If you are in need of a love song about unrequited love in Chamorro, this is a good one to start with. Even though the grammar is a bit squishy in places, there are a lot of repeated phrases that are short and recognizable. A few months back our practice group wrote down Chamorro lyrics and and English translation for this song, but for the version sung by Glenn “Poochie” Paulino. I couldn’t find a version of that song on Youtube that I was able to embed on this post, so I’ve posted here the version sung by Johnny Sablan. Hope you enjoy it!
Continue reading “Maloffan Hao by Johnny Sablan – Chamorro Lyrics and English Translation”Tag: Beginner Songs
Maila’ Ta Baila by Pacific Cool – Chamorro Lyrics and English Translation
This song, “Maila’ Ta Baila” by Pacific Cool holds a special place in my heart. When I was just a few months into learning Chamorro, Jay sent me a playlist of Chamorro songs and this was the first on the list. I listened to it four times in a row because I couldn’t stop smiling, being caught by the song’s uplifting energy and romantic lyrics. A couple of years later, one of the former band members – Henry Hofschneider – and a group of Chamorro musicians were kind enough to play this at my party to celebrate finishing grad school. It meant so much to me because of how much I love this song. This song is great for beginners getting started in the language because the lyrics are a blend of English and Chamorro. The Chamorro lyrics and their English translation are included in this post. I hope this song makes you smile 🙂
Continue reading “Maila’ Ta Baila by Pacific Cool – Chamorro Lyrics and English Translation”Saipan by Glenn Poochie Paulino – Chamorro Lyrics and Translation
Here’s a song that our practice group listened to a while back. I remember hearing this song within my first few months of learning Chamorro, and at that time the only words I could really catch were “Saipan”, “Chamoru”, and “para’isu.” I’m happy to say that now I’m able to hear the lyrics and sing along to this one, and it has become another favorite. During my brief visit to Saipan last year, the island and its people really were as welcoming and lovely as the song says. We even met a Korean couple who were on their honeymoon in Saipan, and the first thing they talked about was everyone’s kindness. Bula guinaiya to Saipan 🙂
taitai måsI Yori by Mike Duenas – Chamorro Lyrics and English Translation
On Saturday evenings our practice group has been doing something new. We pick a Chamorro song, listen to it, write down all the lyrics in Chamorro and then translate the song into English. At the end, we all mute ourselves and sing along. This is actually one of the primary methods that my boyfriend used to learn Chamorro when he was in high school – he listened to Chamorro songs over and over, wrote down the lyrics, and then translated them. When he proposed this activity for our evening practice group I was less than thrilled because I prefer stories to music, and listening comprehension is my weakest skill. But damn, this exercise really helps! We’ve been doing this for almost 3 months now, and I can really see an improvement in my listening comprehension. Here are the lyrics and translation we did for “I Yori” by Mike Duenas, which is now one of my favorite Chamorro songs.
taitai måsI Kapiya from Tradewinds – Chamorro Lyrics and English Translation
This is an old Chamorro song, which is still popular today, about a chapel in the “Valley of Dreams.” It’s a lovely song for weddings, and this is a new rendition from the Tradewinds album sung by the singer from Microchild, Shannon Sengebau McManus. If you’re a beginner in Chamorro, this is a great song to learn for its pleasant tune and easy lyrics. In this post are Chamorro lyrics and an English translation for the song I Kapiya. Happy listening!
taitai mås
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