Do you listen to music in a foreign language that you don't understand?

[masraum]

Many/most of us, I'm sure have heard the odd hit song that's in a foreign language, 99 luftballons by Nena from the 80s comes to mind. There are a couple of brain cells that say there are a couple/few more, but those cells don't also include the details of the song/artist.

In the last 10 years or so, I discovered and listened to a bunch of Melody Gardot. Pandora tossed a bunch of some French female vocalist in with that. I don't understand French, but the songs were good and fit well with the rest of the music in that "channel".


I recently seeded a new channel with "AnnenMayKantereit" which is a German group. About half of what Pandora adds is also in German and half is in English. I'm digging it, and the more that I listen, the better it gets, despite me not understanding more than the occasional word. But it's going to be educational, because I do occasionally look up a word or title so I'll probably start learning more words.


Anyone else listen to music for the musicality rather than understanding the lyrics?

[herr_oberst]

A couple of quick examples from my collection

[herr_oberst]

Then there's this. Entirely nonsensical lyrics (sounding vaguely English, according to the composer) and became a big hit in Italy.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

A couple of quick examples from my collection

Nice! Both are excellent!

I also have some Spanish language in my rotation here and there that I'd forgotten. I generally like a good voice, but I've noticed over the years that there are some folks that don't have what would normally be considered a good voice, but that can sing in a way that they are enjoyable to listen to. It's often, I'm not sure what to call it, first thought was "folk" music, but I'd not sure that's exactly right. It seems like it's often Spanish language, sometimes Zydeco or Cajun-style or even country/blue-grass. I'm not sure what it is about it, but it's good.

It's hard to go wrong with Ry Cooder on the guitar.

[The Synergizer]

Only "Der Kommissar" by Falco.

[Jeff Higgins]

Does Rap count?

[maxnine11]

[Dixie]

I have enough trouble with the languages I do speak. For years I thought Manfred Man Earth Band was singing, "wrapped up like a douche in the middle of the night." Decades later I learned the lyrics were actually, "Revved up like a deuce in the middle of the night." Ugh!

[look 171]

Hey Dix, you will get a kick out of this.

Ithink this was written couple years after I was born but it took someone this long to come up with this.

[Dixie]

Originally Posted by look 171

Hey Dix, you will get a kick out of this.

Lol, exactly.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by herr_oberst

Then there's this. Entirely nonsensical lyrics (sounding vaguely English, according to the composer) and became a big hit in Italy.

There's a song that I listen to that is a female vocalist, sounds like she's singing words, but they aren't words. They are just random groups of syllables. I want to say Massive Attack, Portishead, Morcheeba, someone like that, but I couldn't find it. Basically the same thing.

[Dantilla]

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by masraum

There's a song that I listen to that is a female vocalist, sounds like she's singing words, but they aren't words. They are just random groups of syllables. I want to say Massive Attack, Portishead, Morcheeba, someone like that, but I couldn't find it. Basically the same thing.

Can't help with that, but you mentioned Zydeco; Buckwheat Zydeco and Clifton Chenier are a couple in my rotation. Good cookout music.

[porsche930dude]

This also qualifies for the covers thread

[porsche930dude]

Also like this one. Most songs you cant understand all the lyrics anyway so a foreign language just makes it more exotic.

[peppy]

Originally Posted by Dixie

I have enough trouble with the languages I do speak. For years I thought Manfred Man Earth Band was singing, "wrapped up like a douche in the middle of the night." Decades later I learned the lyrics were actually, "Revved up like a deuce in the middle of the night." Ugh!

You heard it correctly. He explains mafred mann changed the lyric.

[pavulon]

[jcwade]

Almost any opera.

Puccini



And Mozart

[jcwade]

And Timbiriche. Saw them live in Mexico City. Fantastic act.



And one most will recognize and can sing along with, even if it is in Spanish.

[varmint]

I listen to opera sometimes. Bought a book that summarized the plots of a few of the better known. Knowing what they’re singing about in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg in no way improves the experience.