Can YOU "connect" with music sung in a language you don't understand?

[celebritea]

As we all know, music has so many elements that cause people to relate/connect to it. For example the rhythm, instrumental, melody, harmonies ect. But what I you don't understand the LYRICS. I definetly do get into music in foreign language.

What about you?

[AExAVF]

Since I'm listening to songs performed by Japanese artists, I am able to appreciate and learn Nihongo faster when compared to other languages.  While listening to the songs, I am able to take note of vocabulary as well as some words in kanji, with their hiragana counterparts superimposed on top of the kanji.

[Baburra]

I think it's possible but I'm guessing it's more due to the tune than the lyrics, to be honest. Just by the rhythm and the tune you could probably get a good grasp of what the song is about but even then you still can't be completely sure, or the lyrics might just not translate as well to another language you're more familiar with.

[GamerPerson]

I think it's possible but I'm guessing it's more due to the tune than the lyrics, to be honest. Just by the rhythm and the tune you could probably get a good grasp of what the song is about but even then you still can't be completely sure, or the lyrics might just not translate as well to another language you're more familiar with.

This falls along the lines of what my boyfriend once said: "That everything follows a trend of what other countries do, that their culture is lost."

When other take inspiration from other groups, it acts like bonding mech, at least to me it does. He and I tend to have different view points, after all.

[Asaase]

I certainly feel like I can connect to music that is sung in a language that I do not understand. I listen to music that is sung in Zulu, Bemba, and Yoruba and it feels like I know every word that is spoken. I think that music is universal and it goes beyond the boundaries of language barriers.

[primalclaws1974]

This is an odd phenomenon, but a lot of people can really enjoy music and words they can't understand. Many American bands tour in countries that have hoards of non-English-speakers. There was a phase in the United States of Americans enjoying German heavy metal. I can relate to that, just because I enjoyed the music.

[hclpd]

I have been to Israel. Although most people dont understand a single word of Hindi, they seem to dance  to the Bollywood music. It's difficult for me to connect to something that I don't understand though.

[leahcim132]

Yes, sort of. I can understand most words and I can connect with the singer. Of course, it is tough at first but when I listen to to them multiple times I suddenly get this special connection.

[jeremy2]

As long as the beats are catchy i find my self dancing to the beat the language notwithstanding. I think music has as universal feel to it and it usually cuts across any cultural or racial barriers so long it has a sweet melody.

[RedRose]

I can relate completely. I listen to a lot of J-Pop and German music, and even though I only know a few words or phrases in those languages, I can relate to the music. The instruments and how they're played have a lot to do with the emotions of a song, too. Of course, there are songs I mistake for being joyful when they're actually about bad breakups with a boyfriend/girlfriend, but for the most part, I'd like to say that I can mostly connect to songs sung in a foreign language. However, it's always best to try to find the English translation for songs sung in a different language, just to avoid any misinterpretations.

[JessiFox]

I used to really wish that I could, but no, unfortunately I just can't. No matter how amazing the music might be, I think the lyrics are the most important aspect, and not being able to understand them sufficiently is a no go for me.

[Muthoni]

There is something beautiful about music no matter what language it is sang in. I love songs that have been sung for most soaps that are aired on television. These songs are usually in Mexican or other languages that I have not been able to establish. That does not prevent me from enjoying the music immensely.

[calticitron]

While I was studying basic Swedish, there were several songs that I always listened to. I did not necessarily understand what they meant, nor could I properly hear what they sung because of their accent and speed, but I believe that I was able to relate to them.

I would look up the lyrics and translate the words I did not comprehend. Then, I would listen to the song again right after. It also gives me a better idea on how some sentences are constructed in Swedish, and makes learning the language faster.

[hanseung]

Yes! I love Korean music, but that might also have something to do with the whole k-pop culture and atmosphere. Listening to a song and realising that you actually understood the lyrics is an amazing feeling. Other times, I look up the lyrics, attempt my own translation, then look at the real translation to see if I was close or not. That helps me with my language learning and it's quite fun.

[elenamarie]

Music is a universal language. You don’t need lyrics to connect to it, you don’t have to understand it either. Just simply listen to it, feel the rhythm. Even babies love music yet they don’t understand the meaning, we are no different. I feel sad when I listen to melancholic music even if it’s in a language I don’t speak.

[aamori]

Absolutely.  My preferred music is Korean (which is why I am so desperate to learn the language) because I love the way the language sounds.  It's truly beautiful to me.  But, as other people have said, music is a universal language.  You can feel emotion in a voice even if you can't understand what is being said.  I have listened to music in many different languages and you can always tell when a song is sad, happy, heartbreaking, or romantic even if you don't speak the language.