Loading ...Another thing I’ve been wondering about music
Following up the previous post about music (and concerts), I figured I’d throw up another question I’ve been wondering for many years now. I have already asked this question to several people and have mostly gotten the same answer most of the time. So what is this question then? It goes as follows; What do you think of music in your native language?
This might be a strange question as you likely don’t know any better, but I live in a country with our own small language (Dutch) but we’re heavily influenced by the US and UK and thus English. There is English media everywhere, from companies to music to movies to just about everywhere. You learn it (almost) as soon as you start learning Dutch so it really comes easily to us, you’re kind of forced to at least have a basic understanding of it. Because of this influence, by far most of the music that reaches us is in English.
It even goes as far as when we hear dutch music, we often put it in a subgenre of “Dutch music” if it’s sung in dutch, instead of what kind of music it is. To many of us it is strange to hear music in our own language and often think that English (or other languages) sound a lot better than dutch does. Thus I imagine that it has be weird to listen to music in your own language for native English speakers (the same goes for other languages too of course).
It may be because dutch is not a very good sounding language, or maybe it’s merely because you hear so much dutch already, or a different language just sounds more “exotic”, but we do prefer our music in English. So… is it normal for you to listen to music in your language or is it the same where you live?
As a norwegian, I understand your question very well.
I remember many years ago when I was a lot younger, I tended to find music in my own language to be strange, and generally not very good. Especially in the 70s. As I have matured, and also as my country have musically matured, today i can very well enjoy music in my native language.
And when I think back, some of the finest bands of the early 80s was singing in norwegian, bands like Kjøtt, Depress, The Aller Værste(TAV), Lumbago and others. All of those bands were considered part of the punk/new wave-scene, and they are among the best artists from that period today. Somehow, I think this music have aged less than Aha, and other norwegian pop/rock-bands that sings in english.
Today I listen to music no matter it’s language. Admittedly, my playlists are still dominated by british language music, both from my country and other countries around the world, and I must admit I can not remember I have heard much electronica in my own language.
Puzzlefuzz
November 8, 2011