Image: ChatGPT
The Polish version of the musical Mamma Mia! premiered in 2015. Let’s take a peek at the lyrics of “Money, money, money” and see what we find. I learned a new word (“haruję”) and one expression (“szarą gęś) myself!
The Polish version of Abba’s “Money, money, money”
| Polish | English translation | ABBA’s version | Comment |
| Ja tu haruję dzień i noc, rachunki tylko płacę wciąż | I work here day and night, just paying the bills | I work all night, I work all day to pay the bills I have to pay | “I work” is usually “pracuję“. “Haruję” means “I toil” or “I grind”, which fits well with the rest of the verse (working day and night for peanuts 🥜) |
| Jak to jest? | How is that? | Ain’t it sad? | |
| Pomimo tego forsy brak, w kieszeni dziurę chyba mam? | Despite this, there’s no money, is there a hole in my pocket? | And still, there never seems to be a single penny left for me | Note the other word for “money” used here: forsy. Plus the interesting detail of introducing a hole in the pocket ☺️ |
| Co za pech! | What bad luck! | That’s too bad! | |
| Też mam sen I też mam plan | I also have a dream I also have a plan | In my dreams, I have a plan | See my previous post about dreams! |
| Krezusowi rękę dam Robotę rzucę z dnia na dzień I tylko bawić będę się | I’ll give Croesus my hand I’ll quit my job overnight And just have fun | If I got me a wealthy man I wouldn’t have to work at all I’d fool around and have a ball | Another interesting change, referencing the historical figure Croesus, known for his wealth 🤑 |
| Kasa, Kasa, Kasa Pierwsza klasa Dla bogatych świat | Money, money, money First class The world is for the rich | Money, money, money Must be funny, in the rich man’s world | Kasa = more informal than the word “pieniądze” (see the previous post about money here). “Kasa” is the obvious choice here as it fits the catchy rhythm. |
| Kasa, Kasa, Kasa Żadnych zasad Dla bogatych świat | Money, money, money No rules The world is for the rich | Money, money, money Always sunny in the rich man’s world | “Funny” and “sunny” both had to be sacrificed. I think they’ve made it work quite nicely (it was hardly the most sophisticated part of the original, anyway ☺️) |
| Tak bym chciała i ja | I wish I could too | All the things I could do | |
| To pogoda dla bogaczy Mają w rękach świat | The weather is [good] for the rich They have the world in their hands | If I had a little money, it’s a rich man’s world It’s a rich man’s world | Weather metaphor introduced, perhaps to make up for the missing sun reference above? And in any case, the meaning is preserved (life is easier if you’re rich) |
| Choć myślę o nich cały czas, nadzianych gości skąd mam brać? | Although I think about them all the time, where can I find loaded guys? | A man like that is hard to find, but I can’t get him off my mind | Nicely rephrased to (almost) retain the rhyme (czas / brać) |
| Jak to jest? Gdy taki facet wolny jest Czy spojrzeć chce na szarą gęś? | How is that? When a guy like that is free Does he want to look at a grey goose? | Ain’t it sad? And if he happens to be free, I bet he wouldn’t fancy me | A grey goose?! Apparently “szarą gęś” is an expression that refers to plain, unremarkable girls 🪿🙈 |
| Co za pech! Najlepiej więc Ucieknę stąd | What bad luck! Then I’d better run away from here | That’s too bad! So I must leave, I’ll have to go | |
| Do Las Vegas Lub Monaco Fortunę wygram w domu gry Tu nowym życiem będę żyć | To Las Vegas Or Monaco I’ll win a fortune in a gambling house I’ll live a new life here | To Las Vegas or Monaco And win a fortune in a game My life will never be the same | The place names and core idea are both intact. The Polish gives it a more concrete setting (gambling house/casino) |
The Polish version of “Money, money, money” definitely shows that we can’t just slap on a literal translation when adapting pop songs!
Imagine the challenge to retain the meaning of the original song while making sure it fits the rhythm, keeps the rhymes, and conveys the same vibe. And all this without making the lines sound forced.
Hats off, I’d say! It’s definitely a fun and creative interpretation. Different opinions welcome however, so feel free to disagree in the comments below.
Another song called “Kasa, kasa, kasa”
On the subject of songs about money, did you know the Polish singer Michał Bajor also has a number called “Kasa, kasa, kasa”? And no, it’s not a cover of Abba. Check it out (and get ready to stamp your feet. It’s rather catchy!):
Playlist with songs about money in Polish
Playlist on YouTube
Playlist on Spotify
Sing Polish 
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