Tintinnabulum
Adiemus & Karl Jenkins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ei, ei ma ka ma ya.
a ma di ei.
a ma bi ei.
a ma di ei.
a ma bi ei.
Ei ma ka ma ya.
a ma di ei.
a ma bi ei.
a ma di ei.
a ma bi ei.
Ei, ei ma ka ma ya
Ei, ei ma ka ma ya
a ma di ei.
a ma bi ei.
a ma di ei.
a ba di a ma.
A ma ka aya
A, a ma di aya
a be di a
a ke ma ya
a be di a
a ke ma ya we
REFRAIN:
a ke ma ya we
a ba di a, a be di a, a be di a, a be di a
a be di a, a be di a, a be di a, a be di a
Ei, ei ma ka ma ya
Ei, ei ma ka ma ya
a ma di ei
a ma bi ei
a ma bi ei
a ba di a ma
a ma ka aya
a, a ma di aya
a ba da yei
a ke ma ya
a be di a
a ke ma ya we
[REFRAIN]
Stick:
e mus. a di e mus. a di e-ah
e mus. a di e mus. a di e-ah
e mus. a di e mus. a di e-ah
e mus. a di e mus. a di e-ah
a ki ma na ma we na ma la tis
a ki ma na ma we na ma la tis
a ki ma na ma we na ma la tis
a ki ma na ma we na ma la tis
4x:
a ya ma ye ka ma
(a ya ma yei!)
a ya ma ye ka
(a ya ma yei!)
a...
ei, ei ma ka ma ya
ei, ei ma ka ma ya
a ba di ei
a ma bi ei
a ma bi ei
a ba di a ma
a ma ka aya
a, a ma di aya
a be di a
a ke ma ya
a be di a
a ke ma ya we
[REFRAIN]
ei, ei ma ka ma ya
ei, ei ma ka ma ya
a ma di ei
a ma bi ei
a ma bi ei
a ba di a ma
a ma ka aya
a, a ma di aya
a be da yei
a ke ma ya
a be di a
a ke ma ya we
[REFRAIN]
[Stick]
[Cascaded]
a ki ma na ma we na ma la tis
a ki ma na ma we na ma la tis
a ki ma na ma we na ma la tis
a ki ma na ma we na ma la tis
a ki ma na ma we na ma la tis
a ki ma na ma we na ma la tis
a ki ma na ma we na ma la tis
a ki ma na ma we na ma la tis
a ki ma na ma we na ma la tis
4x:
a ya ma ye ka ma
(a ya ma yei!)
a ya ma ye ka
(a ya ma yei!)
Repeat until end:
ei ma ka ma amaka baya ha bai ei...
The lyrics to Adiemus & Karl Jenkins's song Tintinnabulum are sung in a made-up language, known as Adiemus. Thus, it is not supposed to be understood in a literal sense. Rather, the language serves as a way to add rhythmic and melodic elements to the song, without being linguistically limited. The repetitive use of the phrase "Ei, ei ma ka ma ya" along with other variations contributes to the melody of the song. The song has a tribal feel, and the use of vocal harmonies and syncopated rhythms add to the overall feeling of unity and community.
The chorus of the song serves as an anchor point throughout the song, repeating the phrase "a ke ma ya we" followed by a series of "a be di a"s. These repeated phrases contribute to the overall tribal feeling and create a cyclical structure for the song. The stick section, where the lyrics are spoken rather than sung, brings a new texture to the song and serves as a bridge between two vocal sections.
Overall, the lyrics to Tintinnabulum are not meant to be understood literally, and instead serve to create an overall feeling of unity and community through their rhythmic and melodic elements.
Line by Line Meaning
Ei, ei ma ka ma ya.
Starting the song with a joyful and uplifting chant.
a ma di ei.
I sing for the sake of singing.
a ma bi ei.
I make music just to make music.
Ei ma ka ma ya.
Repeating the opening line to evoke a sense of unity and togetherness.
a ba di a ma.
I sing to feel alive.
A ma ka aya
I make music for the sake of spiritual enlightenment.
A, a ma di aya
I sing for the pure joy of it.
a be di a
I make music just to experience its beauty.
a ke ma ya
I sing to create a sense of harmony.
a ke ma ya we
I make music to foster a sense of unity among people.
REFRAIN:
Starting the refrain section of the song.
a ba di a, a be di a, a be di a, a be di a
I sing and create music to experience its uplifting energy.
a be di a, a be di a, a be di a, a be di a
I make music to create a sense of peace and harmony.
a ma di ei
I sing for the joy of singing.
a ma bi ei
I make music just to make music.
a ba di a ma
I sing to feel fully alive.
a ma ka aya
I create music for the purpose of spiritual enlightenment.
a, a ma di aya
I sing for the sheer bliss of it.
a ba da yei
I sing to create a sense of unity and togetherness.
[REFRAIN]
Repeating the refrain section of the song.
Stick:
Starting a new musical phase of the song.
e mus. a di e mus. a di e-ah
Expressing the rhythm and beat of the music through non-verbal sounds.
a ki ma na ma we na ma la tis
Creating a sense of beautiful melodies through the use of special sounds and rhythm.
4x:
Beginning the repetition of a musical phrase four times.
a ya ma ye ka ma
Using non-verbal sounds to create a sense of beauty and harmony in the music.
(a ya ma yei!)
Adding extra emphasis to the uplifting and joyful energy of the song.
a ya ma ye ka
Creating a sense of unity and harmony through the use of non-verbal sounds.
a...
Trailing off and fading out the non-verbal sounds.
ei, ei ma ka ma ya
Reiterating the joyful chant from the beginning of the song.
a ba di ei
I sing to experience the sense of unity and harmony that music can provide.
a be da yei
I make music to create a sense of joy and energy that can change people's lives.
[Stick]
Returning to the musical phase transitioned with the 'Stick' label.
[Cascaded]
Entering into a section with multiple musical phrases seamlessly combined to create a cascading effect.
Repeat until end:
Repeating this sequence of musical phrases and non-verbal sounds until the end of the song.
ei ma ka ma amaka baya ha bai ei...
Ending the song with a final, joyful chant.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind