These ‘Insignificant’ Non-English Songs!

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Hi Beautiful People,

Yes, I know the title piqued your interest and you clicked to confirm if this is a malicious venture, so you could find some means to express your displeasure, and probably shame me for good measure. But, if you checked my name, you would realize that I am one of you ! Non-English!

So, take a chill pill! Or better still, like my Nigerian compatriots would say, “Be calming down”! Nigerian English constructions and expressions count among the most fascinating and hilarious variation of World Englishes.

So, speaking of the English Language, you would all agree that it is basically the most important language on earth. In some or most countries, it is the language of education, government, communication, business, diplomacy, sport, etc.

English is the language of entertainment. English songs dominate the music chart. English-speaking artists win the most awards. For the purpose of acceptability, seamless navigation of cultural borders and detachment from sectarian apron strings, a command of the English language factors importantly in an artist’s career growth.

However, the language is a signifier of the “us” versus “them” ideology which has practically under-girded our daily reality. Your worthiness as a human being is often measured by your level of proficiency which becomes a basis for hierarchical formations and a precursor for low self-esteem and mental issues. I have seen many people breakdown due to their inability to communicate properly in English Language. And the problem is always the condescending manner in which they are treated for their seeming ‘deficiency’.

Nomcebo & Master G

(noviscore.de)

As earlier hinted, within the music terrain, English songs dominate. I refuse to contemplate researching to discover how many non- English songs have ever won a major international Award because I feel it would be an exercise in futility. The result would either be far-in-between or non-existent. The only song to top the Billboard Chart that I can recollect while writing this blog post is Master KG’s "Jerusalema" (featuring Nomcebo).

Nonetheless, as I observe the music terrain, I can’t help but note that the English song is tired of its aloneness. It is suffering from isolation fatigue. To buttress my point, I have seen musical collaborations between artists of English and non-English backgrounds which align the English language and the “other” side-by-side. For instance, Eros Ramazotti and Anastacia "I Belong To You" , Youssou N’dour and Neneh Cherry’s "7 Seconds" marinate Italian/ English and French/English, respectively, to create musical masterpieces. Such approach ought to be normative for they foster unity, equanimity, respect and appreciation of cultural differences.

Anastacia & Ramazotti

(last.fm)

Cherry & N’dour

(soundcloud.com)

Difference, in my perspective enhances and enriches. Homogeneity or sameness can be pretty boring. Imagine, eating potatoes for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 7 days a week! 12 months a year! Horrendous!

Fischer and Bocelli

(seeitlive.co)

Another beautiful song which evokes mutual respect for cultural differences and flattens the “us versus them” thought process is Germany’s Helene Fischer and Italy’s Andrea Bocelli’s "Vivo per lei" (I Live For You) - a musical matrimony conducted in German and Italian. It is heartwarming, innovative and engulfs you in the imagination that impossibilities can be possible. That the world would someday soon be sanitized of the nationalistic, linguistic, cultural and economic stratifications which separate, stagnate and weaken us. That humanity despite physiological and racial multiplicity would recognize the shared commonalities and see eye-to-eye and walk hand-in-hand. That wars, strife, rancour, impoverishment, hunger and diseases would dissipate or evaporate from our daily reality and collective consciousness.

When I behold the state of the world, I am sickened and petrified at humanity’s devolution. The only evolving phenomenon is technology. While technology keeps trending, humanity keeps deteriorating. Humanity, today, still clings to the retrogressive behavioural patterns of yester-years. We cling to hatred, greed, classism, jealousy, violence, divisiveness and every atrocious misdemeanor. But, I digress!

Then comes the question, “Is the Non-English song insignificant?”. And my response is NOPE!

It fosters cross-cultural understandings. It ignites interest in the attainment of bi- or multilingualism. It awakens interest in tourism. It can factor as a conversation starter between total strangers. It has the propensity to spark off a love interest towards persons of particular backgrounds. It is the reason to dance and celebrate, for even when the mind finds the language incomprehensible, the heart feels the rhythm and the melody because it is smart. I beg to differ from Debarge "The Heart Is Not Smart" (Rhythm of the Night, 1985). The heart is smart but we don’t always want to trust it. And if we care to think out of the English box, sometimes, the non-English songs would surely remain relevant. It is up to us to change the narrative.

Consequently, in furtherance of the underlining principle of this blog which is the promotion of a linear hierarchy within the music terrain which appreciates all races, nations, tribes, religion, creed, languages, etc, I assemble some fantastic songs in non-English languages for your listening pleasure.

[DISCLAIMER: None of the music content on this page belong to me. They are merely reference points which serve the purpose of entertainment and awareness creation, only] Please ‘like’ the songs and subscribe to the content creators.

Here we go!

1. Alessandra Amoroso. "Comunque Andare" (Italian)

2. Awilo Longomba. "Coupé Bibamba" (French)

3. Brenda Fassie. "Umuntu Ngumuntu Ngabantu" (Xhosa)

4. Calema. “A Nossa Vez" (Portuguese)

5. Celia Cruz. "La Negra Tiene Tumbao" (Spanish)

6. Christy Essien. "Akwa Ibom Isong Emana Nyin" (Ibibio)

7. Da Zhuang. "Wo men Bu Yi Yang" (Chinese)

8. Enrique Iglesias. "Nunca Te Olvidaré" (Spanish)

9. Eros Ramazzotti. "Più Bella Cosa" (Italian)

10. Fey. "Azúcar Amargo" (Spanish)

11. Frida Gold. "Wovon Sollen Wir Träumen" (German)

12. Gerilson Insrael. "Carne com Gindungo" (Portuguese)

13. Gloria Estefan. "Oye Mi Canto" (Spanish)

14. Helene Fischer. "Atemlos durch die Nacht" (German)

15. Hu Er. "Ni Yi Ding Yao Xing Fu" (Chinese)

16. Ich + Ich. "Stark" (German)

17. Indila. "Dernière Danse" (French)

18. Jennifer Lopez. "No Me Ames" (Spanish)

19. Johannes Oerding. "Alles Okay" (German)

20. Kabaka Pyramid. "Natural Woman" (Jamaican Patois)

21. Kofi Olomide."Chocolat" (French)

22. Lagbaja. "Toun T'erin" (Yoruba/Nigerian Pidgin)

23. Laleh. "Tack Förlåt" (Swedish)

24. Letta Mbulu. "Hareje" (Sotho)

25. Master KG. "Jerusalema" , feat Nomcebo (Zulu)

26. Nayanka Bell. "Iwassado" (Bambara)

27. Nelly Furtado. "Manos Al Aire" (Spanish)

28. Onyeka Onwenu. "Ekwe" (Igbo)

29. Panjabi MC. Mundian To Bach Ke" (Punjabi)

30. Patra. "Banana" (Jamaican Patois)

31. Phyno. "Fada Fada" (Igbo/Nigerian Pidgin)

32. P Square. "Nobody Ugly" (Igbo/Nigerian Pidgin)

33. Salif Keita. "Nyanyama" (Mandinka)

34. Sarah Connor. "Das Leben ist schön" (German)

35. Shabba Ranks. "Ram Dancehall" (Jamaican Patois)

36. Stromae. "Papaoutai" (French)

37. Sunny Ade. “Ja Funmi" (Yoruba)

38. Tic Tac. "Fe Fe Ne Fe", feat Tony Tetuila (Akan/Nigerian English)

39. Tim Bendzko. "Keine Maschine" (German)

40. Zeynep Bastik. "Ara" (Turkish)

In conclusion, English songs remain ubiquitous and important, and we would always love them. But while we do so, let the love for all things anglophonic be extended to others. Let our inclination be the erasure of “them” or “other”, and the striving towards becoming “us”, because irrespective of the false grids and identity markers which stratify, separate and render invisible our common humanity, we are one!

Should you have non-English song recommendations, kindly reach out. The above list is subject to regular updates.

Thanks for stopping by!