Hallo Bandoeng

“Hallo Bandoeng” is a song by the Dutch levenslied singer Willy Derby (real name: Willem Frederik Christiaan Dieben, 1886-1944). It was released in 1929 and sold more than 50,000 copies, an astronomical number for that time. It was one of Derby’s songs that became part of Dutch culture. The phrase “Hallo Bandoeng” was well known at that time, as the usual opening used by Radio Kootwijk when establishing a connection with Bandung (in Dutch: “Bandoeng”), one of the most important cities in the then Dutch East Indies.

Narrative

The song tells the story of an old woman, who spends the last of her money at Radio Kootwijk so that, for the first time in years, she can hear the voice of her son, who lives in Bandoeng with his “little brown wife” and their children. In the refrain, the son greets his mother and, with a sob, she greets her dearest boy. The son asks how she’s doing (“how are you, old woman”), but her answer is only that she misses him so much. When the woman asks about his wife, her son tells her that they talk about her every day and that the children pray for the granny they’ve never met each evening and kiss her portrait before going to sleep. In only four more years he’ll be back in Holland and will hug her. He then tells her that his youngest son is with him and the boy greets her: “dear grandmother, tabe, tabe” (a greeting in Indonesian). Upon hearing this the woman thanks the Lord for allowing her to have heard her grandsons voice and collapses crying. The last version of the refrain is modified. The son calls his mother again, but only hears a sob. The last sentence has the woman dead and the child calling “Tabe”.

Original lyrics

‘t Kleine moedertje stond bevend
Op het telegraafkantoor
Vriendelijk sprak de ambtenaar: “Juffrouw
Aanstonds geeft Bandoeng gehoor”
Trillend op haar stramme benen
Greep zij naar de microfoon
En toen hoorde zij, o wonder
Zacht de stem van haren zoon

refrain:
Hallo, Bandoeng
“Ja moeder, hier ben ik”
“Dag lieve jongen,” zegt zij, met een snik
Hallo, hallo “Hoe gaat het ouwe vrouw”
Dan zegt ze alleen “Ik verlang zo erg naar jou”

“Lieve jongen,” zegt ze teder
“Ik heb maanden lang gespaard
‘t Was me, om jou te kunnen spreken
M’n allerlaatste gulden waard”
En ontroerd zegt hij dan: “Moeder
Nog vier jaar, dan is het om
Oudjelief, wat zal ‘k je pakken
Als ik weer in Holland kom”

refrain

“Jongenlief,” vraagt ze, “hoe gaat het
Met je kleine, bruine vrouw”
“Best hoor,” zegt hij, en wij spreken
Elke dag hier over jou
En m’n kleuters zeggen ‘s avonds
Voor ‘t gaan slapen ‘n schietgebed
Voor hun onbekende opoe
Met ‘n kus op jouw portret

refrain

“Wacht eens, moeder,” zegt hij lachend
“‘k Bracht mijn jongste zoontje mee”
Even later hoort ze duidelijk
“Opoelief, tabe, tabe”
Maar dan wordt het haar te machtig
Zachtjes fluistert ze: “O Heer
Dank, dat ‘k dat heb mogen horen”
En dan valt ze wenend neer

Hallo! Bandoeng
“Ja moeder, hier ben ik”
Zij antwoordt niet, hij hoort alleen ‘n snik
“Hallo, hallo” klinkt over verre zee
Zij is niet meer

En het kindje roept: “tabe”…

(wiki)

The little mother stood trembling
At the telegraph office
The official spoke kindly: “Miss,
Soon Bandung will answer”
Trembling on her stiff legs
She reached for the microphone
And then, oh miracle, she heard
The soft voice of her son

Refrain:
Hello, Bandung
“Yes, mother, here I am”
“Hello, dear boy,” she says with a sob.
Hello, hello, “How are you, old woman?”
Then she just says, “I miss you so much”

“Dear boy,” she says tenderly
“I’ve been saving for months
I wanted to talk to you
Worth my very last guilder”
And then, moved, he says: “Mother
Four more years, then it’s over
Dear old mother, how I will embrace you
When I come back to Holland”.

Refrain

“Dear boy,” she asks, “how are you
With your little brown wife?”
“Fine,” he says, and we talk about you
Every day here about you
And my little ones say at night
A quick prayer before bed
For their unknown grandmother
With a kiss on your portrait

Refrain

“Wait, mother,” he says with a smile.
“I brought my youngest son”
A moment later she hears clearly
“Dear Granny, tabe, tabe”
But then it becomes too much for her.
She whispers softly: “Oh Lord
Thank you for letting me hear this”
And then she falls down crying

Hello! Bandung
“Yes mother, here I am”
She doesn’t answer, he just hears a sob
“Hello, hello” sounds across the sea
She is no more

And the bay cries, “tabe”

0 0 votes

Article Rating

2 Comments

Newest

Oldest Most Voted

Inline Feedbacks

View all comments

Hilaire De Slagmeulder.

8 months ago

Een van die zogenaamde vroegere ” smartlappen ” die men zich nu niet meer kan, durft of wil voorstellen, maar die wel recht naar het hart gaan en zeer diep ontroeren. Er waren er bij ons in België ook, zoals ” De speelbal ” over een kind dat dolgelukkig was om zij nieuwe speelbal, doch tijdens het spel met de bal viel en verdronk in een donkere gracht, en dan bij zijn moeder thuis werd gebracht, de bal nog geklemd in haar – of zijn hand – waarbij de moeder in tranen – nèt als wij! !!! -besloot dat het… Read more »

Reply to Hilaire De Slagmeulder.

Toevoeging ter info aan bovenstaande : ” De Speelbal ” is te horen op you tube gezongen door De Zangeres zonder Naam en anderen.

Narrative

Original lyrics

The little mother stood trembling At the telegraph office The official spoke kindly: “Miss, Soon Bandung will answer” Trembling on her stiff legs She reached for the microphone And then, oh miracle, she heard The soft voice of her son

Refrain: Hello, Bandung “Yes, mother, here I am” “Hello, dear boy,” she says with a sob. Hello, hello, “How are you, old woman?” Then she just says, “I miss you so much”

“Dear boy,” she says tenderly “I’ve been saving for months I wanted to talk to you Worth my very last guilder” And then, moved, he says: “Mother Four more years, then it’s over Dear old mother, how I will embrace you When I come back to Holland”.

Refrain

“Dear boy,” she asks, “how are you With your little brown wife?” “Fine,” he says, and we talk about you Every day here about you And my little ones say at night A quick prayer before bed For their unknown grandmother With a kiss on your portrait

Refrain

“Wait, mother,” he says with a smile. “I brought my youngest son” A moment later she hears clearly “Dear Granny, tabe, tabe” But then it becomes too much for her. She whispers softly: “Oh Lord Thank you for letting me hear this” And then she falls down crying

Hello! Bandung “Yes mother, here I am” She doesn’t answer, he just hears a sob “Hello, hello” sounds across the sea She is no more

And the bay cries, “tabe”

The little mother stood trembling
At the telegraph office
The official spoke kindly: “Miss,
Soon Bandung will answer”
Trembling on her stiff legs
She reached for the microphone
And then, oh miracle, she heard
The soft voice of her son

Refrain:
Hello, Bandung
“Yes, mother, here I am”
“Hello, dear boy,” she says with a sob.
Hello, hello, “How are you, old woman?”
Then she just says, “I miss you so much”

“Dear boy,” she says tenderly
“I’ve been saving for months
I wanted to talk to you
Worth my very last guilder”
And then, moved, he says: “Mother
Four more years, then it’s over
Dear old mother, how I will embrace you
When I come back to Holland”.

“Dear boy,” she asks, “how are you
With your little brown wife?”
“Fine,” he says, and we talk about you
Every day here about you
And my little ones say at night
A quick prayer before bed
For their unknown grandmother
With a kiss on your portrait

“Wait, mother,” he says with a smile.
“I brought my youngest son”
A moment later she hears clearly
“Dear Granny, tabe, tabe”
But then it becomes too much for her.
She whispers softly: “Oh Lord
Thank you for letting me hear this”
And then she falls down crying

Hello! Bandung
“Yes mother, here I am”
She doesn’t answer, he just hears a sob
“Hello, hello” sounds across the sea
She is no more