Me Suis Fait Tout Petit, sung by Pomplamoose (grapefruit) and her husband John.
If you made it this far, here are a few bonus tunes below, to satisfy your …
… Hopeless Infatuation.
https://youtu.be/7saGjFWyA5Q “Volare” – Gypsy Kings, with Penelope Cruz
https://youtu.be/2bD10bNuJYA “Dominique” – The Singing Nun 1963
https://youtu.be/jACUHpbgMi4 Bella Ciao. Pretty Ukrainian girls in army fatigues! Why not?
https://youtu.be/9bZkp7q19f0 “Gangnam Style” – PSY, this Korean video has 4.6B views!
https://youtu.be/QWe83JRGGcg “刘紫” Traditional Chinese Music – Lui Zi Ling
https://youtu.be/fwWmcMz0ZVk “Ya Bassa” – Scottish-Gaelic
And, that perennial favourite……
“La Bamba” – Richie Valens and Los Lobos
Happy New Year!
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