A language acquisition study published in the journal Cognition in 2008 suggests that listening to and singing along with music may play an important role in learning a language. Reported by Cognitive Daily , the study supports that singing in a foreign language can help a student learn that language faster. The concept isn’t unusual. Over the years, several friends have told me they practiced their French listening to Serge Gainsbourg, their Spanish listening to Cafe Tacuba, their Mandarin listening to Carsick Cars, and so forth.

You can test the study’s findings with the 10 Foreign Language Cover Songs we compiled here. Enjoy!

Johnny Cash performing Wer kennt den Weg

A German version of I Walk the Line



Die Ärzte performing Gehn Wie Ein Ägypter

A German cover of The Bangles’ Walk Like An Egyptian



Seu Jorge performing David Bowie’s Life on Mars? in Portuguese

Los Campos Magnéticos performing El Galán de La Paternal

A Spanish cover of The Magnetic Fields’ The Luckiest Guy on the Lower East Side



Blondie performing Llámame

A Spanish version of Call Me



Mikel Erentxun performing Esta Luz Nunca Se Apagará

A Spanish cover of The Smiths’ There Is A Light That Never Goes Out



Rachid Taha performing Rock El Casbah

An Arabic cover of The Clash’s Rock The Casbah



Adriano Celentano performing Pregherò

An Italian cover of Ben E. King’s Stand By Me



Oksana Mysina and Oxy Rocks performing Не то уж теперь

A Russian cover of Bob Dylan’s Things Have Changed



Shang Shang Typhoon performing レットイットビー

A Japanese cover of The Beatles’ Let It Be



More Music for Language Learners:

Check out Beyond Word’s series Spinning Languages for great foreign language music.

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