Music Around the World: Mongolia

Sain uu, naizuud (Hello, my friends)! After a spontaneous interaction with a Mongolian boy at college, I started to be interested in the Mongolian language and culture. Although I was slightly interested in Mongolian music and the language in 2011, I did not devote as much time into learning about the language and the music. Instead, I devoted the majority of my time into perfecting my Russian language skills.

As I get through this pandemic and spend the majority of my free time lounging around at home, I am continuously on the hunt for new music, including songs in different languages. Occasionally, I relisten to some of the Mongolian songs that I found and enjoy before the pandemic began, and I would like to share some of them with you.

1. Goyo Goyo- A Mongolian Children's Song

Believe it or not, this was the first Mongolian song that I ever listened to. On one winter night in 2011, I was surfing the internet for some "new Asian music" as I was relaxing in my room after a long day of school. Since I was a child, I have been interested in Asian music, but I never encountered Mongolian music until that one night when I found this cute, animated Mongolian music video for children. When I want to revisit my childhood days or when I am having a "bad mental health day", I watch this video, because the colors, effects and the adorable animated characters cheer me up. I also enjoy giving this music video a watch when I am cooking in the kitchen, doing some artwork, doing a puzzle or when I am in bed vegetating for the night.

2. The Colors- Dangiin Daavuun Maihan (Cotton Tent)

As I was hanging out in the student lounge area at school one afternoon, I was searching for some uplifting, melodic and modern Mongolian music to listen to on YouTube. The Colors was the first modern and recent Mongolian band that I discovered in 2018, but did not listen to many of their songs until a year later.

On a cold, dark January night in my apartment, I gave this song a listen to. Once I listened to this modern, rock-pop hit on my iPhone, I could not stop listening to this song. I loved the music video because of its setting and what the artists wore in the video. I also loved how the music video had an old-fashioned effect, because not many music videos have the vintage effect that I frequently see in many of the music videos I watch. The drums and the mood in this song was also quite appealing to me.

Here is an older version of Dangiin Daavuun Maihan by Soyol Erdene (1975)

Asides from the funk, rock and 70's-80's music group Bayan Mongol, Soyol Erdene is my favourite 70's-80's Mongolian band, of all time. I did not know that Soyol Erdene also created Dangiin Daavuun Maihan until I discovered this adorable, romantic and peaceful music video on YouTube one October afternoon.

I love the petite, young and beautiful woman in the video. I admire her thick, onyx black and short hair, as well as the cultural garment that she wore in the video. She's cute as a little porcelain doll and totally reminds me of one of those dolls that you would see in an antique toy shop.

3. Aizam- Dursamj

When I came home after a long day of work, I was on YouTube to see what other Mongolian tunes I can become fixated on. After a long day of work, some days I just do not want to do anything except listen to music or watch YouTube videos, because I get exhausted from looking after kids and leading art classes all day. I was in the mood for some older rock and pop hits from Mongolia, so I spontaneously found this song and gave it a couple of listens in one day. That's how much I loved it, believe it or not! On another night after work, I would listen to it another two times as I was cooking dinner. I am a big rock music fanatic, so this was a great pick for me!

4. The Colors- Bodliin Gajuudald Tengerees Asgarah Odod (Mid Oddity)

This song brings me back to the good old pre-pandemic days! I first discovered this song on SoundCloud, which was where I would listen to most of the Mongolian songs when I could not access WiFi. On my nature walks, at the grocery store, in the mall, at a cafe or when I would ride the public transit to go meet a friend, I would give this song a listen. I love that this song puts me in a serene and positive state, and the singers voice is just magnificent. If I ever want some slow but modern, uplifting and funky music to listen to, this is the song that I would choose!

5. Bayan Mongol- Ekhiin tukhai duu (Song of Mother)

This is one of the classic Bayan Mongol's hits that I discovered and first listened to in the spring of 2019. As I was searching for some more Mongolian funk and rock-pop music, I came across a collection of Bayan Mongol's songs. Ekhiin tukhai duu, which means song of mother in Mongolian, was one of the top songs that I enjoyed listening to around that time period. I was even grateful and fortunate enough to find it on SoundCloud, so I can listen to it on my walks or if I was out in the community and couldn't access WiFi. This song brings me comfort when I am taking a shower, when I feel blue or upset or when I am just in the best state of mind to feel the melodic and romantic beat and dance.

6. Tumendemberel- Usny Tungalag Tamiryn Gol (Clear Water, Tamir River)

This is quite an oldie, for those who grew up around that era in Mongolia! This is one of my all-time favourite "older songs" by Tumendemberel who was a Mongolian singer, who sang many classic Mongolian songs with a folk twist. This song brings me a sense of calm and is a good song choice for when I am relaxing in bed, taking a shower, eating dinner, writing or doing some artwork. This song has also shined a tremendous amount of light to some of my darkness moments, as I truly necessitate during these times. There are moments in which I feel depressed, angry, hurt, frustrated, upset, disappointed and experience cabin fever, so this song helps me regulate and heal me from all the inner wounds.

Any other thoughts?!

Of course, there are a million Mongolian songs by Bayan Mongol, The Colors and Soyol Erdene that I really value and enjoy listening to regularly. To avoid repeating myself on the same artists, I chose to do these six classic, uplifting, comforting, joyful, tranquil and pleasant songs that I have been listening to since 2019 (except for the children's song that I posted above).

I just wanted to show you a small collection of my favourite Mongolian songs, to not only help you survive this awful plague, but to also share my love and passion for the Mongolian language and culture. My love for the Mongolian language and culture has not stopped, even though I take breaks from studying the Mongolian language and culture to concentrate on other hobbies and subjects of interest like the Russian culture and language. There are multiple ways for me to learn and retain a language, with music being one of the most effective learning methods for me. As I have explained in previous blogs, I am a big music fanatic and can never survive without a playlist of good tunes. Listening to music in different languages helps me remember the pronounciation of each of the words that I am learning in each language. I also have the opportunity to explore artists from different cultures and eras, which I have also been most passionate about these days.

For anyone who has a penchant for Asian music, culture and languages, give these songs a listen to. Mongolian language, culture and music may not be your "cup of tea", but for those who do, please feel free to give this blog a read and enjoy some of the songs I posted.

Take care, stay safe and happy holidays to all of my viewers and friends on Vocal! Bayartai (Goodbye)!