Friday, April 27, 2007

Geniuses in a Bottle (Christina Aguilera)



Language: Italian

There's no news at all: I just finished this, and, at least in the middle of the night, it tickles me, so I'm posting it. The actual reworked lyrics are semi-gibberishy ("I just have to polish the sense."), but how can you not love a title like that?

I'm not entirely happy with the picture, though I'm a little bit alarmed that there's a whole industry devoted to trying to make babies incrementally smarter in the future. Not because I object to smart babies. (I'd be a little concerned about smart babies banding together and taking over the country, but one, they don't have the fine motor control, and two, I don't know if I'd notice a difference.) I think all babies, across the board, should be either just as smart as they are, or else smarter. I object to the industry because I don't really believe that any of these videos and toys and mobiles and what have you have been demonstrated to do anything at all.

But I suppose parental anxiety will keep the business booming. Everybody wants to have an edge over that damn Pfeiffer kid down the block. And anxiety sells. Still.

I miss Mr. Rogers.

-Jessi

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Oh, that --

I think they've been blocked strongly,
for a century of sunny nights,
waiting for someone to free them.
Been licking your lips and jumping, it kisses my sense,
but that doesn't mean that I'm going to give it one.
Child, child, child
(child, child, child.).

[a]
Oh, whoa,
my body has a saying: "You go to their leaves."
Oh, whoa,
but my heart isn't saying it.

[b]
If you wish to be with me, child, a price has to be paid.
They're geniuses in a bottle; I just have to polish the sense. (You got it!)
Come to: I can make your desire align with me, if you wish.
You have to make a large impression; you have to like what I obtained.

[c]
Child, they are geniuses in one bottle.
It has just got to polish the sense, honey.
They are geniuses in a bottle, child,
come, come, I come to leave it outside.

The game of music and the level of the down-low,
a dance, and then we are good.
Someone has that need, of waiting for it.
My heart is beating to the speed of the light,
but that doesn't mean that this evening; it has one being.
Child, child, child
(child, child, child)

[a]

[b]

[c]

[a]

[b]

If you wish to be with me, child, a price has to be paid.
They're geniuses in a bottle; I just have to polish the sense. (You got it!)
Come to: I can make your desire align with me, if you wish.
Child, I am free and regulated. You come with me, and

They are geniuses in a bottle, child.
I come, I come, I come to leave it outside.

Thursday, April 19, 2007

I Fuck Upward (Cracker)



Language: Russian

More of the same, for me personally. I'm kind of undecided about whether the song wound up essentially unchanged after being Babelfished, or wound up kind of broken and incoherent. It's possible that the original was incoherent too, obviously.

But in the end, I suppose I have to go with neither. In the original, after all, the speaker is being all cynical and suspicious, and this has turned it into self-castigation. Which, the two are not as far apart from one another as you'd think, but even so, it's not entirely gibberish, and it's different enough from the original.

It's odd that now that I have more or less any and all time to do whatever I want, I find I don't have any time for writing Babelpop! posts. Things happen, and I sometimes really mean to, but then I don't, and there's not really anything terribly positive to say anyway, so why bother, right? But I feel neglectful all the same. Maybe we'll turn it around. Or maybe I'll get a job and just not give a crap about whether or not I've mangled song lyrics on any particular day.

-Jessi

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Here I am now, the youngest old person in the world
and I came to bring my burden to you,
each sleepless night without you in my handles
to be drilled and calm and (sometimes) sober

I mess up by being kind-hearted
I mess up by being wise

I'm here now, I'll be the earth angel
and I came to bring my burden to you.
I was here; now, I'll be the game warden of love.
Someone accepted my gin and tonic.

I mess up. I am content, located on the bank.
It is wise; I will inspire.

I fuck upward with peace, and you won't get me to fall in love.
I fuck upward with peace, and you won't get me to fall in love.
(Which, I didn't get it in me,
I didn't get it in me; it's more.)

I fuck upward with peace and love
I fuck upward with peace and love
I fuck upward with peace and love
I fuck upward with peace and love
I fuck upward with peace and love (I fuck any)
I fuck upward with peace and love (I fuck by any)
I fuck upward with peace and love (I fuck by any)
I fuck upward with peace and love (I fuck by any)