Meaning of Arirang and Eng Translation of Arirang Alone by Sohyang

The Meaning of Arirang

 

Arirang(아리랑) has many different interpretations of its meaning, and also there are various versions of Arirang. Some people say that 'A-Ri(아리)' is an archaic word for 'beautiful' and 'Rang(랑)' 'my dear', so they hold that Arirang means my beautiful dear. 

 

Others say that ‘A-Ri(아리)’ means ‘big’ or 'long' and they find their reasons in A-Ri-Su(아리수), the old name of HanGang River, in which ‘Han(한)’ means ‘big’ or 'long'. So they insist Arirang is the name of a big mountain pass. It may be correct for GyeongGi Arirang but these views cannot explain the meaning of ‘Sseu-Ri-Rang(쓰리랑)' in other versions of Arirang.

 

There's another theory. The term 'A-Ri-Da(아리다)', which is still used today, means 'sick', ‘hurt’, or 'ache'. This theory explains that Arirang derives from ‘A-Ri-Da(아리다)' added with ‘Rang(랑)’ which is a suffix making a mimetic word. If so, it can be said that ‘Sseu-Ri-Rang(쓰리랑)' is the transformation of 'Sseu-Ri-Da(쓰리다)', which means 'heartbroken' or 'heartburn', by adding the suffix 'Rang(랑)'.

 

The other theory says that it is nonsense syllables that make songs more exciting by putting them to the melody, sort of like scat. A-Ri-A-Ri(아리아리), A-Ra-Ri-Yo(아라리요), Sseu-Ri-Sseu-Ri(쓰리쓰리), and Sseu-Ri-Rang(쓰리랑) are all variations of Arirang. And it seems most people now use them as scats.

 

In my opinion, the Arirang Pass means a big obstacle we have to go over in order to achieve our goals and dreams or a long journey to overcome trials and tribulations.

 

Two birds are discussing what Arirang is. Sorry, birds. Arirang is not what you can eat.

 

 

 

Arirang Alone or Holo Arirang

 

In Holo Arirang, 'Holo(홀로)' means 'alone', 'lone', 'lonely', or 'lonesome'. So it can be interpreted as 'Arirang we sing alone'. It's because no matter how many times we ask North Korea to talk, there is no response from them. 

 

And the motif of Holo Arirang is Dokdo, so it can also be interpreted as Dokdo Arirang. In the original lyrics, Dokdo is described as a lonely islet or a solitary island. Holo Arirang longs for reunification, like let's meet on Dokdo Island in the middle of the South and the North and become one again. 

 

This is a song reflecting our desire that as if streams flow to eventually make a mighty ocean, our minds divided by ideological confrontation will get together by singing. Singer SoHyang did a cover of this song in Immortal Songs 2015 and gave us tons of goosebumps. (so we've all become poultry :P)

 

Here is a translation of the lyrics for Arirang Alone (Holo Arirang) covered by Sohyang.

 

 

 

Lyrics and Translation of Arirang Alone (Holo Arirang)

 

 

아리랑 아리랑 홀로 아리랑

Arirang Arirang Holo Arirang

아리랑 고개로 넘어가보자

Let's go and cross Arirang Pass

가다가 힘들면 쉬어가더라도

Even if we faint and have to take a rest

손잡고 가보자 다함께 가보자

Let's try, holding hands Let's go together

 

저 멀리 외로운 섬

A solitary island far away from here

오늘도 거센 바람 불어오겠지

A blast of wind will blow again just as usual

조그만 얼굴로 바람 맞으니

Small rocks that stand up to the howling gale

독도야 간밤에 너 잘잤느냐

Hey, Dokdo, did u have a good sleep last night?

 

아 리 랑

A-ri-rang

아리랑

Arirang~

흘러

Let it flow

흘러

Let it stream

흘러 아

Let us go~ Ah~

하나가 될 곳

To the place we become whole

 

아

A~

리

Ri~

랑

Rang~

아리랑 아리랑

Arirang Arirang

 

백두에서 한라까지 배타고 떠나면

If we sail a boat from Baekdu to Halla,

우리네 마음들도 하나 되겠지

We would also become one mind again

가다가 힘들면 쉬어가더라도

Even if we faint and have to take a rest

손잡고 가보자

Let's try, holding hands

함께 가보자

Let's go together

 

아리랑 아리랑 아 라 아라리요

Arirang Arirang A- Ra- Arariyo

고개를 넘고서 우리네 마음은

After crossing the pass, our hearts will be

아라리 아라리요 아라리 아라리요

Arari Arariyo Arari Arariyo~

 

아리랑 아리랑 아라리요

Arirang Arirang Arariyo

아리랑 고개로 넘어간다

We're gonna go over Arirang Pass

아리랑 고개를 넘어가면

If we cross the Arirang Pass

우리네 마음도 흘러

Our minds also will flow

흘러

and go along

 

아 아리랑

Ah~ Arirang

고개를

to the pass

아리랑 아라리요 오 아

Arirang Arariyo Oh Ah~

 

아리랑 아리랑 홀로 아리랑

Arirang Arirang Holo Arirang

아리랑 고개를 넘어 넘어 간다

We're gonna go over the Arirang Pass

 

 

 

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Arirang Alone covered by Sohyang vln Eugene Park in Voice King MBN 2021 (1).srt

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Arirang Alone covered by Sohyang vln Eugene Park in Voice King MBN 2021

 

Arirang Alone covered by Sohyang vln Eugene Park in Voice King MBN 2021