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?