COUNTRY: India
LANGUAGE: Bengali
“Champa Botir” is a Bengali folk song that tells the tale of a beautiful princess — a “golden girl,” associated with the vibrant champa flower, who a king wants to court. He takes a boat along the river to find her and appeal to her. When he makes his case does she agree…? The lyrics of our version don’t give an answer. There is a really nice version on the Smithsonian Folkways’ Folk Songs of India. According to the album liner notes, their “Folk Song from West Bengal” is a love song in which the young man compares his sweetheart to the champa flower surrounded by the beauty of nature.”
All Around This World’s lyrics:
Champabotir deshe re bhai, Champabatir deshe re
Champa botir, golden girl, all the flowers agree, oh champa botir deshe
Champa botir, golden girl, the river is running free, oh champa botir deshe
Champa botir, golden girl, the king sends a boat to see, oh champa botir deshe
Champa botir, golden girl, gives him her heart…maybe, oh champa botir deshe
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