Songs in English Vs Native languages

Barklessdog · July 17, 2008, 10:45:36 AM

Lately I have been favoring bands & songs sung in their native languages.

It all started with Rammstein with me. I find both German and Japanese has a more harsh or strict sound/tone to it vs English. Each languages has its own flow or tone in you will, that I find refreshing. Half the times lyrics are terrible, nonsense (REM) or been said a 1000 times already (Teenage love) when you can understand them anyway. When you can't understand the lyrics they take on different dimension (Louie Louie)

The song "Bride"
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=21165584

http://youtube.com/watch?v=doTBT46wMvA&feature=related

From Finland
http://www.myspace.com/tuvaluofficial

Japan
http://youtube.com/watch?v=A4L7DooT5T4&feature=related

Chris P. · July 17, 2008, 11:01:18 AM

English is just more natural for pop music. It's just the language. I have lots of favourite Dutch bands (*), but most of them (if not: all of them) sing in English. In Dutch is sounds like cabaret to me. Strange: English love songs are sometimes very childish, but I can handle them. But translated in Dutch they sound like childrens songs.
'I Love You Cos I Do' is a great song, but translated it doesn't do it for me.

I'll find some nice Dutch bands though. I'll post some Van Dik Hout and De Dijk soon.

My favourites (Uwe knows some of them) are The Outsiders, Daryll-Ann, Moke, Supersub, Johan, Sweet d'Buster and Herman Brood & His Wild Romance. The last one made a great Dutch song with his fake band De Breedbekkikkers. If I've got time I'll post some.

gweimer · July 17, 2008, 11:18:38 AM

Roxy Music's "Bitter-Sweet" made very dramatic use of German in the last chorus.

Chris P. · July 17, 2008, 12:02:07 PM

At this forum you just have to copy and paste the normal YouTube URL. The 'embed' code isn't necessary.

hieronymous · July 17, 2008, 12:12:46 PM

Kraftwerk have a song called "Pocket Calculator" that they recorded in German, English, French and Japanese - I love the Japanese version (called "Dentaku") and can't stand the English version - it just sounds trite to me. So here's the German version ("Taschenrechner") and the Japanese version:

"Dentaku" was recorded in Tokyo and you can hear the crowd go nuts and singing along.

gweimer · July 17, 2008, 12:21:30 PM

Quote from: Chris P on July 17, 2008, 12:02:07 PM
At this forum you just have to copy and paste the normal YouTube URL. The 'embed' code isn't necessary.

I'm getting there. It took me a couple tries to figure it out. Thanks!

Dave W · July 17, 2008, 01:12:41 PM

I always liked the Wally Tax Outsiders. Not to be confused with the "Time Won't Let Me" Outsiders from the US.

Basvarken · July 17, 2008, 03:36:58 PM

"Ne Me Quitte Pas" from Jacques Brel is one of the most intense songs I have ever heard. Every time when I hear/see this I get cold chills down my back.

The despair in his voice/lyrics/performance are breathtaking. "Even" when translated into English it still holds up.

gweimer · July 17, 2008, 07:21:00 PM

I didn't realize that Les Variations were still around. They recorded in English, and we covered one of their songs, "Superman Superman" years ago.

And there's always El Tri. In a restaurant I worked in, we found the Polish kitchen prep crew grooving to them.

Rhythm N. Bliss · July 17, 2008, 07:35:23 PM

I'll take Twist An' Shout over La Bamba on most days.

SKATE RAT · July 17, 2008, 10:41:59 PM

I prefer when bands sing in their native language.

Barklessdog · July 24, 2008, 05:07:10 AM

Proof that what you imagine is better than the real thing!

Turtle! Turtle!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0x9CIYnU2E&feature=related

uwe · July 24, 2008, 05:50:28 AM

I like the way Russian sounds sung - great anthem btw too, my favorite: