A Sampling of Asian and African Music
March 5th, 2007 | Published in food and music | 17 Comments
I promised her an Asian music mix — but added some of my favourite African artistes.
Playlist
Ornob — She Je Boshe Ache (Bangladeshi/Bengali)
Cao Ge — Fall In Love (Mandarin)
Cao Ge — Zhu Guang Wan Chan (Mandarin)
Machi — Machi (Hokkien/Min Nan)
Amadou et Mariam — M’ bifé
Ali Farka Touré — Savane
I don’t really know what languages the last two are in — I’m deaf to French and African languages (besides, the Touré album had at least four different African languages). I’ve been having a brief but passionate love affair with several musicians from Mali. Amadou et Mariam, and Ali Farka Touré are among my favourites (Tinariwen is the other one). There’s very little Mandarin music I like (other than David Tao; find the rest of them too screechy), but I’ve really come to like Gary Cao Ge, thanks to some friends in Kuala Lumpur. I’m half Hokkien, so Machi feeds my secret desires to reconcile with that part of who I am.
I’ve been listening to “She Je Boshe Ache” at least twenty times a day. It’s a beautiful tune in the Bengali language (I’m teaching myself Bengali). “She Je Boshe Ache” was a huge hit in Bangladesh, and for good reason. In addition to the beautiful tune, the lyrics are amazing too. The title means “She’s sitting there”.
“shey je boshe aachhe eka eka/ rongeen shopno taar bunte/ shey je cheye aachhe bhoraa chokhe/ jaanalaar phaake megh dhorte” — that person is sitting alone, (something) dream (something something), that person wants (something) big eyes, beside the window catching clouds. (Satya: you can help me with my Bengali!) But of course I’m just biased towards everything Dui Bangla. The song is also about my long drives through that beautiful country, how a big part of who I am now had to do with my time there, the beautiful Bangla music, chasing my dreams through the countryside. Everyone should hear it.
March 5th, 2007 at 9:14 pm (#)
I like Amadou et Mariam too!
Thanks for sharing the mix.
March 6th, 2007 at 8:48 am (#)
Been trying to re-acquaint myself with Mandopop myself. Thanx for the recommendation, will check out David Tao and Cao Ge. Any female artists to recommend?
March 6th, 2007 at 9:57 am (#)
gambatte! I hope you get the translation of the lyrics up because, now it is on MY repeat….
She Je Boshe Ache - awesome - thanks. :)
March 6th, 2007 at 12:38 pm (#)
Hi Popagandhi,
thanks for sharing the mix. what do the lyrics to She Je Boshe Ache mean? It’s a beautiful song.
March 6th, 2007 at 12:39 pm (#)
never mind. i just realised you put it down in the post.
March 6th, 2007 at 10:40 pm (#)
I got one! Rongeen probably means the same as the Hindi ‘rangeen’, colourful. So line #2 is now “colourful dreams (something) (something)”.
March 6th, 2007 at 11:59 pm (#)
love the bengali song
March 7th, 2007 at 5:08 pm (#)
Girl, you’re the best. I have this stuff on perpetual repeat. I owe you one.
March 8th, 2007 at 7:09 pm (#)
how about thai?
This song by sek loso is good. Sip-see eek-krung (14 again).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5yFFaq3aQ0
b
March 9th, 2007 at 6:12 pm (#)
Nice recommendations!
Alternating it with American Idol songs, Rachael Yamagata and the Rent OST.
Vielen Dank!
March 10th, 2007 at 11:12 am (#)
On a totally unrelated note, are you Movie Mama?
March 10th, 2007 at 5:34 pm (#)
Downloaded the mix and have been listening to She Je Boshe Ache on repeat for the past three days or so. It’s gorgeous. Thanks!
March 12th, 2007 at 2:23 pm (#)
that bengali song.. it translates to:
there she sits alone/ spinning a web of colourful dreams/ the dreams that fill her eyes/ as she catches the clouds through the slits in the window”
thats the rough translation i think..lol..not too sure..(: would love to hear the song..havent heard Ornob..
March 13th, 2007 at 10:13 am (#)
Hey you, downloaded the songs a few days back but only had time to listen now. Really liking it, so thank you thank you :)
March 14th, 2007 at 3:29 am (#)
thanks for the mix!
when are u bringing me to india?!
March 14th, 2007 at 4:11 pm (#)
dunno you lah! can’t even get you to have coffee with me, how to bring you to india?
August 10th, 2007 at 7:30 am (#)
Here is my attempt to translate She Je Boshe Ache. May I suggest the 2nd song Shagorer Pare by the same artist (Black is the name of the band)? The composition and lyrics both are outstanding. I have been wanting to contact the artist and thank him for creating such a piece of music.
Now here goes.
Shey (she) je boshe (sitting) aachhe eka eka (alone)
She is sitting there alone, all by herself
rongeen (colorful) shopno (dream) taar (her) bunte (to spin)
To spin her colorful dreams
shey je cheye (staring) aachhe bhoraa (full) chokhe (eyes)
She is staring with her full eyes
jaanalaar (window) phaake (openings) megh (cloud) dhorte (catch)
To catch the clouds through the window
taar goon goon (humming) moner (soul) gaan (song) baatashe (in the air) ore (flys)
Humming of her soul-song flys in the air
kaan (ear) paato (carefully) mone (mind) paabe (can) shuntey (hear)
Listen carefully, you can hear it in your heart
taar ronger (color) tulir (brushe’s) naache (dance) megheraa (clouds) chhote (run)
The clouds run wild for her paint brushe’s dance
chokh (eye) melo (open) jodi (if) paaro (you can) bujhte (understand)
Open your eyes if you can comprehend
shey je boshe aachhe eka eka
taar shopner (dream’s) kaarkhaana (factory) cholche (running)
Her factory of dreams is running
aar (and) buro (old) buro megheder (cloud’s) dol (team, flock)
And the flock of old old clouds
brishti (rain) namaar (coming down) taal (proposal) toolchhe (raising)
Raising proposal to bring down rain
shei (that) goon goon moner (mind’s, soul’s) gaan (song) brishti (rain) namaae (brings down)
That humming of soul-song brings down rain
top (drip) top photaa (drop) pore (falls) onekkhon (long time)
Drip Drip, rain drops for a long while
shei brishti bhejaa (wet) mone (soul) daak (call) diyechhe (give)
That rain soaked soul has called
bhejaa kaak (crow) hoye (be) thaak amaar (my) mon (mind)
May my mind be a wet crow.