Info
Miriam Makeba recorded this song after hearing it from Malay/Indonesian descendants of slaves brought to Africa several hundred years ago. Pete Seeger learned the same song in 1949 from a young Indonesian in New York. (source)
Lyrics - Indonesian
(Indonesian folk song)
Refrain
Suliram, suliram, ram, ram
Suliram yang manis
Adu hai indung suhoorang
Bidjakla sana dipandang manis
Tingi la, tingi, si matahari
Suliram
Anakla koorbau mati toortambat
Suliram,
Sudala lama saiya menchari
Baruse klarung sa ya mendabat Refrain
English Translation – Go to sleep
Refrain
Go to sleep
Go to sleep, sleep, sleep
Go to sleep, little one
Close your eyes and dream tender dreams
For you are guarded, protected by my love
Long have I waited, I’ve waited for you
Go to sleep
Years I spent hoping and praying for you
Go to sleep
Now that I have you right here by my side
I will not ever, no never let you go Refrain
See also
- songs from Indonesia
- more info
- source: Making Music Your Own, Grade 6, Silver Burdett Company, 1965
YouTube
- Song with chords (PDF)
- MIDI file
- Listen to the song
3 thoughts on “Suliram”
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Isn’t this nursery song about a cow?
Do you have a source for this song being about a cow?