I Have No Idea What They're Singing, But I Love It!

[soren7550]

So, Gangnam Style has nearly 2 billion views [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.845016-Gangnam-Style-nearly-at-2-billion-views]. So, with that choppy segue in place, what are songs that are in a language other than your native one (or any that you do speak) that you really like?

Two that I've recently discovered are

Spoiler: Gyöngyhajú lány - Omega (Hungarian)

If you're like me, then you'll know this song as 'the trailer song from This War of Mine'.

(I am feeling a little more partial to the English version though, but only because I love the chorus so much)

Spoiler: Hikōki-gumo - Yumi Matsutoya (Japanese)

If the video didn't somehow already give it away, this song was recently featured in The Wind Rises, both in the film and in trailers. And it works really well both with the film and on its own. It nicely blends uplifting and mournful.

 

[SomeLameStuff]

Black Rock Shooter. You know, in case it wasn't obvious from my avatar.

 

[Elfgore]

So many anime OPs and EDs that I can't even begin to post them all. I'll try and lower myself down to six. Warning, lots of videos in spoiler.

Spoiler

Let's see, I've always loved the song from the Kingdom Hearts 2 trailer. Both versions are awesome, but I prefer the Japanese.

Spoiler

And lastly the song from the ODST trailer. I'm sure if the language is Hungarian, like in the trailer. Or something else.

Spoiler

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

The intro to Evangelion. Something about a boy?

 

[BathorysGraveland2]

Well, not knowing what they're singing is kind of a staple of some of the genre I listen to, such as black metal and death metal, but I know you mean the language barrier, so there's a few. I do like Rammstein, and while I have a fair idea what some of their songs are about, I do not understand the lyrics due to not speaking German. There's a few pagan black metal bands that sing in their languages, such as Norway's Myrkgrav, Finland's Häive, Germany's Falkenbach and Russia's Arkona. And there's a couple of Polish black metal bands that sing in their language, such as Warhead, Antisemitex and Gontyna Kry.

For non-metal related music, I do enjoy Mongolian folk group Huun-Huur-Tu, Belarusian folk band Stary Olsa and Danish viking folk group Krauka, neither of whom have lyrics in English. There's a few others, but they are all some of the better examples.

 

[Nouw]

I suppose sometimes you have to make the distinction between knowing what they're singing about at and actively understanding when you're listening to the song. Take classical choral music for example, you got your requiems, oratorios and masses. Now I know what they're singing about is 99 times out of 100 biblical but I think it'd be kinda ruined for me if when hearing them I processed it in English. I'd go as far as to say that it's because I don't know what they're singing that I love most classical choral music; I don't think I'd be able to bear it if I knew what they were singing was 'Praise God' or something along the likes over and over again. For example, when I hear Bach's Kyrie Eleison from his Mass in B Minor [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jLO7UjQus0] I know they're singing 'Lord, have mercy' but I still hear and process it as 'Kyrie Eleison' if you get what I mean. That's for more repetitive songs however, I certainly wouldn't mind knowing and taking in what the hell they're singing in St Matthew's Passion. Oratorio's are text-heavier so I think it'd really help deepen my understanding and appreciation of them if I understood the language all the time. Pretty much all the time though I go with a generalization.

This applies for anime openings too and just knowing a few lines gives me enough direction to guess at the subject matter. Plus, the instrumentation usually gives away the tone anyway. For example, I know 'Hitori No Yoru' is about the bittersweet nature of love based on the first line's translation alone, not to mention the generous lines of English here and there. That's more than enough for me, even if I could go 'deeper.' Not knowing is kinda appealing you know? Another example is 'Melissa,' where the first line is something like "Cleave apart the memories of those faraway days with your hands." That took the song to a whole new level for me. I mean come on, cleave apart the memories! That's some pretty badass language there.

 

[Bertylicious]

I often think this about the rapping on jungle tracks, they're speaking heavily accented english and usually stuff about gay-bashing, nonsense or something else unpleasant but to me it is like the sound of children playing; lovely as long as you can't make out what they're actually saying.

 

[Smeatza]

Anything by Sigur Ros.

Spoiler: Like This

Although I hear they like to mix their native language (Icelandic) with their own made up language so I don't know if anyone but the band knows what they're really saying.

 

[Objectable]

Adiemus, where it is literally not being sung in any language. It is just random sounds.
<youtube=aL8kZ-iVk90>

 

[[Kira Must Die]]

There's a lot, although I usually look up the lyrics so I do understand, but nonetheless, here's some of my favorites.

Spoiler: And by that I mean here's a bunch of Shiina Ringo songs.

Too bad her Tokyo Jihen stuff were taken off youtube...

 

[The Wykydtron]

Both of the Attack on Titan openings but I doubt many people would need telling seeing as everyone in the entire universe agreed that the first AOT opening was the best anime opening in the universe ever. I mean if you read the subtitles the songs make sense and actually tell a story, unlike some other OPs and songs in general which just kind of feel like a mishmash of words. 'S why 3 Inches of Blood is still my favourite band, everything they do is a self contained little metal story about death or other such things.

Quite often in other songs sung in other languages I don't bother to look up the lyrics. BlazBlue's Mu-12 having the only character theme in the game that has words in it and she's my main but i've never cared to look it up.

 

[Kotaro]

Many anime themes, but most notably any tracks in Persona 3 and 4 with lyrics. Yes, they're in English, but the singing is so heavily accented that there's little hope of actually understanding them without a lyrics sheet.

 

[Mersadeon]

"Ad Mortem Festinamus" - I'll be glad once I have my Latinum.

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/jm3gSYvyUFo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen>

(EDIT: Why is this embed not working?)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm3gSYvyUFo

I've found a translation, but without it I'd have no idea what it was about (apart from the title , which is easy enough to understand even without knowledge of Latin).

 

[shrekfan246]

(EDIT: Why is this embed not working?)

We use BBCode around here. You can link Youtube videos by just doing [ youtube = [ video code] ] without any spaces.

Like -

Spoiler: So

Quote for more info.

OT: I feel like I covered this last night to an extent, when I talked about how someone posting Kyary Pamyu Pamyu on here ruined me and made me start listening to all kinds of weird Japanese bands.

But to be a bit more particular, I found a new Kyary song last night which is only about a month old, and it was so adorable that I couldn't help but love it immediately.

Spoiler

 

[kilenem]

Do misinterpretation of the lyrics count because I got MF DOOM my "favorite ladies" wrong. I didn't realize the Lyrics had a double meaning until I went to rap genius.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMsnrVm0F5U[/youtube]

Also Rick James Mary Jane [youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U55iSMxGJ1Y[/youtube]

and Stephen Wolf [youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEEzbFxEbB8[/youtube]

 

[The_Echo]

OT: I feel like I covered this last night to an extent, when I talked about how someone posting Kyary Pamyu Pamyu on here ruined me and made me start listening to all kinds of weird Japanese bands.

Man, Japan really knows how to make music.

Since you used Kyary already, and I feel like Gackt or Asian Kung-Fu Generation might be too obvious, here's BABYMETAL.
Unfortunately in time I won't be able to use Japanese artists in these threads, since I'm learning the language.

 

[RJ 17]

Anything by Sigur Ros.

Spoiler: Like This

Although I hear they like to mix their native language (Icelandic) with their own made up language so I don't know if anyone but the band knows what they're really saying.

I had a feeling I wouldn't be the only one to mention Sigur Ros. I frickin' love that band.

Spoiler: This is one of my favorites of theirs, from The Life Aquatic sound track.

 

[MysticSlayer]

Nightwish occasionally sings songs in Finnish, and at least these two are very enjoyable:

Spoiler: Two songs

I also enjoy listening to Leaves' Eyes on-and-off, and some of their songs aren't in modern English, provided they are in any form of English at all:

Spoiler: One song

And of course, there's some very good anime themes that aren't in English:

Spoiler: Five songs

 

[Diddy_Mao]

Movits! - Fel Del Av Garden

Swedish Hip-Hop Swing fusion. I can't say I've completely enjoyed everything they play but Fel Del Av Garden gets me to toe tapping whenever I hear it.

For all I know it could be a song about kicking kittens.

Spoiler

Ska-P - Mis Colegas

Ska Punk from Spain. It's a little too 90's pop-punk for my taste, but the chorus hits my ear just right.

Spoiler

Polysics I My Me Mine & Electric Surfing Go Go

Japanese Synth Rock. The comparison to DEVO is pretty much inevitable. Some of their music can be a little discordant but these two songs (clearly meant to have conjoined video segments) are probably the most accessible and enjoyable of their tunes.

Spoiler