The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #161556 Message #3840018
Posted By: GUEST,Albnut
19-Feb-17 - 05:06 PM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: Kalenda Rock (Mourning Song)
Subject: Lyr Req: Kalenda Rock
Kalenda Rock, by Harry Belafonte
This track is included on Harry Belafonte's 1954 LP Mark Twain on the RCA Victor label. It is referred to as a mourning song and sung in French creole. The following is an attempt to decipher the lyric. We are familiar with the French language but there are words and expressions here that we are having difficulty with. Any help would be appreciated.
(Woman singing / mourning)
waille aille aille waille aille aille
maman moi moi kalenda roche
papa manque à pleurer
maman oh, (Woman singing / mourning) papa oh, (Woman singing / mourning) maman oh, morte à kalenda
papa manque à (???) pleurer
Tan bola come se va (???) - Could that be commencera?
vient papa manque à pleurer - Could manque mean stop?
… danse encore ….
morte à kalenda roche
(repeat last line)
Why aille aille why aille aille
mother has died in kalenda rock father has cried and cried (Woman singing / mourning)
mama oh (Woman singing / mourning) papa oh (Woman singing / mourning)
mama oh morte à kalenda papa manque à pleurer
(Woman singing / mourning)
tan bola come se va (???)
vient papa manque à pleurer
dansait encore …
morte à kalenda roche morte à kalenda roche
why aille aille.
« morte à » actually sounds like « more than » - Could it be morte en?