Monday, March 08, 2010

AAK! Music: Mackerel by Lucid Fall (2009)

This band probably won't make the top-50, but is nonetheless one of the Korean's favorite. Today's selection is Mackerel (고등어) by Lucid Fall (루시드폴).



고등어
Mackerel

어디로든 갈 수 있는 튼튼한 지느러미로
With the strong fin that can go anywhere
나를 원하는 곳으로 헤엄치네
I swim to where I am wanted
돈이 없는 사람들도 배불리 먹을 수 있게
For the people without money can too be full
나는 또 다시 바다를 가르네
I again sail the sea

몇 만원이 넘는다는 서울의 꽃등심보다
I hear sirloin steaks of Seoul cost over several tens of thousands of won
맛도 없고 비린지는 몰라도
I may be less tasty and fishier than that
그래도 나는 안다네 그 동안 내가 지켜온 수 많은 가족들의 저녁 밥상
But I know the numberless families' dinner table that I protected so far


나를 고를 때면 내 눈을 바라봐줘요
When you are picking me, please look into my eyes
나는 눈을 감는 법도 몰라요
I don't even know how to close them
가난한 그대 날 골라줘서 고마워요
You without money, thank you for picking me
수고했어요 오늘 이 하루도
You did good again today

나를 고를 때면 내 눈을 바라봐줘요
When you are picking me, please look into my eyes
나는 눈을 감는 법도 몰라요
I don't even know how to close them
가난한 그대 날 골라줘서 고마워요
You without money, thank you for picking me
수고했어요 오늘 이 하루도
You did good again today

나를 고를 때면 내 눈을 바라봐줘요
When you are picking me, please look into my eyes
나는 눈을 감는 법도 몰라요
I don't even know how to close them
가난한 그대 날 골라줘서 고마워요
You without money, thank you for picking me
수고했어요 오늘 이 하루도
You did good again today

수고했어요 오늘 이 하루도
You did good again today


Briefly about Lucid Fall:  Lucid Fall is a one-man band by Cho Yun-Seok. Lucid Fall released its first album in 2001, but Cho actually debuted with a different band in 1998, which was disbanded after most of its members went to serve their military duty. Cho operated his band while keeping his day job, which is being a scientist in material science and bioengineering. Cho earned his bachelor's degree from Seoul National University, masters from Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden and doctorate from Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. He patented a new material for medicine through his doctorate thesis in 2008. However, in 2009 Cho announced that he will no longer pursue engineering and focus solely on music. Lucid Fall has four regular albums, a couple of singles and a movie soundtrack.

About this song:  Mackerel is the title song of Lucid Fall's fourth and most recent album, titled "Les Miserables."

Translation note:   몇 만원이 넘는다는 / 서울의 꽃등심보다 / 맛도 없고 비린지는 몰라도 / 그래도 나는 안다네 / 그 동안 내가 지켜온 / 수 많은 가족들의 저녁 밥상 is very elegant, but the Korean's translation is anything but. "--다는" is particularly difficult to translate in an equivalent manner. (That is, equivalent in rhythm as well as in meaning.)

The Korean on Lucid Fall:  Relaxed melodies with slightly disturbing lyrics. Dangerous if listened to while feeling depressed. At times, seems as if determined to write the most depressing series of songs ever. Not innovative, but intelligent and does one thing very well.

Significance in K-Pop History:  (1 = instantly forgettable; 5 = popular at the time, ultimately forgettable; 10 = transcendental history-maker)  4.5 out of 10.

Got a question or a comment for the Korean? Email away at askakorean@gmail.com

6 comments:

  1. One question--shouldn't it be 'swim to where I'm wanted,' instead of '...where I want'?

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  2. I've heard about this "group" before (before knowing it was a one-man operation). The fact that he has all of those academic and professional credentials but gave it all up for creative pursuits reminds me of some Korean students I've met while teaching in Seoul. :)

    Thanks for highlighting a Korean indie artist.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Andrew,

    You are correct. That was a careless mistake on the Korean's part. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  4. just goes to show how beautiful/efficient the Korean language is. (and this comment is coming from a bumbling English Major!)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Very nice song. Reminds me of 김두수, who I heard kind of randomly via a western source and really liked for a time a couple years ago. It was on an old iPod that died, but I just found it via download link here if anyone is interested^^.
    http://wehavenozen.blogspot.com/2008/01/kim-doo-soo-2007-10-days-butterfly.html

    Anyone familiar with 김두수? I did a search on him in Naver once and came up with a few shows in coffeehouse kind of places in Seoul. Living in the South (Ulsan) I really don't run into much outside of Kpop.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks for sharing this song: I really like the lyrics.

    ReplyDelete

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