Music in Other Languages

Inverse Icarus · May 18, 2003, 18:34

Well, do you listen to music in other languages? Do you understand all the songs you're listening to?

I've actually been a big Rammstein fan, and one day a while back i got the songs translated, and they were actually quite disturbing. I found out that i was essentially screaming things about Hermaphrodies, Rape, and other sexual deviances in a cheap German accent.

i still love the tunes though

i've also got some Nonpoint songs in Spanish, but these I actually understand

highschool spanish at it's finest.

Hueij · May 18, 2003, 18:37

Yep, I have some English and American music and most of the time I don't have a clue what they are singing about...

Inverse Icarus · May 18, 2003, 18:38

Quote:

Originally posted by Hueij
Yep, I have some English and American music and most of the time I don't have a clue what they are singing about...

you seem to have a handle on the english language, is the the accent, or the type of music itself?

are you listening to hicks or minorities?

Zopperoni · May 18, 2003, 18:41

Apart from English, I listen to some Brazilian (jazz-ish) stuff as well.
I don't understand for 100%, but I still enjoy it

Hueij · May 18, 2003, 18:43

Reading and writing is much easier than speaking and listening to a certain language...

I'm a fluent reader of Jamaican patwa but when they talk to me mi nuh unnastan a word

And yes, I am the proud owner of both hicks' and minorities' music

Inverse Icarus · May 18, 2003, 18:45

Quote:

Originally posted by Hueij
Reading and writing is much easier than speaking and listening to a certain language...

I'm a fluent reader of Jamaican patwa but when they talk to me mi nuh unnastan a word

And yes, I am the proud owner of both hicks' and minorities' music

hrmmmm, i never honestly thought it was that hard to do., but then again i've only done it extensively with Spanish, which is an "Easier" language to learn than english.

So you're saying you honestly couldn't hold a mid-level conversation in English?

Also, if you're listening to the music, shouldn't you eventually become fluent in, at least, the song?

Hueij · May 18, 2003, 18:50

Quote:

So you're saying you honestly couldn't hold a mid-level conversation in English?

Also, if you're listening to the music, shouldn't you eventually become fluent in, at least, the song?

Nah, I can have a conversation in English, although heavy accented

The point is that when I read something English I also think in English but when I have to speak it my mind switches back to Dutch and I consciensly (okay, that's bad English

) have to translate everything.

And yes, there are some songs I can recite whitout any avccent

Inverse Icarus · May 18, 2003, 18:54

Quote:

Originally posted by Hueij

Quote:

So you're saying you honestly couldn't hold a mid-level conversation in English?

Also, if you're listening to the music, shouldn't you eventually become fluent in, at least, the song?

Nah, I can have a conversation in English, although heavy accented

The point is that when I read something English I also think in English but when I have to speak it my mind switches back to Dutch and I consciensly (okay, that's bad English

) have to translate everything.

And yes, there are some songs I can recite whitout any avccent

the dutch accent is cool though, i had a professor with it last semester.

Gangerolf · May 18, 2003, 19:01

I listen to some (not very often though) "Latin American guitar music" in lack of a better term, and I don't speak Spanish or Portuguese.

Kramerman · May 18, 2003, 19:03

Is it sad that i dont even understand what they are singing in half the Englsih songs (well, 1/3 if you dont count rap as english

) i listen to? Id be completely lost if listening to foreign music... which i do, but for the music sake and not the lyrics.

Wraith · May 18, 2003, 19:07

--"Well, do you listen to music in other languages?"

Languages other than what?

But, yes. I listen to a lot of Japenese music these days, and I do understand some of it since I've been learning Japanese in my (rather rare) spare time.

--"Reading and writing is much easier than speaking and listening to a certain language..."

Now that depends on the language. You will find that it is much, much simpler to speak Japanese than to read and write it ^_^

Wraith
"I only mind the voices in my head when they don't speak English."
-- Ajax ("Duckman")

Buck Birdseed · May 18, 2003, 20:24

Well, beside Swedish and English (and the accompanying Jamaican Patois which can be difficult enough to understand), I listen to quite a bit of music in Panjabi, and to a lesser extent Swahili, Brazilian Portugese, French, and French-Caribbean Creole. Third-world stuff almost exclusively- it's an area I'm expanding my listenership of dramatically, and probably will continue to do so in the forseeable future.

Oh, and German. For krautrock and Kraftwerk and stuff.

VJ · May 18, 2003, 20:29

Erm, no. Lyrics tend to rape the music, in my personal opinion.

Zero · May 18, 2003, 20:33

japanese, chinese, german, russian, french, spanish.. etc.. But listjust looks large because I have one particular group that speaks different language.

My roomate is chinese and really into chinese pop so I get to listen to alot of chinese music whether I like it or not.

I agree w/ Tuomerehu.

I know this polish guy who can rap Dragon Ash - Grateful days very very well. You'd almost be convinced he actually knows japanese, but he doesnt know half of what he's saying.

Spiffor · May 18, 2003, 20:56

I don't listen to much music, but the 'world' folder is one of my most important folder in my collection. Most of my foreign music is English/American, but I enjoy Brazilian jazz very much, as well as Spanish guitar and North African Rai (with or without French influence).

JCG · May 18, 2003, 21:29

My brother listens to a lot of metal stuff in "Scandinavian/ Norse" (I know such a language doesn't even exist nowadays...and??), and I listen to a couple of things in Japanese.

Boris Godunov · May 18, 2003, 21:42

Of course I do, I sing in other languages after all.

Asher · May 18, 2003, 21:44

Lyrics are rather important to me in music, so no, not really.

The closest thing would be some Modest Mouse songs which, while in English, make no sense whatsoever.

Jaguar · May 18, 2003, 22:24

Quote:

Originally posted by Asher
Lyrics are rather important to me in music, so no, not really.

The closest thing would be some Modest Mouse songs which, while in English, make no sense whatsoever.

*Adds that to list of things he makes fun of Asher about*

1. Interesting technical manuals
2. Canada
3. Modest Mouse

Asher · May 18, 2003, 22:26

You know of Modest Mouse? Last monday night they played at my uni, it was an awesome show.

Jaguar · May 18, 2003, 22:28

Quote:

Originally posted by Asher
You know of Modest Mouse? Last monday night they played at my uni, it was an awesome show.

Nope. But it sounds dorky enough that I can make fun of you for it.

Asher · May 18, 2003, 22:31

It's a band that doesn't take itself seriously, download Secret Agent by them and you'll see what I mean.

OzzyKP · May 18, 2003, 22:32

I like Rammstein(german) and Puya(spanish).

But beyond that my music collection is entirely in english. This may be a good thread for me to ask for recommendations of good foreign music. It is really hard to be exposed to non-english music 'round here.

I like hard rock and classic rock mostly. So recommend for me your favorite French, Russian, Japanese, Israeli, Finnish, etc. rock band.

Jaguar · May 18, 2003, 22:33

Quote:

Originally posted by Asher
It's a band that doesn't take itself seriously, download Secret Agent by them and you'll see what I mean.

I refuse. Modest Mouse????????

Asher · May 18, 2003, 22:35

Quote:

Originally posted by Jaguar Warrior
I refuse. Modest Mouse????????

The lead singer (literally) sounds like he's retarded and has tourette's in that song.

It still makes me laugh for some reason.

DarthVeda · May 18, 2003, 22:59

Anything in Klingon? hahaha

Zero · May 18, 2003, 23:03

Quote:

Originally posted by OzzyKP
I like Rammstein(german) and Puya(spanish).

But beyond that my music collection is entirely in english. This may be a good thread for me to ask for recommendations of good foreign music. It is really hard to be exposed to non-english music 'round here.

I like hard rock and classic rock mostly. So recommend for me your favorite French, Russian, Japanese, Israeli, Finnish, etc. rock band.

Japanese rock is mostly bad IMO.
Well so are the Raps...

Best japanese musics are Pop songs sung by really cute girls.

Felch · May 18, 2003, 23:37

Oh my ****ing God. Asher listens to Modest Mouse?

My roommate listens to them, and therefore, so do I. They're good, JW, and I'm shocked that Mr. Matchbox 20 actually listens to them.

Props to you, Asher. Props.

Urban Ranger · May 19, 2003, 05:25

Quote:

Originally posted by Zero
My roomate is chinese and really into chinese pop so I get to listen to alot of chinese music whether I like it or not.

Cantonese or mandarin? Canto-pops in the last 5 years or so are trash. They make my ears bleed.

Urban Ranger · May 19, 2003, 05:29

Quote:

Originally posted by Zero
Japanese rock is mostly bad IMO.
Well so are the Raps...

Best japanese musics are Pop songs sung by really cute girls.

Nah, I like their more artsy stuff. Kinda like Japanese opera type songs. The folk songs sound nice, too.