Camden children come from all over the world. We are tremendously privileged to have such a rich mix of languages and cultures in our classrooms. The Camden World Song Project aims to highlight and celebrate this rich mix, focusing on the songs, music and dances of everyone in the borough. The project looks particularly at children’s songs, nursery rhymes, playground chants and lullabies – songs that people just “know” and don’t remember “not knowing”.
The project ran several years ago. A pack of some seventy seven songs was produced. The songs can be heard here. If you are interested in buying a copy of the printed pack, please email sheena.masson@camden.gov.uk
We are starting the project a-new. Schools have already started to collect songs and the stories behind them. Teachers are talking to children and parents and other members of staff – the conversation starts with the question “Do you know any songs in your language?” Here are some of the songs that have already been collected.
Songs from Torriano Primary School
Apita O Comboio – a song in Portuguese
Tom is the music teacher at Torriano Primary School. Here’s what he says about his song:-
I was shown this popular Portuguese song by my mother-in-law. She would sing it when we were on holiday in Lisbon. It has more verses and describes the whistle of a steam train as it travels from the North to the South of Portugal.
Here are the lyrics:-
Apita o comboio lá vai apitar
Apita o comboio à beira do marà
beira do mar, mesmo à beirinha
Apita o comboio no centro da linha
La Cucaracha – a song in Spanish
Catalina and Antonio sing this song in Spanish with their mum and dad.
Here are the lyrics:-
La cucaracha, la Cucaracha,
ya no puede caminar,
Porque le falta, porque no tiene,
Las dos patitas de atrás.
Little Mouse – a Chinese nursery rhyme
Sophie’s mum taught her this Chinese nursery rhyme about a little mouse. Sophie taught it to her class.
Here are the lyrics:-
Xiao Lao shu
Little mouse
Xiao Lao shu, Shang deng tai.
little mouse climb up the oil lantern
Tou you chi, xia bu lai.
Steals oil to eat, can’t get down,
Miao Miao Miao ,mao lai la.
Meow, meow, meow,The cat came,
Ji li gu lu, gun xia lai.
Mumbling, he rolled down.
Kolorowe kredki – a song in Polish
Joanna is one of our Teaching Assistants. She taught us this song. She learned it as a child at school in Poland. It’s about coloured pencils.
You can hear it here.
Here’s what it means in English:-
Colored pencils in a box wear; Colored pencils are very fond of me; Colored pencils, when I ask them, Paint all what I want! Paint your house, And on the fence cat And fun sweetie On cloudy days! And when they fly into space I feel like, The real rocket Paint me! Colored pencils in a box wear; Colored pencils are very fond of me; Colored pencils, when I ask them, Paint all what I want! When I’m sad I always comfort me, sit down at the table And they, and I! They paint freak, Such a funny monkey, Elephant on a swing And in a rocket of a lion!
Here are the lyrics:-
Kolorowe kredki
W pudełeczku noszę,
Kolorowe kredki
Bardzo lubią mnie.
Kolorowe kredki,
Kiedy je poproszę
Namalują wszystko, to co chcę.
Namalują domek
I na płocie kota
I wesołe słonko
Na pochmurne dni.
A, gdy w kosmos lecieć
Przyjdzie mi ochota,
Prawdziwą rakietę namalują mi.
Kolorowe kredki
W pudełeczku noszę,
Kolorowe kredki bardzo lubią mnie.
Kolorowe kredki,
Kiedy je poproszę
Namalują wszystko, to co chcę.
Kiedy jestem smutny
Zawsze mnie pocieszą.
Siadamy przy stole i one i ja.
Malują cudaki,
Małpy takie śmieszne,
Słonia na huśtawce
I w rakiecie lwa.