So these guys made a pop song in Italian complaining about people's failure to use the subjunctive properly. On the one hand, this is grammar peevery, and thus a linguist (such as I pretend to be on occasion) can't really be expected to approve. Grammar peevery is in fact diametrically opposed to rational, descriptive linguistics. Nevertheless, peevery can be entertaining, and it's funny to see Italians singing about grammar.
Cosa sto ascoltando al momento.
Lorenzo Baglioni, "Il Congiuntivo."
Testo.
[Intro] Che io sia Che io fossi Che io sia stato Ouooh
[Strofa 1] Oggigiorno chi corteggia incontra sempre più difficoltà Coi verbi al congiuntivo Quindi è tempo di riaprire il manuale di grammatica, che è Che è molto educativo Gerundio, imperativo Infinito, indicativo Molti tempi e molte coniugazioni, ma
[Ritornello] Il congiuntivo ha un ruolo distintivo E si usa per eventi che non sono reali È relativo a ciò che è soggettivo A differenza di altri modi verbali E adesso che lo sai anche tu Non lo sbagli più
[Strofa 2] Nel caso che il periodo sia della tipologia dell’irrealtà (si sa) Ci vuole il congiuntivo Tipo “Se tu avessi usato il congiuntivo trapassato Con lei non sarebbe andata poi male” Condizionale… Segui la consecutio temporum
[Ritornello] Il congiuntivo ha un ruolo distintivo E si usa per eventi che non sono reali È relativo a ciò che è soggettivo A differenza di altri modi verbali E adesso che lo sai anche tu Non lo sbagli più
[Bridge] E adesso ripassiamo un po' di verbi al congiuntivo: Che io sia (presente) Che io fossi (imperfetto) Che io sia stato (passato) Che fossi stato (trapassato) Che io abbia (presente) Che io avessi (imperfetto) Che abbia avuto (passato) Che avessi avuto (trapassato) Che io sarei…
[Ritornello] Il congiuntivo come ti dicevo Si usa in questo tipo di costrutto sintattico Dubitativo, quasi riflessivo Descritto dal seguente esempio didattico E adesso che lo sai anche tu Non lo sbagli più
I suppose you could say I’m a bit of a fan of the Japanese polymathic popstar Genki Sudo. I’ve posted atleast3 of his videos on this here blog before.
He and his group WORLD ORDER (all caps, please) made a new music video, darkly satirizing America’s twitterer-in-chief.
What I’m listening to right now.
WORLD ORDER, “Let’s Start World War 3.”
歌詞 (I’m not sure this all the lyrics, but it might be – the song’s actual words seem pretty short).
“We assembled here today
are issuing a new decree
to be heard in every city
in every foreign capital
and in every hall of power.
From this day forward
a new vision will govern our land.
From this day forward
it’s going to be only
America First.
America First!”
つまらない日々に 終わりを告げる男が
世界を救うため この世に遂に現れた
お金持ちで背も高い プロレスもできて頭も良い
映画に出てくるような 本物のヒーロー
Let’s start World War 3
We’re gonna have a party
あなたの金髪に 青い瞳に憧れ
僕らはどこまでも ついていきます
Let’s start World War 3
We’re gonna have a party
“Let’s grab them by the pussy”
Let’s start World War 3
Can’t break out from this feeling
Let’s start World War 3
“We will make America wealthy again
We will make America proud again
We will make America safe again
And yes, together
We will make America great again”
Translation of the Japanese part above (from the subtitles).
On a boring day
A man who speaks of the end
and wants to save the world
finally appeared
He’s rich and tall
And has a mind that can even understand WWE
Like from a real hero
Right out of a film
I yearn for your blonde hair
and blue eyes
Wherever you go
We will follow you
I decided to spend the day making a backup file of this here blog thingy™. That’s 14 MB of just text – not even counting the pictures, which should be backed up separately (and which I still need to work on, because there’s no quick extract of those files, except in the case of the newer ones where I proactively adopted a more back-up-able storage method).
That’s what I get for 13 years of blogging.
Then, just for the hell of it, since I happen to have a webserver (apache) and appropriate database (MySQL) running on my desktop at the moment, I hacked together a wordpress instance and “published” a clone of my blog on my desktop, just to prove I still have a few technical skills. It took me about 3 hours to get a passable instance (sans local pictures) up and running. Anyway, I can say that as long as I keep my backups up-to-date, my blog is fully recoverable even if my bloghosting company meets a bad end for whatever reason. Here’s a screenshot of the CAVEATDVMPTRVCK doppelgänger I slapped together:
What I’m listening to right now.
Younger Brother, “Train.”
Lyrics.
The world flashing past
So many others moving so fast
I feel my heart slow
As we go under I don’t bow down
Nothing left undecided
Upon steel on steel
Through these cuts in me I’ve
No question who was here first
Many dreams many lifetimes
Any of which could be me
Accept that I’m the one unable to move upon this machine
Upon this machine
On a caravan in motion
Alone in crowds just like me
I fell between the moments
I fell between the ideas
Cuz when it runs around the windows
Nothing here is still
All the patterns colliding
Through these villages and hills
So many dreams so many lifetimes
Any of which could be me
Accept that I’m the one unable to move upon this machine
There’s no one else, no one else, no one else, no one else
There’s no one else, no one else, no one else, no one else
There’s no one else, no one else, no one else, no one can help me now
Help me I’m stuck in this moving thing
Nothing is what it seems
No getting off this machine
I finally got motivated to repair my linux desktop that I broke about 6 months ago. So… I'm obsessively messing around with config files and various arcana of Ubuntu Linux.
What I'm listening to right now.
David Bowie, "No Control."
Lyrics
Stay away from the future Back away from the light It's all deranged – no control
Sit tight in your corner Don't tell God your plans It's all deranged No control
If I could control tomorrow's haze The darkened shore wouldn't bother me If I can't control the web we weave My life will be lost in the fallen leaves
Every single move's uncertain Don't tell God your plans It's all deranged No control
I should live my life on bended knee If I can't control my destiny You've gotta have a scheme You've gotta have a plan In the world of today, for tomorrow's man
No control
Stay away from the future Don't tell God your plans It's all deranged No control
Forbidden words, deafen me In memory, no control See how far a sinful man Burns his tracks, his bloody robes You've gotta have a scheme You've gotta have a plan In the world of today, for tomorrow's man
I should live my life on bended knee If I can't control my destiny No control I can't believe I've no control It's all deranged
I can't believe I've no control It's all deranged Deranged Deranged
Вступление:
– Я похож на птицу!
– На принца?
– На принца или на орла. Эй!
Я беру вторую бутылку розового вина.
Припев: Feduk
Здесь так красиво, я перестаю дышать.
Звуки на минимум, чтобы не мешать.
Эти облака – фиолетовая вата.
Магия цветов со льдом в наших стаканах.
Здесь так красиво, я перестаю дышать.
Звуки на минимум, чтобы не мешать.
Эти облака – фиолетовая вата.
Магия цветов со льдом в наших стаканах.
Первый Куплет: Элджей
Девочка – пятница, не хочет быть сегодня одна.
Какая разница где я, не отвечаю на номера.
Можешь даже не набирать, можешь даже не набирать.
Тут угарать, я хочу угарать.
Мы уже в океане дискотек, алкоголя и мариваны.
No stress. Хаваем как M&M’s dance-dance.
Кис-кис, вдыхай меня через кес, через кес.
Моя волшебная палочка в твоих руках. Крекс-пекс!
Здесь так красиво, я перестаю дышать.
Звуки на минимум, чтобы не мешать.
Эти облака – фиолетовая вата.
Фиолетовая вата и вокруг так пиздато!
Твои кенты лошки, а я без башки,
Но не будем мы играть в кошки-мышки.
Твои ладошки уже далеко зашли.
Я хочу тебя, а еще хочу сижку.
Припев: Feduk
Здесь так красиво, я перестаю дышать.
Звуки на минимум, чтобы не мешать.
Эти облака – фиолетовая вата.
Магия цветов со льдом в наших стаканах.
Здесь так красиво, я перестаю дышать.
Звуки на минимум, чтобы не мешать.
Эти облака – фиолетовая вата.
Магия цветов со льдом в наших стаканах.
Второй Куплет: Feduk
Я бы жил в этом лете в том самом моменте,
Когда мы летели на байке.
Эти пальмы и ветер, пальмы и ветер,
Фото пальмы в алом закате.
Мы на гребне волны скользим и катим,
Все что так долго копили – тратим.
И все что так долго копили –
Вам придется сегодня потратить. Еа!
Припев: Feduk
Здесь так красиво, я перестаю дышать.
Звуки на минимум, чтобы не мешать.
Эти облака – фиолетовая вата.
Магия цветов со льдом в наших стаканах.
Здесь так красиво, я перестаю дышать.
Звуки на минимум, чтобы не мешать.
Эти облака – фиолетовая вата.
Магия цветов со льдом в наших стаканах.
Adriano Celentano, "Prisencolinensinainciusol." This song is nonsense. Literally. It's an Italian comedian's effort, in 1972, to sing in English without using English – he said he wanted to make a song about the failure to communicate. Which makes sense – more than the song does, right? Anyway, the melody and beat are quite earwormy, actually.
Lyrics
Prisencolinensinainciusol In de col men seivuan prisencolinensinainciusol ol rait
Uis de seim cius nau op de seim Ol uait men in de colobos dai Trrr – ciak is e maind beghin de col Bebi stei ye push yo oh
Uis de seim cius nau op de seim Ol uoit men in de colobos dai Not s de seim laikiu de promisdin Iu nau in trabol lovgiai ciu gen
In do camo not cius no bai for lov so Op op giast cam lau ue cam lov ai Oping tu stei laik cius go mo men Iu bicos tue men cold dobrei goris Oh sandei
Ai ai smai sesler Eni els so co uil piso ai In de col men seivuan Prisencolinensinainciusol ol rait
Ai ai smai senflecs Eni go for doing peso ai Prisencolinensinainciusol ol rait
Uel ai sint no ai giv de sint Laik de cius nobodi oh gud taim lev feis go Uis de seim et seim cius go no ben Let de cius end kai for not de gai giast stei
Ai ai smai senflecs Eni go for doing peso ai In de col mein seivuan Prisencolinensinainciusol ol rait
Lu nei si not sicidor Ah es la bebi la dai big iour
Ai aismai senflecs Eni go for doing peso ai In de col mein seivuan Prisencolinensinainciusol ol rait
Lu nei si not sicodor Ah es la bebi la dai big iour
Pointer Sisters, "You Gotta Believe." The remarkable video is by Nina Paley, who has been blogged here before.
Lyrics.
[Intro] Doodle wop a-rat-a-tat boom I'll make the sound of a jet plane zoom Doodle wop a-rat-a-tat boom I'll make the sound of a fire
[Hook] You got to believe in somethin' Why not believe in me? You got to believe in somethin' Why not believe in me?
[Verse One] What have I, I done to you To make you mean And treat me the way you do? Go on and wave your flag, brother Start your revolution I'm willin' to let you do your thing Tell me why are you plannin' a compromise?
[Hook]
Take the chain off your brain Take the chain off your brain Stop, take a look at yourself Stop ridiculin' everybody else
I don’t have much to say today.
So I will share this fine musical interlude – who knew that “Soviet Electronic Music” was even a genre? Personally, I feel it’s aged pretty well.
What I’m listening to right now.
Зодиак & Эдуард Артемьев, compilation of various tracks. [daily log: walking, 7km]
The Chainsmokers (with Coldplay), "Something Just Like This." The video is "unofficial," but cute and sappy. This was a song chosen by one of my middle-school CC classes recently. I'm letting them choose their own songs completely, now. It's going pretty well, actually.
Lyrics
I've been reading books of old The legends and the myths Achilles and his gold Hercules and his gifts Spiderman's control And Batman with his fists And clearly I don't see myself upon that list
But she said, "Where d'you wanna go? How much you wanna risk? I'm not looking for somebody With some superhuman gifts. Some superhero, Some fairytale bliss. Just something I can turn to. Somebody I can kiss. I want something just like this."
Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo Oh, I want something just like this Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Oh, I want something just like this I want something just like this
I've been reading books of old The legends and the myths The testaments they told The moon and its eclipse And Superman unrolls A suit before he lifts But I'm not the kind of person that it fits
She said, "Where d'you wanna go? How much you wanna risk? I'm not looking for somebody With some superhuman gifts. Some superhero, Some fairytale bliss. Just something I can turn to. Somebody I can miss. I want something just like this. I want something just like this."
Oh, I want something just like this Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo Oh, I want something just like this Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo Doo-doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
"Where d'you wanna go? How much you wanna risk? I'm not looking for somebody With some superhuman gifts. Some superhero, Some fairytale bliss. Just something I can turn to. Somebody I can kiss. I want something just like this."
Oh, I want something just like this Oh, I want something just like this Oh, I want something just like this
The internet wins the day. It turns out that H.P. Lovecraft's apocalyptically-themed poem "Nemesis" is a perfect metrical fit for Billy Joel's "Piano Man."
And then someone made it happen.
What I'm listening to right now.
Julian Velard, "Nemesis" – lyrics by H.P. Lovecraft, melody by Billy Joel.
Lyrics – "Nemesis."
Thro’ the ghoul-guarded gateways of slumber, Past the wan-moon’d abysses of night, I have liv’d o’er my lives without number, I have sounded all things with my sight; And I struggle and shriek ere the daybreak, being driven to madness with fright.
I have whirl’d with the earth at the dawning, When the sky was a vaporous flame; I have seen the dark universe yawning, Where the black planets roll without aim; Where they roll in their horror unheeded, without knowledge or lustre or name.
I had drifted o’er seas without ending, Under sinister grey-clouded skies That the many-fork’d lightning is rending, That resound with hysterical cries; With the moans of invisible daemons that out of the green waters rise.
I have plung’d like a deer thro’ the arches Of the hoary primordial grove, Where the oaks feel the presence that marches And stalks on where no spirit dares rove; And I flee from a thing that surrounds me, and leers thro’ dead branches above.
I have stumbled by cave-ridden mountains That rise barren and bleak from the plain, I have drunk of the fog-foetid fountains That ooze down to the marsh and the main; And in hot cursed tarns I have seen things I care not to gaze on again.
I have scann’d the vast ivy-clad palace, I have trod its untenanted hall, Where the moon writhing up from the valleys Shews the tapestried things on the wall; Strange figures discordantly woven, which I cannot endure to recall.
I have peer’d from the casement in wonder At the mouldering meadows around, At the many-roof’d village laid under The curse of a grave-girdled ground; And from rows of white urn-carven marble I listen intently for sound.
I have haunted the tombs of the ages, I have flown on the pinions of fear Where the smoke-belching Erebus rages, Where the jokulls loom snow-clad and drear: And in realms where the sun of the desert consumes what it never can cheer.
I was old when the Pharaohs first mounted The jewel-deck’d throne by the Nile; I was old in those epochs uncounted When I, and I only, was vile; And Man, yet untainted and happy, dwelt in bliss on the far Arctic isle.
Oh, great was the sin of my spirit, And great is the reach of its doom; Not the pity of Heaven can cheer it, Nor can respite be found in the tomb: Down the infinite aeons come beating the wings of unmerciful gloom.
Thro’ the ghoul-guarded gateways of slumber, Past the wan-moon’d abysses of night, I have liv’d o’er my lives without number, I have sounded all things with my sight; And I struggle and shriek ere the daybreak, being driven to madness with fright.
Here is another version – nicer implementation (more true to the darker spirit of Lovecraft), but incomplete.
Yesterday I went to an actual, non-cancer-hospital dentist. That's the first time I've gone to a non-cancer-hospital dentist since I had cancer. It thus marks a milestone.
Observation: I prefer cancer hospitals to dentists.
What I'm listening to right now.
They Might Be Giants, "I Love You for Psychological Reasons."
Lyrics.
lately I've taken to vacantly making repetitive movements mistakenly seen as improvements nearing perfection but wisely electing to shun my reflection preferring instead shoe inspection cheese and chalk do not talk but their eyes synchronize with a secret rhythm which is a way one could say that I love you for psychological reasons
mumbling failure in jail my extremities flail and I wail though my arms and my legs to the chair are nailed under the table unwilling unable the torture's medieval the dream is a fable with feeble wings why does the mouse share the house with the louse they won't say but they feel their feelings doesn't subtract from the fact that I love you for psychological reasons reasons I can't really go into now reasons we should probably not get into right now
I'm ashamed to admit I'm afraid of assuming the blame for my lame abnegation of braveness and fame brain in a jar in a car in reverse I'm rehearsing the way I'll replay how to say how to be where you are flammable undiagrammable sentiments pass between animal beings hard to explain but it's plain that I love you for psychological reasons
why does the mouse share the house with the louse they won't say but they feel their feelings doesn't subtract from the fact that I love you for psychological reasons reasons I can't really go into now reasons we should probably not get into right now
Last week's bitter cold and Saturday's snow are transformed, by a hazy weekend, into one-degree rain. Typical Korean weather, I suppose: precipitation from the south, and so it's generally a warming trend.
I got not much. Feeling exhausted from last week, but this week has stumbled up upon my doorstep, demanding attention. So …
What I'm listening to right now.
Gorillaz, "On Melancholy Hill." Like so many great songs, I suspect this one was written on heroin. Such is life.
Lyrics
Up on melancholy hill There's a plastic tree Are you here with me? Just looking out on the day Of another dream
Well you can't get what you want But you can get me So let's stand and see, love Cause you are my medicine When you're close to me When you're close to me
So call in the submarine Round the world we'll go Does anybody know, love If we're looking out on the day Of another dream
If you can't get what you want Then come with me
Up on melancholy hill Sits a manatee, love Just looking out for the day When you're close to me When you're close to me
I slept longer than I usually do, by several hours. That's probably good. I had been sleeping badly, probably feeling nervous and stressed about the upcoming cancer screening. I spend too much time ideating the "bad news" scenario. Way too much time.
It was December 24th on Hollis Ave in the dark When I seen a man chilling with his dog in the park I approached very slowly with my heart full of fear Looked at his dog, oh my God, an ill reindeer But then I was illin because the man had a beard And a bag full of goodies, 12 o'clock had neared So I turned my head a second and the man had gone But he left his driver's wallet smack dead on the lawn I picked the wallet up then I took a pause Took out the license and it cold said "Santa Claus" A million dollars in it, cold hundreds of G's Enough to buy a boat and matching car with ease But I'd never steal from Santa, cause that ain't right So I'm going home to mail it back to him that night But when I got home I bugged, cause under the tree Was a letter from Santa and all the dough was for me
D.M.C.:
It's Christmas time in Hollis Queens Mom's cooking chicken and collard greens Rice and stuffing, macaroni and cheese And Santa put gifts under Christmas trees Decorate the house with lights at night Snow's on the ground, snow white so bright In the fireplace is the yule log Beneath the mistle toe as we drink egg nog The rhymes you hear are the rhymes of Darryl's But each and every year we bust Chrsitmas carols (Christmas melodies)
Run-D.M.C.:
Rhymes so loud and proud you hear it It's Christmas time and we got the spirit Jack Frost chillin, the orchas out? And that's what Christmas is all about The time is now, the place is here And the whole wide world is filled with cheer
D.M.C.:
My name's D.M.C. with the mic in my hand And I'm chilling and coolin just like a snowman So open your eyes, lend us an ear We want to say
Carrie Underwood, "Blown Away." This is one of my recent selections for my CC listening/dictation class. I like it for the lower-ability students for several reasons: 1) she sings quite clearly; 2) the theme is a bit sad and "deep," but it's accessible to children – tornados are always popular; 3) the video "parallels" the lyrics well – which is to say, you can get cues as to the what the lyrics are about by watching the video.
Lyrics.
Dry lightning cracks across the skies Those storm clouds gather in her eyes Daddy was mean a old mister Mama was an angel in the ground The weather man called for a twister She prayed blow it down
There's not enough rain in Oklahoma To wash the sins out of that house There's not enough wind in Oklahoma To rip the nails out of the past
Shatter every window till it's all blown away, Every brick, every board, every slamming door blown away Till there's nothing left standing, Nothing left of yesterday Every tear-soaked whiskey memory blown away, blown away
She heard those sirens screaming out Her daddy laid there passed out on the couch She locked herself in the cellar Listened to the screaming of the wind Some people called it taking shelter She called it sweet revenge
Shatter every window till it's all blown away, Every brick, every board, every slamming door blown away Till there's nothing left standing, Nothing left of yesterday Every tear-soaked whiskey memory blown away, blown away
There's not enough rain in Oklahoma To wash the sins out of that house There's not enough wind in Oklahoma To rip the nails out of the past
Shatter every window till it's all blown away, (Blown away) Every brick, every board, every slamming door blown away (blown away) Till there's nothing left standing, Nothing left of yesterday Every tear-soaked whiskey memory blown away, Blown away, blown away, blown away, blown away
Normally, I try not to post the same type of blog post two days in a row. And yesterday, I did one of my "what I'm listening to right now" posts, which is for when I'm lacking anything more interesting to say and happen to notice I'm listening to something worth posting.
Well, but I had a pretty braindead weekend. And I've got to go to work and I've got nothing to say. And I happen to be listening to this song I like. So apologies for the unimaginative repetition of post style.
What I'm listening to right now.
Cake, "I Will Survive." This is a cover of the song originally written by Perren and Fekaris, and made famous in the disco hit by Gloria Gaynor in the 1970s. To be honest, I like this version better – I probably like the Gen X cynicism of its tone.
Lyrics.
At first I was afraid. I was petrified. I kept thinking I could never live Without you by my side. But then I spent so many nights Just thinking how you'd done me wrong. I grew strong. I learned how to get along. And so you're back from outer space. I just walked in to find you here Without that look upon your face. I should have changed my fucking lock. I would have made you leave your key If I'd have known for just one second You'd be back to bother me.
Oh now go. Walk out the door. Just turn around now. You're not welcome anymore. Weren't you the one Who tried to break me with desire? Did you think I'd crumble? Did you think I'd lay down and die? Oh not I.
I will survive. As long as I know how to love I know I'll be alive. I've got all my life to live. I've got all my love to give. I will survive. I will survive.
It took all the strength I had Just not to fall apart. I'm trying hard to mend The pieces of my broken heart. And I spent oh so many nights Just feeling sorry for myself. I used to cry. But now I hold my head up high.
And you'll see me with somebody new. I'm not that stupid little person Still in love with you. And so you thought you'd just drop by, And you expect me to be free. But now I'm saving all my lovin' For someone who's lovin' me.
Oh now go. Walk out the door. Just turn around now. You're not welcome anymore. Weren't you the one Who tried to break me with desire? Did you think I'd crumble? Did you think I'd lay down and die? Oh not I.
I will survive. As long as I know how to love I know I'll be alive. I've got all my life to live. I've got all my love to give. I will survive. I will survive.
EXID, “덜덜덜.” 가사 알아먹게 Talk 해 다리 떨지 말고 왜 아무 말이나 해 그건 어디 말이니
(어버버)
Uh 어버버버버버(어버버) 떨리는 동공 더더더덜 머리 굴리는 소리 안 나게 좀 해봐 다 티가 나 기가 차 뭐가 그리 찔리나 지금 웃음이 나와? 아 짜증나게 내가 뭘 했다고 네 머리 다리 팔이 떨려 덜덜덜
Yeah 도둑마냥 제 발 저렸지 막 쥐 잡듯이 잡아주지 난
What you what you
Wanna do right now
How stupid little dumb
Dumb stop now 거짓말 다 네가 속인거래 한번 하면 또 한대 버릇돼서 결국 끝난대 옆에선 다 내가 미친 거래 너만 속아주고 다 주고 다 주고 하지마 자꾸만 나를 더 미치게 만들지마 그렇게 깊게 가지마 더이상 밀어내기 싫다면
Why don’t you 쉿 ma baby
Why don’t you 쉿 ma baby
Why don’t you 쉿 ma baby 이게 진짜 마지막이야 말해봐 미안하다면서 뭐가 미안한데? 미안하다매 다 네 탓이었다매 똑같네 그냥 그동안 네가 한 모든 사과 기분 참 뭐 같네 그럼 난 뭐가 돼 아 참내 이제 난 힘들어 그만할래 내가 어쩌길 바래 나한테 정말 이럼 안돼 앞에선 내가 못되게 해도 결국 속아주고 다 주고 다 주고 하지마 자꾸만 나를 더 미치게 만들지마 그렇게 깊게 가지마 더이상 밀어내기 싫다면
Why don’t you 쉿 ma baby
Your Lips (덜덜덜덜)
Your Eyes (덜덜덜덜) 네 머리 허리 다리 모두 다
Your Lips (덜덜덜덜)
Your Eyes (덜덜덜덜) 네 머리 허리 다리 모두 다 하지마 자꾸만 나를 더 미치게 만들지마 그렇게 깊게 가지마 더이상 밀어내기 싫다면
Why don’t you 쉿 ma baby
[daily log: walking, 1km]
Last night in my PM1-M cohort CC class (cloze listening of pop songs), I felt like I was living in some kind of Lord of the Flies rendition of hagwon life.
You see, this one boy, Eric, was opening a packet of snack ramen. The kids eat the dried ramen noodles dry, sort like potato chips, with the flavor packets opened and sprinkled over the broken up noodles. What they do is they open the packet enough to get out the flavor packet, which they extract and add into the noodle package. Then they hold the noodle package closed and mash up the noodles inside, so they're all tiny fragments and the flavor granules are distributed. It's like do-it-yourself Doritos, maybe.
So Eric had done this work. And then he tore open his now mashed up and flavored pack of dried noodles eagerly, with a plan to eat his snack. Normally I'm pretty tolerant of kids eating snacks in my class, despite an official rule against it, because I know the whole business of attending night class for elementary age students means sometimes they are hungry and haven't eaten since an after-school snack or something.
The other boys (the cohort is currently all boys, just by luck of the draw) were eyeing his snack jealously and hungrily. Unfortunately, Eric opened his packet too aggressively. The noodle fragments, stained orange by the spicy flavor granules, flew all over the room, landing on desks, chairs, floor, and even in Eric's hair. The boy sat with a stunned and despondant look on his face.
But the worst was when the other boys, seeing their chance, swooped in and began grabbing up all the scattered noodle fragments. They didn't seem to care that the bits were on the floor, chairs and desks. They ate them. In less than a minute, most of the bits were gone. Even the ones in Eric's hair. While Eric still just sat, looking stunned.
I said, "Really? Really? You guys are eating off the floor? It's like a pack of dogs!"
In fact, I wasn't that scandalized – I could barely contain my laughing. But given my in loco parentis role (more loco than parentis, perhaps), I felt obligated to be upset by the performance.
Anyway, we got it cleaned up. It took up about half the class time, though. I guess the boys were not annoyed by this.
Quite unrelatedly, what I'm listening to right now.
Sticks & Big2, "Waar Wacht Je Op?!" Don't ask me why. I just listen to weird things, sometimes. Why not a little bit of Dutch hiphop?
Lyrics.
[Intro: Sticks] Waar wacht je op? Waar wacht je op? Waar wacht je op? Sticky Steez!
[Intro: Big2] Hé Sticks, go get 'em!
[Verse 1: Sticks] Je krijgt deez nuts, Dries van Noten Breek het open, pistachenoten Een piece of mind en een piece van mij Voor de fun en fuck de police d'r bij Nou als ik niet beweeg, breng ik niets te weeg En wat zijn mijn woorden waard als ik ze niet meer weeg? Ik deel mijn lief en leed, en het gaat fucking flex Maar men ziet liever leed en beef-dvd's Ik ga next-level, van rap battles naar HMH Ga aan de kant Jett Rebel en Chef's Special En Kensington en Go Back To The Zoo En hoe lauwer de beat, hoe gekker je doet Ambitie maakt dat ik move met m'n shit Ambitie maakt dat jij grooved op die shit 'T is hard werken om je vrijheid te behouden Maar de up-side: het kan allemaal van jou zijn Nou waar wacht je op?
[Chorus: Sticks & Big2] Get loose met je poes, als ik dit niet doe zijn we helemaal floes (Waar wacht je op?) En iedereen doet mee, met de Sticky Steez en de Biggie 2 (Waar wacht je op?) Geen plan, gewoon gaan, de leeuw laat je echt niet in zijn hempie staan (Waar wacht je op?) En de beat goes on (Lachen toch?) En de beat goes, on (Waar wacht je op?) Het maakt niet uit wie wat zegt, het is aan jou… Het maakt niet uit wie wat zegt Het maakt niet uit wie wat zegt Het maakt niet uit wie wat zegt, het is aan jou… Het maakt niet uit wie wat zegt Het maakt niet uit wie wat zegt
[Verse 2: Sticks] Nou als het moet, bos ik op bam bam ritmes Chaka Demus & en de Pliers in een 5-0-1 levi's Met een witte Air Max, met een pipi' achter mijn oor Geeft niks, het is the latest greatest Nadenken is de vijand van vrijheid Check deze Twan, volgens mij zijn we highlights Daar moest je bij zijn, anderen willen dat me zijn maar zijn te klein als Royce da 5'9 Voor de clubs ben ik te nuchter, lever de track af, breek de tent af Zoek rust midden in de drukte Heel het leven is een trip beter stap je in (Waar wacht je op?) Record wat, breng het uit de dag erop Deel de hele taart uit, zet er slagroom op Er is genoeg voor ieder, er is genoeg voor ieder Waar wacht je op?
[Chorus: Sticks & Big2] Get loose met je poes, als ik dit niet doe zijn we helemaal floes (Waar wacht je op?) En iedereen doet mee, met de Sticky Steez en de Biggie 2 (Waar wacht je op?) Geen plan, gewoon gaan, de leeuw laat je echt niet in zijn hempie staan (Waar wacht je op?) En de beat goes on (Lachen toch?) En de beat goes, on (Waar wacht je op?) Het maakt niet uit wie wat zegt, het is aan jou… Het maakt niet uit wie wat zegt Het maakt niet uit wie wat zegt Het maakt niet uit wie wat zegt Het maakt niet uit wie wat zegt Het maakt niet uit wie wat zegt, het is aan jou…
A Capella Science, “Evo-Devo (Despacito Biology Parody).” This song is truly awesome. It’s evolutionary biology. It’s poetry. It’s music. It’s all in a package, like the miracle of life, itself. For the prototype of which this song is a “parody,” see here.
Lyrics.
EVO-DEVO
Huxley
B. Mac.
Oh Carroll, Carroll
Gould, Stephen Jay yeah
D-D-D-D-Davidson and Peter
See
One cell divide and decide on a thousand fates
Did you ever figure how they know?
B. Mac.
We
Are built of modules combined in a planned out way
Each new piece must be told where to go
Oh
Now there’s a science helping us to understand
How our cells encode this architectural plan
Signalling each other with genetic tools oh
Oh yeah
Wow
Phenotype the interface for mouse and man
Genotype the files and the subprograms
What then are the switches, circuit boards and boot code?
Evo-Devo
Looking at the logic in the ways that we grow
Every gene directed by a signal key code
Proteins that can activate, enhance or veto
Evo-Devo
Signals are controlled by other genes that signal
Calculating in a network labyrinthal
Where the heart and liver and the hands and feet go
Signal mapping tells each region what it ought to be yo
With circuits so deeply built upon
They’re older than the Paleo
The Paleozoic Era baby
In a crucial pathway changes tend to get torpedoed
Where they go calamity goes
As this cyclopic sheep knows..
See down they cascade like a domino
Like you and I drosophila
The path that makes us optical
Was laid a long long time ago
Back before we blew up the cambrian like a bomb bomb
Now my eye protein can make you see out of your bom bom
And Hedgehog and its relatives like Indian and Sonic
Set up set up in a gradient on segments embryonic
Split forebrains and asymmetric parts depend upon it
Flipping on genetic switches and logic
From devo to evo
Adult and embryo
Mostly don’t evolve in the genes of the genome
Safer the mutation aimed at regulation
Keep the building blocks and swap their activation
From devo to evo
Parts have alter egos
Homologs evolved from repeats in the schema
Switch a couple bases in the proper places
You’ll be watching flies grow legs out of their faces oh yeah
Evo-Devo
Stick around for Modern Synthesis the sequel
Only by combining can a new theory grow
Evolution and development amigos
Evo-Devo
Signals trigger patterns of complexity so
Switching up the switches of a signalling node
Gives a modular and simple way to evolve
Look at how our spinal segments generate a neat row
Built on a molecular clock
One cycle, one vertebra
One vertebra one vertebra baby
Speeding up its rate is snakes’ developmental cheat code
That and where a lizard’s feet grow
They turn off distal aminos
Evo-Devo
This is how we go from single cells to people
Every generation and in life primeval
Life in variations endless and beautiful
Badaboom
From devo to evo
Larva to mosquito
Patterns are resolved as the signals proceed yo
Map out a gene with a glow tag
Kill it with a morpholino
Short oligo morpholino baby
From devo to evo
Voyage of the Beagle
Body plans evolve when proteins steer the genome
In this manner life’s beauty grows
Aesthetica in vivo
I enjoy finding very weird music videos sometimes.
What I'm listening to right now.
Fever The Ghost, "((SOURCE))."
Lyrics – I'm extremely skeptical about the accuracy of these. I found them online. They look like some kind of automated transcription such as is common these days, but it doesn't really scan right. I didn't take the time to try to improve them, though. I guess we could just say they're hallucinatory, which matches the video.
Run run, ditto moon Pullin' back, shape up to. The know? High street, pushing steam Rolling eye, is forced to dream You go All I want to know is how to start over again You want it? All I need to know is how to gain control But the shameless soul Oh, your sitting amongst yourselves Soon, you lie under ecstasy Your eye has stolen me Oh, you sit amongst yourselves Soon, you lie under ecstasy Your eye is swichin' with it Run run, ditto moon Pullin' back, shape up to You know? High street, pushing steam Rolling eye, is forced to dream You go All I want to know is how to start over again You want it? All I need to know is how is how you start to control But the shameless soul Oh, your sitting beside of me Soon, you lie under ecstasy Your eye has switched away Oh, you sit amongst yourselves Soon, you lie under ecstasy But I have source it means, Every wish you go in, every wish you go in, I will see you sitting here Every wish you sold it out, every wish you sold it out In the silence In the silence Oh, your sitting amongst yourselves Soon, you lie under ecstasies In our mysteries Oh, you sit amongst yourselves Soon, you lie under ecstasies In our mysteries I await, no rise Everywhere you goin', stop the city. Oh, no I'll know Let's sail go go You, I don't need ascension
"Wealth is not his that has it, but his that enjoys it." – Benjamin Franklin.
So there's that.
What I'm listening to right now.
Kelly Clarkson, "Stronger." This is one of the songs we've done for the "CC" class (lyrics listening / dictation). I like this song, because it's empowering for girls, in a fairly innocuous, pop-culture way. And girls need that kind of thing. Yesterday, I had a rather serious discussion about ambition and lowered self-expectation with one of the girls from my painfully unambitious but talented HS1-T cohort (because she was the only one that showed up for class). After explaining the idiom, I kept asking her, "Why do you sell yourself short?" Of course, these things don't have a clean resolution, in real life, but I hope what I said made sense.
Lyrics.
You know the bed feels warmer Sleeping here alone You know I dream in colour And do the things I want
You think you got the best of me Think you've had the last laugh Bet you think that everything good is gone Think you left me broken down Think that I'd come running back Baby you don't know me, cause you're dead wrong
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger Stand a little taller Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone What doesn't kill you makes a fighter Footsteps even lighter Doesn't mean I'm over cause you're gone
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, stronger Just me, myself and I What doesn't kill you makes you stronger Stand a little taller Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone
You heard that I was starting over with someone new They told you I was moving on over you
You didn't think that I'd come back I'd come back swinging You try to break me, but you see
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger Stand a little taller Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone What doesn't kill you makes a fighter Footsteps even lighter Doesn't mean I'm over cause you're gone
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, stronger Just me, myself and I What doesn't kill you makes you stronger Stand a little taller Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone
Thanks to you I got a new thing started Thanks to you I'm not the broken-hearted Thanks to you I'm finally thinking about me You know in the end the day you left was just my beginning In the end…
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger Stand a little taller Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone What doesn't kill you makes a fighter Footsteps even lighter Doesn't mean I'm over cause you're gone
[2x] What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, stronger Just me, myself and I What doesn't kill you makes you stronger Stand a little taller Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone
Ни минуты покоя, только ты и ты
Мир наполнен тобою, я верю в мечты
Ты близко, ты скоро, я жду, я молю
Я признаться готова, что тебя, что тебя я люблю
Ola-Ola, я и ты, ты и я
Ola-Ola, долгожданные слова
Ola-Ola, ты и я навсегда
Ola-Ola, ты мой, я твоя
Ты мой, я твоя, ты мой, я твоя
Ты мой
Ты мой, я твоя, ты мой, я твоя
Ты мой
Я слышу твой голос, забываю себя
Понимаю, не спорю – ты для меня
Мы сегодня не рядом, жду нового дня
Ни минуты покоя, бегу, бегу до тебя
Ola-Ola, я и ты, ты и я
Ola-Ola, долгожданные слова
Ola-Ola, ты и я навсегда
Ola-Ola, ты мой, я твоя
Ты мой, я твоя, ты мой, я твоя
Ты мой
Ты мой, я твоя, ты мой, я твоя
Ты мой
Ola-Ola, я и ты, ты и я
Ola-Ola, долгожданные слова
Ola-Ola, ты и я навсегда
Ola-Ola, ты мой, я твоя
Ola-Ola, я и ты, ты и я
Ola-Ola, долгожданные слова
Ola-Ola, ты и я навсегда
Ola-Ola, ты мой, я твоя
Ты мой, я твоя
Well I live with snakes and lizards And other things that go bump in the night. Cuz to me everyday is Halloween. I have given up hiding and started to fight. I have started to fight.
Well any time, any place, anywhere that I go All the people seem to stop and stare. They say "why are you dressed like it's Halloween? You look so absurd, you look so obscene."
Oh, why can't I live a life for me? Why should I take the abuse that's served? Why can't they see they're just like me? It's the same… it's the same in the whole wide world.
Well I let their teeny minds think That they're dealing with someone who is over the brink And I dress this way just to keep them at bay, Cuz Halloween is everyday… It's everyday.
Oh, why can't I live a life for me? Why should I take the abuse that's served? Why can't they see they're just like me? It's the same… it's the same in the whole wide world.
Oh, why can't I live a life for me? Why should I take the abuse that's served? Why can't they see they're just like me? I'm not the one that's so absurd.
Why hide it? Why fight it? Hurt feelings… Best to stop feeling hurt From denials, reprisals. It's the same… it's the same in the whole wide world.
Jimi Hendrix, "All Along The Watchtower." The song is originally by Bob Dylan, of course, but Hendrix's performance is the iconic one, a least for this song. Neil Young also has a striking version.
Lyrics.
"There must be some kind of way out of here," Said the joker to the thief, "There's too much confusion. I can't get no relief.
Businessmen – they drink my wine, Plowmen dig my earth. None will level on the line, Nobody of it is worth. Hey!"
"No reason to get excited," The thief – he kindly spoke, "There are many here among us Who feel that life is but a joke.
But you and I – we've been through that. And this is not our fate. So let us not talk falsely now. The hour's getting late. Hey!"
All along the watchtower Princes kept the view While all the women came and went. Barefoot servants too.
Outside in the cold distance A wildcat did growl. Two riders were approaching, And the wind began to howl, hey.
The middle-school girls in my HS1-T cohort seem to have this song memorized (below). They were performing a fairly plausible rendition, spontaneously, in class last Saturday. I complained that since we were in English class, they should be doing a song in English. They pointed out there were some English words in the song – which is true, there are few snippets anyway. But every Korean pop song has a few snippets of English – it’s almost a genre requirement as far as I can figure out. Anyway their performance was sufficiently well-done that I got the song earwormed into my head and I subsequently googled it.
The catchphrase is “너 보단 내가 더 커” [neo boda naega deo keo], which is repeated so many times, means, “I am bigger than you.” The song is basically about rivalry with respect to height among girls. It’s quite petty, but satirically so, with a classic, very westernized ironic tone.
What I’m listening to right now.
마마무, “1cm의 자존심.”
가사.
여기 나보다 큰 사람 있어
없으면 됐어
마마무 마마무 마마무
너 보단 내가 더 커
넌 160 난 1
마마무 마마무 마마무
우리 끼리끼리끼리
딱 1cm 차이
뭔 헛소리
일단 휘인인 먼 나라 얘기
Ok 베프지만
키 앞에선 장사 없지
Small 휘인
어줍자니 일센치 가지고
언니들 이러기
우리 쿨하게 좀 가자
나만 힐 신기
너와 나의 차이 1cm
언닌 두상이 좀 커
그냥 받아들여 난쟁이
그냥 받아들여
달라질 건 없어 인생
뭐라카노
Do you know What I’m saying
아이고 우리 언니가
어디 번데기 앞에서
주름을 잡을까요
이봐요 올라오려면 멀었네
여기 높은 곳까지
거기 아랫 공기는 어때
많이 탁하지
난 거기 못 가 입장불가
고만고만해 그만그만해
이럴 시간 있음
다른 거나 고민해
Oh 우리 휘인이 손이 안 닿니
내가 꺼내줄께
언니가 이 구역에 장신
마마무 마마무 마마무
너 보단 내가 더 커
넌 160 난 1
마마무 마마무 마마무
우리 끼리끼리끼리
딱 1cm 차이
A-YO 반올림해도 작아요
나보다 더
깔창을 깔아봐요 소용없나요
힐을 신어도 티가 나고
운동화를 신어도 티가 나
키 순서가 도레미파
너와 나의 차이 1cm
1.8
누가 봐도 이건 Same Same
둘 다 두상이 좀 커
여긴 우물 안의 전쟁
You know What I’m talking about
거기 문스타
아주 그냥 물 만나셨어
어허 인정해
여유 넘치는 게
장신인척 난리
우월한 척 난리
최홍만 인 척 난리
그래 봤자 도토리
맷돌손잡이가 빠졌어
맷돌손잡이가 빠졌어
지나가는 조태오가 웃어
지금 내 기분이 그래
어이가 없네
마마무 마마무 마마무
너 보단 내가 더 커
넌 160 난 1
마마무 마마무 마마무
우리 끼리끼리끼리
딱 1cm 차이
여기 나보다 큰사람 있어
너 보단 내가 더 커
너 보단 너 보단 내가 더 커
너 보단 내가 더 커
너 보단 너 보단 내가 더 커
너 보단 내가 더 커
너 보단 너 보단 내가 더 커
너 보단 내가 더 커
너 보단 너 보단 너 보단
내가 더 커
잘 들어 난쟁이들아
내가 이 바닥에서
너 보단 내가 더 커
너 보단 너 보단 내가 더 커
너 보단 내가 더 커
너 보단 너 보단 내가 더 커
너 보단 내가 더 커
너 보단 너 보단 내가 더 커
너 보단 내가 더 커
너 보단 너 보단 너 보단
내가 더 커
30 years ago, South Korea was still a dictatorship, and the GDP per capita was the same as Mexico – which is where I was living at the time.
Somehow, I never tire of this surprising, subsequent narrative about the divergence of these two economies. And it pops into my mind when I think about what Korea was like in that time. The video below made me think of that – because of the date.
What I’m listening to right now.
김완선, “리듬속의 그 춤을.”
가사.
현대 음율속에서
순간속에 보이는
너의 새로운 춤에
마음을 뺏긴다오
아름다운 불빛에
신비한 너의 눈은
잃지않는 매력에
마음을 뺏긴다오
리듬을 춰줘요
리듬을 춰줘요
멋이 넘쳐 흘러요
멈추지 말아줘요
리듬속의 그 춤을
현대 음율속에서
순간속에 우리는
너의 새로운 춤에
마음을 뺏긴다오
아름다운 불빛에
신비한 너의 눈은
잃지않는 매력에
마음을 뺏긴다오
리듬을 춰줘요
리듬을 춰줘요
멋이 넘쳐 흘러요
멈추지 말아줘요
리듬속의 그 춤을
리듬을 춰줘요
리듬을 춰줘요
멋이 넘쳐 흘러요
멈추지 말아줘요
리듬속의 그 춤을
현대 음율속에서
순간속에 우리는
너의 새로운 춤에
마음을 뺏긴다오
아름다운 불빛에
신비한 너의 눈은
잃지않는 매력에
마음을 뺏긴다오
리듬을 춰줘요
리듬을 춰줘요
멋이 넘쳐 흘러요
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Public Enemy, "Bring The Noise." This song is 30 years old. The video is dated, but the sound works, still, I think. Actually I went and listened this because it was mentioned in a discussion of dactylic hexameter, the meter of classical epic poetry (Greek and Latin, notably Virgil's Aeneid). I tried to scan a few lines and find the dactyls, but to be honest my skills are limited. I have always felt that rap and hiphop are genres wherein poetry most convincingly persists as a truly popular artform in our modern era.
Lyrics.
Too black, too strong Too black, too strong
[Intro: Flava Flav] Yo Chuck, these honey drippers are still fronting on us Show 'em that we can do this, cause we always knew this Haha, yeah boy!
[Verse 1: Chuck D] Bass! How low can you go? Death row, what a brother know Once again, back is the incredible rhyme animal The uncannable D, Public Enemy Number One Five-O said, "Freeze!" and I got numb Can I tell 'em that I really never had a gun? But it's the wax that the Terminator X spun Now they got me in a cell cause my records, they sell Cause a brother like me said, "Well Farrakhan's a prophet and I think you ought to listen to What he can say to you, what you wanna do is follow for now" Power of the people, say "Make a miracle, D, pump the lyrical" Black is back, all in, we're gonna win Check it out, yeah y'all, come on, here we go again
[Hook:] Turn it up! Bring the noise!
[Bridge: Flava Flav] Ayo Chuck, they're saying we're too black, man Yo, I don't understand what they're saying But little do they know they can get a smack for that, man
[Verse 2] Never badder than bad cause the brother is madder than mad At the fact that's corrupt like a senator Soul on a roll, but you treat it like soap on a rope Cause the beats and the lines are so dope Listen for lessons I'm saying inside music that the critics are blasting me for They'll never care for the brothers and sisters now, cause the country has us up for the war We got to demonstrate, come on now They're gonna have to wait till we get it right Radio stations I question their blackness They call themselves black, but we'll see if they'll play this
[Hook:] Turn it up! Bring the noise!
[Bridge: Flava Flav] Ayo Chuck, they illin', we chillin' Yo PE in the house, top billin' Yo Chuck, show em what you can do, boy
[Verse 3:] Get from in front of me, the crowd runs to me My deejay is warm, he's X, I call him Norm, ya know He can cut a record from side to side So what, the ride, the glide should be much safer than a suicide Soul control, beat is the father of your rock'n'roll Music for whatcha, for whichin', you call a band, man Making a music, abuse it, but you can't do it, ya know You call 'em demos, (but we ride limos, too) Whatcha gonna do? Rap is not afraid of you Beat is for Sonny Bono, (beat is for Yoko Ono) Run-DMC first said a deejay could be a band Stand on its feet, get you out your seat Beat is for Eric B. and LL as well, hell Wax is for Anthrax, still it can rock bells Ever forever, universal, it will sell Time for me to exit, Terminator X-it
[Hook:] Turn it up! Bring the noise!
[Bridge: Flava Flav] Yo, they should know by now that they can't stop this bum rush Word up, better keep tellin' me to turn it down But yo, Flavor Flav ain't going out like that
[Verse 4] From coast to coast, so you can stop being like a comatose "Stand, my man? The beat's the same with a boast toast" Rock with some pizzazz, it will last. Why you ask? Roll with the rock stars, still never get accepted as We got to plead the Fifth, we can investigate Don't need to wait, get the record straight Hey, posse's in effect, got the Flavor, Terminator X to sign checks, play to get paid We got to check it out down on the avenue A magazine or two is dissing me and dissing you Yeah, I'm telling you
[Outro: Flava Flav] Hey yo, Griff, get thirty S1W, we got to handle this We ain't goin' out like that Yo man, straight up on the Columbo tip We can do this, like Buddhists Cause we always knew this You know what I'm sayin' There's just one thing that puzzles me, my brother What's wrong with all these people around here, man Is they clocking? Is they rocking? Is they shocking?…
I had a plan to do some things to get ready for the fact I'm going to Australia next weekend: various projects, hovering in the wings. But after making it to the store yesterday, I got absolutely nothing done. I just lost momentum – last week was a hard week and I just needed the downtime, I think.
I listened to random new music in pop and rap genres.
So now I'm going to have a pretty hectic week, I think. More later.
What I'm listening to right now.
The Weeknd, "Starboy feat. Daft Punk." This song intrigues me: the kind of sweet, ballad-like production and melody contrasting with the hardcore street-culture braggadocio lyrics. That makes it a more introspective effort than either genre in isolation.
Lyrics (NSFW).
[Verse 1] I'm tryna put you in the worst mood, ah P1 cleaner than your church shoes, ah Milli point two just to hurt you, ah All red Lamb’ just to tease you, ah None of these toys on lease too, ah Made your whole year in a week too, yah Main bitch out your league too, ah Side bitch out of your league too, ah
[Pre-Chorus] House so empty, need a centerpiece 20 racks a table cut from ebony Cut that ivory into skinny pieces Then she clean it with her face man I love my baby You talking money, need a hearing aid You talking bout me, I don't see the shade Switch up my style, I take any lane I switch up my cup, I kill any pain [Chorus] Look what you've done I’m a motherfuckin' starboy Look what you've done I'm a motherfuckin' starboy
[Verse 2] Every day a nigga try to test me, ah Every day a nigga try to end me, ah Pull off in that Roadster SV, ah Pockets overweight, gettin' hefty, ah Coming for the king, that's a far cry, ah I come alive in the fall time, I No competition, I don't really listen I’m in the blue Mulsanne bumping New Edition
[Pre-Chorus] House so empty, need a centerpiece 20 racks a table cut from ebony Cut that ivory into skinny pieces Then she clean it with her face man I love my baby You talking money, need a hearing aid You talking bout me, I don’t see the shade Switch up my style, I take any lane I switch up my cup, I kill any pain
[Chorus] Look what you've done I’m a motherfuckin' starboy Look what you've done I'm a motherfuckin’ starboy
[Verse 3] Let a nigga Brad Pitt Legend of the Fall took the year like a bandit Bought mama a crib and a brand new wagon Now she hit the grocery shop looking lavish Star Trek roof in that Wraith of Khan Girls get loose when they hear this song 100 on the dash get me close to God We don't pray for love, we just pray for cars
[Pre-Chorus] House so empty, need a centerpiece 20 racks a table cut from ebony Cut that ivory into skinny pieces Then she clean it with her face man I love my baby You talking money, need a hearing aid You talking 'bout me, I don't see the shade Switch up my style, I take any lane I switch up my cup, I kill any pain
[Chorus] Look what you've done I'm a motherfuckin' starboy Look what you've done I'm a motherfuckin' starboy Look what you've done I'm a motherfuckin' starboy Look what you've done I'm a motherfuckin' starboy
I was yelling at my HS1-T cohort the other day, as is so often my wont these days.
It's a very frustrating group of students – a collection of obstreperous, very smart but extremely rebellious 6th and 7th grade girls (yes, all girls – by some grave misfortune).
So I was yelling. The standard stuff: please focus on your work and quit talking about your favorite pop star idols; please speak English during class; please do your homework, next time.
Maybe the "pleases" were getting thin on the ground. I was pretty annoyed.
One girl (whom I won't name) said, "You know, you're not very good at being scary."
I sat down, deflated.
"I know," I sighed. The girls all had a laugh, and went on their merry way.
What I'm listening to right now.
Communist Daughter, "Soundtrack To The End"
Lyrics.
You put on a pretty face And we never saved our money And then we got stuck in place And I lost my milk and honey
And all the songs were new And they broke our hearts in two While we walked away So I just pushed on through And I made my muscles move 'Cause I could never say
And all our hearts were breaking There was music all around And the walls were always shaking 'Cause our love was the sound Our love was the sound
We took six of one And nothing from the dozen I guess I'll never need another hand to stay awake Oh, get me right up to the brink I'll break one way or other
Some of the best of us are already home Still singing softly through the stereo Although we tried to make the only amends Now it's just a soundtrack to the end
And all the songs were new And they broke our hearts in two But we still walked away So I just pushed on through And I made my muscles move So I don't have to say That it's not right to carry on It might be old but she isn't gone And you never listened anyway
All our hearts were breaking There was music all around And the walls were always shaking 'Cause our love was the sound Our love was the sound
And all our hearts were breaking There was music all around And the walls were always shaking 'Cause our love was the sound
Sometimes my friend Bob, an academic professor of music and conductor in Wisconsin, sends me snippets of Spanish song lyrics to translate, because he actually needs them for his work. He knows I don't mind this, and even enjoy it.
Perhaps I should add to my blog's various tag-lines, at left, the phrase "The Only Spanish-to-English translation service operating in the Korean Peninsula!" I would be pretty confident this is true, though who really knows what Kim Jeong-eun is up to in his secret cultural propaganda factories in the basements of Pyeongyang.
Yesterday, Bob sent me a song in the genre of candombe (see the wiki thing). He was hoping I could translate it and/or offer some cultural observations. Here's what I sent back to him this morning.
Here's an in-line translation, mostly "on the fly" with a few checks with the RAE (Royal academy of Spanish Dictionary website). There are a few disorganized notes below the translation.
Candombe del seis de enero
Verse 1
Es por todos sabido que el 6 de enero Everyone knows that January 6th es el dia de los Reyes Magos is the day of the Three Magi [Epiphany] y en honor de uno de ellos, el más negro and to honor one of them, the darkest, se programa una fiesta en el barrio. a party is arranged in the neighborhood
Es por todos sabido que es el más negro Everyone knows that the darkest, el rey de los santos candomberos the king of the candombe saints San Baltasar es un santo muy alegre Saint Balthazar is a very happy saint dice la mama Inés y mueve los pies. that's what Mama Inés says, and she moves her feet
Refrain
Listos corazones Ready hearts van con el candombe come with candombe y con este ritmo a profesar, and with this rhythm, to show los rojos colores the bright colors con festón dorado, with golden edging le gustan al rey San Baltasar. they love Saint Balthazar
Verse 2
La comuna convoca y lo venera The troupe gathers and venerates por la estrella lucero que el ciclo espera under the Wandering Star that the calendar will bring San Baltasar se hamaca sobre las aguas Saint Balthazar rocks over the waters de un mar de promesantes que canta y baila. of a sea of worshippers who sing and dance
Conversa el ronco bombo mientras avanza the husky drum speaks as it moves forward repican tamboriles en las comparsas tambourines sing out in the dance-lines fiesta criolla de negros y blanqueados a high-caste party of blacks and whites together cuando cambian de toque cambian de estado. when the rhythm changes, the whole mood changes
Refrain
– by Yábor (Uruguayan folk singer, b 1950) – in-line translation is mine
Possibly controversial translations:
* criollo as high-caste – normally criollo is translated as "Creole" but that, in colloquial English, is tightly associated with Franco-Carribean culture, which obviously is something different than what we have here. So I went back to the original Spanish meaning (actually originally Portuguese), which is a reference to a specific rank within the complex caste system that existed in Spanish colonial America – the criollos were the locally born white folk, thus at the top of the caste system. But criollo also developed a broader meaning of "locally born" as opposed to "foreigner" (immigrants and "peninsulares" i.e. Spaniards) – especially during the 19th century. So in that sense, the "fiesta criollo" might just mean "a party for and by locals". In the first half of the 20th century, it even became a kind of term of pride that was essentially unifying as opposed to divisive. Probably that's what's intended, here, but by using the term "high caste" I'm getting at the word's problematic roots.
* toque as rhythm – that's not a dictionary translation, but it seems to fit the context. It really might be wrong, but "when the touch changes" feels meaningless to me, so I made a guess based on my feel for broader semantics of the word toque – much wider than English "touch" – and my vague recollections of interactions with Spanish-speaking folk musicians (a few in the 1980s, and one, a close friend of my dad's, in the 2000s).
The most notable thing about this song, to me, is the clear implication that whites participate and enjoy, too ("a high-caste party of blacks and whites together"). This is underscored by the insistence that Saint Balthazar is the "darkest" – it's announcing a kind of "Africa Day" for the whole community, which is unifying in a pre-PC way. That's how I read it, anyway. Cynically, if Yábor is the author (and I think he is), as a white Uruguayan folk singer, he would naturally want to emphasize this aspect if he decided to author a candombe. In that sense, this song most definitely is a bit of cultural appropriation, but perhaps no less authentic or meaningful for that – it represents a genuine if somewhat starry-eyed effort at racial unity in the complex landscape of Latin American racial politics (which, we must always remember, work differently than US racial politics, as much as we want to notice the obvious parallels and similarities).
