Here is a playlist of songs from Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

Indonesia and Malaysia

Takana Jo Kampuang - a song I learnt while travelling in Sumatra, Indonesia. (see below)

Aci, Aci, Buka Pintu (P. Ramlee)

Tan Sri P. Ramlee (1929-73) was a famous Malaysian actor, film director and songwriter. He wrote over 360 songs, most of which were used in his movies, though this one was written by Ainol Jamal.

This song, Aci, Aci, Open the Door, is from the 1962 comedy film Nasib Si Labu Labi (The Fate of Labu and Labi, or "What Happened to Labu and Labi"), which was a sequel to the earlier Labu dan Labi. It was sung by P. Ramlee and Salmah Ismail (1935-1983), better known as Saloma.

They play the roles of an elderly Indian couple. An old Indian lady would be addressed as Aci and an old man as Nana. The old man asks his wife to open the door and tells her not to be afraid of the ghost bird, the owl, as he has a walking stick to protect them against it. She tells him there is a jembalang behind the house - a ghost in the form of a deer or bull. He replies that the ghosts will run away when they see his parang - a big knife used for cutting vegetation, though he seems a bit worried that his weapon is quite a small one. His wife however is reassured and remembers that she can also use her broom as a weapon.

You can watch the original scene from the film and see my performance of the song. Here are the lyrics.

Anakku Sazali (P. Ramlee)

This is the title song from the movie (1956), in which P. Ramlee plays the role of both the father, Hassan, and his son, Sazali. Hassan, a musician, elopes to Singapore with Ani, knowing that her parents would never approve of the marriage. Hassan becomes very successful as a musician and composer, and is overjoyed at the news of Ani's pregnancy, but his happiness is shortlived, as she dies giving birth to his son, Sazali. Hassan's affection for his son can be heard in this lullaby he sings to him. Unfortunately his overindulgence of his son means Sazali grows up as a rich spoilt brat, eventually becoming one of Singapore's most wanted men. Shot by the police during a burglary he escapes and seeks shelter in his father's home.

Here is the scene from the movie where P. Ramlee, as Hassan, sings to baby Sazali, and here is my attempt at singing this lovely lullaby.

Lyrics:

Anakku Sazali dengarlah
Lagu yang ayahanda karangi
Sifatkan laguku hai anak
Sebagai sahabatmu nanti

Anakku Sazali juwita
Laguku jadikan pelita
Penyuluh di gelap gelita
Pemandu ke puncak bahagia

Andainya kamilah kembali
Menyahut panggilan Ilahi
Laguku sebagai ganti
Dijiwamu hidup abadi
Menjagamu wahai Sazali


First two verses in English:

Oh, my son, Sazali, listen to me,
To the song your father has made for you,
Oh, my son, make my song
A valuable friend for your life.

Oh my beloved son, Sazali,
Take my song as a guiding light for your life,
Let it shine in the darkness,
To lead you to success.

Please help me with a translation of the third verse!

Ayam den Lapeh

A very popular Minangkabau traditional song. It has been sung by various popular singers, such as Anita Sarawak, Ally Noor, Oslan Hussein, Elly Kasim, Siwi Yunia, and Syaifaana.

Here is my rendition of the song, and here are the lyrics.

Basikal Tua (Sudirman)

Sudirman Haji Arshad JMN AMN (1954 - 1992) was a Malaysian singer and a lawyer. He was known as the "Elvis of Malaysia" and also "The People’s Singe" for he always sang about the dreams and aspirations of common folk. Singapore journalists called him 'The Singing Dynamite'. He performed internationally to considerable success, including Australia (Sydney and Melbourne), Japan, Kuwait, and Hawaii, and, in 1989, won the "Voice Of Asia" singing contest in London, defeating Hong Kong’s pop king Leslie Cheung Kok Wing.

This song (My Old Bicycle) was one of his big hits. It was recommended to me by YouTube viewer, "saf89sn".

Here is my rendition.

And here are the lyrics, with a translation kindly provided by kaldurey.

Riang hatiku badan bertuah
(my heart full of joy and i feel very fortunate)
Punya teman yang comel dan manja
(to have a cute and adorable girlfriend)
Berjanji akan selalu bersama
(who promised to be together with me)
Menemani ku setiap masa
(for every second)

Aku hidup serba sederhana
(i live as a commoner)
Tiada harta tiada rupa
(no money and no good looks)
Hanya yang ada budi bahasa
(but i have a big heart)
Harta sekadar basikal tua
(my only asset is an old bicycle)

Walau kemana ia meminta
(wherever she wants to go)
Kubawa dengan hati yang bangga
(i carry her proudly with my bicycle)
Senang melihat ia ketawa
(i am please to see her laughter)
Duduk di palang basikal tua
(while she is sitting on my bicycle's top tube)

Biar pun hidup aku begini
(although i live like this)
Berbasikal setiap hari
(cycling all day long)
Namun hatiku riang selalu
(i am still happy)
Tiada hutang datang mengganggu
(because i am free from debts)

Angan-angan ku disuatu masa
(i get a dream sometimes)
Basikal kan ku tukar kereta
(to change my bicycle to a car)
Tapi kekasihku tidak setuju
(but my "lover" may not agree)
Mungkinkah dia rasa cemburu
(it will become jealous)

Orang biasa basikal tua
(i am a commoner with an old bicyle)

Bengawan Solo

Written in 1940 about Java's longest river, this is the best known of all Indonesian songs. It is the song I have in reserve when I travel in Indonesia and other Malay-speaking countries. Many times, while taking an evening stroll, I have been invited to join a group of young people sitting around with a guitar or two. Inevitably I will be asked to sing a song. If they want an English song I sing something simple like Wooden Heart, but I usually end up singing Bengawan Solo, which they always know. I have also sung it on a Pelni ship, with full backing of the ship's band - quite a novel experience.

You can see my video, and the lyrics are here.

Dayung Sampan

Di Renjis Renjis Di Pilih (P. Ramlee)

Tan Sri P. Ramlee (1929-73) was a famous Malaysian actor, film director and songwriter. He wrote over 360 songs, most of which were used in his movies, including this one, which is about a wedding celebration.

I first heard this song many years ago on a 78 record, and was intrigued by it, long before I knew anything about Malaysia. I tried to copy down the words from the record, but it was not until the coming of the Internet that I was able to get the actual Malay words.

You can see my performance of the song and the lyrics are here.

Gelang Sipaku Gelang

A popular song in Malay-speaking countries. It is something about doing things together. I learnt this from an Indonesian friend many years ago when I was at university.

You can see my performance, and the lyrics are here.

Getaran Jiwa

Tan Sri P. Ramlee (1929-73) was a famous Malaysian actor, film director and songwriter. He wrote over 360 songs, most of which were used in his movies.

This song, one of his most popular, is from the 1960 movie, Antara Dua Darjat (The Two Classes).

The words mean something like this:

The stirring of my soul
Bathes my heart with emotion,
By the arranged notes
Of rhythm and song.
If it is only modest,
It doesn't matter.
Perhaps it could awaken you.
Realise this, good man.

Never will they vanish,
Rhythm and song.
Like blossoms,
They will linger forever.
If you separate
The song and the rhythm,
They'll be weak and soulless
And empty.

You can hear my performance. The lyrics are here.

Naik Naik

This is a well-known Indonesian children's song, but the words I sing are not the usual words. In fact Malay-speaking people tend to laugh when I sing it this way. But this is the version I learnt from an Indonesian friend at university forty years ago. Maybe it's a local variation, but these are the words I learnt. I still have a tape of her singing it.

Here is my performance.

Rasa Sayang

The origins of this song are hotly disputed, and no doubt there will be many claims and counter-claims in the comments section. In any case it is well known in all parts of the Malay peninsula, Brunei, Southern Thailand and, apparently, the Philippines.

Malays say that they have been singing the song for five hundred years, especially in festivals such as the Paddy Harvesting Festival. Some claim it originated in Malacca as a song to promote unity among people, Malacca being a global meeting place at the time.

But when the Malaysian Tourism Board used the song in a commercial to promote Malaysian tourism, a controversy broke out, with Indonesians accusing Malaysia of heritage theft and breaking Indonesian copyright laws which apparently consider folklore as intellectual property owned and controlled by the state. Malaysia argued that it is not just an Indonesian song. but belongs to Malaysians and Indonesians alike.

Singapore has also laid claim to the song, particularly in Dick Lee's rap version, which has verses promoting the island state.

This video shows different versions of the song from various cultures.

Apologies to those who requested the Malaysian version, but I believe the way I do this song is the Indonesian version.

Here is my video and the lyrics are here.

Suliram

I first heard this Indonesian lullaby sung by The Weavers. The version I sing here was learned from my Indonesian friend when I was at University.

You can hear me sing it and the lyrics are here.

Takana Jo Kampuang

I learnt this song while travelling in the Minangkabau region of West Sumatra. It is about someone who is homesick for his village - Kampuang - similar to "Kampong" in Bahasa Indonesia. A young lady from Minangkabau taught me the song and wrote the words out for me. I taught her Wooden Heart in exchange.

This song is on my second CD, Laws of Chance. You can see my video of it at the top of the page, or see it here if you want to read the comments. I also made a video using the CD track in honour of the victims of the terrible earthquake that hit West Sumatra in late 2009. The lyrics are here.

Tiada Kata Secantik Bahasa (P. Ramlee)

Another lovely song from the movie Anakku Sazali (1956), in which P. Ramlee plays the role of both the father, Hassan, and his son, Sazali. Hassan, a musician, elopes to Singapore with Ani, knowing that her parents would never approve of the marriage. Hassan becomes very successful as a musician and composer, and is overjoyed at the news of Ani's pregnancy, but his happiness is shortlived, as she dies giving birth to his son, Sazali. Hassan's affection for his son can be heard in the lullaby which is the title song of the movie. Unfortunately his overindulgence of his son means Sazali grows up as a rich spoilt brat, eventually becoming one of Singapore's most wanted men. Shot by the police during a burglary he escapes and seeks shelter in his father's home.

This song was requested by zulby09.

Here is my rendition and here are the lyrics:

Tiada kata secantik bahasa
Untuk ku puji adinda
Tiada gambar secantik lukisan
Nak ku tunjuk perasaan

Oh... dinda puspa gemala
Mengharum jiwa
Dinda puspa gemala
Mustika kanda.
Namun musim berubah
Suasana bersuka
Tapi ikatan mesra
Sikit pun takkan longgar
Tiada kata secantik bahasa
Untuk ku puji adinda

The Philippines

Anak (Freddie Aguilar)

This song was originally written in Tagalog, and was a finalist in the first Metropop Song Festival held in Manila in 1977. It inspired over a hundred cover versions and was released in 56 countries and in 26 different foreign languages, and has sold 30 million copies. Freddie Aguilar has the distinction of being the only Asian artist to achieve worldwide fame. Billboard Magazine reported the song as No. 2 on its Top 100 Hits of the World in the ’80s.

"Anak" means "child" or, more accurately, "my son" or "my daughter."

It is sung here, in English, by Kwan at a session of The Hong Kong Folk Society at The Canny Man in Wan Chai.

Here are the lyrics in Tagalog:

Nang isilang ka sa mundong ito
Laking tuwa ng magulang mo
At ang kamay nila ang iyong ilaw
At ang nanay at tatay mo'y
Di malaman ang gagawin
Minamasdan pati pagtulog mo
At sa gabi'y napupuyat ang iyong nanay
Sa pagtimpla ng gatas mo
At sa umaga nama'y kalong ka
Ng iyong amang tuwang-tuwa sa iyo

Ngayon nga ay malaki ka na
Nais mo'y maging malaya
Di man sila payag
Walang magagawa
Ikaw nga ay biglang nagbago
Naging matigas ang iyong ulo

At ang payo nila'y sinuway mo
Di mo man lang inisip na
Ang kanilang ginagawa'y para sa iyo
Pagkat ang nais mo'y
Masunod ang layaw mo
Di mo sila pinapansin

Nagdaan pa ang mga araw
At ang landas mo'y naligaw
Ikaw ay nalulong sa masamang bisyo
At ang una mong nilapitan
Ang iyong inang lumuluha
At ang tanong,"anak, ba't ka nagkaganyan"
At ang iyong mata'y biglang lumuha ng di mo pinapansin
Nagsisisi at sa isip mo'y
Nalaman mong ika'y nagkamali
Nagsisisi at sa isip mo'y
Nalaman mong ika'y nagkamali
Nagsisisi at sa isip mo'y
Nalaman mong ika'y nagkamali
Nagsisisi at sa isip mo'y
Nalaman mong ika'y nagkamali

And here in English:

When you were born into this world
Your mom and dad saw a dream fulfilled
Dream come true
The answer to their prayers

You were to them a special child
Gave 'em joy every time you smiled
Each time you cried
They're at your side to care

Child, you don't know
You'll never know how far they'd go
To give you all their love can give
To see you through and God it's true
They'd die for you, if they must, to see you here

How many seasons came and went
So many years have now been spent
For time ran fast
And now at last you're strong

Now what has gotten over you?
You seem to hate your parents too.
Do speak out your mind.
Why do you find them wrong?

Child you don't know
You'll never know how far they'd go
To give you all their love can give
To see you through and God it's true
They'd die for you, if they must, to see you near.

And now your path has gone astray.
Child you ain't sure what to do or say.
You're so alone;
No friends are on your side.

And child you now break down in tears.
Let them drive away your fears.
Where must you go?
Their arms stay open wide.

Child, you don't know.
You'll never know how far they'd go
To give you all their love can give,
To see you through and God it's true
They'd die for you, if they must, to see you here.

Taiwan

Alisan

One of the joys of strolling through the parks in any mainland Chinese city is coming across a group of singers and musicians performing folk and opera songs. They always welcome foreigners and inevitably ask us to sing. I only know one Chinese song, so this is the one I offer. On a recent trip I sang it accompanied by several traditional Chinese string and wind instruments, as well as a western violin and two cellos, in Guiyang's He Bin Park. This attracted a large audience, most of whom had probably never even seen a foreigner up close, let alone mangling one of their well-known songs.

Unfortunately, I can't show you the full orchestral accompaniment, so I have to rely on my poor guitar-playing in my performance here. The lyrics are here: