¿Dónde están las llaves? - Spanish Children's Songs - Spain - Mama Lisa's World: Children's Songs and Rhymes from Around the World  - Intro Image

Notes

Alternate Ending:

Este oficio no le gusta
Matarile, rile, rile
Este oficio no le gusta
Matarile, rile, ron chimpón.

Le pondremos (otro oficio)
Matarile rile, rile
Le pondremos (otro oficio)
Matarile rile ron chimpón.

Este oficio sí le gusta
Matarile, rile, rile,
Este oficio sí le gusta
Matarile, rile, ron chimpón.

English Translation

S/he doesn't like this job
Matarelay, relay, relay.
S/he doesn't like this job
Matarelay, relay, ron chimpon.

We'll make him/her a (another profession),
Matarelay, relay, relay.
We'll make him/her a (another profession),
Matarelay, relay, ron chimpon.

Yes, she likes this job,
Matarelay, relay, relay.
Yes, she likes this job,
Matarelay, relay, ron chimpon.

Game Instructions

The children stand in two lines facing each other and play a game of questions and answers while going forwards and backwards alternatively on each verse.

The kids in the first line go forward towards the kids in the second line on, "yo tengo un castillo" and then backwards on, "matarile, rile, rile", then forwards on, "yo tengo un castillo" and backwards on, "matarile, rile, ron, chimpon". On the second verse, the second line of kids follow the same rules. Then they alternate singing verses following these rules.

Comments

This song comes from the French song "Ah mon beau château", as does A to ambo materilerilero" which you can find on Mama Lisa's Colombia page and also "A mambró cható matarile, rile, rile" from Venezuela. For those who understand Spanish, there's a very interesting article about how this song has spread to different countries at Mundo Hispanohablante.

Listen

This song is sung in the mp3 with the girl's name, "Amandita".

Download

MP3: Monique Palomares

Sheet Music

Sheet Music - ¿Dónde están las llaves?

Thanks and Acknowledgements

Many thanks to Ccibian for contributing this song and to Monique Palomares for translating it (with Lisa Yannucci).

Thanks to Lila Pomerantz for the drawing.

¡Muchas gracias!