Duet with a Klingon

If I ran a game store I would play the song Duet with a Klingon by Carla Ulbrich.

Duet with a Klingon is a parody of George Gershwin's classic Let's Call the Whole Thing Off, but instead of two people bickering about pronunciation it's sung by an Earthling and a Klingon facing a language barrier. The song works because it's a wry twist on something classic. It feels like Ulbrich is sneaking around the museum, hanging mustaches on all the statues. The song is fun, it's geeky, and the Klingon language is pretty solid. There are some purposeful errors in the translation, though, because when the song was written not all the proper translations could be made (i.e. the word "banana" didn't exist in Klingon at the time).

The song was written by Carla Ulbrich. It was released as both a live version and studio version on her 2009 album, Live from Outer Space. There are many live performances of the song on YouTube as well. I prefer the studio version. Carla Ulbrich sings the part of the human and her husband, Joe Giacoio, sings the part of the Klingon.

Duet with a Klingon (studio version) on CDBaby

Duet with a Klingon lyrics

I say potato and you say Nach --- (Head)*

I like tomato and you like Hurgh --- (Pickle)*

Potato, Nach, tomato, Hurgh --- (Head … Pickle)*

Let's call the whole thing off

I say pajamas and you say nIvnav --- (Pajamas)

I like bananas and you like Ha'DIbaH --- (Meat)

Pajamas, nIvnav, bananas, Ha'DIbaH --- (Pajamas ... Meat)

Let's call the whole thing off

Oh, if we call the whole thing off

Then we must part

Oh, tlhIngan Hol Dajatlh'a' --- (Do you speak Klingon?)

Huh? Dajatlh'a' --- (You say?)**

Ha' quv puS ghaj --- (Let's have a conversation)

I cannot speak Klingon

pagh qayajbe' --- (I can't understand you)

I have no idea what you’re saying

jISaHbe' --- (I don’t care)

And I don't care

bIjatlh 'e' yImev --- (Shut up)

Oh hush

Better call the calling off off

Let's call the whole thing off

I say laughter and you say Haghqu'choH --- (Laughter)*

I say after and you say Qoch --- (?)*

Laughter, Haghqu'choH, after, Qoch --- (Laughter ... ?)*

Let's call the whole thing off

Oh, if we call the whole thing off

Then we must part

Oh, bIjeghbe'chugh vaj bIHegh --- (Surrender or die)

Don't you know any English?

Surrender or die

Oh, well then

If you say lu' then I’ll say okay --- (okay)

If you say qay'be' then I’ll say no problem --- (no problem)

Dap --- (Nonsense)

Whatever

logh chatlh --- (Whatever)

What?

Better call the calling off off

Let’s call the whole thing off

cha' wej loS (Two, three, four)

Notes

* not sure of the Klingon word I typed

** not sure of the translation I typed