Non-native, non-English Favorite Songs

Because there is a back story to owning the album, Osibisa and Ojah Awake. Described as a Ghanaian Afro band, I searched for the language. Apparently there are 80.

From my youth, the film If featured a track from Missa Luba. The whole album is both joyous and relaxing.

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Lots of excellent post rock coming out of Taiwan, and has been for a few years. A lot of Japanese and Hong Kong stuff is recorded and produced in Taiwan.

Mostly French stuff for me:
Serge Gainsbourg
Jacques Brel
Trenet
Piaf
Francoise Hardy
All the usual suspects. :grinning:

Also a few albums by Ute Lemper

But probably my favourite would have to be ‘Sous le Ciel de Paris’ by Juliet Greco

Apologies to any French readers if my spelling is wrong.

Edit : Of course, can’t believe I forgot this one sung in Arabic by Jean Dujardin

Edit 2: forgot Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan as well

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Andrea Bocelli - Mille lune mille onde
I don’t understand a word, but it sounds wonderful.

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Does this qualify?

No?

Ah’ll get ma coat, then.

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How could I forget Le Moribond by Jacques Brel, especially when compared with the cringingly bad English language adaptation Seasons in the Sun by Terry Jacks? In place of cloying sentimentality, the original has lines like (loose translation):

Farewell Antoine, I did not like you very much
Farewell Antoine, I did not like you very much, you know
And it’s killing me to die today knowing that you are still so alive
And yet still as solid as boredom
Farewell Antoine, I’m going to die
It’s hard to die in the spring you know
I leave the flowers, with peace in my soul
And because I know that you were her lover
I know that you will take care of my wife

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That reminds me on Jasper van‘t Hof with Pili Pili. And that quite a lot variants exist of each song.
I prefer the slow ones, like this one of Kinshasa M Bote
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3irvvIFG_4

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My favourite non English music is in Gaelic. Take a listen to Capercaillie, Julie Fowlis, Skippininsh and Selected Runrig tracks.
Our neighbouring country in the Uk yet not many listen to the music . Fantastic and meaningful music the language doesn’t matter it’s the mood of the music.
Forget JimmyShand and the white heather club. .
By the way I’m not Scottish but the music and the culture and scenery are in my heart

For starters listen to https://www.google.com/search?safe=strict&client=firefox-b-m&q=Runrig+ChĂŹ+Mi'n+Geamhradh&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAIVUz2vUQBhNurbdTltoU8ESRJZFatvD7iabzQ9BWigqQkuhLnhz2fyYJJtkspmkm2RFFD0JHkRQQW-ePPQv8CBYTy3qwYMnUfDmScFLL4K7rSRTEcxp3nxv3nvfN0OKo-WpqlnlgkZH6jlCws_hbYRts2S2DdfWSqGPzHCfPsbJoYaxa_2BYU0UeafRy6uwIcdcDvsptMSM3Aggpwg59KCaKDlZVx01zqtI6Mr9fXp6CDlVqclOWpcIrdDUlRxiNdYxYRwLgU5UtW4_zGEIZY2Q8jopJMhRjAIiliA5Qp_wrScy0X-jFWVGQ9-eGQek70CbmB3PhYgwUqWso0FV9YJuh-g_SZwWkTmuq0E2DjEOodjp5uU4UF2YQyfFep2IFcLUJCbtqBzRoRg4LZlIyfG1_A4tJHtSZgx50dQiqZ47pQlvEbcWWK4oEzD1FJSljlHqwggTE_CSgHhqdc5rdXK22xWSY9NsWCEmX0BP4ogB9RWxQ-RENU_pfaWfFiZnvh18nmMfFB7u7H2k7xXAzLrvh4abbhluOzL0ps-cBWMXUWRHKcOCKbZY9ao1qdaPFykWgAwxn2gwedWImv6Gr9swZd7SzB79D7WFTO00mGYnhud5nUu5gdwkyCFz_y-9m8wNMLFheKqBw03INAFY813X0CLbR8wlUGbPVLVso4oNzce6jcyW5m6H0eDMQL8E_sMpn9w6bEjALjxaSQKMzo8sjpS7vP7yw-P3Y9dnr32hqMrdzVV2aZkB41fCdV9ru7PU4fdjZXkOFJvtxEe-l2ab5YWJJ3uV0rtn31dmfy6N355_fWp1vlCiFilu8-DXrd1HldULQ-YydefVi92xE0V6hpp6PspuHf161qw3O6UN-xwqXTbanoXbuvUbKdKq_6cEAAA&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiyk9PbhLLrAhVOT8AKHQ1-AhcQri4wHnoECA4QKQ

I have a dozen albums by a French band called
Ange . Only one of them is sung in English,but I just love the music .

Wonderful album
love it!

I was waiting for the first Spanish, which, additionally, is not Shakira. Thanks for sharing :slightly_smiling_face:
(I hope I didn’t miss a Spanish already mentioned)

Edit: Ups, I missed 



this is fab is many of their output.

a mad but fantastic band who are fab live.
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It is the joy in their faces as they play this. A ‘pinch yourself moment’ for them clearly. The studio album track is tighter but those smiles

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You have to include a disc or two by Joy Dunlop. Gaelic scholar and for many years a promoter of the Gaelic language before going full time into music. Here’s a favourite of mine for starters:

Roger

Your are right, those guys are mad.
First I thought they are Spanish 
 then they reminded me on Bulgarian (or at least that area of Europe), but hey: the are French

Pachuco by Maldita Vecindad. If you are looking for a mad Mexican energy rush look no further

Got a lot of stuff from Mali. From the Griots & kora players to the blues of the various Toures. Can’t understand a word but the music & sounds are great!

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