¡Cuánta gente!

A coger, el trébole

A la rueda de San Miguel

Doña Blanca

El florón

La reina Berenguela

Mambrú

Mirón, mirón, mirón

Teresa la marquesa

Last updated: 5/31/2016 1:54 PM

The songs below are part of ‘‘La pajara pinta’ The Spanish collection

compiled, adapted, translated and illustrated by Dany Rosevear

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To listen to music from these songs click on O

To watch the author sing a song click on the title at:

© Dany Rosevear 2008 All rights reserved

You are free to copy, distribute, display and perform these works under the following conditions:

· you must give the original author credit

· you may not use this work for commercial purposes

· for any re-use or distribution, you must make clear to others the licence terms of this work

· any of these can be waived if you get permission from the copyright holder

Your fair use and other rights are no way affected by the above.

The Spanish Collection

It is said that children who are exposed to just 50 words of a second language before to age six begin to develop an "ear" for the sounds of that language.

It is hoped that where possible these songs will be sung in their home language. An English version is provided so children can enjoy the tunes before they have mastered Spanish. Literal translations do not always make sense to the English ear so these have been translated freely (very freely in some cases!) to complement the music and capture the spirit of each song.

You will find more Spanish songs in the collection ‘Away We Go’.

Spanish pronunciation

Spoken Spanish in both Spain and Latin America is quite distinctive from spoken English. For that reason a few lyrics are accompanied by the sounds of the Spanish language. The more distinctive sounds of letters in the words of the songs are provided to aid pronunciation in the guide below. The letters not listed are pronounced approximately as in English.

a sounds like ah (father) as in madre

i sounds like ee (feet) as in mi

e sounds like e (met) at the beginning or within a word as in leche

e sounds like ay at the end of a word as in leche

o sounds like oa (boat) as in no

u sounds like oo (boot) as in una

c sounds like th before the letters i and e as in cinco

cc sounds like ks (accident) as in accidente

j and g sounds like ch (loch) as in juego and girafa

g sounds like h (hallo) before the letters i and e as in gente

ll sounds like y (yard) as in llamas

ñ sounds like ni (onions) as in señorita

qu sounds like k as in ¿qué?

rr sounds like a Scottish r as in arroz

v sounds like b as in vaca

z sounds like th (thin) as in arroz

h is always silent unless the word is of foreign origin

u is silent after g and q as in ¿qué?

In Spain ‘d’ is spoken with a lisp, this is not so in Latin America.

There are many sites on line that provide help with pronunciation

Spanish punctuation

Written Spanish in both Spain and Latin America is also distinctive from written English; fewer capitals are used at the beginning of each line of verse, exclamation and question marks are used both at the beginning and end of sentences. However, for familiarity I have usually conformed to the English model when writing Spanish verse.

A coger, el trébole O

In Asturias the feast of San Juan is held towards the end of June to celebrate the beginning of summer. There are many customs associated with this festival including dancing round a bonfire which stays alight until dawn the next day. The Celts lit the bonfire in honour of the moon.

Picking a four leaf clover is traditionally associated with good luck in our country and many others including Spain. On the night of San Juan young ladies go out to search for a four leaf clover and if successful, it is said, will find and marry a handsome beau.

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPVWJtCfTts and

http://centros.edu.xunta.es/ceipcampolongo/intranet/Recunchos/5/Recursos_didacticos_Anaya_5/datos/05_musica/datos/05rdi/03kanimas/03trebole.htm

Directions:

Make a circle holding hands.

1^st verse: Walk round to the right with bouncy steps.

2^nd verse: Walk into the middle and back again several times.

A coger, el trébole, el trébole, el trébole; A coger el trébole, los mis amores van. A coger, el trébole, el trébole, el trébole; A coger el trébole, la noche de San Juan.

Off to pluck the clover run,… x3, Off to pluck the clover run, then I will seek my love. Off to pluck the clover run, ,… x3, Off to pluck the clover run, the night of good Saint John.

A la rueda de San Miguel O

This Mexican circle dance is a version of ‘La vibora de la mar’. Choose a child, ‘San Miguel’ to stand in the centre of a circle holding hands.

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0w8BlyEZGk&feature=related

Directions:

All skip round San Miguel who at the end of each verse names a child. That child turns to face outwards. The circle moves round singing a little faster each time and the game continues until all participants have turned to face outwards.

A la rueda, rueda de San Miguel, San Miguel, San Miguel, todos traen su caja de miel. A lo maduro, a lo maduro, que se voltee (child’s name ) de burro.

Oh it’s round and round our good San Miguel, San Miguel, San Miguel. Honey sweet we have to sell. Now are you ready, now are you ready? Turn around for (child’s name) is the donkey.

Doña Blanca O

This cat and mouse type game is a popular one in Mexico. In the more complex version of this game each pillar is named gold, silver, ivory, zinc, copper, wood or paper etc. The child on the outside asks a pillar in turn its name and can only enter the circle by breaking through at the pillar of paper. The version below is much simpler.

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QOCu4UyZao&feature=related

Directions:

Make a circle holding hands with one child, Doña Blanca, standing in the middle. The circle skips to the left as a small wasp ‘jicotillo’ buzzes round the outside.

The children then drop hands and whirl round with hands out stretched.

They then hold hands which they lower to prevent the wasp from entering the circle. If the wasp finds a way in, arms are raised to allow Doña Blanca to escape. Continue playing until Doña Blanca is caught and two new children chosen to play in a new game.

Doña Blanca esta cubierta De pilares de oro y plata. Romperemos un pilar Para ver a Doña Blanca. Quien es ese, jicotillo, Que anda en pos de Doña Blanca? Yo soy ese jicotillo, Que anda en pos de Doña Blanca.

Doña Blanca is surrounded By tall gold and silver pillars. Who will tear a pillar down To discover Doña Blanca? Little wasp is passing this way, He is after Doña Blanca. Here am I the little wasp, I will capture Doña Blanca.

El florón O

Play this simple game with a paper flower. Flowers made from tissue or crepe paper are traditional in both Mexico and Puerto Rico where this popular children’s game is played. Make the game easier by attaching a bracelet of bells to the flower.

Directions:

Children stand in a circle with hands held behind backs. A child is chosen to be ‘it’ stands in the centre. A paper flower is passed surreptitiously from one hand in the circle to another in time to the music. Hands continue this movement pretending to pass the flower in order to fool the child in the middle.

When the music stops ‘it’ attempts to determine who has the flower. Three guesses are allowed. If correct places are swapped and the game begins again.

If none of the guesses are correct ‘it’ has a second turn.

El florón pasó por aquí’ Yo no lo vi, yo no lo vi. El florón pasó por aquí’ Yo no lo vi, yo no lo vi. }x2 Que pase, que pase, Que pase el florón?

Round the ring there passes a flower, Who has it now, who has it now? Round the ring there passes a flower, No one can see, no one can see. }x2 What’s happened, what’s happened, What’s happened to the flower?

La reina Berenguela O

There are many different regional variations in Spain of this song with its lively pasa doble rhythm; Dona Berenguela, La chata Merenguela, La Xata Merenguera (huit, nou, deu) are some. In other versions the face is painted with gasoline or Vaseline.

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUVmTm-Rpg4&feature=related

Make two parallel rows, facing each other A child stands at each end of the alley.

Directions:

Those standing in the lines sing with rhythmic clapping The two, one at each end, jump through the alleyway with hands on hips, each moving in the opposite direction. When song ends two from each row take the place of those that have finished jumping, and the game starts again.

La reina Berenguela, güi, güi, güi, Como es tan fina, trico trico trí. Como es tan fina lairón, lairón, lairón, lairón, lairón, lai-rón! Se pinta los colores, güí, güí, güí, Con purpurina, trico, trico, tri. Con purpurina lairón, lairón, lairón, lairón, lairón, lai-rón! La reina Berenguela, güí, güí, güí, Tiene un perrito, trico, trico, tri. Tiene un perrito lairón, lairón, lairón, lairón, lairón, lai-rón! Que le barre la casa, güí, güí, güí, Con el rabito, trico, trico, tri. Con el rabito lairón, lairón, lairón, lairón, lairón, lai-rón! Y le friega los platos, üí, güí, güí, Con el rabito, trico, trico, tri. Con el rabito lairón, lairón, lairón, lairón, lairón, lai-rón!

The good Queen Berenguela, see, see, see, Such a fine lady, treeko treeko tree. Such a fine lady, lairo, lairo, lairo, lairo, lairo, lai-ro! She’s putting on her makeup, see, see, see, With sparkling glitter treeko treeko tree. With sparkling glitter, lairo… … That good Queen Berenguela, see, see, see, Has a dear puppy, treeko treeko tree. Has a dear puppy, lairo… … Her puppy sweeps the whole house, see, see, see, Sweeps with its small tail, treeko treeko tree. Sweeps with its small tail, lairo… … It washes up the dishes, see, see, see, Cleans with its small tail, treeko treeko tree. Cleans with its small tail, lairo, lairo, lairo, lairo, lairo, lai-ro!

Mambrú O

A cheerful rhythmical tune that is at odds with its melancholy words. Of French origins ‘Mambrú se fue a la guerra’ was composed to mock the death of General John Churchill, the Duke of Marlborough, who with a European coalition fought the French at the battle of Malplaquet.

Find more information at: www.unca.edu/postscript/postscript22/ps22.7.pdf

Watch at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=re5VIVJbYKI

Directions:

March in lines of six to eight weaving in and out of each other clapping in time to the music.

At the end of each verse the leader runs to the back so a new leader can take the group off marching and clapping.

Mambrú se fue a la guerra, Mire usted, mire usted, qué pena! Mambrú se fue a la guerra, No sé cuándo vendrá. Do-re-mi, do-re-fa, No sé cuándo vendrá. Si vendrá por la Pascua, Mire usted, mire usted, qué gracia! Si vendrá por la Pascua, O por la Navidad. Do-re-mi, do-re-fa, O por la Navidad. La Navidad se pasa, Mire usted, mire usted, qué guasa! La Navidad se pasa, Mambrú no viene ya. Do-re-mi, do-re-fa, Mambrú no viene ya!

Old Marlborough went to battle, Look at you, look at you, a real shame! Old Marlborough went to battle, I wish he would return. Do-ray-me, do-ray-fa, I wish he would return. Oh, he’ll be back by Easter, Look at you; look at you, how funny! Yes, he’ll be back for Easter, If not, then Christmas Day. Do-ray -me, do-ray-fa, If not, then Christmas Day. Well, Christmas Day has passed now, Look at you, look at you, a good joke! Well, Christmas Day has passed now, And Marlborough is not here. Do-ray- me, do-ray-fa, No, Marlborough’s not here!

Mirón, mirón, mirón O

A precursor of this old song from Columbia was ‘A la limón, a la limón’ and indeed the game is played in a similar manner to our ‘Oranges and lemons’. Mirón in Spanish means ‘voyeur’, ‘onlooker’ or ‘peeping Tom’ but in this context is probably a nonsense word or more literally ‘Come and look’.

Directions:

Two children secretly choose names from a theme e.g. sun / moon, orange / lemon then make a high archway with interlocking fingers. The others form a line holding on to the waist of the child in front as they pass. The child that is passing underneath as the last ‘atrás’ is sung is caught and chooses either ‘sun or moon’, moving to stand behind that part of the archway.

At the end of the game the two parts of the archway try to pull the other side into their own territory. The line that is longest invariably wins!

Mirón, mirón, mirón, ¿Donde pasa tanta gente? Mirón, mirón, mirón, Por la puerta de San Vincente, Que pasa el rey, que ha de pasar, Que el hijo el conde se quedar atrás. Atrás, atrás, atrás!

Mirón, mirón, mirón, Where are all the people going? Mirón, mirón, mirón, Through the great door of Saint Vincent, The king goes by followed by his men, The count’s son sadly is left far behind. Behind, behind, behind!

Teresa la marquesa O

Teresa la marquesa or Teresa the marchioness takes on a different persona in the translated version.

Listen at: http://subscription.we7.com/#/song/The-Kidz-Band/Teresa-La-Marquesa

Two couples stand side by side, with arms linked.

Teresa, la marquesa, tipití, tipitiesa, Tenía una corona, tipití, tipitona, Con cuatro monaguillos, tipití, tipitillos, Y cura y sacristán, tipiti, tipitán. Teresa the stargazer, tipiti, típitesa, She wore a bright corona, tipiti, tipitona, Four boys they called her big boss, tipiti, tipitillos, They fed her marzipan, tipiti, tipitan.

Walk forwards at "tipití" drop hands and each couple jump to face partner. On "tipitesa" they jump back ready to resume walking. Repeat with "tipiti, tipitona"etc. to the end of the song.

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