No matter where you travel in the world, one thing is always consistent: we all grew up watching the same cartoons. Of course, even cartoon theme songs have to be re-recorded in different languages, and this often leads to some incredibly awesome and hilarious re-interpretations of some of the most memorable cartoon theme songs from our childhood. Here are some of the best:
Pinky & The Brain(in Japanese)
Apparently the Japanese don't have a translation for the word "Brain", which seems weird since they're pretty smart people. But the real joy in this version of the intro comes from the Japanese interpretation of Brain as a maniacal villain, apparently voiced by Pat Moreta, as evidenced by the incredibly dialogue dubbing at the beginning. That alone makes this clip absolutely priceless.
Duck Tales(in Arabic)
My favorite part about this version of the Duck Tales theme is that there's no Arabic translation for "Woo hoo!", so when they get to the part of the song where it goes "Duck Tales, woo hoo!", it just cuts to some women saying a really long Arabic phrase that I can only imagine translates to "Duck Tales, they follow the word of God!"
Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers(in Russian)
This is probably one of the most epic renditions of a cartoon intro theme song ever recorded. It's pretty clear that Russia was experiencing a sever job shortage for the Awesome Male Vocalist crowd, because this guy sings way too well to be doing the Chip n' Dale Rescue Rangers theme song. Also, it's pretty clear that the many decades of communist oppression have gotten to the country as a whole, because somehow they weren't even able to make this theme song sound all that exciting, which is pretty difficult to do.
Punky Brewster (in Spanish...sort of)
We realize that Punky Brewster isn't a cartoon, and that most of this intro isn't in Spanish, but this rendition is so awesome that it deserves a place on this list. The ONLY difference between this theme and the American version is that, for some reason, they felt the need to say, "PAAAAAAAANKKEEEEE BREWSTAIIIR!" It was like they watched the intro, and the telemundo executives were like, "Hmm. I feel like people aren't going to think that this show is geared toward hispanic people." Then they thought for a second and were like, "Why don't we get that newscaster from Channel Ocho News to just say 'Punky Brewster' when the words come up," and then everyone else in the meeting was like, "Bueno!"
Gummi Bears(in German)
When Germans are trying to sound warm and heartfelt, it creeps me out even more than just hearing them speak normally. German words don't really rhyme all that well, so when they're trying to make them rhyme in this song, it just sounds like a really uncomfortable open mic poetry reading. Luckily, just when it starts to get intolerable, they chime in with "Gooooomi Bars!", and the song becomes excellent again.
Denver, The Last Dinosaur(in French)
French is a beautiful language, but for some reason when they're singing this song in French, it kind of just sounds like a kid with Down's Syndrome trying to sing the American version of it. Also, this just goes to prove that even incredibly shitty rock music shouldn't be sung in French, just in case you didn't already know that.
Super Mario Bros. Super Show!(in German)
The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! theme song is awesome in English, mostly because it's a rap song about the Super Mario Brothers. As a rule of thumb, rap is always cooler in German, so that makes this cartoon intro completely radical. Additionally, the fade-out, echoing "die bruder!" at the end is just the icing on a cake made of pure badass.
they didn't try to translate "woo hoo". instead of saying "duck tales woo hoo" they're just saying "duck tales" but the translation they used allows it to be dragged out over the same melody.
"Apparently the Japanese don't have a translation for the word "Brain" ". Brain is the characters name. That's like asking "How do you say my name in Mexican?".
Asdf is right-
The Japanese would not have tried to find a corresponding word for Brain, as that is his name... They didn't try to find one for pinky either, if you noticed.
the rescue rangers russian is good stuff
sounds like he says scoobly doo and sucky blaa's
when ya look back at the old cartoon theme songs it seems they are well down pieces of music
Yeah german words don't rhyme at all, ey ?
So people all around the world are actually being sarcastic when they say that Germany is an nation of great poets and thinkers, ey ?
We just received a fucking nobel prize in literature last week you stupid fucks ! :P
BtW: Play WCIII Honk Survival for 3 hours and you'll start to love the Gummibären Song !!! :D
Rhyme is the lowest form of poetry, and you dont really need your word to rhyme to make a great literary piece or be a good thinker, seems your logic isn't that great
hey they said in da 2nd german translated thing tht germans are cool rappers (yeah they are) n rhyme is the core of rap so u cant say they cant rhyme dude lolz.......
In the Arabic "Duck Tales" song, they don't say "Whoo Hoo" or attempt to translate it, the phrase they're saying translates to "duck tales", literally (Or "tales of the duck kind").
This isn't "official" Chip'n'Dale intro - I would imagine it's some professional singer did a custom translation.
This one was aired on tv - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pEaM6-u6UA
I remember the 2nd version distinctly from the early 90s. Intro from the first season were just plain English then this 2nd version appeared which in my opinion is the best one.
So did the French version change the name of the dinosaur cartoon? I used to watch it as a kid and it was called, "Dino (for the first part of "dino"saur)the last Dinosaur" not "Denver the last Dinosaur."
Ducktales in Arabic... the word the women singers are saying instead of "woo-hoo" is (something unintelligible to me) and "t-fiya".. t-fiya meaning "bird". So instead of woo hoo it's "something something birds". So no God stuff there sorry.
Yes, I agree with SPANISH. In Spain almost every foreign show would be pronounced wrong. It is the same funny if I try to teach spanish to any foreigner.
I liked the list but I found REALLY DISGUSTING that comment about Down´s Syndrom
(38 Comments)
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Holy Taco Goes to the Bahamas
October 12th, 2009 at 10:19 am
I'm amazed that the "A-WOO-OOO" in Ducktales actually translates into something else for Arabians.
October 12th, 2009 at 03:49 pm
HALAHALLLAHALLLALALAAHALLLAHALLALALALALA
October 13th, 2009 at 01:40 pm
Lol, actually if I translate what they're saying in arabic it's the equivelant of saying
"Duckarinos"
(She's actually saying Duck tales only in Arabic though :P)
October 13th, 2009 at 03:06 pm
they didn't try to translate "woo hoo". instead of saying "duck tales woo hoo" they're just saying "duck tales" but the translation they used allows it to be dragged out over the same melody.
October 12th, 2009 at 10:24 am
Chi-chi-chi-chippy dale. Zonkey gloss.
I'm not the only one who wanted to bone Gadget, right?
October 13th, 2009 at 08:23 am
10 year old me totally wanted to bang Gadget's box. She was a hottie!
October 14th, 2009 at 07:00 am
and I thought I was the only one...
October 12th, 2009 at 10:59 am
"Apparently the Japanese don't have a translation for the word "Brain" ". Brain is the characters name. That's like asking "How do you say my name in Mexican?".
October 12th, 2009 at 11:30 am
Except if your name was a noun that's already a pre-existing word
October 12th, 2009 at 08:42 pm
Like, "brain"?
October 13th, 2009 at 08:26 am
Asdf is right-
The Japanese would not have tried to find a corresponding word for Brain, as that is his name... They didn't try to find one for pinky either, if you noticed.
October 13th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
Mexican? you mean spanish. Seems like you'd assume the role of Pinky.
November 9th, 2009 at 04:05 am
In Mexico, Brain´s name is "Cerebro". Like, duh.
October 12th, 2009 at 11:30 am
the rescue rangers russian is good stuff
sounds like he says scoobly doo and sucky blaa's
when ya look back at the old cartoon theme songs it seems they are well down pieces of music
October 12th, 2009 at 11:51 am
Yeah german words don't rhyme at all, ey ?
So people all around the world are actually being sarcastic when they say that Germany is an nation of great poets and thinkers, ey ?
We just received a fucking nobel prize in literature last week you stupid fucks ! :P
BtW: Play WCIII Honk Survival for 3 hours and you'll start to love the Gummibären Song !!! :D
October 13th, 2009 at 08:45 am
gummibären hüpfen hier und dort und überall ... :D
October 13th, 2009 at 08:48 pm
Rhyme is the lowest form of poetry, and you dont really need your word to rhyme to make a great literary piece or be a good thinker, seems your logic isn't that great
October 22nd, 2009 at 01:25 pm
hey they said in da 2nd german translated thing tht germans are cool rappers (yeah they are) n rhyme is the core of rap so u cant say they cant rhyme dude lolz.......
October 27th, 2009 at 02:15 pm
Es gefällt mir aber sehr!
October 12th, 2009 at 02:25 pm
Jo, seh ich ganz genauso!
October 12th, 2009 at 05:35 pm
Nice re-post, asshat(s). I agree this is funnier the second time though.
October 12th, 2009 at 05:43 pm
Yeah fuck boys nice one. i knew i already saw this before.
October 13th, 2009 at 02:24 am
You didn't find any finnish version ... they are strange... especially those from -80's... can be found from youtube as well.
October 13th, 2009 at 08:23 am
In the Arabic "Duck Tales" song, they don't say "Whoo Hoo" or attempt to translate it, the phrase they're saying translates to "duck tales", literally (Or "tales of the duck kind").
October 13th, 2009 at 08:27 am
This isn't "official" Chip'n'Dale intro - I would imagine it's some professional singer did a custom translation.
This one was aired on tv - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pEaM6-u6UA
October 23rd, 2009 at 01:53 pm
I remember the 2nd version distinctly from the early 90s. Intro from the first season were just plain English then this 2nd version appeared which in my opinion is the best one.
October 13th, 2009 at 08:43 am
I think that the dutch version of chip and dale is the best. Knabbel en Babbel!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzSGvt-QWrk&feature=player_embedded#
October 13th, 2009 at 09:00 am
I'm sorry but Denver in French is just fantastically awesome.
October 13th, 2009 at 10:18 am
So did the French version change the name of the dinosaur cartoon? I used to watch it as a kid and it was called, "Dino (for the first part of "dino"saur)the last Dinosaur" not "Denver the last Dinosaur."
October 13th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
Ducktales in Arabic... the word the women singers are saying instead of "woo-hoo" is (something unintelligible to me) and "t-fiya".. t-fiya meaning "bird". So instead of woo hoo it's "something something birds". So no God stuff there sorry.
October 13th, 2009 at 01:53 pm
The Punky brewster intro is from Spain (Europe). Every country that speak spanish (Mexico, Argentina, Spain...) translates at his own.
If a spaniard that doesn't know english read "Punky Brewster", he will pronouns like you pronounce "Poonkee Breahustear".
The voice of the beginning pronouns more or less correctly the name so a spaniard could learn how to pronouns it. That's all.
October 13th, 2009 at 03:10 pm
Atama is brain
October 13th, 2009 at 03:45 pm
Yes, I agree with SPANISH. In Spain almost every foreign show would be pronounced wrong. It is the same funny if I try to teach spanish to any foreigner.
I liked the list but I found REALLY DISGUSTING that comment about Down´s Syndrom
October 13th, 2009 at 05:02 pm
The german intro of Pinky & Brain is better.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIaQKnzQzj4
October 14th, 2009 at 11:29 pm
you copied this from coed.com. They did this a few months back. Get original and stop stealing other people's posts.
October 18th, 2009 at 03:26 pm
Rap sucks in any language. True story.
October 20th, 2009 at 05:03 pm
For pinky and the brain cartoon where they do not translate brain, you do not translate names, and brain is brain's name.
October 22nd, 2009 at 10:16 am
lol im an arab so i can translate the whole song
theyre saying (hikayat batootiya) batootiya means "duckly" or ducky" and hikayat means tales so there,no god bull involved heh
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