Originally a Moroccan song, A Ram Sam Sam is today a very popular children’s song around the world. Its original lyrics have often been modified.
Most often it is performed as an action songs where children must perform certain actions during the lyrics.
How To Play
There are different actions performed during the lyrics, below we present the two main popular versions.
A ram sam sam – Hands clapping the lap rhytmically to the tune of “ram sam sam”
Guli guli guli guli – Hands are winding around each other repeatedly
A rafiq, a rafiq – both hands move to one side of the head as if sleeping.
Alternatively
A ram sam sam – pound fists on top of each other in turns
Guli guli guli guli – hands are pulled apart as if something is sticky
A rafiq, a rafiq – index fingers are spun on the side of the head as if to signal that someone is crazy
The lyrics are sang repeatedly, often the actions must be performed faster each time.
There is not much meaning to the lyrics, even in the original Moroccan dialect of Arabic, “A ram sam sam” means nothing. However, “guli” means “tell me” while “a rafiq” means “friend”. The lyrics were often distorted, sometimes “a rafiq” may sound like “agapee” or “arami” while “a ram sam sam” is sometimes sang as “a ram sa sa” or “a ram zam zam”.
“A Ram Sam Sam” Lyrics
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