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Lovely nursery rhymes, folk songs, and children's songs

Folk Songs of the World | Hometown Songs Passed Down Abroad

Here are some famous songs selected from folk music that has been passed down and sung in various countries and regions around the world.

Even if you don’t know the titles, you may have heard them somewhere or hummed them as a child—foreign folk songs are actually quite familiar in our daily lives.

In some cases, the version widely known in Japan is the adaptation, and you might discover, “So this was the original song!”

Learning which country a song comes from leads to learning about that country’s culture and history, and it will broaden your horizons.

Please take a listen to these time-honored folk songs that are cherished in each country!

Folk Songs of the World | Hometown Songs Passed Down Abroad (21–30)

Forbidden Games (Romance of Love)Supein min’yō

Characterized by its simple and beautiful melody, this piece is widely known as a Spanish folk song and became instantly famous as the theme of the film “Forbidden Games.” Its 3/4 rhythm is striking, and it is cherished as a classic guitar masterpiece.

Since the film’s release in 1952, it has been loved around the world and covered by many artists.

It was also featured on NHK’s “Minna no Uta,” making it a familiar tune in Japan.

The hauntingly beautiful melody brilliantly expresses the film’s themes of innocence and loss.

It is a moving masterpiece you’ll want to listen to alone on a quiet night.

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Let’s go to the forest.Pōrando min’yō

“Let’s Go to the Forest” is a Japanese song based on the Polish folk tune “Szła dzieweczka.” After members of the University of Tokyo’s Onkan Chorus wrote Japanese lyrics and introduced it in Japan as “Let’s Go to the Forest,” it was first broadcast on NHK’s “Minna no Uta,” and became established as a popular Polish folk song enjoyed by both children and adults.

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Folk Songs of the World | Hometown Songs Passed Down Overseas (31–40)

Kecak

Kecak in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Kecak

Kecak is a musical drama performed on the Indonesian island of Bali.

Also known as the Ramayana Monkey Chant, this dance-drama is based on the traditional ritual known as sanghyang and takes its subject matter from the Ramayana, the ancient Indian epic.

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All mothersamerika min’yō

The American folk song “Old Gray Mare” is widely known in Japan as “Onma wa Min’na,” with lyrics by Tomoko Nakayama.

The only point it shares with the original is the appearance of a “horse”; the original song does not include a “piglet’s tail.”

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Lovely AugustineŌsutoria min’yō

[German] O du lieber Augustin (Beloved Augustine) (Japanese Subtitles)
Lovely AugustineŌsutoria min'yō

The Austrian folk song “Ach, du lieber Augustin” (“Dear/Cute Augustin”) laments the victims of the plague that ravaged Vienna, and the word meaning “plague” is explicitly used in its lyrics.

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Aloha ʻOeHawai min’yō / Lili‘uokalani

[With Japanese translation] Aloha ʻOe (Hawaiian folk song) “Aloha ʻOe” – with katakana
Aloha ʻOeHawai min'yō / Lili‘uokalani

“Aloha ʻOe” is a Hawaiian song—Hawaiian music—said to have been written around 1878 by Liliʻuokalani, the eighth queen of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi and its last monarch.

A leading view holds that the melody was adapted from an existing tune, and such melodic borrowing appears to have been common in Hawaiʻi at the time.

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In conclusion

We introduced some famous folk songs from around the world.

Were there any you recognized, or any you realized were actually folk songs? Some are songs we sang as children or heard at school, which brings a sense of nostalgia.

There are also many original pieces, so be sure to give them a listen!