Loba Loba

Loba Loba

Sookie Sookie

Ladies, I am translating

Queen Bella Hérens

Says no sense to hurry

This Swiss grass is so good

We got this in the bag

Slow down girls

Let's milk this

Like we do everyday

This young talker

This two walker

We need to heifer

Learn all the words

Loba Loba

Prroutche

Co-boss Co-boss

Sookie Sookie

Papy can we

Please import our cows

From just one country

Most don't answer to

Loba Loba

Loba Loba

Gscheiti Chüe

Have taught me

To say

Loba Loba

Prroutche

Co-boss Co-boss

Sookie Sookie

Well Heidi

It was you who

Said no more goats

Since Peter – um sorry.

And I bought three more

From Finland

You best practice

Hee, hee, hee

Oh my,

I know that look

Opa is only kidding

Grampa loves you

I bought an Alphorn to play

The sound

Is like sweet-smelling hay

And you, Heidi, shall

Yodel

Loba Loba

Prroutche

Co-boss Co-boss

Sookie Sookie

Until the cows come home

Until the cows come home

Hee, hee, hee

© 2026 John Osinga. All rights reserved. St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada.

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A Note on Loba Loba

I grew up calling Co-boss in the back field. Recently, I started wondering — how, and with what sayings, do farmers call their cows in other countries? That question opened a wondrous door of discovery of so many wonderful cow calls from around the world.

This lyric is the result of that research. Every cow call, every term, every word is authentic ( to the best of my ability) to its region and culture. I wanted to treat them with the same respect I give to any language or tradition I write about.

A few words worth knowing:

Loba — An ancient Celtic word meaning cow. Used in the Swiss Alps in a traditional herding song called the Ranz des Vaches. Herders would sing it to call their cattle down from the mountain pastures.

Prroutche — A gentle, calming chant from the old rural French dialect, brought into parts of Scotland as well. Used to invite a cow over for milking. Not a command. An invitation.

Gscheiti Chüe — Swiss German for smart cow. Used sarcastically — the way you'd call someone a know-it-all or a smart aleck. Heidi means it affectionately. Mostly.

Bella Hérens — Bella is the most popular cow name in Switzerland, given to over 4,400 bovines. Hérens is a real Swiss Alpine cattle breed, known for its independent spirit. Queen Bella earned her title.

Alphorn — In Switzerland, herdsmen used the Alphorn to call cows home because its deep, rich sound could travel up to 10 kilometres across the massive mountain valleys. Often over three metres long, it acted as a giant megaphone, its notes bouncing off rock walls and reaching cows grazing far up the slopes.

Farmers played specific melodies that the cows learned to recognise. When they heard it, they knew it was time to come home. The natural tones also soothed and calmed the herd during milking. Opa knew what he was doing when he bought one.

Hee, hee, hee — The Finnish cattle call, used to drive cows forward along a path. Also, Opa, laughing. I like the duality of meanings in the metaphors I weave into a lyric.

Co-boss and Sookie — North American classics. From the Latin Bos, meaning cow. The Co-boss calls I grew up with. Some things, as a young farm kid, you never forget.

I was also fortunate enough to marry a farm girl. Edle's family had cows, and she told me that one specific cow would always run clear across the field just to see her. Edle still remembers her name — Gail.

Thanks for reading this far. The MOO -- cows appreciate it.

— John Osinga