Brown Girl in the Ring – English Lyrics

• By: Boney M.

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language can be a joyful dance, and Boney M.'s 'Brown Girl in the Ring' is the perfect tune to start with. Based on a simple Caribbean children's game, the song's repetitive and descriptive lyrics offer an easy entry point into English with a celebratory, cultural twist. Its blend of disco and calypso makes it a fun and memorable way to absorb new vocabulary while getting a taste of West Indian heritage.

[English]

Brown girl in the ring

Tra la la la la

There's a brown girl in the ring

Tra la la la la la

Brown girl in the ring

Tra la la la la

She looks like a sugar in a plum

Plum plum

Show me your motion

Tra la la la la

Come on show me your motion

Tra la la la la la

Show me your motion

Tra la la la la

She looks like a sugar in a plum

Plum plum

All had water run dry

Got nowhere to wash my cloths

All had water run dry

Got nowhere to wash my cloths

I remember one saturday night

We had fried fish and Johnny-cakes

I remember one saturday night

We had fried fish and Johnny-cakes

Beng-a-deng

Beng-a-deng

Brown girl in the ring

Tra la la la la

There's a brown girl in the ring

Tra la la la la la

Brown girl in the ring

Tra la la la la

She looks like a sugar in a plum

Plum plum

Show me your motion

Tra la la la la

Come on show me your motion

Tra la la la la la

Show me your motion

Tra la la la la

She looks like a sugar in a plum

Plum plum

All had water run dry

Got nowhere to wash my cloths

All had water run dry

Got nowhere to wash my cloths

I remember one saturday night

We had fried fish and Johnny-cakes

I remember one saturday night

We had fried fish and Johnny-cakes

Beng-a-deng

Beng-a-deng

Brown girl in the ring

Tra la la la la

See, brown girl in the ring

Tra la la la la la

Brown girl in the ring

Tra la la la la

She looks like a sugar in a plum

Plum plum

...

All had water run dry

Got nowhere to wash my cloths

All had water run dry

Got nowhere to wash my cloths

Brown girl in the ring

Tra la la la la

Look that brown girl in the ring

Tra la la la la la

Brown girl in the ring

Tra la la la la

She looks like a sugar in a plum

Plum plum

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
look /lʊk/ A2	verb - to direct one's eyes towards someone or something
show /ʃoʊ/ A2	verb - to make something visible or evident
water /ˈwɔːtər/ A1	noun - a clear, colorless liquid essential for life
run /rʌn/ A1	verb - to move quickly on foot
dry /draɪ/ A2	adjective - lacking moisture or water
clothes /kloʊðz/ A2	noun - garments worn to cover the body
pass /pæs/ B1	verb - to move past or through a place
night /naɪt/ A1	noun - the period of darkness between sunset and sunrise
fish /fɪʃ/ A1	noun - aquatic animals used for food or sport
dance /dæns/ A2	verb - to move rhythmically to music
song /sɔːŋ/ A1	noun - a musical composition with lyrics
ring /rɪŋ/ A2	noun - a circular band worn on finger or used in particular context