Which are the Maltese songs you want featured in the EU’s very first songbook?

From 23 November to 23 December, the Maltese are being invited to identify the six Maltese songs to represent Malta in the first EU Songbook from a total of 48 songs. 

So far 35,000 people in 19 member states have voted for their respective six songs: the Maltese are the 20th EU population to vote. 

The six song categories – decided among 17 music academies from 14 member states – are: “Love songs”, “Nature & Seasons”, “Freedom & Peace”, “Folk songs”, “Songs of faith” and “Children songs”. 

Maltese music students and teachers from theSchool of Performing Arts, University of Malta, and Malta School of Music have nominated the 48 Maltese songs that have made it to the Maltese Song Voting Bill. Among the many cherished tunes are titles such as “Xemx” by The Tramps, “Paci u sliem” by David Azzopardi, “Iddecidejt” and “Fonzu l-Fenek” by Michael Piscopo. 

“Some songs, particularly in a small country like Malta, have an almost iconic status for the local population. It is a fascinating idea to have these songs shared with other fellow citizens of the European Union,” said EU Songbook editor for Malta Dr Albert Pace, of the School of Performing Arts. 

The Song Vote happens on the front page of www.eu-songbook.org and is open until 23 December. 

The EU Songbook was initiated by European Union Songbook Organisation founder Jeppe Marsling in a bid to combine national feeling and European thought. “We, the 27 populations in EU, all know painfully little about each other! To share national song treasures seems to be a direct way towards getting to know each other better,” Marsling said of the first edition of the EU Songbook planned for publication in December 2019 with 162 songs printed in both national languages and in singable English translation, side by side. 

Six categories of song 

The six song categories were decided in a co-operation with 17 music academies – including The School of Performing Arts, University of Malta – and music faculties in 14 EU-member states: 1) Love, 2) Nature & Seasons, 3) Freedom & Peace, 4) Folksongs, 5) songs about faith, 6) Children’s songs. 

Love songs: 

1. Xemx - (The Tramps) 

2. Fejn tħobb il-qalb - (M. Spiteri) 

3. L-ewwel tfajla li ħabbejt - (Malta Bums) 

4. Għajnejk sbieħ - (S. Bartolo) 

5. L-għarusa tal-Mosta – (F. Baldacchinio, 'Il-Budaj') 

6. It-Tieġ tan-Neputija - (T. Camilleri) 

7. Marija l-Maltija - (J. Grech / C. Mifsud) 

Nature & Seasons: 

8. L-aħħar bidwi f'wied il-għasel – (P. Abela / A.C. Sant) 

9. Xemx u xita - (The Travellers) 

10. Il-bajja tal-Mellieħa - (S. Bartolo) 

11. Awwissu – (W. Micallef) 

12. Ħafa, paċi u kuluri 

13. Inti Djamant – (The Tramps) 

14. Riviera blue – (S. Bartolo) 

15. Tifla tal-kampanja - (tradizzjonali) 

Freedom & Peace: 

16. Paċi u sliem – (D. Azzopardi) 

17. Sinjur ġib il-paċi – (D. Grech / The Tramps) 

18. Innu tat-Tfal Maltin – (D. Azzopardi) 

19. Ħamiema bajda 

20. Kemm hu sabiħ – (New Courey) 

21. Tema'79 – ("Ġensna", P. Abela / R. Mahoney) 

22. Tifħira lil Malta 

Folk songs & Traditionals: 

23. Ċeklem ċeklem karozzin – (The Greenfields) 

24. Tal-Pastizzi – (D. Azzopardi) 

25. Il-Festa - (M. R. Mallia & C. Camilleri) 

26. Lanċa ġejja u oħra sejra – (tradizzjonali) 

27. Viva Malta – (F. Portelli) 

28. Fuq il-pont ta’ Wied Rummiena 

29. Il-Maltija – (Albert M. Cassola) 

30. L-għannej 

31. Taxi Mary - (F. Abela) 

Faith: 

32. Iddeċidejt – (A. Cauchi & T. Cachia) 

33. Fil-Ħlewwa ta' Mejju - (G. Caruana / D.K. Psaila) 

34. Mulej f'idejk – (R. Galea) 

35. Tini Idejk - (D. Azzopardi) 

36. Fis-Santwarju tal-Madonna 

37. L-għasfur tal-bejt 

38. Nadurawk ja ħobż tas-sema – (G. Caruana / D.K. Psaila) 

39. Sidi Ġesu' huwa ħaj 

Children’s songs:  

40. Fonzu l-fenek – (M. Piscopo) 

41. Bumm bumm il-bieb - (tradizzjonali) 

42. Ninni la tibkix iżjed 

43. Dawra Durella - (tradizzjonali) 

44. Mhux jien mama' 

45. Il-merill 

46. Iż-żunżana ddur iddur - (tradizzjonali) 

47. Pizzi pizzi kanna - (tradizzjonali) 

48. Viva l-Karnival