Santa Lucia / Adidil eng Kebesengei

from Mengemedaol er a Irechar by Ngirchoureng

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about

This song was a favorite of Palau’s first president, Haruo Remeliik, according to one of my friends. The melody of the song comes from the traditional Neapolitan waltz “Santa Lucia.” The melody of the Palauan song is in either 4/4 or 6/8 time, depending on how it is played. We start with the source tune before singing the song to show the similarities. Who knows how the Santa Lucia melody made its way to Palau, but the chorus "Santa Lucia" is heard on several recordings of the Palauan song. More info: wp.me/p6WC5Y-yb

lyrics

Adidil eng adidil
kuureng er a soak e dibe ak bong
kol mo ngera cheldechulel
a kuchais a chisek re kau

Toku hanarete
Koichi i anata
Itsumo ku kabena
U yasasii sungata

Adidil eng kebesengei
mak mo mekerang itial renguk
el mo ngdiak kulebedebek er a
Bechesiil el uoi mengam a reng

-----
Remembering back
If I hoped for what I wanted, I just went for it
Like, how will it be done,
me telling my news about you?

The benefit of being apart from you
Koichi, my sweetheart
Is when you return
I see your graceful image

Remembering that evening
what do I do with this heart of mine?
that won’t stop remembering back to
my sweetheart who broke my heart

credits

from Mengemedaol er a Irechar, released June 20, 2018

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Ngirchoureng Oakland, California

Ngirchoureng — Jim Geselbracht and Tony Phillips — perform songs from the Republic of Palau, written in the 1930s thru the 1960s, accompanied by acoustic guitar, mandolin and fiddle in the "old-skuul" style captured on the 1960s Ngerel Belau (local radio station) recordings. Ngirchoureng (ŋirʔouréŋ) translates to “Mr. Hopeful,” and is taken from Kodep Kloulechad’s song “Bai Derengul a Eolt.” ... more