Thanks to Sol for sharing his interpretation of “Willin'” by Linda Ronstadt and Lowell George. It will be fun to see who can record it first.
| Willin’ (interpreted in Plains Cree) | English equivalent to Sol's interprretation | |
| nikî-nanîmiskên nikî-sâposci-kimiwanisin nikî-minihkwêskin mâka kêyâpic nikî-âhkamêyimon | ᓂᑮ ᓇᓃᒥᐢᑫᐣ ᓂᑮ ᓵᐳᐢᒋ ᑭᒥᐘᓂᓯᐣ ᓂᑮ ᒥᓂᐦᑵᐢᑭᐣ ᒫᑲ ᑫᔮᐱᐨ ᓂᑮ ᐋᐦᑲᒣᔨᒧᐣ | I’ve walked against the wind soaked by the rain I was a drunk But still I was willing |
| nikî-pâh-pîhtwâskin misiwêskamik nikî-pimâcihon misiwêskamik nikî-wanihon mâka kêyâpic nikî-âhkamêyimon | ᓂᑮ ᐹᐦ ᐲᐦᑤᐢᑭᐣ ᒥᓯᐍᐢᑲᒥᐠ ᓂᑮ ᐱᒫᒋᐦᐅᐣ ᒥᓯᐍᐢᑲᒥᐠ ᓂᑮ ᐘᓂᐦᐅᐣ ᒫᑲ ᑫᔮᐱᐨ ᓂᑮ ᐋᐦᑲᒣᔨᒧᐣ | I smoked a lot I travelled all over I was lost all over But still I was willing |
| cawâscêsihk nikî-wîkin wêpinikanihk nikî-ohci-mîcison âh, kî-kitimâkan, kî-âyiman mâka kêyâpic nikî-âhkamêyimon | ᒐᐚᐢᒉᓯᕽ ᓂᑮ ᐑᑭᐣ ᐍᐱᓂᑲᓂᕽ ᓂᑮ ᐅᐦᒋ ᒦᒋᓱᐣ ᐋᐦ, ᑮ ᑭᑎᒫᑲᐣ, ᑮ ᐋᔨᒪᐣ ᒫᑲ ᑫᔮᐱᐨ ᓂᑮ ᐋᐦᑲᒣᔨᒧᐣ | I’ve lived on the streets Eaten from garbage bins Oh, pitiable, hard times But still I was willing |
| nitôtêmak nikî-wîcihikwak niwâhkômâkanak nikî-sîhkimikwak nikî-atoskêhikawin êkwa mîna nikî-âhkamêyimon. | ᓂᑑᑌᒪᐠ ᓂᑮ ᐑᒋᐦᐃᑿᐠ ᓂᐚᐦᑰᒫᑲᓇᐠ ᓂᑮ ᓰᐦᑭᒥᑿᐠ ᓂᑮ ᐊᑐᐢᑫᐦᐃᑲᐏᐣ ᐁᑿ ᒦᓇ ᓂᑮ ᐋᐦᑲᒣᔨᒧᐣ᙮ | My friends helped me My family encouraged me I was given work Once again I was willing. |
You can find a karaoke track on YouTube for the original song in English by Linda Ronstadt and Lowell George:
One Response
I loved the song and love the translation.