Island Life by David Slack

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Island Life: We have ways of making you torque

23 Responses

  • Tom Beard,

    Wir fahr'n fahr'n fahr'n auf der Autobahn

    Now that's an earworm that I'm happy to have for the next 22 minutes!

    Though we could follow that up with "Ja, das Hokey Kokey".

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1040 posts Report

  • Hadyn Green,

    I never thought you'd be pro-highway Tom Beard! :)

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2090 posts Report

  • Emma Hart,

    Though we could follow that up with "Ja, das Hokey Kokey".

    That is exactly what goes through my head every time someone mentions Kraftwerk.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report

  • Tom Beard,

    I never thought you'd be pro-highway Tom Beard! :)

    So, I'll take the Trans Europe Express instead. And I'm definitely pro-Pocket Calculator.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1040 posts Report

  • Stephen Judd,

    "Band" would be much better translated as "ribbon" here.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report

  • Skinny,

    This sounds like a 'round'...

    We are driving on the autobahn...
    From the speaker it sounds:
    We are driving on the autobahn...
    From the speaker it sounds:
    We are driving on the autobahn...
    From the speaker it sounds:

    Who did the translation?

    Wellington • Since Aug 2007 • 8 posts Report

  • David Slack,

    Who did the translation?

    It comes from this unimpeachable authority.

    Do, all of you who are fluent in German, feel free to have at it and its deficiencies. I have already stuffed a couple of exercise books down the back of my trousers in anticipation of Mr Temple's verdict.

    Devonport • Since Nov 2006 • 599 posts Report

  • andrew llewellyn,

    Apropos (how I hate that word) of absolutely nothing. This came to mind. The awesome Transfusion song, by Nervous Norvus

    ZZZZZZOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMM

    Tooling down the highway doing 79

    I'm a twin pipe papa and I'm feelin' fine

    Hey man, dig that was that a red stop sign-

    (scrreeech-BANG!!tinkle)

    Transfusion, transfusion

    I'm just a solid mess of contusions

    Never never never gonna speed again

    Slip the blood to me, Bud



    I jump in my rod about a quarter to nine

    I gotta make a date with that chick of mine

    I cross the center line, man, you gotta make time-

    (scrreeech-BANG!!tinkle)

    Transfusion, transfusion

    Oh man, I got the cotton pickin' convolutions

    Never never never gonna speed again

    Shoot the juice to me, Bruce



    My foot's on the throttle and it's made of lead

    But I'm a fast ridding daddy with a real cool head

    I'ma gonna pass a truck on the hill ahead-

    (scrreeech-BANG!!tinkle)

    Transfusion, transfusion

    My red corpsuckles (sic) are in mass confusion

    Never never never gonna speed again

    Pass the crimson to me, Jimson



    I took a little drink and I'm feelin' right

    I can fly right over everything everything in sight

    There's a slow poking cat I'm gonna pass him on the right-

    (scrreeech-BANG!!tinkle)

    Transfusion, transfusion

    I'm a real gone paleface and that's no illusion

    I'ma never never never gonna speed again

    Pass the claret to me, Barrett



    A rollin' down the mountain on a rainy day

    Oh, when you see me coming, better start to pray

    I'ma cuttin' up the road and I'm the boss all the way-

    (scrreeech-BANG!!tinkle)

    Transfusion, transfusion

    Oh, doc pardon me for this crazy intrusion

    I'm never never never gonna speed again

    Pump the fluid in me, Louie



    I'm burning up the highway early this morn

    I'm passing everybody, oh, nothing but corn

    Man, outta my way, I don't drive with my horn-

    (scrreeech-BANG!!tinkle)

    Transfusion, transfusion

    Oh, nurse, I'm gonna make a new resolution

    I'm never never never gonna speed again

    Put a gallon in me, Alan



    Oh, barnyard drivers are found in two classes

    Line crowding hogs and speeding jackasses

    So remember to slow down today

    Hey, daddy-o

    Make that type O, huh

    Atta-boy

    (scrreeech-BANG!!tinkle)

    Since Nov 2006 • 2075 posts Report

  • Rob Hosking,

    That is exactly what goes through my head every time someone mentions Kraftwerk.

    Snap.

    (For anyone who is baffled: check here)

    South Roseneath • Since Nov 2006 • 830 posts Report

  • Tony Kennedy,

    Meanwhile out west ...

    "I'm out exploring the modern world,
    By the pine trees and the Howard Johnsons,
    On Route 128 when it's late at night,
    We're heading from the north shore to the south shore,
    Well I see Route 3 in my sight and
    I'm the Roadrunner".

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 225 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    For anyone who is baffled:

    Waay back, but what the,,,,, can't sleep anyway so.....

    Time, all the long red lines, that take
    Control, of all th smoke-like streams that flow into your
    Dreams, that big blue open sea, that can't be
    Crossed, that can't be climbed, just born
    Between, oh the two white lines, distant gods and faded
    Signs, of all those blinking lites, you had to pick the one tonight...

    Holes, dug by little moles, angry jealous
    Spies, got telephones for eyes, come to you as
    Friends, all those endless ends, that can't be
    Tied, oh they make me laugh, and always make me
    Cry, until they drop like flies, and sink like polished
    Stones, of all the stones i throw,
    How does that old song go?
    How does that old song go?...

    Bands, those funny little plans, that never work quite right.

    How does that old song go?"

    Nice wee number innit.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • Rob Hosking,

    Sofie,

    It sort of reads like a Sam Hunt poem (but I see, googling it, that its not)

    South Roseneath • Since Nov 2006 • 830 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Rob,

    Yes, it does, and no, it's not. Quite melancholic. And it was the "telephones for eyes" line that stuck, but the whole song is a feature of my brain.....holes dug by...there it is again:)

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • Charles Mabbett,

    Thanks David. I've always wanted to know what the words meant. This was the song that introduced me to stereo when I heard it on a Honolulu FM station in the late 70s. I still love it after all these years. It's a magnificent tune. I used to make the lyrics up - going fast, fast, fast on the autobahn. Buffalo Daughter do a nice faithful version on a Japanese CD compilation to Kraftwerk called Radioactivity.

    Since Nov 2006 • 236 posts Report

  • Rich of Observationz,

    I have a mashup called "Milkshake Model" which combines Kraftwerk's "The Model" with Kelis's "Milkshake".

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report

  • Julian Melville,

    Love the Kraftwerk, have done ever since my mate Glyn introduced me to Autobahn in 4th form. Early Jean-Michel Jarre and Tangerine Dream too.

    If there's anyone who likes late-70's/early-80's Tangerine Dream as much as I do, check out SkinMechanix on Magnatune: http://www.magnatune.com/artists/skin_mechanix

    Auckland • Since Dec 2006 • 200 posts Report

  • Sacha,

    This made the biggest impression on me - the scene from the BBC "Dancing in the Streets" doco with Bronx kids clambering up chainlink fences by dusty basketball courts with Kraftwerk blasting the soundtrack.

    Birth of hip hop, and I hadn't realised at all. Spine tingling.

    I'll also admit to earlier buying some Tangerine Dream after hearing them in the Risky Business train scene. Wasn't paying much attention to Tom Cruise, even then.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Sacha,

    <aside>Julian, are you one of Rod's sons?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Grant McDougall,

    Given that my e-mail address is "krautrockboy" I can hardly resist a Kraftwerk thread, can I ?

    Autobahn is a great song and album. The three before that, Kraftwerk, Kraftwerk 2__ and Ralf And Florian are superb, very under-rated. There's also a lot more experimental stuff going on.

    The drummer on Kraftwerk, Klaus Dinger, went on to form the even better (IMHO) NEU!, then La Dusseldorf. If you like Kraftwerk, then be sure to check out these bands and others that family tree such as Cluster and Harmonia. (Here endeth today's sermon...).

    Dunedin • Since Dec 2006 • 760 posts Report

  • Jen Ferguson,

    How spooky Mr Slack - here I was enjoying a random play of the 22-min version of the 'Werk's finest that popped up on shuffle today on my iPod for the first time in forever - and then I spot your post. Uncanny.....

    BTW for a superb live performance DVD, make Kraftwerk's Minimum Maximum top of your shopping / Xmas list.

    Peckham Rye, London • Since Jan 2007 • 26 posts Report

  • AndrewD,

    I played The Model last week on commercial radio and now news that Kraftwerk is coming here again in this morning's paper.

    It's like you called them, David. Mysterious gods from other worlds drawn by your electronic emissions.

    or else you knew they coming awhile back.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 54 posts Report

  • Amy Gale,

    Wir fahr'n fahr'n fahr'n auf der Autobahn

    Vor uns liegt ein weites Tal

    Die Sonne scheint mit Glitzerstrahl

    Short, shameful confession: my first thought was this was going to turn out to be a German translation of How Bizarre.

    tha Ith • Since May 2007 • 471 posts Report

  • Sacha,

    a German translation of How Bizarre

    Wonder if Mr Grigg knows one?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

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