Greatest Chinese Folk Songs [Single]

Bear Children's Choir | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 1, 2002)
• Original Release Date: November 1, 2002
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Single
• ASIN: B000083DPP
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #389,183 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. The Flower Drum of Feng Yang

2. The Azalea

3. The Plum Blossom on Snow

4. Lift Your Veil

5. Love Song of Kang Ding

6. The Song of Four Seasons

7. Embroider the Purse

8. Travellers on Camelback

9. Somewhere Far Far Away

10. Hong-cai, My Love

11. Dance of Youth

12. The Jasmine

13. Girls on Alishsan

14. Diligent Boys

Editorial Reviews

Now you know what these popular Chinese folk songs are about! Performed by award-winning Bear Children’s Choir in Hong Kong, this CD includes some of the most popular and well-loved Chinese folk songs, such as "Flower Drum of Fengyang," "Love Song of Kang King," "The Jasmine," and more. To help you sing along, a set of lyrics written in Chinese, Pinyin and English is included.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Angelic little voices!, September 21, 2004

By 

ABC MOM (Brooklyn, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Greatest Chinese Folk Songs (Audio CD)

We are ethnically chinese, but my husband and I cannot speak chinese. I purchased this for my 2 little boys in the hope of familiarizing them with the sounds of mandarin and exposing them to some chinese culture. I was overwhelmed by the production as I was not expecting such quality. The voices are clear and beautiful, nice music and the songs are wonderful. I find myself listening to them by choice even when the kids aren't around.

I did some research on the Bear Children's Choir and they are famous in Hong Kong. There is a company based in Canada that imports all their products in the U.S. and Canada. I am definitely interested in their other products. google it.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Soothing music for your car or home!, March 1, 2005

By 

KSL "emma-and-me" (Florida, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Greatest Chinese Folk Songs (Audio CD)

I ordered for my daughter last Easter. We both love listening to it in the car even though neither of us speaks Chinese. I was taken a back by the note that said there where explicate lyrics. So, I pulled out the lyrics and read them. Nothing horrible, in my eyes, after all these are old folk stories from various areas in the Peoples' Republic of China. Also while reading the Ch'I-Lin Purse by Linda Fang I happened to read in the glossary that the word Ta-ko literally is "Big Brother"; often used to address a man whom one did not know personally. This revelation shows me that these old folk songs are not talking about actual brother and sister's in love, but a woman or girl who does not know a young man. So, the only thing that might be a little explict is the one song called " A Far Away Place". Here are the lyrics to all of the songs. I think it would be a shame not to purchase this cd based on not knowing Ta-ko means a man one does not know and 1 line in the song A Far Away Place.


Greatest Chinese Folk Songs

Flower Drum Song of Feng Yang - Anhui Folk Song

I sing with a gong in my left hand and a drum in my right hand
No other songs do I know how to sing.
I only know hot to sing the Fengyang song.
Fengyang drum yi you ai ya,
De er nong dong piao yi piano yi piao, de er nong dong piao er de,
Piao piao piao yi piao
I have a sad life, a really sad life!
I married a good-for-nothing husband.
Other woman's husbands have power and wealth
My husband only knows how to play flower drums.
Play flower drums yi you ai ya.
De er nong dong piao, de er nong dong piao,
De er piao, de er piao, de er piao de piao piao er de,
Piao piao piao yi Piao.

The Azalea

On a dimly sunny March day, azaleas are blooming on the hillside,
Azaleas are blooming near the brook. How beautiful they are!
They look like a young girl in the village. They look like a young girl in the village.
Last year the young girl went to the hillside.
Singing with the boy she loves. She plucked an azalea and put it in her hair.
This year the young girl walks to the brook,
The azaleas have withered and blossomed again.
She remembers the boy who is fighting in the war.
She plucks a red azalea and looks out to the flames of war far away,
Big brother, when toy come back after winning the war.
I will put an azalea on your chest, instead of in my hair.
In a dimly sunny March day, azaleas are blooming on the hillside. Azaleas are blooming near the brook. How beautiful they are!
They look like a young girl in the village. They look like a young girl in the village. They look like a young girl in the village. Ah, Ah!


The Plum Blossom on Snow

The sky is clear now after the snow, and fragrant plums are everywhere.
Ride a donkey to across the bridge with the donkey's bell ringing.
Bell is ringing, ding dang, ding dang, ding dang.
Beautiful flowers should be put into a vase.
They keep me company when I read books and play music, and share this good time with me.
Beautiful flowers should be put in a vase.
They keep me company when I read books and play music, and share this good time with me.

Lift Your Veil Xinjiang Folk Song

Lift your veil, and let me see your eyebrows.
Your eyebrows are thin and long, and look like the crescent moon above the trees.
My eyebrows are thing and long, and look like the crescent moon above the tree.
Lift your veil and let me see your eyes.
Your eyes are dark and bright, and look like pearls.
My eyes are dark and bright, and look like pearls.
Lift your veil, and let me see your mouth.
Your mouth is red and small, and looks like a fresh cherry of May.
My mouth is red and small, and looks like a fresh cherry of May.
Lift your veil, and let me see your face.
Your face is red and round, and looks like an apple of fall.
My face is red and round, and looks like an apple of fall.

Love Song of Kang Ding - Sichuan Folk Song

Horses run on the mountain, and there is a cloud.
The moon lightens Kangding City.
The moon, the crescent moon. Kangding city.
Big sister from the Li family is a pretty girl.
Big brother from the Zhang family falls in love with her.
The moon, the crescent moon. He falls in love with the girl.
First he loves her because her knows she is pretty.
Second because she knows how to care for the family.
The moon, the crescent moon. She know how to care for the family
All the girls in the world.
Let me love them.
All the boys in the world
Let you choose from
The moon, the crescent moon.
Let you choose from.


Song of Four Seasons - Qinghai Folk Song

Spring has come and the narcissus blooms. The narcissus blooms.
A young girl goes for an outing.
Big brother, big brother, big brother, give me your hand.
Summer has come and the young girl feels anxious. The young girl feels anxious.
The pomegranate flowers look prettier than agate.
Big brother, big brother, big brother, pluck one.
Fall has come and the orange osmanthus smells so good. The orange osmanthus smells so good.
The young girl's heart swells.
Big brother, big brother, big brother, love me forever.
Winter has come and snowflakes are flying everywhere. Snowflakes are flying everywhere.
The young girl's heart is purer than the snowflakes.
Big brother, big brother, big brother, see clearly before you come.
Big brother, big brother, big brother, see clearly before you come.

Embroider a Purse - Yunnan Folk Song

The silk thread of the little purse is flying.
I am embroidering a purse for the boy I love to carry on his waist.
It is the boy that I am waiting for.
If I am not waiting for the boy, who else am I waiting for?
The purse is embroidered for the boy to carry.
There is not reason why I am embroidering the purse.
The boy walks in the street with the purse.
And I want the boy to love me.


Traveler on Camel's Back - Xinjiang Folk Song

Where does the traveler on the camel's back come from? Sha li hong ba hei ya hei. The traveler is from Ma Sha. Sha li hong ba hei ya hei.
What is the camel carrying on its back? Sha li hong ba hei ya hei.
The camel is carrying ginger. Sha li hong ba hei ya hei.
How much ginger and pepercorn? Sha li hong ba hei ya hei.
Three liang and three quian of them cost only 3.3 cents. Sha li hong ba hei ya hei..
The torn boots were hung on the door. Sha li hong ba hei ya hei.
With money or without money, please come in. Sha li hong ba hei ya hei
Those who have money sit on the bed. Sha li hong ba hei ya hei
Those who have no money sit on the floor. Sha li hong ba hei ya hei


In a Faraway Place - Qinghai Folk Song

In a faraway place, there is a good girl.
Whenever people walk past her yurt, they all turn their heads to look longingly.
Her pink face is like the red sun.
Her lively and enticing eyes are like the bright evening moon.
I would give up all my wealth to herd sheep with her.
I would like to look at her pink little face and her beautiful gold-trimmed clothes every day.
I would like to be a little sheep to follow her.
I would like her to brush me lightly with thin leather whip.



Hong Cai Sister, My Love - Suiyuan Folk Song

Hong cai mei mei en ai hai you! Zhang de hao na me en ai hai you! Ying tao xiao kou en ai hai you! Yi dian dian na mo en ai hai you! San yue li lai tao hua kai, wo he mei mei cheng en ai, ba yue zhong qui yue zheng, xiang qi le mei mei lei lian lian.

Dance of Youth - Xinjiang Folk Song

The sun falls under the horizon but will rise tomorrow morning.
Flowers wither but will blossom next year.
Beautiful little birds fly away without a trace.
My youth will not come back again like the little bird flying away.
My youth will not come back again like the little bird flying away.
Bie de na ya you, bie de na ya you.
My youth will not come back again like the little bird flying away.
Who is destroying the beautiful rivers and mountains?
Recognize the enemy, aim at them and shoot the gun from a distance.
Brutal war harms the people, as well as harms the enemy themselves.
We young warrior should win the war and come back quickly.
We young warrior should win the war and come back quickly.
Bie de na ya you, bie de na ya you.
We young warriors show win the war and come back quickly.

Jasmine Flower - Jiangsu Folk Song

What a pretty jasmine flower,
What a pretty jasmine flower,
Fragrance and beauty fill every brance.
Fragrant and white, everyone praises it.
Let me pluck you.
To give to others.
Jasmine flower, Jasmine flower.

Girls of Ali Mountain

The high mountain is green and the stream is blue.
The girls of Ali Mountain are as beautiful as the water,
The boys of Ali Mountain are as strong as the mountain.
Ah Ah... The girls Ali Mountain are as beautiful as the water
The boys of Ali Mountain are as strong as the mountain.
Girls and boys will ever separate.
Blue water will always flow around the green mountain.


School Boy - Guizhou Folk Song

Little boy, little boy, goes to school with the school bag on his back.
He is not afraid of the heat and... Read more ›

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars As promised, appealing for little kids, July 24, 2007

By 

D. Dobkin (Sunnyvale, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Greatest Chinese Folk Songs (Audio CD)

Well, my daughter (7) loved it and listened to it on car trips for several weeks. The arrangements are fine if a bit repetitive to an adult ear. It is in Mandarin (which she does not speak at all, though she has a rudimentary knowledge of Cantonese).