“The Millennium Song” is a song that heralded the dawn of the third millennium during the year 2000, the Millennium Year. The song’s message is just as relevant today as it was then.


The Millennium Song

Time has come to change,
Time to find new life,
No more looking back,
Let’s forgive the past.

Take my hand, friend,
We´ll go on as one
To a different world,
The third millennium.

“The Millennium Song” is a song that heralded the dawn of the third millennium during the year 2000, the Millennium Year. The song’s message is just as relevant today as it was then. It is an arrangement of Frederic Chopin’s Prelude op. 28 no. 20 in C minor, with original, idealistic lyrics that speak of the coming of a new era, and which implore humanity to forget and forgive the past. It is a monumental song for a monumental period in the time we are living. I live in Catalonia, Spain, and an interesting fact that I discovered recently was that Chopin composed many of these preludes during his stay in Mallorca.

The musical idea was to incorporate four different musical styles in one song: classical music, rock music, jazz and, finally, a modern techno rhythm. The challenge was to pass from the classical original to techno in three minutes!

But the most innovative aspect of my idea was to release the song simultaneously in several languages. I wrote the lyrics in English, and then asked friends from other regions of Spain and then other parts of the world to make various translations and adaptations of the words. All four principal languages of Spain have been recorded: Catalan, Castillian (Spanish), Basque and Gallician. Seven of these versions, including the original English version, an Occitan version (the language of southern France) and a Norwegian version, have been recorded by the Canadian soprano, Gurdeep Stephens, and are available on this page’s playlist and under corresponding translations.

Translations of The Millennium Song
0languages

TRANSLATIONS WITH SOUND RECORDINGS  (recorded in Catalonia, South Africa and Slovenia)

za      Afrikaans
DIE MILLENNIUMLIED

Nuwe tye bring,
Nuwe lewenslus,
Kyk dan nie terug
En vergewe nou.

Neem my hand my vriend,
Ons gaan nou tesaam,
‘n Mooi wêreld in,
Die Millennium.

– Sjoerd Beute

 

es      Castellano
LA CANCIÓN DEL MILENIO

Llega el tiempo,
Nueva vida,
No mires atrás,
Perdona el ayer.

Dame tu mano,
Caminaremos
Hacia el mundo
Del milenio.

Merche Bellido

 

es-ca      Català
LA CANÇÓ DEL MIL·LENI

Ara ve el temps,
Temps per canviar,
Deixar el passat
Perdonar l’ahir.

Dóna’m la mà,
Junts construirem
Un món diferent,
El mil·lenni nou.

Anna Asian

 

de      Deutsch
DAS LIED DES MILLENNIUM

Heut ist nun die Zeit,
Für einen Neubeginn,
Blick nun nicht zurück,
Vergib Vergangenem.

Komm mit, mein Freund,
Wir gehn Hand in Hand,
In eine andre Welt,
Ins Millennium.

Rosemarie Nagel

 

english      English
THE MILLENNIUM SONG

Time has come to change,
Time to find new life,
No more looking back,
Let’s forgive the past.

Take my hand, friend,
We´ll go on as one
To a different world,
The third millennium.

Michael Greenacre

 

es-pv      Euskara
MILURTEKO ABESTIA

Denbora berriak,
Bizi berria,
Utzi iragana
Damutzen gara.

Tori eskua,
Elkarrekin goaz,
Mundu berrira
Milurtekora.

Karmele Fernández-Aguirre

 

es-ga      Galego
A CANCIÓN DO MILENIO

Chega o tempo,
Vida nova,
Esquence o demais,
Non mires atràs.

Colle a miña man,
Camiñaremos
Xuntos coma un,
Cara ao Milenio.

Maria Gundín

 

no      Norsk
TUSENÅRS-SANGEN

Nå er dagen her
For det nye liv,
Tilgi det som var,
Start på nytt igjen.

Gi meg hånden, venn,
Sammen skal vi gå,
Mot de nye år –
Vårt Millenium.

Inger-Britt Falk-Petersen & Inger Njølstad

 

occitan      Occitan
LA CANÇUN DEL MILLENARI

Ara ven lo temps
Lo temps de cambiar
De daissar lo passat
De perdonar lo ièr

Dona-me la man
Ensemble bastirem
Un mond diferent
Lo Millenari nòu

Jacme Taupiac

 

si      Slovensko
PESEM TISOČLETJA

Zdaj prišel je čas,
čas za spremembe,
ne oziraj se,
včeraj za nami je.

Daj mi roko,
stopimo skupaj
v nov in boljši svet,
tretje tisočletje.

Anuška FerligojVladimir BatageljNuška Drašček

 

za      Zulu
ICULO LE NKULUNGWANE

Yithuba lethu
Lempilo entsha.
Asisahlehli,
Khohlwa okudlule.

Xhawula mhlobo,
Yebo, simunye
YiNkulungwane,
Yesithathu.

Elliot S. Pewa

 

sfb      Choral version

The Village Choir of Sant Fruitós de Bages performed the Millennium Song in a bilingual Catalan/Spanish version at Easter time, when they traditionally sing what are called “caramelles”, or Easter songs, in the streets of the village.

The song is performed in four-part harmony to the classical accompaniment of the Chopin prelude, and now takes on the quality of a hymn. This arrangement starts with the Catalan translation, is followed by the Spanish version and ends with a repeat of the second verse in Catalan.

 

music      Music only

This is the playback version of the music, in CD quality. The file is much bigger than the other song files. The music is preceded by 2 bars of 4 beats at 150 bpm as a lead-in for the singer during playback.

 

Download a MIDI file of the original prelude.

TRANSLATIONS AVAILABLE FOR RECORDING  (contact Michael if you can sing in these languages!)

al      Albanian (Shqip)
KËNGA E MILENIUMIT

Po vjen koha,
Për një jetë të re,
Mos shiqo mbrapa –
Fale të kaluarën!

Merre dorën time, mik,
Do të ecim së bashku,
Drejt një bote të re,
Mileniumi i ri.

– Gani Jakupi

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Amharic

amharic

– Berhane Tensay

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

es-as      Asturianu
CANCIÓN DEL MILENIU

Agora’l tiempu ye,
Vida nueva,
Nun mires atrás,
Perdona’l pasáu.

Cueye la mano,
Xuntos vamos dir,
Al mundu nuevu,
Al mileniu!

Roberto González

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

de-bavar      Bayerisch
S’ MILLENNIUM LIADL 

D’zeit is heit jetz do,
De Zeit füa eppes nei’s,
Schaug gar net erst mea z’ruck,
Loss sei, wos nimma is.

Geh’ weida, Freind,
mit d’Hend’ beinanda,
Hinei in d’andre Weld,
In dritt’n Tausender.

Sophie Hentschel

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

by      Belarusian

belarus

– Natalia Karelaia

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

zm      Bemba
ULWIMBO IWA MWAKANKULU
UWALENGA ITATU

Inshita yafika iya kwaluka,
Inshita yakusanga ubumi bupya,
Ukwabula ukulolesha kunuma,
Natwelele ifyakale.

Mune nguma akapi,
Tuye pamo,
Kucalo icaibela,
Ica mwakankulu.

Musonda Victor Mpepo

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Bulgarian

bulgarian

Veneta Andonova

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Chinese Mandarin (simplified)

 

simple

Pinyin Transcription

pinyin

– Qin Junjun

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Chinese Mandarin (traditional)

trad

Chin Chün-chün

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Chishona
RWIYO RWE CHIHURU CHEMAKORE 

Nguva yasvika,
Hupenyu hutsva,
Siya zvakare,
Uregerere.

Bata ruwoko,
Toenda pamwechete,
Kunyika itsva,
Yezvihuru zvemakore.

Eliada Gudza

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Czech
RWIYO RWE CHIHURU CHEMAKORE 

Prichazi cas
cas pro zmeny
neobracej se
odpust minule.

Podej mi ruku
vykrocime spolu
k svetu noveho
Tisicileti.

Aleksandra Korda

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Dansk
MILLENNIUM SANGEN

Idag er det nu tid
Til nybegyndelse,
Vend dig ikke om,
Tilgiv det skete.

Kom med, min ven,
Vi går hånd i hånd,
I en anden verden,
I millenium.

Ute Herreiner

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Estonian
MILLENNIUMI LAUL

On aeg muutusteks,
Uue laulu aeg,
Ei vaata tagasi,
Andestame möödunu.

Anna käsi sõber,
Edasi lahme koos,
Paremasse maailma,
Uude Millenniumi.

Maris Kivistik & Heli Leek

Second translation:

Aeg on muutuda
Leida uusi teid.
Ära viivita,
Kõigil andesta!

Sõber, anna käed,
Ühendagem teed
Uude maailma,
Uude millenniumi!

– Ene-Margit Tiit

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

gh      Fanti
OPEPIPI NDWOM

Mber aso de yesesa,
Mber aso de yenya abrabo fofor,
Yennhwe hen ekyir bio,
Adze a woapaho no, yenfa nkye.

So mensemu yonko,
Yebe kodo aye kor,
Wo wiadze fofor mu,
Wo afe Opepipi Ebaasa no mu.

Veronica Archer

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Farsi
TARÂNEYE HEZÂRE

Vaghté-ân reside,
Zendegi-ye no,
Diruze morde,
Gozashte-ra bebakhsh.

Dastamo begir
Baham besuye
Khahim raft
Djahan-e hezâre.

Fariborz Nami & Nazanin Amiriam

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Français
LA CHANSON DU MILLÉNAIRE

Le temps est venu
De changer de vie,
D’oublier le passé,
Et de pardonner.

Donne-moi la main,
Pour construire ensemble
Le monde différent,
De notre millénaire.

Nathalie Lebris

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Gaelic
ORAIN NA MILLENNIUM

Tha a’n am air teachd,
Air son beatha uair,
Gun a corr coimhead air seachad,
Thor mathiness gun na seachad.

Gabh mo làmh a caraid,
Heid sinne a steach,
Go soaghal eile,
A treas millennium.

Kay MacDonald

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Greek (ancient)

ellinika

Vicenç Esmarats

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Greek (modern)

– Tetti Tzamourani & Evi Pappa

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Hebrew

– Liron Dorfman

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Hindi

– Manalini Kane

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Irish
AMHRAN NA MILAOISE

Ta an t-am chun athrú tagtha
Am chun beatha nua d’fhail
Na féach ar cúl feasta
Fag an ré caite id dhiaidh

Tóg mo lamh-sa, a chara
Rachaimid ar aghaidh mar aonar
Chuig aois nua an duine
Chuig an Triomhadh Milaois

Eoin MacConuladh

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Íslenska
ÞÚSALDARSÖNGUR

Tími að brjóta blað,
byrja upp á nýtt.
Fyrirgefa allt hvað
forðum var óblítt.

Tökumst hönd í hönd,
heitum tryggðum því
þúsund ára öld
okkar bíður ný.

Thorleifur Hauksson

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Italiano
LA CANZONE DEL MILLENNIO

Vita nuova,
Tempo di cambiar,
Giorni andati,
Non pensarci piú.

Mano in mano,
Entreremo,
Una umanitá,
Nel millennio.

Danilo Guaitoli & Rita Lugli

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Hrvatski (Croat)

 

hrvatski

Jasna HorvatSande Katavic

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Jamaican
DE SING OF DE MILLENNIUM 

A time fi change,
A time fi fine new life,
Yu caant look back no,
We haffi fegive de pas.

Gimme yu han fren,
Meck we gwan as one,
We a go somewhey new,
De nex millennium.

Maxine Headlam

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Japanese

Translation #1:

japan1

Grow up
New life of baby
You’ve just been born
You look forward to tomorrow

Please take hands with
Old people and young people
Please forgive each other
Never end to the future

– Satoko Matsuura

Translation #2:

When your flower
Starts to bloom
Your tears yesterday
Were wrapped in forgiveness

Take your hand
Walk together
The road to the future
The road to hope

– Yoko Tanagi

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Kiswahili
MILENIAMI YA TATU

Muda ya kubadilika amefika,
Muda ya kutafuta maisha mpya,
Bila ku angalia kando,
Tafadhalini ku samehe zamani.

Shika mkomo yangu, rafiki,
Tuende pamoja kama moja,
Kwa dunia nyingine,
Mileniami ya tatu.

Dennis Ocholla

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Krio
DE SING OF DE MILLENNIUM

De tem don cam fo cheng
Tem dis fo new life,
No luk bak agen,
Le wi fogiv de pas.

Tek mi han padi,
Wi fo waka lek one,
Na wold we difren,
Dis ted millennium.

Andrew Greene, I*EARN Sierra Leone

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Latinum
CANTICUM MILLENNII

Tempus mutandi,
Vitam inquirendi,
Retro ne specias,
Heri absolvas.

Manus junge,
Simul ibimus,
Ad mundum meliorem,
Ad millennium.

Vicenç Esmarats

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Luo
MILENIAM MAR ADEK

Ndalo mar lokruok osekochopo,
Nadlo mar yudo ngima manjien,
Onge rang’o chien,
Wanguon ne ndalo mokadho.

Mak lueta, osiepna,
Mondo wadhi kaachiel,
e piny may nyien,
Mileniam mar adek.

Dennis Ocholla

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Magyar
AZ ÚJ ÉVEZRED DALA

Ébred az új idõ,
Ocsúdik a jövõ.
Nem számít már a múlt,
Bocsájtsd meg mi elmúlt.

Hív egy új világ,
Barátom, add kezed!
Lépjünk be, ránk vár,
Egy új évezred.

– Lugosi Gábor

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Merina
KALON’NY ARIVO TAONA

Mivadika ny taona,
Fiainam-baovao,
Tsy hitodihana ny omaly,
Ary hadinoy ny lasa.

Raiso ny tanako, ry akama,
Andao hiara-mamindra,
Amin’ny tontolo vaovao,
Dia ilay arivo taona fahatelo.

Vololona Ramiakajato and Tantely Andriamanakasina

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Nederlands
LIED VOOR HET MILLENNIUM

Het is nu de tijd
Voor een nieuw begin,
Kijk dan niet terug
En vergeef elkaar.

Kom dan mee, vriend,
Wij gaan hand in hand
Naar een wereld, nieuw,
Dit Millennium.

Sjoerd Beute

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Vlaams
LIED VOOR HET MILLENNIUM

Het is nu de tijd
Voor een nieuw begin,
Ga voor de toekomst,
En vergeet wat was.

Hé, kom op, maat!
We gaan tesamen
Naar een andere wereld –
Dit Millennium.

Bart van de Putte

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Nepali
TESRU SATABDI

Somaya ayo ferno,
Naya dziwan khozna,
Pashhak nahera
Betit lai.

Hostema haise,
Yek zud bahera,
Naya sansara tira,
Tesru satabdi.

Gyanendra C. Shrestha

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Normand Patois
LA BALLADE DU MILLÉNAIRE

L’heure est parv’nue
Pour un nouviau début,
Oublie la guierre,
Et tire un trait.

Donn’me la main,
Vient do me su l’chemin,
Pour une aut’ vie,
D’ not’ millénaire.

Jean-Marie Dumaine

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Piemontèis
LA CANSON DËL MILENI

A riva ‘l temp ëd cambié,
Ëd cerché na vita nòva,
Varda nen andarera,
Dësmentioma ‘l passà.

Dame la man, amis,
Marceroma ansema,
Vers un mond divers,
Vers ël neuv mileni.

Alessandro Battaglia

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Polski

Beata Ewa Ochocka

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Português
A CANÇÃO DO MILÉNIO

Mudan os tempos,
Mudam os sonhos,
Esquece o passado,
Não olhes para trás.

Dá-me a tua mão,
Vamos unidos
Até ao mundo,
Do novo milénio.

Rita Ribeiro

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Românian

Cristina Rata

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Schwäbisch
S’ MILLENNIUM-LIEDLE

Heid isch’d Zeid komme,
D’Zeid fier ebbes Neis,
Gug jetzed nemme zrüg,
Vergib was gwäse isch.

Komm mit mei Freind,
Halded ons an de Händ,
Gehn in a andre Weld,
Ins Millennium.

Sabrina Schmelzle

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Schwyzerdütsch
LIED VOM MILLENNIUM

Ziit isch jetz scho do
No mol neu aazfoo,
Lueg ned zrogg ond lass
Doch s’Vergangni rueh.

Du, ich, zäme,
Gömmer Hand i Hand
I ne neui Wält,
Is Millennium.

Romy Amrein-Rognoni

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Sinhala

Kanchane Gunawardena & Eranjan Kempitiya

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Slovensky

Martina Honekova

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Sranantongo
SINGI FOE WAN NYOENG TING

Foe troe a ting kon,
Foe wan nyoeng liki,
Jipi makandra,
Vergit alla takroe.

Teki mi anoe,
Wi sa go lek wan,
Na wan nyoeng presi,
Wan nyoeng grontapoe.

Risto Heijmans

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Srpski

(Serbian version in Romanized form)

PESMA MILENIJUMA

Dolazi vreme,
Vreme za promene,
Ne okreci se,
Oprosti proslo.

Daj mi ruku,
Krenimo zajedno,
Ka svetu novom,
Milenijuma.

Tamara Ivancic

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

      Suomi
VUOSITUHANNEN LAULU

Aika on tullut,
Uuteen elämään,
Älä katso taakse,
Unohda eilinen.

Ota käteni,
Jatkamme yhdessä,
Toiseen maailmaan,
Eri vuosituhanteen.

Tuula Itkonen

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Svenska
MILLENNIUMSÅNG

Ändringstid är här
För ett annat liv,
Glöm allt det som var,
Börja om igen.

Tag min hand, vän,
Samman vi ska gå
Mot en annan värld,
Nytt Millennium.

Annika Eriksson and Karin Dahllöf

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

      Thüringisch
MILLENNIUMS LIEDSCHE

Die Zeit is itze do
for enen neien Onfang
Guge nisch nach hinne
vergab danen was war
un las sei was war.

Gieh mit mei Freind
mir nahm uns bei de Hende
un giehn nei in a anre Weld
ins Millennium.

Brit Grosskopf

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

     Tigrigna

– Etenesh Haddish

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

      Trinidad dialect
DANCIN’ A THOUSAND STEPS

Well, time reach to change,
Sweet life sure to come,
We overs lookin’ back,
What past done past.

Ah, holdin’ yuh hand, sweetness,
De journey go be so nice,
Bright eyes in ah new mirror,
Time dancin’ a thousand steps.

Jack Alexis

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

      Türkçe

– Yasemin El Menouar & Gülsah Karaca

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

      Ukrainian

– Zoya Radionova

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

      Wolof
WOYU JUNNI AT BU BEES

Waxtu wi jotna,
Waxtu dund gu yees,
Baña tee geestu,
Baale li weesu.

Joxma sa loxo,
Waaw! Ñu and doon benn,
Jëm beneen jamono,
Doorte junni at.

– Ibrahima Niang

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

      Xhosa
ICULO LE MILENIYAM

Lithuba lethu,
Lempilo entsha,
Asisabuyi mva,
Libala okudlulileyo.

Xhawula mhlobo,
Ewe simanyene,
Kwinkulungwane,
Yesithathu.

– Luyanda Dube

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOUND RECORDING

WATCH  MUSIC VIDEO

  • Millenium song 1
  • Millenium Song 2
  • Millenium Song 3
  • Millenium Song 4
  • CREDITS

     

Gurdeep Stephens: voice
Sibongile Khumalo: voice (Zulu)
Bronwen Forbay: voice (Afrikaans and German)
Nuska Drascek: voice (Slovenian)
(Sibongile Khumalo sings by courtesy of Sony Music)
Michael Greenacre: piano/keyboard

Santi Careta Group:
Santi Careta: electric guitar
Santi Serratosa: drums
Jordi Franco: bass
Noè Escolà: alto saxophone

Marc Casas: percussion
Carles Oliver: rhythm box

Concept and musical direction: Michael Greenacre
Arrangement: Michael Greenacre, with the collaboration of Santi Careta
Musical production: Santi Careta
Pre-production: Santi Careta, The Sant Studios. Avinyó, Catalonia, 1-15 december 1999
Recording and mastering: Nyanyo Castaño, Kay Studios. Manresa, Catalonia. 16 & 17 december 1999
Instruments: Solans Music, Manresa, Catalonia; Roger Albà

Photo of stained-glass window: Lurdes Nuñez
Stained-glass window: Dove of Peace , by Leo Theron

 

South African recordings of Sibongile Khumalo and Bronwen Forbay

Production: Nicholas and Volker Hooyberg
Recording studio: Hirt & Carter / Videolab, Durban, South Africa.
Sound engineer: Philipp Maier , assisted by Gary and Malcolm Mersham
Sibongile Khumalo sings by courtesy of Sony Music Entertainment (SA) Pty Ltd

Slovenian recording of Nuska Drascek

Production: Djuro Penzes and Michael Greenacre
Recording studio: Radio Slovenia, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Sound engineer: Dare Novak
Thanks to Anuska Ferligoj and Vlado Batagelj for facilitating the recording in Slovenia.

This project has been partially sponsored by

Fundació Caixa de Manresa


Universitat Pompeu Fabra

and has also received support from the Japanese company DENSO S.A. in Sant Fruitós de Bages, through the use of their video-conference facilities during the global video-conference of the Millennium Song across five continents on 16 December 2000.

Denso (global site) and Denso (in Europe)

We are looking for a major sponsor to collaborate in making this project grow.  Our ability to record more translations depends on funds being available, so please write to us if you have any ideas or suggestions.