In a recent edition of The Chronicle, a weekly newspaper covering the city of Middletown, in which we live, I happened to see this headline: “Latin Band to Play at Wadsworth Mansion.” The very notion struck me as so brilliant, I couldn’t believe I’d never thought of it.
I’d imagine the trick is to play songs, the melodies of which are familiar to almost everyone. Then people can follow along in Latin and begin to understand that language. Here’s an example using “I Want to Hold Your Hand” by the Beatles:
Original Lyrics
Oh yeah, I’ll tell you something
I think you’ll understand
Then I’ll say that something
I wanna hold your hand
And here are the lyrics translated into Latin:
Latin Lyrics
O yeah, Et amen dico vobis quia
Puto youll intelligere
Et quod aliquid dicere
Volo tenere manum tuam
Wow! What a learning experience. (That verse was translated to Latin from Greek by the Roman Philosopher, Marcus Tullius Cicero.)
Next Steps
As I thought about this concept more, it occurred to me there might be two ways to go about elaborating on this concept:
One might take one song and translate it into various other lost languages. For example, here’s “I Want to Hold Your Hand” translated into Estonian:
Oh jah, ma räägin sulle midagi,
ma arvan, et sa mõistad.
Siis ma ütlen selle midagi,
ma tahan su kätt hoida.
You can just feel the gentle longing in juxtaposition to the happy-sounding melody.
Alternatively, one could take a number of songs from the same group or artist and translate them into just one language. I suspect that’s what the Latin band at the Wadsworth Mansion is going to do. So, here are a few examples of that.
First, here are the lyrics to “Let It Be”:
Original Lyrics
When I find myself in times of trouble
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of Wisdom
Let it be.
And in my hour of darkness
She is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom
Let it be.
Here are the lyrics translated into Latin:
Latin Lyrics
Cum me in tempore tribulationis
MARIA est mater mea
Loquens verba sapientiae
Fiat
Et in tenebris hora Stans
Est rectum in conspectu oculorum meorum
Loquens verba sapientiae
Fiat
And what Latin cover of Beatles music would be complete without “With a Little Help From My Friends”?
Original Lyrics
What would you do if I sang out of tune?
Would you stand up and walk out on me?
Lend me your ears and I’ll sing you a song,
And I’ll try not to sing out of key.
Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends.
Mmm, I get high with a little help from my friends.
Mmm, gonna try with a little help from my friends.
Needless to say, the Latin version has to be imagined as if it’s being sung by Ringo. But it’s nostalgically whimsical, nonetheless:
Latin Lyrics
Quod si quid de tune cecinit?
An consurge et ambulare super me?
Et aures tuas, et ego mitto te canticum cantabo tibi
Et ego te experiri non cantare de key
O, ego adepto a paulo cum auxilio a amicis meis epularer
Mmm, ut ego cum magno paulo auxilium a amicis meis epularer
Mmm, agnus dei experiri paulo auxilium a amicis meis epularer.
Oh, yeah. It’s an instant party.
A Night Out
I’m going to buy Anne a ticket to the Wadsworth Mansion event. Since she loves the Beatles music as much as I do, she’ll no doubt Love the Latin covers. I’m going to do something more enjoyable like painting the house, raking the leaves, or taking a beating. I’m sure she’ll tell me all about the show when she gets home … if she comes home.
Ah, the things we do for love.
Original Lyrics
Too many broken hearts have fallen in the river
Too many lonely souls have drifted out to sea
You lay your bets and then you pay the price
The things we do for love, the things we do for love
Latin Lyrics
Nimis multa corda fracta in flumine ceciderunt
Nimis multae solae animae ad mare iverunt
Sponsiones tuas iacis et pretium solves
Quae pro amore facimus, quae pro amore facimus
Make sure to look for Anne at Wadsworth Mansion while you’re there.
Originally Published on https://www.bizcatalyst360.com/category/lifecolumns/notes-to-self/
