Soleram or Suliram[4] (also known as Soreram, or Suriram[5]) is a folk song from Riau, Indonesia[6][7][8] and Malaysia.[5] This song is melodious and sung in a gentle rhythm, with lyrics that are relatively short and easy to remember.[9][10]
The Soleram song has many variations in its lyrics. The song, thought to be a lullaby of the Malay people, may contain messages that parents want to convey to their children at bedtime, such as words of endearment, being modest and holding on to old friends.[11][12][13][14]
Soleram or Suliram is a traditional song of the Malay province of Riau[13][8] and Malaysia, it is a popular lullaby spelt Suriram.[5][15] The verses may be in the form of a Malay pantun with an ABAB rhyming scheme, there are, however, variations in lyrics and rhymes in different versions.
Surilam was recorded by the Malayan singer Miss Norlia in 1931.[1] During the peak of Malay cinema in Malaya in the 1950s and 1960s, there were two Malayan movies that recorded this song. The films are Batu Belah Batu Berttangkup in 1959[16] and Tun Fatimah in 1962.[17] It is one of the Malay folk songs that caught the international interest, notably since The Weavers (an American folk music quartet) recorded the song in 1949. It was later adapted by singers such as Pete Seeger[18][19][10] and Miriam Makeba in 1960.[20] In Indonesia, the song has been recorded by music groups such as Orkes Irama in 1965 and D'lloyd in 1970.[21] The song has been recorded in Malaysia by singers such as Dayang Nurfaizah and Siti Nurhaliza in albums of children's songs.[22]
There are many variations in the lyrics found in Indonesia and Malaysia, a version recorded by singers such as Pete Seeger and Miriam Makeba is as follows:[13]
Indonesian
Suliram, Suliram, ram, ram
Suliram yang manis
Aduhai indung seorang
Bijaklah sana dipandang manis
Tinggilah tinggi si matahari
Suliram, anaklah kerbau mati tertambat
Suliram, sudah lamalah saya mencari
Baru sekarang saya mendapat
English
Suliram, Suliram, ram, ram
Suliram, who is so sweet
Oh, whose child is this
So right to look so sweet
High, oh, high is the Sun
Suliram, the tethered calf of the buffalo has died
Suliram, long have I sought for you
But it's only now that I have you
Some versions popular in Indonesia are variants of the following:[23]
Indonesian
Soleram, Soleram
Soleram, anak yang manis
Anak manis janganlah dicium sayang
Kalau dicium merahlah pipinya
Satu, dua, Tiga dan empat
Lima, enam, tujuh delapan
Kalau tuan dapat kawan baru sayang
Kawan lama ditinggalkan jangan
English
Soleram, Soleram
Soleram, a child so sweet
Do not kiss, dear sweet child
If kissed, red will be the cheeks
One, two, three and four
Five, six, seven and eight
Should you find a new friend, my dear
Abandon not your old friends
^Mari Bersuka Ria dengan Irama Lenso (Media notes). Orkes Irama. Irama. 1965.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^20 Tembang Pilihan D'lloyd (Media notes). D'lloyd. D'lloyd. 1970.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
