Lao Folksongs & Lullabies

Lullabies (Listen to the song, click on the speaker icons.)

Lullaby from Grandpa Khen Somchinda (Northeast Thailand)

Dear Moon (sung and read by Dr. Wajuppa Tossa) Download Real Audio


*oe hoe oe hoe oe hoe oe (Refrain)	Oe hoe oe hoe oe hoe oe (Refrain)
Oh, Moon, May I have some rice and soup	Ee koeng eoy, kho khao, kho kaeng.
And brass rings to string around my baby sister’s neck.	Kho waen thong daeng khaen kho nong laa.
May I have elephants, horses, ducks, chickens, cows, and buffaloes.	Kho ch/saang, kho maa pet kai ngua khway.
May I also have a gold water scooper.	Kho ka-buay thong kham tak nam.
May I have roasted ground sticky rice for my precious sister.	Kho khao yam maa pon kon kham.
May I have Lam, the Isan folk opera, for my sister to enjoy.	Kho mo lam hai nong khoi boeng.
Oh, Dear Moon, I keep begging you.	Ee koeng eoy, tu khoi fao kho
*oe hoe oe hoe oe hoe oe hoe oey	Oe hoe oe hoe oe hoe oe hoe oey

Ghost Cats (sung and read by Dr. Wajuppa Tossa) Download Real Audio


*oe hoe oe hoe oe hoe oe (Refrain)	*oe hoe oe hoe oe hoe oe (Refrain)
Sleep my baby; close your eyes; a lullaby mama will sing.	non saa laa, lap taa mae si kom.
Mama goes to the farm and will come with roasted eggs;	mae pai hai, si mok khai ma ha;
Mama goes to the ricefield and will come with grilled fish;	mae pai naa, si mok paa maa pon;
Mama picks mulberry leaves to feed silkworms.	mae liang mon, khao paa suan mon.
If you don't sleep, ghost cats will bite your cheeks.	phai bo non maew, si kad kaem.
If you don't shut your eyes, tiny chicks will peck them.	phai bo aem, kai noi tod taa.
*oe hoe oe hoe oe hoe oe (Refrain)	*oe hoe oe hoe oe hoe oe (Refrain)
Sleep my baby; close your eyes; a lullaby mama will sing.	non saa laa, lap taa mae si kom.
Once you have enough sleep, mama will give you milk.	non im laew, chang khoi kin nom.
Jaenwaen Bird, have you seen our buffalo?	chaen waen oe, hen khway hao bo;
Yes, I have seen it in the old village hill.	hen la mae, ka yu non baan kao.
The old village is to be deserted, the old village of Nong Bua.	baan kao haang, baan kao nong bua.
The Nong Bua villagers have not migrated,	baan nong bua, khon khua bo laew.
But the Nong Kaew villagers did long ago.	baan nong kaew, khon laew tae don.
*oe hoe oe hoe oe hoe oe hoe oey.	*oe hoe oe hoe oe hoe oe hoe oey.

2. Wai Kruu Chant--to pay respect to all teachers--religious teachers, parents, teachers in schools, and others who teach us some things in our lives respectively. (sung and read by Dr. Wajuppa Tossa) Download Real Audio


ມາລາດວງດອກໄມ້ ໆ	maalaa duang dok mai (2)	Garlands and flowers (2)
ເອາຕັ້ງໄວ້ເພື່ອບູຊາ	oa tang wai phua buuchaa	We place for worship.
ຂອບູຊາຄຸນພະພຸດ ໆ	kho buuchaa khun pha phut (2)	We bow to Buddha (2)
ຜູ້ໄດ້ຕັດສະລູ້ມາ	phuu dai tatsaluu maa	Who attained enlightenment.
ຂອບູຊາຄຸນພະທຳ ໆ	kho buuchaa khun pha tham (2)	We bow to Dhamma (2)
ທີ່ໄດ້ນຳສັ່ງສອນມາ	phuu dai nam sang son maa	Which brings contentment.
ຂອບູຊາຄຸນພະສງ ໆ	kho buuchaa khun pha song (2)	We bow to Sanga (2)
ຜູ້ໄດ້ຊງພະວິນັຍ	phuu dai song pha winai	Who maintain disciplines.
ດ້ວຍຈິຕອັນນອບນ້ອມ ໆ	duay chit an nobnom (2)	We bow with humble mind, (2)
ພ້ອມດ້ວຍກາຍແລະວາຈາ	phom duay kai lae waachaa

3. Lao Folksongs

Seong Kho Fon/Rain Request Song--The Toad King, Phya Khan Khaak (sung and read by Dr. Wajuppa Tossa) Download Real Audio


Oh hao Oh hao Oh hao oh, Paad Thing tho Thaen Man Pen Hay	Oh, oh, what a woe! Thaen has been our foe,
Man Bo Hai Fon Thok Long Maa	For he refused to bestow rain to earth.
Maa Hao Maa Maa Su Kab Thaen	Come all of us. Let us go to fight Thaen.
Fung Mu Nan Tho Taen Phoeng Mim	From that crowd come wasps, hornets, and bees.
Naa Jim Lim Maen Kwang Thaa Ngaam	Those beautiful creatures are deer with bright eyes.
Lueng Alaam Thavabud Thavada	Those with golden bodies are beautiful angels or devata.
Fung Mu Nii Kop Ung Khiet Paad	This crowd of beings are frogs and toads of all kinds.
Ngaam Aad laad Khut Naak Sing To	Those dignified animals are garuda, naga, and lions.
Oh hao Oh hao Oh hao oh, Paad Thing tho Thaen Man Pen Hay	Oh, oh, what a woe! Thaen has been our foe,
Man Bo Hai Fon Thok Long Maa	For he refused to bestow rain to earth.
Maa Hao Maa Maa Su Kab Thaen	Come all of us. Let us go to fight Thaen.
Fung Mu Nan Mod Puag Maa Mii	Those approaching are woodmites, termites, dogs and bears.
Fung Mu Nii Hung Men Hen Sue	And these are eagles, porcupines, civet cats, and tigers.
Ngaam Lon Lue Kai Kaew Hong Thong	Those splendid creatures are pheasants and swans.
Khuk Kha Nong Ling Kang Saang Maa	Those cheerful creatures are apes, monkeys, elephants and horses.
Yu Thaang Naa Baang Lua Nok Khao	Those in the front row are flying lemurs and cuckoo birds.
Oh hao Oh hao Oh hao oh, Paad Thing tho Thaen Man Pen Hay	Oh, oh, what a woe! Thaen has been our foe,
Man Bo Hai Fon Thok Long Maa	For he refused to bestow rain to earth.
Maa Hao Maa Maa Su Kab Thaen	Come all of us. Let us go to fight Thaen.

Kon lam (ກອນລຳ) is composed to be sung with khaen (Lao wind musical instrument) accompaniment. This kind of folk singing is called lam (ລຳ) and the singer of this kind of songs is called mo lam (ຫມອລຳ). The verse for lam is similar to kaap or kon aan. There is no restriction on the number of line in a verse, but each verse must rhyme with the next internally and externally. Click on this speaker button to listen to sample clip,

Male singer: Moh Lam Thongkham Phengdii Female Singer: Moh Lam Chaweewan Damnoen

Lam Phoen, Lam Toey, Lam Doen (all songs are sung by Rang Si Man, Isan Opera Group.)

Lam Salawan Download MP3

Lam Ti Kong Nam Download MP3

Lam Manola Flying away Download MP3

Lam Naang Kaew Doen Dong Download MP3

Lam Ngew Tong Ton Download MP3

Chicken Song and Dog Song from Boontham Phengdii

Love song

Love song

4. Lao Rhymes

Games (sung by Dr. Wajuppa Tossa)

Rii Rii Khao Saan Download Real Audio

Toi Dok Khem Download Real Audio

Story (Told and sung by Dr. Wajuppa Tossa and Prasong Saihong) Download Real Audio

This story originally is form Chili, but it is retold in Lao Rhyme.

Traditional Music and Songs