Falalalan Song Lyrics

[Castellon]

Since we have constant threads asking, I think this qualifies as a Frequently Asked Question.

original text:

Falalalan, falalalera,
De la guerda riera

Quando yo me uengo
De guardar ganado
Todos me lo dizen
Pedro el desposado.
A la he, si soy,
Con la hija de nostramo,
Questa sortiguela
Ella me la diera.

Falalalan, falalalera,
De la guerda riera

Alla rriba, rriba
En ual de roncales,
Tengo yo mi esca
Y mis pedernales
Y mi curroncito
De cieruos cieruales,
Hago yo mi lumbre
Sientome doquiera.

Falalalan, falalalera,
De la guerda riera

Viene la quaresma,
Yo no como nada,
Ni como sardina,
Ni cosa salada,
De quanto yo quiero
No se haze nada,
Migas con azeyte,
Hazenme dentera

Falalalan, falalalera,
De la guerda riera

Chema_Cagi has translated it into english.

Quicknote1: No spanish player had recognized that these happy girls were singing in spanish

Quicknote2: I've heard about a dude that has passed the falalalan .mp3 to an electronic keyboard, and then hedid some kind of electronic magic and HE HAS set it as his cellular ringbell

Quicknote3: a third spanish guy suggested to make a t-shirt with "JOCULATORES UPSALIENSES"written in flaming letters, with some skulls and the like

And I've tried to translate the whole thing:


Falalalan, falalalera
della guer d'arriera

When I come back
from closing the livestock
everyone tells me that
I have to marry my daughter
with Pedro; she gave me
this small ring (*)

Falalalan, falalalera
della guer d'arriera

Up there, near the
ford of Roncales, (or valley of Roncales)
I have my tinder,
and my flintstone
and my little
deer-skin
pouch.
I make my campfire
and sit around

Falalalan, falalalera
della guer d'arriera

It comes Lent (**)
I will eat nothing at all,
I will not eat sardines,
Nor anything salty.
Whatever I like
can't be cooked.
Fried breadcrumbs (***)
give me the shivers

Falalalan, falalalera
della guer d'arriera



"Falalalan falalalalera" don't mean nothing to me...Sounds like that kind of non-sense words common in many traditional songs
The second line could be:

"della Guerda riera": "from the stream of Guerda" (maybe this is a small crook in Asturias)

or "della guer d'arriera": from the back or behind of "guer" (no idea about "guer")



(*) The first paragraph is somewhat confusing. It's clear that this woman is a shepherd and is coming back after closing the livestock.

But it's not so clear if she has a small wedding ring, or one named Pedro has given her the ring, or her daughter has the ring which Pedro gave to her...There is a ring, a Pedro and a daughter somewhere, these are the facts

(**) Lent (Quaresma) is (or was...) a period of fasting and abstinence in catholic countries. In ancient times it was not possible to eat meat, fish or eggs

(***) Fried breadcrumbs (migas pastoriles) is a traditional meal among shepherds in Spain. Our heroine is complaining that while the Lent last, she can't eat anything she likes, and the fried crumbs give her the shivers (if these are well cooked, the crumbs have to be quite creaking and crunchy )

 

[Castellon]

This added by Ivan the Red

Originally posted by Ivan the red
Looks like you had some dificuly translating the first part of this song. Well, first of all I must say that it's not true that no spanish player recognized the girls where singing in spanish. My brother was able to identify they where singing in old castilian, and I was able to understand some words, too... Well, the first part of the song should mean "When I come back / from looking after the herd - everyone calls me / Pedro the Promised - as I'm (promised) / to the daughter of our master - this small ring / she gave to me"

 

[Castellon]

And the latest info from AlfyMBohm:

This is from http://www.owainphyfe.com/owain/lyrics/poets-bards.htm
Sometimes all you gotta do is Google it

Spanish:

Fa la la lan, fa la, fa la la lera
fa la la lan, de la guarda riera

Cuando yo me vengo de guardo ganado,
Todos me lo dizen; Chico el desposado.
A la he', si soy con la hija de nostramo,
qu'esta sortijuela ella me la diera.

Alla riba, en Vall de Roncales
tengo yo mi esca y mis pedernales,
y mi curroncito de ciervos ciervales
hago yo mi lumbre, sientiome doquiera.

Viene la Cuarresma, yo no como nada,
ni como sardina, ni cosa salada;
de cuanto yo quiero no se haze nada;
migas con azeite hazen me dentera.

English:

When I come down from tending the herd
everybody calls me `the newly-wed.'
I tell you, if I were with the bosses' daughter,
she would have been the one to give me this ring.

Up there in the Valley of Roncales,
I have my rations and my flints,
and my herd of deer.
I light my fire and I sit down wherever I like.

When Lent comes, I'm going to fast;
no sardines and no salt.
I'll get control of my desires.
Bread crumbs with oil will be all I want.