Songs in another language

[Altairis]

sorry for the very unclever title
Do you like listening to songs that are sung in a language you don't speak fluently? If so, do you make an effort to know the lyrics in your own language, or do you just listen without knowing because it sounds cool? Which languages? If you don't, is it because you don't know the lyrics in your own language?

 

[The Void]

Yes, I think, for example, that Japanese songs are cool. Sometimes the lyrics just dribble through your head without you having to really think about them, and it's nice.

Have you heard Let It Go in 25 languages?

I understand only like, 3 of these, but I like it almost as much as the original.

 

[Firox]

All the time, 80% of my music collection is in languages I don't speak (English or Spanish)
While typing this message I'm listening to Russian metal

• Do you like listening to songs that are sung in a language you don't speak fluently? - yes I do, lots of the music I like is from Europe, and even if some bands do have songs in English, the ones in their native language just sound so much better in my opinion.

• If so, do you make an effort to know the lyrics in your own language, or do you just listen without knowing because it sounds cool? - I mainly listen to them because the language just sounds cool with metal music, I do try and sing along at times, I'm only interested in learning what the song is about, or if possible find a translation of the song

• Which languages? A quick list:
Arabic: Al Namrood, Narjahanam - نار جهنم
Danish: Fjorsvartnir
Dutch: Heidevolk
Estonian: Metsatöll
Faroese: many of Týr's songs
Finnish: Korpiklaani, a few Ensiferum songs
German: Menhir
Georgian: Ennui
Icelandic: Skálmöld
Latvian: Skyforger
Lithuanian: Obtest
Japanese: Gotsu Kotsu Totsu - 兀突骨
Norwegian: Ásmegin, many of Darkthrone and Gorgoroth songs
Romanian: Bucovina
Russian: Arkona - Аркона
Slovakian: Prarod
Swedish: Vintersorg
Thai: Wiplas - วิปลาส

edit: forgot to mention, I'm always searching for more metal bands from other countries, that sing in their own language, I don't mind if they sing in English but at least have songs that they sing in their native language too.

• If you don't, is it because you don't know the lyrics in your own language? - this won't apply to me.

 

[Apollo]

Do you like listening to songs that are sung in a language you don't speak fluently?
Haha, yes! I'm a big fan of Xander de Buisonje, Willemijn Verkaik (both Dutch), Celine Dion (French?) and Alex Britti (Italian). I usually listen to foreign songs in the language I'm currently learning, but I sometimes like songs in languages I'm not really interested in, too!

If so, do you make an effort to know the lyrics in your own language, or do you just listen without knowing because it sounds cool?
Always. I'm always on the hunt for new phrases and words in new languages, and as a linguistic freak, this is really fun for me, lol.

Which languages?
Mainly Dutch, French and Italian. I like some songs in other languages too. I like the sound of Slavic languages, might as well find some artists, haha.

 

[Raine]

I practically live off songs that are in different languages! Hm, the attraction to other languages aren't necessarily because I want to learn the foreign language, but more so I find them more appealing in sound compared to Western music these days \: I often sing along with songs that are in Latin, Japanese, and Korean, but I've also tried Mandarin, Ukrainian, and Russian. To be honest, I think I'm relatively talented at singing in other languages so that's what triggers me to continue downloading, and listening to songs in other languages I guess XD

 

[El Héroe Oscuro]

Only if the track has a good beat to it to be perfectly honest. I'm not very good when it comes to quick translations in my head, so instead of just hearing gibberish I'd more key in to the rhythm and the beat to the song. That's why I like songs such as Daddy Yankee's "Gasolina." Good beat, but absolutely no clue what they are saying haha.

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[Weeaboo Name]

I only listen to K-Pop. The deepest music around, much better then western Bieber crap.

 

[tinybird]

I listen to Pink Martini pretty often and they sing in several different languages, China Forbes has a beautiful voice and handles foreign languages very well. Some of them are mixed with English so it's pretty easy to understand the rest of the words. I haven't had to look up any of the lyrics in order to understand their songs.

I've listened to other artists though where I've looked up the lyrics so that I could better understand what they singing about.

 

[BurningLanguages]

When I choose to listen to songs in a different language, it's almost always in a language that I'm currently studying. Right now that would be Latin American Spanish and Russian.

I do have Japanese music that I like, because I will be studying Japanese in the future. I use it mostly for academic reasons but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy the music, because I do. The music from kyary Pamyu Pamyu is awesome :).

 

[Ririchio-san]

I just love listening to songs sung in foreign languages (which is a bit sad)....
And yes, I do try to understand the meaning of the lyrics but not always , and surprisingly, I even remember the lyrics(even if I don't understnd them) I'm not sure why but I guess it's becuz I have a habit of either humming or singing with the song
:) .
Um, I mainly listen to Japanese and Korean songs .
I'm mainly into tune so I can listen to songs sung in any language , but just the beat and tune should match, :).

 

[Flushed]

I don't seek out music in different languages, but I don't instantly reject such music either. Off the top of my head I only have a couple foreign artists: Veltpunch (Japanese) and Kent (Swedish/English). Most songs I get because of the rhythm and sounds as opposed to the linguistics, so I don't mind songs in other languages at all.

 

[Sonata]

I like to listen to Rammstein which is German. I don't understand much, but it's nice.

 

[Akiba]

Christopher Tin's Calling All Dawns :3

12 songs in 12 different languages. :)

 

[Starry Windy]

I often listen to Japanese songs, especially if it's related to anime songs, even though I don't get them most of the time. However, I'm starting to know what they meant a bit.

 

[Mirari]

I do like songs in foreign languages, even if I don't understand fully, because for me music is not about the lyrics, but about rhythim (or what it makes me feel, like nostalgy). I never get when people ask "how can you listen to this, it's in japanese!", as if the only thing that matter was the lyrics. Actually even when I listen to songs in english I don't understand everything, but I still like it ^-^

People are SO into lyrics that there basically no instrumental songs anymore... but at the same time, most people say they do like classical songs (like piano songs from Mozart). So contradictory.

Edit: as Heartouch remembered, anime songs are the only japanese songs I listen to! xD Rurouni Kenshin, Yuyu Hakusho, Inuyasha... old school animes were the best lol

 

[Monophobia]

Yup - Vocaloid mainly. It's Japanese, but I use English subtitles until I get a good memorization of the song and what the words mean - then I don't need them anymore. ^__^

 

[acatfrommars]

If dubstep counts as a different language then yes. If not, then not really unless I'm listening to anime openings or watching anime. I prefer music in America because I like to focus on lyrics as well as the audio. Also, English is the only language I know fluently.

 

[Livewire]

The only songs I have that are in a foreign language are by Rammestein and Megahertz, German heavy metal bands. If you have a basic understanding of Germanic languages then you can pick up on the overall meaning of the songs pretty quickly, I think. I also think I have the one song in Japanese, (lol) which I believe was the theme song from the Zoids anime, if you remember that from way back in the day!

Unless you count some instrumental/trailer music/classical that has Latin choir singing or chanting. Got some of that too.

 

[Brendino]

I was both surprised and not surprised at the same time seeing that I had songs in 8 different languages (English, French, Arabic, Finnish, Korean, Japanese, Swiss German, and Spanish) represented on my iPod. Aside from English and French though, I've got maybe 2 or 3 songs for each language tops- generally from the same artist.

I'm not usually one that goes out of my way looking for songs in foreign languages, but it's a nice surprise hearing them pop up now and again if I'm shuffling through my music.

 

[Blake Belladonna]

Considering that I listen to a lot of Japanese music when I'm not Japanese, I think the answer to the first question is yes. XD And I do make an effort to learn and understand the language, especially when it is the language of anime! -brick'd- XD