Non-lexical vocables in music
Non-lexical vocables are singing with wordless syllables instead of real words. You’ve likely heard “la la la,” “na na na,” or “da da da.” They can be improvised sounds, as in scat singing, or used as a regular part of a song. These syllables appear in many kinds of music around the world and can be mixed with actual lyrics.
In different traditions, these wordless sounds have special names. In Irish and Highland Scottish music, they’re called lilting. In English folk, they’re sometimes called diddling. In other cases, musicians use the sounds to imitate voices or instruments, to cue phrases, or simply to create a mood.
Some cultures and styles favor certain sound patterns. The Blackfoot and other Plains Indian groups often use a limited set of consonants and vowels, which shapes their vocal sounds. Non-lexical syllables also appear in yodeling, Pygmy music, and music from places like the Maldives.
Scat singing is a famous form of using non-lexical vocables in jazz. Singers improvise melodies with wordless syllables, aiming to mimic the feel of instrumental solos. Over the years, many great artists—such as Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, and CG performers in other styles—have shown how vocal sounds can carry rhythm and emotion just like an instrument. Some singers even blend scat with guitar or other instruments to create a unique sound.
Non-lexical syllables aren’t limited to jazz. In film and game soundtracks, composers sometimes use “Latin-sounding” wordless phrases (Dog Latin) to evoke grand or ancient moods. Some pieces use nonsense words that sound like chants or choirs. A famous Disney example is Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, which uses playful nonsense words to fun effect.
There are also purely playful or humorous uses. The Three Stooges’ “Swinging the Alphabet” mashes up letters into a wacky song, and some older novelty tunes use blurred or jumbled lyrics to get a similar effect, like Mairzy Doats. In popular rock and pop, non-lexical vocables helped shape styles such as doo-wop, and you’ll hear them in various hits that feature catchy wordless refrains or “la-la-la” choruses.
Some artists create entire fake languages for their songs. Magma uses Kobaïan, Sigur Rós sings in Hopelandic (Vonlenska), and Adriano Celentano released Prisencolinensinainciusol, a track sung to sound like English even though the words aren’t meaningful. Pseudo-Latin or invented languages sometimes appear in new-age music to imitate liturgical chant.
Around the world, non-lexical vocables also show up in songs with no real words, in instrumental-sounding vocal lines, and even in some holiday tunes or sea shanties. They remind us that the human voice can imitate instruments, set a mood, mark sections of a song, and simply be a playful or expressive tool.
In short, non-lexical vocables are a widespread and versatile way to sing without real words—from serious chants to playful tunes and modern pop, adding rhythm, color, and emotion to music.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 17:43 (CET).