Lin wrote, "When I was 5th grade, we took English & French language lessons for kids, oh how I and all my classmates loved singing the song Frère Jacques in French and English. But we also have an Indonesian version..."

Notes

Note: The English version "Father Jacob" above is a literal translation of the Indonesian text. When Lin sang the song in English in school they sang the English version that people sing in countries like the US and England, "Are you Sleeping, Brother John?...".

Lin wrote, "I remember when I was in Elementary School, we children would sing both versions, English and Bahasa Indonesia. Children usually sing the two versions one after another. It's a bit funny how one version is not automatically the exact translation of the other version. Even the person is different: Jakob isn't John and bapak is father not brother :) "

This is the English version Lin sang (followed by the Bahasa Indonesian version):

Are you sleeping?
Are you sleeping?
Brother John, Brother John
Morning bells are ringing
Morning bells are ringing
Ding Dang Dong
Ding Dang Dong

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Sheet Music

Sheet Music - Bapak Jakob

Thanks and Acknowledgements

Many thanks to Lin Fadelan for contributing and translating this song.

Terima kasih banyak!