RAG MusicJapanese Songs
Lovely nursery rhymes, folk songs, and children's songs
search

Folk Songs of the World | Hometown Songs Passed Down Abroad

Here are some famous songs selected from folk music that has been passed down and sung in various countries and regions around the world.

Even if you don’t know the titles, you may have heard them somewhere or hummed them as a child—foreign folk songs are actually quite familiar in our daily lives.

In some cases, the version widely known in Japan is the adaptation, and you might discover, “So this was the original song!”

Learning which country a song comes from leads to learning about that country’s culture and history, and it will broaden your horizons.

Please take a listen to these time-honored folk songs that are cherished in each country!

Playlist

Folk Songs of the World | Hometown Songs Passed Down Abroad
show_chartTitlePlaylistOne point
1eastGrandfather’s ClockAmerican folk song / Henry Clay WorkGrandfather's Clock was written by Henry in the 19th century...
2eastReturn to SorrentoNeapolitan folk song / Ernesto De Curtis / Giambattista De CurtisReturn to Sorrento features the beautiful scenery of Sorrento…
3eastAmazing GraceScottish folk song / John NewtonThis, known as a hymn that praises God’s grace…
4eastThe Londonderry Air (Danny Boy)Irish folk songKnown as a traditional Irish folk song…
5eastLight of FirefliesScottish folk song / Robert BurnsAuld Lang Syne is a melody that has been passed down in Scotland...
6eastLondon BridgeBritish folk songLong cherished as a traditional English folk song…
7eastMary’s LambAmerican folk song / Sarah Josepha HaleThis work could be called a gem of American folk songs. Sarah …
8eastOld MacDonald Had a FarmAmerican folk songAn American-origin nursery rhyme, sung by Japanese children…
9eastThe Bear of the ForestAmerican folk song'The Bear in the Forest' was originally an American folk song...
10eastTwinkle, Twinkle, Little StarFrench Folk Song / Jean-Philippe RameauBorn in 18th-century France, this piece is now…
11eastUnder the big chestnut treeBritish folk song“Under the Big Chestnut Tree” was bo(rn) in America...
12eastI accidentally broke the clarinet.French folk songI Broke My Clarinet (Clarine...
13eastBirdsongCatalan folk song“Song of the Birds” is Mr. Casals’s arrangement for cello…
14eastMayim MayimIsraeli folk song / Emanuel Amiran-PougatchovThe Israeli folk song “Mayim Mayim” is, in Japan…
15eastIf you’re happy and you know it, clap your handsSpanish Folk Song / Toshito KimuraThis song, loved around the world, is from Spain…
16eastThe railroad tracks go on forever.American folk songSung by American railroad construction workers…
17eastOklahoma Mixer (Turkey in the Straw)American folk songOklahoma Mixer (Turkey in the Straw)
18eastRain on the pondGerman folk song / August Heinrich HoffmannThis phrase, familiar from the Yamaha Music School commercials...
19eastFuniculi FuniculaNeapolitan folk song / Luigi Denza“Funiculì, Funiculà (Funiculi,…”
20eastBuzz buzz buzzBohemian Folk Song / Otto DreselThis piece, originally based on a folk song from the region of Bohemia, …
21eastHumpty DumptyBritish folk songThis song, widely beloved as a children's nursery rhyme, ...
22eastIevan PolkkaFinnish Folk Song / Eino Kettunen“Ievan Polkka (Ievan …”
23eastDanny BoyIrish folk song / Frederick Edward WeatherlyI keep thinking about my son who has left me...
24eastO Sole MioNeapolitan folk song / Alfredo Mazzucchi / Eduardo Di Capua“’O Sole Mio (My Sun) O sol…”
25eastO BureneliSwiss folk songThe cheerful Swiss-born children’s song “Oh Breneli”…
26eastForbidden Games (Romance of Love)Spanish folk songThis piece, characterized by its simple and beautiful melody, ...
27eastOn the Bridge of AvignonFrench folk songOn the Bridge of Avignon is an old Fran...
28eastKorobushkaRussian folk song"Korobushka (The Peddler)" is by the Russian poet...
29eastLet’s go to the forest.Polish folk song“Let’s go to the forest” is a Polish folk song “…
30eastDona DonaYiddish folk songA 1940 musical written in Yiddish...
31eastAloha ʻOeHawaiian Folk Song / Liliʻuokalani"Aloha Oe" (Aloha ʻOe) is a ha...
32eastKecak“Kecak” is an Indonesian...
33eastAll mothersAmerican folk songAmerican folk song “Old Gray Mare…”
34eastLovely AugustineAustrian folk songAustrian folk song “Dear Augustine…”