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09 Aug 08 - 11:29 AM (#2409305) Subject: Tumba ta Tumba From: Calico Jenny I learned this song as a kid at Girl Scout camp. One group sings tumba ta tumba over and over again; the other sings a high melodic bit. Does anyone know the origins of this? Do the words have meaning or was it cobbled together out of nonsense syllables (which is what I was told). |
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09 Aug 08 - 12:30 PM (#2409334) Subject: Lyr Add: TUMBA TA TUMBA From: Q (Frank Staplin) TUMBA TA TUMBA Low chant- Tumba ta tumba, Tumba ta tumba Verse Ah-lay-ah-lay-i, Ah-lay-i, Ah-lay-i, Ah-lay-i Ah-lay-ah-lay-i, Ah-lay-i, Ah-lay-i, Ah-lay-i. Tay tumba tumba ta tumba tay Tay tumba tumba ta tumba tay. Ta tumba ti, Ta tumba tah, Ta tumba tumba tumba tumba tumba tah. Ta tumba ti, Ta tumba tay Ta tumba tumba tumba tumba tumba tah. Aahh, aahh- Source and meaning, if any, not known. Some say Polynesian origin, but not verifiable. In several girl scout song books. On line at GS lyrics |
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09 Aug 08 - 12:42 PM (#2409349) Subject: RE: Tumba ta TUmba From: Q (Frank Staplin) Another version- Kids Music ------------------------------ In Tagalog (Filipines), tumba means fall down, and tumba-timba means swing. Found at http://www.bansa.org/dictionaries/tgl?type=search&data=tumba-tumba May be coincidence. |
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09 Aug 08 - 12:59 PM (#2409359) Subject: RE: Tumba ta TUmba From: Q (Frank Staplin) Gee! The Arabs got blamed for this 'song' in the school songbook "Music Sounds Afar," Irving Wolfe et al, Follett Pub. Co., 1958. This book has a musical score. "Tumba," pp. 118-119, piano, with chords and instruction for drum. In a footnote, they credit "Lift Every Voice," 1950, Cooperative Recreation Service, Delaware, Ohio. |
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10 Aug 08 - 01:59 PM (#2409933) Subject: RE: Tumba ta TUmba From: Q (Frank Staplin) Have any variants developed? Any ideas on who originated the song? |
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13 Oct 08 - 08:21 PM (#2464846) Subject: RE: Tumba ta TUmba From: GUEST,SANdrA la auntentica de jerez-Tumba Tumba |
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13 Oct 08 - 11:44 PM (#2464968) Subject: RE: Tumba ta TUmba From: Melissa we sang it a little bit differently: Our second part was "oh, tumba tumba ta tumba tee" (instead of 'Tay tumba tumba ta tumba tay') and the next part was tumba tumba tumba tumba tumba ta tee (2X) (no 'Ta tumba ti, Ta tumba tay' and no 'ahh ahh' part. It seems like we ended with a final "tumba" which was kind of whispered) |
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14 Oct 08 - 12:12 AM (#2464977) Subject: RE: Tumba ta TUmba From: Joe Offer Q says it's in several scout songbooks, but I can't find it in any book listed in our Scout Songbook Index PermaThread. Closest I could find was "Tumbalalaika." I'll look further. -Joe- |
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14 Oct 08 - 07:03 PM (#2465750) Subject: Lyr Add: TUMBA From: Q (Frank Staplin) This chant-song is one that probably would get revised by every pair of hands it passed through. These are the lyrics to the Arabic chant "Tumba" in the "Music Sounds Afar" school music book, 1958, Wolfe et al. Taken from Lift Every Voice, 1950, Cooperative Recreation Service. I have sent the score to Joe, perhaps he can do something with a midi. TUMBA "Very rhythmically, not too slow." Tumba, tumba, tumba, tumba, "Low voices, beginning softly and gradually growing louder" Al-i, al-i, al-i, ah! la la la, la la la, la la la, la la la, la la la, la la la. Tumba, tumba Alto Tumba, tumba, tumba, tumba, tumba, tumba, tumba, tumba Tumba, tumba, tumba, tumba, tumba, tumba, tumba, tumba Tumba, tumba, tumba ti La la la, la la la, la la la, la la la. Soprano Tum-tum-ba, tumba, tumba, tumba-ti Tum-tum-ba, tum-ba, tum-ba, tum-ba-ti. Timing is important but difficult to show. The score has parts for drums, piano, and voice. Chords shown, pp. 118-119. Click to play |
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17 Oct 08 - 10:50 PM (#2468839) Subject: RE: Tumba ta TUmba From: Joe Offer Q sent me a scan from the school songbook, and I did my best to transcribe it. It does sound Arab to me. Thanks, Q. -Joe- Click to playClick to play (harmony) |
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17 Oct 08 - 11:06 PM (#2468846) Subject: RE: Tumba ta TUmba From: Q (Frank Staplin) Does anyone have the Cooperative Recreation booklet with 'Tumba'? I wonder if they had any comment about it. |
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17 Oct 08 - 11:15 PM (#2468855) Subject: RE: Tumba ta TUmba From: Joe Offer I checked our Cooperative Recreation Service Songbook Index and didn't find the song or the "Lift Every Voice" songbook. I'd buy the songbook if I could find it, but Bookfinder has too many books with that title. -Joe- |
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02 Nov 08 - 10:00 AM (#2482424) Subject: RE: Tumba ta TUmba From: Calico Jenny I so appreciate all your feedback, and I apologize for not watching the thread and responding sooner. The Arabic version that Joe Offer sent me could well be the root, but the actual melody that I recall is much more western sounding. To hear the song that evolved into my own repertoire, go to CDBaby.com and look for the album You Don't Know Jack. My song is called Come a Summer Night. The Tumba ta Tumba song that I learned around the campfire works as a third part. One of the first times I performed the piece on stage, Judy Cook was standing next to me (Havre de Grace Maritime Festival in Maryland). Astute listener that she is, with a keen ear and encyclopedic memory of songs old and new, she began singing the original behind me. Afterwards she told me she too had learned the song at Scout camp. |
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02 Nov 08 - 09:29 PM (#2482919) Subject: ADD: Achshav (Israeli) From: Joe Offer I'm not ready to give up, Jenny. I'm thinking of a song that could be Israeli. Half the audience goes "tumba, tumba," over and over again. The rest sing a very simple melody, but I can't remember it. Another possibility is Achshav (click for sound sample: ACHSHAV! Achshav! Achshav! B'Eretz Yisroel Achshav! Achshav! B'Eretz Yisroel Hey! Tumba, tumba, tumba B'Eretz Yisroel Hey! Tumba, tumba, tumba B'Eretz Yisroel (Right now, in the land of Israel!) |
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11 Nov 09 - 02:19 AM (#2763930) Subject: RE: Tumba ta TUmba From: GUEST,Sunshine Calico Jenny or anyone else out there. I have my version of the Tumba song. It has a different part in it I think. I learned it at a YWCA camp and have taught the version I know to a Girl Scout Troop and some students I have taught. I have been looking off and on for the origin. When we would sing it, it had more of a native or aboriginal tone. One part is: Hail, tomba......tomba ta tomba tey.......... Hail, tomba....tomba ta tomba tey............. A tomba ta, ta tomba tey. tomba, tomba tomba, ta tomba tey. Tomba ta tomba tomba to tomba TOMBA It is sung in two parts. When both parts come to the end they say TOMBA together. The person leading makes a motion so everyone knows to say TOMBA and stop. It is magical when done well. I might come back if anyone wants more info. |
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15 Apr 10 - 11:56 PM (#2887662) Subject: RE: Tumba ta Tumba From: GUEST,Many uses for this type of song My college roommate from Maine taught it to me saying it was Hawaiian. I sang it in another circle calling it "Hawaiian" and someone insisted that it was of Caribbean origin. Hmmm. |
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10 Sep 10 - 09:20 PM (#2984281) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tumba ta Tumba From: GUEST Hello! I just read through this thread and I am amazed that I have found someone who knows this song. I have been looking for it for years! I have never been able to track it down. We sang it as a family around the campfire and learned it from my uncle who learned it in college some 40 years ago. It is very western sounding and sounds if anything more African or aboriginal. Very melodic and trance like in sound. |
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08 Mar 12 - 12:17 AM (#3319105) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tumba ta Tumba From: GUEST My aunt taught us this song in February 1971 while on a road trip. It is sung in three parts. One person sings Tumba ta Tumba over and over. The second person joins in and sings the Ali Ali Eeeeeee Ali Ali Ahhhh over and over. The third person enters and sings the Tumba Te Tumba ta and at the end they all join TUMBA! My sisters and I still sing it. And my girls too. |
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09 Apr 12 - 09:20 PM (#3336038) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tumba ta Tumba From: GUEST I sang it at a Jewish day camp about 60 years ago. I thought it was Israeli, but Arabic is probable. |
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14 Apr 13 - 01:14 PM (#3503273) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tumba ta Tumba From: GUEST,Guest When I learned Tumba Ta Tumba in the mid 70's, I was told that it was an elephant hunting song. |
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22 Feb 16 - 12:05 PM (#3774316) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tumba ta Tumba From: GUEST,guest does anyone know the meaning of the word Tumba? I think it sounds African |
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06 May 19 - 01:13 PM (#3991122) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tumba ta Tumba From: GUEST,tuvya Voice of Jerusalem... a 1930s radio show on wmca (nyc) used to end the weekly program with "Tumba" something Moshe Nathanson thought of...called an Arab "derived" chant. dunno if it's similar to the other tumbas... |
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24 Nov 20 - 01:47 AM (#4080754) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tumba ta Tumba From: GUEST,Balint We used to sing it in the choir of our school. So after a little research, I found the sheet music, and according to that, it is a cannon from Senegal. You can check it out at the link below: https://edacj.musicanet.org/pdf/0112500006.pdf |
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08 Jan 21 - 01:34 AM (#4086996) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tumba ta Tumba From: GUEST At GS camp we sang tumba part, alalaleee part, and SHABBAT SHALOM as the third part. Middle East meets Africa! Great campfire memories from the 70’s! |
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10 Jan 21 - 03:26 PM (#4087412) Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Tumba ta Tumba From: Jos It reminds me of the Spanish Civil War song which features in a film with that name: ¡Ay Carmela! |