What is the english translation of this phrase?

[Organarchist]

"toora loora toora loo rye aye" - made popular by Dexy's, but I am sure it is common in many folk songs!

[Marsh]

I've always taken it to be nonsense syllables, like "With a hey nonny no" in Shakespeare's time or  "Sh-boom" and "Sha-la-la-la"" in  Doo-Wop or scat singing in jazz.

[thewillow]

I never really gave it any thought before. I think it is a nonsense phrase but now wonder where it came from. It pops up in a fair few songs,e.g., Bing Crosby's An Irish Lullaby and Courtin' in the Kitchen (trad.).

[New Forester]

I think in some songs these nonsense words were put in when they were written down "officially" to replace the sort of phrases AB would edit out.