The group was founded in 1997 by Elana Wolff ('01). The Chordials have traveled all around the Northeast to Penn State, Haverford, Rutgers, Muhlenberg, RPI, Buffalo, Johns Hopkins, Rochester, and the Ithaca area.
The group produced their first album Shaken... Not Stirred in the spring of 1999. The album features songs such as "Come on Eileen" and "Killing Me Softly." The group's second album Not For Minors premiered in the fall of 2002, with songs including Sarah McLachlan's song "Angel" and Madonna's "Like a Prayer", now a Chordials staple. Their third album, The Third Chapter, features renditions of "Echo" by Incubus, Gladys Knight's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", and "One Sweet Day" as recorded by Boyz II Men and Mariah Carey. The group's fourth album, Arrival, was released at their tenth anniversary concert "Cocktail Hour X". Group member James Cannon ('07), via his production company "The Panic Room," acted as the recording engineer on the new album. Arrival features complex arrangements of songs as performed by artists such as Puddle of Mudd, Snow Patrol, Nine Inch Nails, and others.
In 2001, the group made its debut at the ICCA (International Championship of College A Cappella) quarterfinals in Rochester, NY, during which member Gabi Kornfeld ('04) received the award for Best Vocalist for her performance of "Angel." In subsequent years, the group received additional awards at the ICCA including Best Choreography, Best Soloist, Best Arrangement, and Best Percussion. In 2004, the Chordials became ICCA Finalists, placing third at the ICCA Finals in New York City's Town Hall Theater. Every year since 1998 the group has produced at least one major concert per year, including their annual "Cocktail Hour" concert in the spring semester.
Ramalama
Cornell Chordials Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stitch a seam across the eye?
If you can be good, you'll live forever
If you're bad, you'll die when you die
Hearing only one true note
On the one and only sound
Unzip my body, take my heart out
Taking a picture of
Taking a picture of
Taking a picture of
{Bang, bang}
Oh, the body swayed to music
Oh, the lightning glance
I would give it all and all
Maybe you would hear me
Ask for half a chance
Hearing only one root note
Planted firmly in the ground
Undo my heart, unzip my body
And lend to my ear a clear and a deafening sound
Unzip my heart
And if I need a rhythm
It'll be to my heart I listen
If it don't put me too far wrong
And if I, and if I
And if I need a rhythm
It's gonna be to my heart I listen
If it don't put me too far wrong
Everybody smile please
Nobody pay no mind to me
Finger in position on the switch
A little flash photography
Taking a picture of you
(To my heart)
Taking a picture of, taking a picture of me
Taking a picture
Ramalama bang bang
Flash, bang, big bang
Bing bong, ding dong
Dum dum d-dum dum
With a hammer, bang bang
Flash, bang, press gang
Bing bong, ding dong
Dum dum d-dum dum
With a st-stammer, bang bang
Crash bang, big bang
Boing boing, boing doing
Dum dum d-dum dum
With a st-stammer, the bang bang
(With a st-stammer)
With a st-stammer
(Crash bang, the bing bang)
Crash bang, big bang
(Boing boing, boing doing)
Bing bang, crash bang
(Dum dum d-dum dum)
And if I, and if I need a rhythm
It's gonna be to my heart I listen
And if I, and if I need a rhythm
It's gonna be to my heart I listen
And if I, and if I need a rhythm
It's gonna be to my heart I listen
Need a rhythm
(And if I, and if I)
Need a rhythm
(And if I, and if I)
Need a rhythm
(And if I, and if I)
Need a rhythm
(And if I, and if I)
Need a rhythm
(And if I, and if I)
Need a rhythm
(And if I, and if I)
And if I, and if I need a rhythm
The lyrics of "Ramalama" by Cornell Chordials may seem mysterious at first, but they actually offer deep insights on how our bodies and minds work together to create rhythm and music. The opening lines, "Could a body close the mind out / Stitch a seam across the eye?", suggest the interconnectedness of our physical and mental states. The next lines, "If you can be good, you'll live forever / If you're bad, you'll die when you die", further highlight this connection, suggesting that our actions in the physical world can have a direct impact on our mental and emotional well-being.
The chorus of the song speaks to the power of music to move us and create a sense of unity: "Hearing only one true note / On the one and only sound / Unzip my body, take my heart out / 'Cause I need a beat to give this tune". This evokes the idea of music as a universal language, with the ability to transcend language and cultural barriers.
The second half of the song is a playful, almost nonsensical string of sounds and phrases, with the repeated refrain "And if I need a rhythm, it's gonna be to my heart I listen". This reinforces the idea that rhythm and music are innate within us, and we only need to connect with them in order to create something beautiful and meaningful.
Line by Line Meaning
Could a body close the mind out
Is it possible to shut down the mind physically?
Stitch a seam across the eye?
Can we sew our eyes shut?
If you can be good, you'll live forever
Being virtuous promises eternal life
If you're bad, you'll die when you die
Being vicioused means you'll experience death normally
Hearing only one true note
The singer is waiting to catch the perfect note
On the one and only sound
On the exclusive audio chart-topper
Unzip my body, take my heart out
Tell me to play my tune, my passion, my art
Cause I need a beat to give this tune
My symphony craves a rhythm to come alive
Taking a picture of
Say cheese!
Bang, bang
Click, click
Oh, the body swayed to music
Music moves your soul
Oh, the lightning glance
That split-second eye contact
I would give it all and all
I could give anything just to capture your attention
Maybe you would hear me
Hoping that you'll finally listen
Ask for half a chance
If you would just give me a few moments...
Hearing only one root note
The melody is founded on a single fundamental key
Planted firmly in the ground
Rooted in this tone, the song is grounded
Undo my heart, unzip my body
Free me to express authentically
And lend to my ear a clear and a deafening sound
Let my heart be heard, the sound loudest around
And if I need a rhythm
When I need to move to the music
It'll be to my heart I listen
I dance to the beat of my own heart
If it don't put me too far wrong
As long as I don't lose my way
Everybody smile please
Everyone, show me your pearly whites!
Nobody pay no mind to me
Ignore me, just keep doing your thing
Finger in position on the switch
Prepared to take the picture with a click
Ramalama bang bang
Merging the percussive and the lyrical
Flash, bang, big bang
A series of explosive sounds
Bing bong, ding dong
Mimicking the sound of bells
Dum dum d-dum dum
A booming beat
With a hammer, bang bang
Suggesting the creation of music from the pounding of tools
Flash, bang, press gang
The crew is hard at work, not just playing around
Boing boing, boing doing
Utilizing a more playful, cartoonish sound
With a st-stammer, bang bang
Adding a stutter to the percussion
Crash bang, big bang
A chaotic and intense sound
Bing bang, crash bang
A series of rapid and dynamic beats
And if I, and if I need a rhythm
When the need to move to the music strikes
It's gonna be to my heart I listen
I'll follow my own internal beat
Need a rhythm
Craving to move to the music
Writer(s): Matthew John Herbert, Roisin Murphy
Contributed by Makayla I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Iota Draconis
This might sound kind of weird, but this song is very popular among the bellydancing community. The deep, tribal beat really rings out to us.
Ariel Arbisser
I remember seeing someone use this version of the tune in a strip routine years ago too! So good
Skylar’s World!
i beg your pardon, the w h a t
Cassia utof
that's awesome!
Alden Mullaney
I like this version more than the original. It has a psychotic tribal feel to it.
Kero!
Another version of this song was blocked in my country recently for whatever reason. So I find this and it's similar.... And I'm happy. Thank you.
LoonaMoon
What was the name of the other one?
Phillip Stringham
heard u guys on spotify, I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!
Teddy Bear
I really love this song❤I was looking for lyrics to the song on YouTube but I couldn't fine any sadly but I can understand this one so you did amazingly great❤❤🐻
BlueFireSapphire
It's actually a cover of Murphy's original song