Balinese folk songs – Traditional songs are a very valuable heritage from the ancestors of the Indonesian nation. It is our responsibility as the next generation to preserve regional cultural products, including traditional songs.
Regional songs as a whole in the Indonesian region total approximately 439 with lyrics using the language of their respective regions. However, even though they use different regional languages, it cannot be denied that a regional song can become very popular throughout Indonesia.
This can happen because folk songs are hereditary and have simple lyrics. That way, folk songs are easy to memorize. Usually, the folk songs reflect nature or the life of the people of that area.
In addition to traditional musical instruments, Balinese regional art also includes sounds in the form of songs, songs, and Balinese folk songs. These arts have a full role in many aspects of life in Balinese society, ranging from daily entertainment, moral values, to art accompaniment and also traditional ceremonies.
Balinese folk songs have many kinds, the strains of traditional Balinese musical instruments also have certain characteristics. That way, it is able to create an archipelago culture that really needs to be preserved. Balinese folk songs are part of a cultural form that contains very high artistic value. The form of the song is also very diverse, ranging from children’s songs, kidung, or geguritan which is commonly known as pupuh.
Moreover, Balinese folk songs also depict the noble values of the Balinese people and social life. Like traditional songs in general, Balinese folk songs will also be sung when Balinese people are carrying out traditional ceremonies or when holding art performances.
Each song must contain moral messages that the songwriter wants to convey, although not a few use ancient Javanese or Balinese, making it difficult for the current generation to understand. To get to know folk songs, you can understand them through their characteristics. The following are the characteristics of regional songs.
Characteristics of Regional Songs
- Tells about the environmental conditions and culture of the local community which are usually influenced by local customs.
- Its nature is simple, so that learning folk songs does not require in-depth musical knowledge, such as reading or writing musical notes.
- Usually, the author of the song is rarely known.
- Contains a variety of life values, elements of social togetherness, and harmony with the surrounding environment.
- It is difficult for someone from another area to sing because of a lack of mastery of the local dialect/language so that their appreciation becomes less than optimal.
- Contains unique and distinctive values of life.
So that you get to know Balinese culture better through the lyrics of Balinese folk songs, we can listen to a list of Balinese folk songs along with the meanings of the songs below.
Balinese Song Lyrics
Meyang-meyong Song
Song Lyrics Meyang-meyong
Meow-meow,
Transfer je bikule,
Bikul is big and big,
Buin jumps around,
Kereng messages make a mess
Meyang-meyong song meaning
The meaning of the song is that the Balinese folk song entitled Meyang-Meyong is related to cats. In the song it is told that there is a cat trying to catch a mouse. This Balinese folk song can also be introduced to children, so that it can broaden their knowledge about Balinese folk songs.
Princess Cening Ayu
Cening Ayu song lyrics
Putri cening ayu ngijeng cening jumah,
Wide meme embarrassing to be tired of shopping,
Do you have rice cake
Putri cening ayu ngijeng cening jumah,
Wide meme embarrassing to be tired of shopping,
Do you have rice cake
The meme of the pole girding nongos ngijeng jumah,
While mangempu invites the dots,
I’m pressed to make me gapgapin
The meme of the pole girding nongos ngijeng jumah,
While mangempu invites the dots,
I’m pressed to make me gapgapin
Putri cening ayu ngijeng cening jumah,
Wide meme embarrassing to be tired of shopping,
Do you have rice cake
Princess Cening Ayu, Cening Jumah,
Princess Cening Ayu, Cening Jumah
Cening Ayu Song Meaning
The meaning of the Balinese folk song entitled Putri Cening Ayu is to tell about a mother and her child. Where the mother asks her child to just wait at home while the mother goes to the market to shop. Another meaning of this song is that as parents, we need to give children freedom so they can find their own identity.
Hurry up
Speed up lyrics
Jani m’lati jammed – hurry up,
Nanging limane tusing dadi matiang,
Sejaba ento mekajang dadi,
Nyenje loses to the gedhing prank
The meaning of the song Hurry up
The Balinese folk song entitled Mecepet-cepetan has a meaning that tells that the Balinese are people who are fast, agile, and responsive in every action they take.
When sung, this Balinese folk song is accompanied by a stomping and vibrant traditional musical instrument. This Balinese folk song can also be an encouraging song in carrying out daily activities by the Balinese people.
Queen Anom
Queen Anom song lyrics
Ratu anom metengi meilen-ilen
Ratu anom meilen-ilen
Dong pirengang munyin sulinge at jaba
Dong pirengang munyin sulinge at jaba
Enyen ento distills in the middle jaba
Enyen ento distills in the middle jaba
Gusti Ngurah Alit Jambe Pemecutan
Gusti Ngurah Alit Jambe Pemecutan
Meaning of Queen Anom Song
The Balinese folk song entitled Ratu Anom means that we humans should always be confident. Moreover, in living this life. This song is generally sung by children with the aim of encouraging various activities so they don’t become lazy people.
Prince
Song Lyrics of the Prince
Jangi Janger, sengsenge sengseng janger,
Sengsenge sengseng janger.
Serere nyo mane nyore
Kelap kelap kelap ngalap bunga
Langsing lanjar pamulune nyandat ivory
Saluat jani jangeran
Seriang nudges rora roti
Arasijak Jangi Janger
Arasijak Jangi Janger
Arasijak Jangi Janger
Arasijak Jangi Janger
Prince Meaning
This Balinese folk song has a meaning that invites its listeners to dance and forget all sadness. The moral value of this song is that we don’t need to be sad and look for entertainment so we can forget about it.
Tresna Mejohan
Mejohan Song Lyrics
As deep as the sky is as deep as white,
Tresnan, you can buy
without buying, life feels lonely,
Yadiastun, distance and time,
Tiang Tsing cares
Mejohan Song Meaning
Tresna Mejohan is a Balinese folk song that tells about someone who is in love. This meaning is in accordance with the lyrics of the song, namely ‘half the sky is seda pasih tresna pole ken beli’, which means as high as the sky, as deep as the ocean of my love for you. Wow, how romantic, huh.
Bali dance
Balinese Dance Song Lyrics
Loud cheers and loud sounds
of various kinds of loud dancing
Through the gate decorated with banners
Riding in a golden horse-drawn carriage
Balinese Dance Song Meaning
Can Sinaumed’s guess what this Balinese folk song is about? This Balinese folk song entitled Balinese Dance tells about the beauty of Balinese dance. As is well known, dance from Bali is one of the most famous traditional dances, even famous abroad, apart from the saman dance.
Aunt Rangda
Rangda song lyrics
Aunt lipsangda apang durus karyan auntie aunt
Mejauman kelod jumah dane jegeg lesenng
Suba finger keto pole ngaba aled munyi
Sesangan kaon jaja sirat keluban durian
Rangda song meaning
Many people associate the area of Bali with the title Bibi Rangda like the Lingsir Wengi song from Java because it has a mystical nuance. In fact, this Balinese folk song is a spiritual song that used to be sung by children during the Mejauman ceremony. The word ‘Aunty’ in the lyrics of this song is a nickname for women or ladies-in-waiting during the royal period. While the word ‘rangda’ is a term for a widowed woman who comes from the Tri Wangsa group.
Dadong Dauh
Dadong Dauh Lyrics
Dadong is ready
to go
white
.
Dadong Dauh Song Meaning
This Balinese folk song is a folk song that is included in the category of children’s songs. This song tells about a grandmother who raises a chicken that has many eggs. Then, came a group of children who wanted to take the eggs.
Cool
Ngusak Asik Song Lyrics
Cai ketut demai riot
Bas kaliwat cai ngawe hurt
Cang sing demen
Ngidih olas ketut pang enggal megedi
The meaning of the song Ngusak Asik
This Balinese folk song tells of a love story between a man and a woman. This Balinese folk song has the right tempo with a joyful tone. Like most Balinese folk songs, this song also uses a lot of syncope and repetition of rhythm patterns.
Scatterer
Scatter song lyrics
Scatter interpreter, scatter interpreter
Mai is walking looking for cool ebe
Be big, big big
Disawani ajake liu
Be big, big and big
Disawani ajake liu
Scatter Song Meaning
This Balinese folk song is one of the regional songs which is very popular among the people of the coastal areas. Where, this song contains meaning about coastal life where most of the people work as fishermen.
Sandy Flower
Sandat Flower Song Lyrics
Yen gumanti bajang tanbinaya shoots of nedeng kembang,
Disubaye withered tan ade ngarungwang ngemasin mekutang,
Becik carries out de gumanti to become a star flower,
Mentik dirurunge makejang bangs raris kaentungang…
To I, the young men and women work on each other,
Toya, holding sauripe’s bones, acts as a becik,
The young men and women work on each other’s love and care,
Meyama belays to kukuhin rahayu kepanggih…
Becik performs de gumanti as a star flower,
Mentik in a maze of majesty smothers raris keentungang…
To I have a relationship with Selayulayulayune sandat,
Toya with sauripe’s bones acts as a becik,
The army officers teach each other how to care for each other,
Meyama is working to kukuhin rahayu kepanggih…
Meaning of the Sandat Flower Song
This Balinese folk song sung by AA Made Cakra is a popular song in Bali. The singer is also a phenomenal singer in Bali. Sandat flower means ylang flower, which is often included in several traditional ceremonies in Bali and is also used as an ornamental plant.
God Ayu
Dewa Ayu song lyrics
Dewa ayu yes, dewa ayu
Margi I Ratu mesolah mesolah mabulu wangsul
Hulu hulu wangsul yes, hulu hulu wangsul
.
Meaning of Dewa Ayu Song
The song Dewa Ayu is also the most famous song in Bali. Maybe because the lyrics of this song are very short and also very easy to sing. The lyrics of the song Dewa Ayu tell about the god of belief of the Balinese people.
Those are various kinds of Balinese folk song lyrics along with explanations of their meanings. Hopefully it can increase your insight and increase knowledge about the rich culture and literature of Indonesia.
Regional Song Book Recommendations
If you want to know more about folk songs, especially Balinese folk songs, you can read books on folk songs. The following are folk song books that you can read, among others.
1. Complete Collection of Regional Songs
Indonesia is very famous for its various cultural diversity. One culture that is very prominent is the regional songs that are owned by each province in Indonesia. These folk songs are not only listened to, but have also become the identity and identity of a region in Indonesia.
This book contains more than 200 folk songs from various provinces in Indonesia. This book is also equipped with number notes, lyrics, and guitar chords. Not to forget, in this book of folk song lyrics there is also information about the folk songs. So, this book is very suitable not only for students, but also for the general public.
2. Complete 127 National and Regional Songs
In addition to the lyrics of regional songs which are very diverse in language, Indonesia also has a national anthem that is able to foster a person’s sense of nationalism to love the country of Indonesia.
This book of national and regional song lyrics contains a complete set of 127 national and regional songs. Through this book, you can not only know folk songs, but also national songs that you don’t know yet.
3. Master Book of Compulsory National & Regional Songs
This Master Book of Compulsory Songs for National and Regional Songs contains a very complete collection of national and regional songs. This book is very suitable for elementary, junior high and junior high school students who are memorizing regional songs and national songs.
4. Best Collection of Compulsory & Regional Songs
This book of the Best Collection of Compulsory & Regional Songs contains the lyrics of well-known obligatory and regional songs, such as Bungong Jeumpa, kicr-kicir, ondel-ondel, bubuy Bulan, and also Jali-jali songs. This book is suitable for elementary, middle and high school students.
5. 101 Compulsory and Regional Songs
This book contains various obligatory national songs as well as regional songs that are spread throughout the archipelago. With a total of 101 songs, this book will introduce children to the variety of cultures in Indonesia, and can foster a sense of love for the motherland and pride in being Indonesian citizens from an early age. This book contains songs such as Indonesia Raya, Bagimu Negeri, Kicir-Kicir, and so on.
6. Complete Collection of Regional & National Compulsory Songs
An expression of love for the motherland is summed up in so many works, one of which is song lyrics. Each region in Indonesia has its own regional songs which, if sung, will create a feeling of affection and longing for the motherland for a nomad. This book contains a complete set of regional songs as well as national obligatory songs.
You can learn not only Balinese folk songs. You can also learn various folk songs from other provinces in Indonesia. You can immediately order these books at sinaumedia.com .
So, those are various collections of Balinese folk songs along with some recommendations for folk song lyric books that you can study to add to your insight about Balinese folk song lyrics. That way you can #MoreWithReading about Balinese folk songs which have lots of messages and meanings implied in them.
Author: Nurul Ismi Humairoh
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