In 1992 Kaigal-ool Khovalyg, Alexander Bapa, his brother Sayan Bapa, and Albert Kuvezin founded the quartet Kungurtuk, as a means of concentrating on the presentation of traditional songs of their homeland. The musicians later decided to rename the ensemble Huun-Huur-Tu. After the first album 60 Horses in my Herd (1993), Kuvezin left the band to form the more rock-oriented Yat-Kha. Kuvezin was replaced by Anatoli Kuular, who had previously worked with Khovalyg and Kongar-ool Ondar as part of the Tuva Ensemble. In 1995, Alexander Bapa, who had produced the first two albums, departed the band to pursue production as a full-time career. He was replaced by Alexei Saryglar. In 2003 Kuular quit the band and was replaced by Andrey Mongush.
The name Huun-Huur-Tu (sometimes spelled without hyphens) translates literally to "Sun Propeller," a Tuvan term referring to the special kind of light you can see streaming down through the clouds at dawn or down through densely leaved trees at noon.
The most distinctive characteristic of Huun Huur Tu's music is throat singing, in which the singers sing both the note (drone) and the drone's overtone(s), thus producing two or three notes simultaneously. The overtone may sound like a flute, whistle or bird, but is solely a product of the human voice.
The group primarily uses native Tuvan instruments such as the igil, khomus (Tuvan jaw harp), doshpuluur, and dünggür (shaman drum). However, in recent years, the group has begun to selectively incorporate western instruments, such as the guitar. While the thrust of Huun Huur Tu's music is fundamentally indigenous Tuvan folk music, they also experiment with incorporating not only Western instruments, but electronic music as well.
Their website is http://www.hhtmusic.com
Eki Attar
Huun-Huur-Tu Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On the swift steed's head
Bridle and bit are rinkling-rinkling
Remembering the beloved above all
My heart is beating pit-a-pat
On my good bay horse's head
Saddle and rein are rinkling-rinkling
Her braid ornament is swaying-swaying
Trotting up the river Khemchik
Such is the pace of the arched dun horse
Always coming when evening falls
Such is the habit of my young love
Trotting clip-clop clip-clop
It is the trot of my dark-bay horse
Always smiling softly
Such is the habit of my sweet friend
The silver bridle on my horse's head
Is it enviable, brother-in-law?
Your lambkin staying with me
Is she desirable, brother-in-law?
The golden saddle, rein, and bit
Are they enviable, brother-in-law?
Your precious staying with me
Is she desirable, brother-in-law?
On the shy colt's head
Bit and rings are rinkling-rinkling
On my young love's braid
Her braid ornament is swaying-swaying
I long to ride my skewbald horse
On whose flank a mark is branded
I long to meet the beloved girl
On whose fingers rings are stuck
The song "Eki Attar" by Huun-Huur-Tu is a beautiful ode to the traditional way of life in Tuva. The lyrics speak of a love for horses, and how they are an integral part of the Tuvan culture. The singer paints a vivid picture of a young man riding his horse through the countryside, with the bridle and bit "rinkling-rinkling" as he goes. He longs for his beloved, and his heart beats "pit-a-pat" as he remembers her.
Throughout the song, the singer describes his horses in detail, from the swift steed to the shy colt, and how each one is ridden with care and respect. He also mentions the love of his young life, and how she is always waiting for him when he returns home in the evening. The lyrics are filled with emotion and a deep appreciation for nature, and the way in which it connects people with their surroundings.
Overall, "Eki Attar" is a beautiful and lyrical tribute to Tuva's way of life, with a focus on the close relationship between humans and horses.
Line by Line Meaning
Good Horses
I have good horses
On the swift steed's head
Bridle and bit are rinkling-rinkling
The bridle and bit on my fast horse are making a jingling sound
Remembering the beloved above all
My heart is beating pit-a-pat
I am thinking of my beloved and my heart is beating quickly
On my good bay horse's head
Saddle and rein are rinkling-rinkling
The saddle and reins on my good bay horse are making a jingling sound
On my sweetheart's braid
Her braid ornament is swaying-swaying
The ornament in my sweetheart's braid is swaying back and forth
Trotting up the river Khemchik
Such is the pace of the arched dun horse
Always coming when evening falls
Such is the habit of my young love
My arched dun horse trots along the river Khemchik, just like how my young love always comes to see me in the evening
Trotting clip-clop clip-clop
It is the trot of my dark-bay horse
Always smiling softly
Such is the habit of my sweet friend
My dark-bay horse trots with a clip-clop sound, just like how my sweet friend always smiles softly
The silver bridle on my horse's head
Is it enviable, brother-in-law?
Your lambkin staying with me
Is she desirable, brother-in-law?
I ask my brother-in-law if he thinks the silver bridle on my horse is enviable, and if he desires to have his lamb staying with me
The golden saddle, rein, and bit
Are they enviable, brother-in-law?
Your precious staying with me
Is she desirable, brother-in-law?
I ask my brother-in-law if he thinks the golden saddle, rein, and bit are enviable, and if he desires to have his precious person staying with me
On the shy colt's head
Bit and rings are rinkling-rinkling
On my young love's braid
Her braid ornament is swaying-swaying
The bit and rings on my shy colt are making a jingling sound, while the ornament in my young love's braid is swaying back and forth
I long to ride my skewbald horse
On whose flank a mark is branded
I long to meet the beloved girl
On whose fingers rings are stuck
I wish to ride my skewbald horse with a branded mark on its flank, and to meet my beloved girl who wears rings on her fingers.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: KAIGAL-OOL KHOVALYG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Smiljana
on Saryglarlar
by the Tambourine Boulders.
Dismounted people get held up,
because of the beauty of Saryglarlar maidens.
Travelers slow down by the Shangyr place.
They are slowed down
by the beauty of Saryglarlar maidens.
Noble bandits at the amazing Khovuzhuk place.
The Part of my soul it's this song
Hoping to Learn
on Exile's Song
I appreciate the translation very much, thank you. It’s been hard to find any english lyrics.