Carlos says “Hola”
Sun Lee says “Nee-how.”
Chantal says “Bonjour”
Mario says, “Ciao.”
Sasha says, “Pri-vyet”
Thomas says “Jambo”
Sarala says, “Mah-rah-ba”
Kaitlyn says, “Hello” (but)
We all laugh in the same language
We all love to learn and play
Our hearts beat in the same rhythm
Round the world, we’re all the same
We all cry when we feel sorrow
We all love our family
We all pray for a better tomorrow
Round the world, you and me
Raj rides a rickshaw
Nigel takes the bus
Gabe drives a bobsled
Cynda walks through dust
Early each morning
Just like me and you
Children all around the world
Are on their way to school! (yeah)
Chorus
(BridgeJ)
We’re ebony, ivory
Bronze and gold and tan
We’re citizens of Planet Earth
A Family of Man
Chorus
(end vamp and fade)
We all laugh in the same language---------
Caucasian, Eurasian, Tibetan, Malaysian
Our hearts beat in the same rhythm------
Japanese, Portuguese, Chinese, Vietnamese
We all cry when we feel sorrow-----
Algerian, Syrian, Lithuanian, Rumanian
We all pray for a better tomorrow-----
Bantu, Hebrew, Cree, Aborigine
We all laugh in the same language---------
Alsatian, Croatian, Russian, Prussian
Our hearts beat in the same rhythm------
Hopi, Cherokee, Navajo, Seminole
We all laugh in the same language-----
American, Canadian, Mexican, Arcadian
Many children's choruses around the country and around the world have sung this song at assemblies and other celebrations. I consider this song to be an anthem for diversity and empathy around the world.
CMN's Multicultural Songbook is an anthology of some of the best songs originating from (or about) countries beyond the United States, often sung in languages other than English. In sharing songs of other cultures, we broaden the global understanding of our children so that they might see themselves as part of a larger world of people, not so unlike themselves, who hope, dream, play and learn in far-away lands sometimes in unfamiliar--but equally interesting--languages.