# READ FIRST POST: non-English songs



## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Post videos pop/rock/ballad songs sung in a language other than English in this thread, but please follow the 'rules' as lined out below. If this won't fly, no problem.


Before you post, first listen to the previous song and give some feedback in your post (at least something like "nice" or "not my cup of tea").

When you post a video, include the title, singer(s), language and a few words why you picked this one, preferably providing some background as well (like "it was a hit in my country in 1978" and so on). Please include the actual language of the song at the end to make it easier on the next poster.

Do not post songs in the same language in a row - if the most recent post is a song in French, you cannot post a French song as well as the next one.

If you cannot see the video due to YouTube restrictions, just post later after another video.

Hint: it might be wise to post something like "I'm next" before listening to the song, and then edit your post once you're ready to give feedback and post yours.

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Zhi shao hai you ni (Sandy Lam)

Sandy Lam (1966) is a Hong Kong singer, actress and album producer. She rose to fame in the 1980s as a Cantopop diva, before expanding her fan base significantly in Asia, releasing more than 30 stylistically diverse albums in Cantonese, Mandarin, English and Japanese (Wiki). This song is probably her most famous. The title translates as "At Least I Still Have You". My wife introduced it to me 22 years ago. It is one of her favourites and quickly became one of mine as well: a beautiful melody with great piano playing and a well-judged guitar solo to give some beef to the song as well.

Language: Mandarin


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist (Jan 13, 2019)

I'd give it a 5.5/10. It's pretty but bland for my taste, and I didn't find the melody as memorable as you did maybe






Cassiano - A Lua e Eu (singer: Cassiano)

Language: Portuguese

From Wikipedia:



> He is recognized, along with Tim Maia and Hyldon, as one of the three great precursors of the establishment of an American funk and soul music influence in Brazilian popular music.[1][2]
> 
> His career, however, was compromised by a serious respiratory problem in the late 1970s, in which he lost part of his lungs.[1][2] Besides the difficulty of performing as a singer, Cassiano's relationship with the recording industry deteriorated even further, which eventually led to the composer's total reclusion over the last three decades of his life.
> 
> Throughout his musical career, the singer recorded four studio LPs, three of which - "Imagem e som", "Apresentamos nosso Cassiano" and "Cuban soul - 14 kilates" - were released in the 1970s. His latest work, "Cedo ou Tarde", was released in the early 1990s.[1][2] Among his greatest commercial successes are "A Lua e Eu" and "Coleção", in his own voice, "Primavera (Vai Chuva)" and "Eu Amo Você", interpreted by Tim Maia.


A Lua e Eu is one of my favorite songs of his, and I've listened to it probably over a hundred times in the past month, in various renditions. One thing I like about Brazilian music is the originality of covers. People really tend to put their own twist on the music, more so than here in the US.


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

I'll play next, gimme 10 minutes


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## Eva Yojimbo (Jan 30, 2016)

Listening to it brings to mind a lot of the 70s soul music I grew up listening to that my mother loved. I couldn't name specific names, but it's a very nostalgic sound/style for me. Some of the orchestral embellishments sound a bit cheesy, and I would've liked to hear a more interesting bridge/solo section that goes somewhere as opposed to the rather abrupt fadeout, but otherwise it's a nice, chill track.






^ Sung in Polish. Music is a mix of jazz, pop, and world music. I found Anna Maria Jopek through her collaboration with jazz guitarist Pat Matheney. Glad I did as she's extremely talented and makes some really interesting music with her equally talented band of musicians.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Azol said:


> I'll play next, gimme 10 minutes


Azol, just post yours. I will listen to both and post one new song.


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

Cassiano - A Lua e Eu:
Nice song, with interesting rhythmic syncopations and quite unexpected (for me, at least) guitar solo at the end! I do not know what he is singing about though...
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Next song:






Time Machine - The Wind is Awaking
Language: Russian

The song that resonates with the general uneasiness around the world that's hard to explain but the future looks stormy. Anyway, once started, the storm must run its course. Great song for modern times.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

*Listening now, please do not post!*


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## HenryPenfold (Apr 29, 2018)

Re: post #4 Anna Maria Jopek - what a performance and what a band! Never heard of her before - how I'd have loved to have been at that gig!

My choice. Jacques Brel - Le Moribond sung in French (even though he was Belgian)

I love everything Brel ever did. Sadly died too soon. I so enjoy this song, not just for the song itself, but how Brel animates the story so well.

*EDIT: Cross-posted with AR - apols
*


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## Eva Yojimbo (Jan 30, 2016)

HenryPenfold said:


> Re: post #4 Anna Maria Jopek - what a performance and what a band! Never heard of her before - how I'd have loved to have been at that gig!


That entire show is available on a DVD called Farat. Fantastic concert. One of the best live DVDs I own.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

No problem Henry, that happens.

I'll post my reactions to the previous two anyway:

Eva Yoyimbo's song: I like the somewhat chaotic intro, and once the singing starts, I'm impressed. The improvisation-like sequence around the 3 - 3.5 minutes mark is less to my liking, but the song ends strongly. Good choice. Completely new to me.

Azol's song: New to me as well. I like this a lot. A pity indeed I can't understand what it's about, but this ballad-like song is well sung and manages to draw me in in spite of the lack of communication. Love the sudden guitar solo. Nice video to boot. Another good choice.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

HenryPenfold's choice: this is not new to me, I have heard plenty of Jacques Brel, including this song, but not in the live rendition. He was Belgian, and although most of his songs are in French, he also recorded a few in Dutch. Definitely someone who deserves to be heard wider in spite of the language barrier.

New song: In Nije Dei by De Kast
Language: Frisian

Frisian is a Germanic language (not a dialect) spoken by about 500000 people in the north of the Netherlands and the north west of Germany. This ballad is called _In Nije Dei_, which translates to A New Day. It was a surprise hit (#2 in the charts in 1997) in the Netherlands (the band is Dutch), given that most Dutch do not speak or understand this language.


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist (Jan 13, 2019)

Azol said:


> Cassiano - A Lua e Eu:
> Nice song, with interesting rhythmic syncopations and quite unexpected (for me, at least) guitar solo at the end! I do not know what he is singing about though...


It's a beautiful song. Here's an English translation of the lyrics (by me, with a little help from Google translate):



> The Moon and Me
> 
> More than a year has passed,
> And I haven't so much as heard your name
> ...


If you like this song, I'd check out the rest of the compilation album *Cassiano Coleção (Cassiano Collection)*. In particular the songs "Coleção", "Salve Essa Flor (Save This Flower)", and "Não Fique Triste" (Don't Be Sad).


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist (Jan 13, 2019)

Eva Yojimbo said:


> Listening to it brings to mind a lot of the 70s soul music I grew up listening to that my mother loved. I couldn't name specific names, but it's a very nostalgic sound/style for me. Some of the orchestral embellishments sound a bit cheesy, and I would've liked to hear a more interesting bridge/solo section that goes somewhere as opposed to the rather abrupt fadeout, but otherwise it's a nice, chill track.


Interesting remarks. I too find it "nostalgic" and reminiscent of soul music, but to me it's not at all ersatz or cheesy. I love the brevity of the bridge and the solo sections, kind of like a distant feeling or memory slipping away from your grasp before you can fully relish in it. In contrast, I think a lot of guitar solos in American and British music go on too long. To each his own!


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## Azol (Jan 25, 2015)

Art Rock's song - In Nije Dei by De Kast
Sweet ballad and a good sing along (I suppose the crowd knew the language anyway). Very enjoyable but probably not very memorable. Good use of a slide on an acoustic guitar at the end.

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New song (you probably knew it was coming): Omega - Gyöngyhajú lány (The girl with pearly hair)
Language: Hungarian

This is one song that became hugely popular as "White Dove" by Scorpions, but the original sounds superior to my ears. I hope you would enjoy it as well!


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