A Ram Sam Sam is a popular children’s nursery rhyme and song that originated in North Africa and is now widely enjoyed by children worldwide. The song has a repetitive and catchy melody, making it a fun and interactive experience for young children.
Although the origins of “A Ram Sam Sam” are not precisely known, it is believed to have originated from a Berber or Moroccan folk song. Knowing this the words can be roughly translated to be:
Sam Ran (A Ram Sam Sam)
Tell me (Guli)
Friend (A Rafiq)
Over time, the song has spread across different cultures and regions, and various versions and adaptations have emerged in a variety of languages.
Lyrics for A Ram Sam Sam
The lyrics are one verse sung repeatedly or with actions and more words added.
A ram sam sam, a ram sam sam
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam
A ram sam sam, a ram sam sam
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam
A rafiq, a rafiq
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam
A rafiq, a rafiq
Guli guli guli guli guli ram sam sam
Different hand gestures or actions accompany the lyrics. These actions often involve clapping, tapping, or rhythmically patting different body parts.
The following is a newer version of the song, that is filled with body movement and actions:
A ram sam sam, a ram sam sam,
Guli guli, guli guli, guli, ram sam sam.
Put your hands up
And never stop
Sing” A Ram Sam Sam “song
And we’ll have fun all day long.
A ram sam sam, a ram sam sam,
Guli guli, guli guli, guli, ram sam sam.
A ram sam sam, a ram sam sam,
Guli guli, guli guli, guli, ram sam sam.
A rafiq, a rafiq
Guli guli, guli guli, guli, ram sam sam.
A rafiq, a rafiq
Guli guli, guli guli, guli, ram sam sam.
And now, a little faster!
A ram sam sam, a ram sam sam,
Guli guli, guli guli, guli, ram sam sam.
A ram sam sam, a ram sam sam,
Guli guli, guli guli, guli, ram sam sam.
A rafiq, a rafiq
Guli guli, guli guli, guli, ram sam sam.
A rafiq, a rafiq
Guli guli, guli guli, guli, ram sam sam.
Put your hands up
And never stop
Let’s sing it a little faster
And try to be a dancing master.
A ram sam sam, a ram sam sam,
Guli guli, guli guli, guli, ram sam sam.
A ram sam sam, a ram sam sam,
Guli guli, guli guli, guli, ram sam sam.
A rafiq, a rafiq
Guli guli, guli guli, guli, ram sam sam.
A rafiq, a rafiq
Guli guli, guli guli, guli, ram sam sam.
Come on, a little faster!
A ram sam sam, a ram sam sam,
Guli guli, guli guli, guli, ram sam sam.
A ram sam sam, a ram sam sam,
Guli guli, guli guli, guli, ram sam sam.
A rafiq, a rafiq
Guli guli, guli guli, guli, ram sam sam.
A rafiq, a rafiq
Guli guli, guli guli, guli, ram sam sam.
Put your hands up
And never stop
Let’s sing it a little faster
And try to be a singing master.
A ram sam sam, a ram sam sam,
Guli guli, guli guli, guli, ram sam sam.
A ram sam sam, a ram sam sam,
Guli guli, guli guli, guli, ram sam sam.
A rafiq, a rafiq
Guli guli, guli guli, guli, ram sam sam.
A rafiq, a rafiq
Guli guli, guli guli, guli, ram sam sam.
Interesting FACT about A Ram Sam Sam
The song has the same melody as another nursery rhyme, Big Red Bus, which you can see here.
Which rhyme came first? We are not exactly sure, although I would guess it was Ram Sam Sam. I have no official grounds on which to support that assumption, only to say that it states on Wikipedia –
“A version of the song by Liverpool folk group The Spinners, who claimed to have learned the song from an Israeli singer and that the words were in Aramaic,[2]“
Therefore it could be fair to assume the catchy melody was used after being heard in the UK, and the words about a big red bus added in which reflect the use of the big double-decker red buses in London and other parts of the United Kingdom.
