The Song Olympics is a collection of music, one song from each country on the planet. The list is the current member list of the United Nations. Although impossible to judge, each song should somehow best represent its country and I want your opinion on this, is there a better song to represent a given country. This is especially difficult as each country can have dozens of social and musical cultures, and selection of a song from one culture does not imply its superiority over any other. in some cases, I have only been able to track down 1 song from some countries, and I am still looking for songs from some countries. Your help in tracking down these songs is appreciated. Please email me at joshronsen (at) yahoo (dot) com with information and opinions, and please let me know if you want your opinions off the Opinions Page.
I am an experimental musicin living in Austin, Texas and I am interested in a wide variety of sounds and noises. -Josh Ronsen
Last Updated: 21 May 2008
| country | title | artist(s) | album/label info |
| Afghanistan | Mahali I | Aziz Herawi | Master Of Afghani Lutes |
| Albania | himarioce | ? Male Chorus | |
| Algeria | Par | Cheb Mami | |
| Andorra | |||
| Angola | Olye Wetchitola | Akapaná | |
| Antigua and Barbuda | |||
| Argentina | Shaman's song | [Selknam] | Voices of the World |
| Armenia | Dance Melody | Kalaschjan | Traditional Music from Armenia |
| Australia | |||
| Austria | |||
| Azerbaijan | Tello | ? | Azerbaijan - Women's Love & Life |
| Bahamas | Don't Call Me Tomatoe | ? | ? |
| Bahrain | Nahhami (rowing song) | ? | |
| Bangladesh | |||
| Barbados | |||
| Belarus | |||
| Belgium | |||
| Belize | Busigan - Parranda Dance | Garifuna | Voices of Forgotten Worlds |
| Benin | Yaki Yaki | Angelique Kidjo | Oremi |
| Bhutan | Ling Sho La | Jigme Drukpa | |
| Bolivia | Carnaval song, pujllay warns | [Llamero] | Voices of the World |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Sastali Se Capak I Fatari | ? | World Library of Folk and Primitive Music V. 5 |
| Botswana | Setapa | ? | Traditional Songs & Dances From Africa |
| Brazil | Ma | Tom Ze | |
| Brunei Darussalam | |||
| Bulgaria | Krasimir Kyu | ? | |
| Burkina Faso | Fabara | Badenya Les Fréres Coulibaly | Seniwe |
| Burundi | "Whispered" song, inanga | ? | Voices of the World |
| Cambodia | sat tee touy (look at the owl) | ? | Cambodian Cassette Archive |
| Cameroon | Esua | Kotto Bass | |
| Canada | Three throat-game songs, katajjaq | [Inuit] | Voices of the World |
| Cape Verde | |||
| Central African Republic | Eci Ameya (song for cult of twins) | ? | |
| Chad | Song and one-string fiddle | Tibesti [Teda] | Voices of the World |
| Chile | Dear Friend Bob | Los Mac's | Pepperisms: Around the World |
| China | Sishang Xiang | Tu Chunxi | |
| Colombia | |||
| Comoros | Hima | Nawal | Putumayo presents Women of Africa |
| Congo, Republic of the | Lusamba | Nyboma | |
| Costa Rica | |||
| Cτte d'Ivoire | Odile | Kebess | |
| Croatia | Krcki Tanac | ? | World Library of Folk and Primitive Music V. 5: Yugoslavia |
| Cuba | Se Me Fue | ? | |
| Cyprus | |||
| Czech Republic | The Newcomer | Karel Velebny & SHQ | Between or beyond the Iron Curtain |
| Democratic People's Republic of Korea | Buddhist psalmody, pompa'e | ? | Voices of the World - An Anthology of Vocal Expression - Techniques |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | |||
| Denmark | I guds frånvaro | Blå Tåget | 1969-1974 |
| Djibouti | |||
| Dominica | |||
| Dominican Republic | |||
| Ecuador | Women's chorus, ujaj | Shuar [Jivaro] | Voices of the World |
| Egypt | Dzikra Saad | Oum Kaltsoum | Anthologie de la Musique Arabe, Vol 2 |
| El Salvador | |||
| Equatorial Guinea | |||
| Eritrea | (festival music) | ? | |
| Estonia | Flat-Foot Waltz | Cätlin Jaago / Jakob Kilst | Estonian Traditional Music 200 |
| Ethiopia | Mekeyershin Salawq | Alemayehu Eshete | Ethiopeques Vol 9 |
| Fiji | |||
| Finland | *Kruunupyyn Katrilli | JPP | Devil's Polska |
| France | Bouge De Là | MC Solaar | Qui Sème Le Vent Récolte Le Tempo |
| Gabon | Le Chant du Coupeur D'okoumé | Akendengue | |
| Gambia | Fayunkunko | Alhaji Bai Konte | Kora Melodies from Gambia |
| Georgia | supruli (table song) | ? | |
| Germany | |||
| Ghana | Damba Takai | ? | |
| Greece | Kasapiko | Tsomidis | Nonesuch LP |
| Grenada | Hooray, Irena | Jean Glaud & Chorus | Grenada, Creole and Yoruba Voices |
| Guatemala | |||
| Guinea | Kayra Bari | Sidi Mamadi | |
| Guinea-Bissau | Fidjus Di Guiné Foronta | Manecas Costa | fundo di matu |
| Guyana | |||
| Haiti | Cape Hatian | Sen Franswa Di Prye Fo | |
| Honduras | Song with mirliton | [Miskito] | |
| Hungary | |||
| Iceland | Vera mátt gó›ur | Rammislensk | |
| India | Raga Kirvani | L. Subramaniam | |
| Indonesia | Ayun Anak | Kutai | Kalimantan Strings |
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | Dastgah Segah | Faramarz Payvar | |
| Iraq | Awshar | Muni Bashir | |
| Ireland | jig on a jew's harp | ? | Voices of the World |
| Israel | |||
| Italy | La bottega di filosofia | Ivano Fossati | Lampo Viaggiatore |
| Jamaica | |||
| Japan | Otokomai | Kyoto Nohgaku Kai | |
| Jordan | Mihbash | ? | |
| Kazakhstan | Ayraukh | D. Mykhtybaev | The Secret Museum of Mankind - Central Asia Classics 1925-1948 |
| Kenya | Praise of Allah | ? | Voices of the World |
| Kiribati | |||
| Kuwait | Fouad Burban El Amaria | Abdul El Fadallah | |
| Kyrgyzstan | |||
| Lao People's Democratic Republic | Tsnuab Nplooj | Boua Xou Mua | Music of the Hmong People of Laos |
| Latvia | |||
| Lebanon | Haneen Wa Hanaan | Rabih Abou-Khalil | |
| Lesotho | Setsepise Ngoanan | Aliwal North Sesuto Choir | Secret Museum Of Mankind Vol 5 |
| Liberia | |||
| Libyan Arab Jamahiriya | Saadaoudi | Khamous & Bougadi | |
| Liechtenstein | |||
| Lithuania | Reinlender | Vägilased | Viljandi Folk 2002 Live |
| Luxembourg | |||
| Macedonia, The former Yugoslav Republic of | Dva Kola | ? | World Library of Folk and Primitive Music V. 5: Yugoslavia |
| Madagascar | Curing song | [Antandroy] | Voices of the World |
| Malawi | Atshakongwe Wamwe | Nyasa farmworkers | Africa Dances |
| Malaysia | |||
| Maldives | |||
| Mali | *Gnele | Issa Bagayogo | |
| Malta | Ix Xieh U Ix Xieha | Rosina Xiberres | Secret Museum Of Mankind Vol 5 |
| Marshall Islands | |||
| Mauritania | Waidalal Waidalal | Khalifa Ould Eide & Dimi Mint | Moorish Music From Mauritania |
| Mauritius | |||
| Mexico | La Visita | Joaquín Bautista | The Real Mexico in Music and Song |
| Micronesia, Federated States of | |||
| Moldova | Batuta din Budeni | ? | Romanian Folkmusic and Dances |
| Monaco | |||
| Mongolia | Tchogtchin Qural | Erdeni Zuu Monastery | |
| Montenegro | |||
| Morocco | Second song performed by Berber street musicians | Sufi Brotherhoods & Street musicians, Tarodannt | Dances And Trances: Sufi Rites And Berber Music |
| Mozambique | Xikongolotana | Amoya | |
| Myanmar | mu nohn taan | nan phin sar | Folk & Pop Music of Myanmar Vol. 2 |
| Namibia | Curing song, n/om tzísí | [Bochiman Ju-'hoansi] | Voices of the World |
| Nauru | |||
| Nepal | Snake Charmer | Vallo Geet | |
| Netherlands | Indianen | Fragten | |
| New Zealand | maori song | ? | Primitive Music Of The World (Folkways fe 4581 2 lp) |
| Nicaragua | |||
| Niger | Guerewol Fete (courtship song) | ? | |
| Nigeria | Gra Gra | Lagbaja | |
| Norway | Memories Of Norway | Trân Quang Haï | Jew's Harp Of The World |
| Oman | |||
| Pakistan | Maki Madni | Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan | |
| Palau | |||
| Panama | flute music | Cuna Indians | primitive music of the world |
| Papua New Guinea | Aheyalo song | [Kaluli] | Voices of the World |
| Paraguay | Ritual of the origins | [Tomaraho] | Voices of the World |
| Peru | Sonido Amazonico | Los Mirios | The Roots Of Chicha: Psychedelic Cumbias From Peru |
| Philippines | |||
| Poland | A Day in the City | Wojciech Karolak | Between or beyond the Iron Curtain |
| Portugal | Canção da beira | Janita Salomé | Cantar a Lúa |
| Qatar | Qum Na Dimi | Mohammed Saleh | |
| Republic of Korea | Mehwa Taryong | Yi Kum Mi | |
| Romania | Din Zori de zi si Joc Barbate | ? | La Tradition de Transylvanie |
| Russian Federation | ? | Mitya Busilov & Siberian Gypsies | russian gypsy soul |
| Rwanda | Rubyiruko | Cecile Kayirebwa | |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | Bear Away, Yankee, Bear Away Boy | ? | Nevis & St. Kitts |
| Saint Lucia | |||
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | |||
| Samoa | |||
| San Marino | |||
| Sao Tome and Principe | |||
| Saudi Arabia | |||
| Senegal | Tormondon | Toure Kunda | |
| Serbia | Lazaricke Obredne Pesme | ? | World Library of Folk and Primitive Music 5 |
| Seychelles | |||
| Sierra Leone | Gewoh Salone Mehum Gbay | S. E. Rogie | |
| Singapore | |||
| Slovakia | Ked Nestaci Uz Pivo | Konflikt | |
| Slovenia | Metliski Most | ? | |
| Solomon Islands | Guadalcanal Women's song, rope repertoire | ? | Voices of the World |
| Somalia | Indo Ashak | Waaberi | |
| South Africa | Jesu O Tsohile | Seipati | |
| Spain | A Quien Tanto He Querido | Manolo Garcia | Arena en los Bolsillos |
| Sri Lanka | Ceremonial Song | Vedda | primitive music of the world |
| Sudan | Anâ Batrâki (I am under your spell) | Abdel Gadir Salim | Blues in Khartoum |
| Suriname | Dasi anana keduaman keduampon | ? | |
| Swaziland | |||
| Sweden | Jag saknar dig | Gunnar Wiklund | Klassiker |
| Switzerland | |||
| Syrian Arab Republic | Ya Albi Keef Ja Fak | Youssef Harb | Secret Museum Of Mankind Vol 5 |
| Tajikistan | Khar-Shabi | T. Fazylova | The Secret Museum of Mankind - Central Asia Classics 1925-1948 |
| Tanzania, United Republic of | Sote Tulifurahia Kama Siku Ya Arusi | [Wagogo] | Voices of Forgotten Worlds - Traditional Music Of Indigenous Peoples |
| Thailand | Mai Ow Mai Ow | Gawow Seungthong | |
| Timor-Leste | |||
| Togo | Five Proverbs (1905) | Okofu (Twi Language Drummer) | Wax Cylinder Recordings 1893-1954 |
| Tonga | |||
| Trinidad and Tobago | Congo Bara | Keskidee Trio | |
| Tunisia | Mawwal 2 | ? | The Music of Islam Vol.8: Folkloric Music of Tunisia |
| Turkey | Aksak Semai | Kudsi & Soleyman Erguner | |
| Turkmenistan | Yatan Borip | Rustam Bairamov | Songs of Turkmenistan |
| Tuvalu | Singing game and dance song | ? | Voices of the World |
| Uganda | Kasambajiro | Samite | |
| Ukraine | The Red Mountain Ash | ? | Songs of the Earth - Astonishing and Rare Voices |
| United Arab Emirates | |||
| United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | |||
| United States of America | Ghosts | Albert Ayler | Love Cry (Impulse) |
| Uruguay | |||
| Uzbekistan | Uzbekiston Dyorim | A. Mirzaeva | Secret Museum of Mankind: Central Asia |
| Vanuatu | |||
| Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of | Tonada del Cabrestrero | Simon Diaz | El Disco de Venezuela - Vol 01 |
| VietNam | Hat Du | Co Ba Thinh | |
| Yemen | Mutawal | ? | Yemen - Music Of The North |
| Zambia | Banakatekwe | Stephen Tsotsi Kasumali | Origins of Guitar Music in southern Congo & northern Zambia |
| Zimbabwe | Magariro | Thomas Mapfumo | |
brekekekexkoaxkoax mail art monk mink pink punk frequency curtain purrfect sounds austinnitus gates ensemble pierre boulez project john cage links austin new music co-op dumitrescu & avram info garnish off our plates!