haaramoniyam bajaayaa, tabalaa bajaayaa
ye bhi bajaayaa, aur vo bhi bajaayaa, magar afasos
gaanaa naa aayaa bajaanaa naa aayaa
dilabar ko apanaa banaanaa naa aayaa
gaanaa naa aayaa bajaanaa naa aayaa
dilabar ko apanaa banaanaa naa aayaa

haan, kahi sa hai, kahi re hai, kahi ga-ma-pa-dha-ni hai
kahi baageshvari ki bahen, kahin jayajayavanti ki naani hai, aaaaaa
ye bojhaa saat suro kaa hamase, baapare
uthataa bhi to kyo uthataa haan, haan
hame ek sur bhi hilanaa naa aayaa
hame ek sur bhi hilanaa naa aayaa
dilabar ko apanaa banaanaa naa aayaa
gaanaa naa aayaa bajaanaa naa aayaa
dilabar ko apanaa banaanaa naa aayaa
gaanaa naa aayaa bajaanaa naa aayaa
dilabar ko apanaa banaanaa naa aayaa

are dhat tere ki, sadak tedhi desi raag ki eee eeeeee
chal modale tamatam vu, vu hu
gale ko garam karale vu, vu, aahaahaa
gale ko karam karale, chhod angrezi me ek aitam,
haan angrezi me ek aitam, haan
tattata pappapa tattata, tattata pappapa tattata
oh maay sitaa, papalu papitaa, ek hi to gitaa
soniye soniye goriye gaane diye boriye, haah haah
kaash mai jaa sakataa ladana, helo sara, haau aar yu
heh heh, kaash mai jaa sakataa ladana
sikh ke aataa vahaase vaayalin, vuhu vuhu
thri blaaind maais, thri blaaind maais
si haau de ran, si haau de ran
rope poraay kore povare, rope poraay kore povare
afasos, afasos afasos
afasos lekin, o jaaneman ai jaaneman

kaate chhuri se khaanaa naa aayaa
kaate chhuri se khaanaa naa aayaa
dilabar ko apanaa banaanaa naa aayaa
dilabar ko apanaa banaanaa naa aayaa
gaanaa naa aayaa, bajaanaa naa aayaa
are ye nahi aayaa, are vo nahi aayaa
ganaa naa aayaa bajaanaa naa aayaa
gaanaa bajaanaa, bajaanaa aur gaanaa
yaa-aaaa yaa yaa yaahu, kukudu ku kudu

I played the harmonium, the tabla too,
This one, that one, all I tried to do,
Yet alas, a song I could not coax,
Nor play a tune, nor find the golden hoax
Of claiming her, my love, my only prize.
A song unformed, reflected in my eyes.

Yes, Sa resides, and Re, a rising scale,
Somewhere Bageshwari’s arms, a sweet exhale,
And Jaijaivanti's echo, a whispered name,
The burden of the seven notes, a burning flame.
Why should it lift, this weight upon my chest?
Even a single note, I could not invest.
I could not stir a single, tiny sound,
And her, I could not claim, on hallowed ground.
A song unformed, reflected in my eyes.

Damn it all, the road, a crooked, native strain,
Turn the cart around, ease my pain,
Warm up the throat, prepare to sing,
Forget the English, the songs it brings.
An item in English, I might embrace,
Tat-pap-tat, a mocking, empty space.
Oh my Sita, papaya sweet,
The Gita, one and the same, incomplete.
Soniye, Soniye, fair of face,
Songs that bore, at a relentless pace.
If only I could go to London, "Hello Sir, how are you?"
Ha, ha, If only I could go to fight.
Learn the violin there, with all my might,
Three blind mice, three blind mice,
See how they run, see how they run.
Rope poray kore povare, rope poray kore povare.
Alas, alas, alas, the bitter sting,
Alas, my love, oh my beloved, my everything.

Forks and knives, I could not wield,
Forks and knives, upon the field,
Of claiming her, my love, my only prize.
A song unformed, reflected in my eyes.
A song unformed, reflected in my eyes.
I failed, I failed, in every deed,
A song unsung, a silent seed.
Singing, playing, playing, and singing,
Ya-aa-ah, ya ya yahu, kukaroon koo koon.