A Czech song - Sametová

Discussion in 'Culture' started by rsalc1, Apr 25, 2009.

  1. rsalc1

    rsalc1 Well-Known Member

    Hello:
    I recently saw on youtube the video of Zluty Pes singing "Sametová".
    I liked the mood of the song very much and found its lyrics at karaoke.cz.

    Sorry about the long post, but this song is very beautiful and I would like to discuss it.

    Sametová
    Vzpomínám když tehdá před lety začaly lítat rakety
    zdál se to bejt docela dobrej nápad
    Saxofony hrály unyle a frčely švédský košile
    někdo se moh docela dobře flákat.

    Když tam stál rohatej u školy my neměli podepsaný úkoly
    už tenkrát rozhazoval svoje sítě
    Poučen z předchozích nezdarů sestrojil elektrickou kytaru
    a rock´n´roll byl zrovna narozený dítě

    Vzpomínáš, taky s tu žila a nedělej, že jsi jiná
    taková malá pilná včela, taková celá Sametová

    Přišel čas a jako náhoda byla tu bigbeatová pohoda
    kytičky a úsmevy sekretárok.
    Sousedovic bejby Milena je celá blbá z Boba Dylana
    ale to nevadí, já mám taky nárok

    Starý, mladý nebo pitomý mlátily do toho jako my
    hlavu plnou Londýna nad Temží
    Starej dobrej satanáš hraje u nás v hospodě mariáš
    pazoura se mu trumfama jenom hemží

    Vzpomínáš, už je to jinak a jde z toho na mě zima
    ty jsi holka tehdá byla, taková celá Sametová

    A do toho tenhle Gorbačov co ho znal celej Dlabačov
    kopyta měl jako z Arizóny
    Přišel a zase vodešel a nikdo se kvůli tomu nevěšel
    a po něm tu zbyly samý volný zóny

    Vzpomínáš, jak jsi se měla
    když jsi nic nevěděla
    byla to taková krásná cela a byla celá
    Vzpomínáš, jak jsi se měla
    když jsi nic nevěděla
    byla to taková krásná cela a byla celá Sametová

    I have tried to understand this song, but my Czech vocab is limited, so here is what I have so far:

    I remember years ago
    when the rockets began flying (referring to Yuri Gagarin)
    it seemed to be quite a good idea
    Saxophones were playing melancholy
    frčely(?) Swedish shirts (hm, not sure what this means)
    someone could docela dobře flákat(???)

    Když tam stál rohatej u školy
    When there stood rohatej(?) in school (what is the subject of this sentence?)
    we didn't have podepsaný(?) homework
    and at that time we cast our nets(???)
    Poučen z předchozích nezdarů (this talks about a "previouis failure" but I am not sure what this phrase means)
    sestrojil elektrickou kytaru (what is the subject of this phrase?)
    built electric guitar
    and rock'n'roll was just a newborn child.

    You remember (something about "she lived")
    a nedělej, že jsi jiná (I don't understan this)
    such a small, hardworking bee
    such a total "Velvety"

    Time came and at random
    there was "bigbeat" ease (???)
    Bouquets and smiles sekretárok(?)
    Sousedovic bejby Milena(???)
    is completely crazy about Bob Dylan
    but it doen'st matter, I have also nárok(?)

    Old, young or stupid
    mlátily do toho jako my (I don't understand this one)
    head full of London on the Thames

    Old good Satan
    plays cards(?) with us in the pub
    pazoura se mu trumfama jenom hemží (I don't understand this)

    You remember it's otherwise
    and jde z toho na mě zima(???)
    you are a girl and then you were such a total "Velvety"

    A do toho(???) this Gorbacov
    co ho znal celej Dlabačov (???)
    kopyta(???) had like from Arizona
    He came and again he left
    and no one came in despite it
    and after him there were left samý (?) free zones

    You remember how you were (from the verb mít se)
    when you didn't see anything
    (subject???) was such a beautiful cela(?)
    and it was totally "Velvety".

    Can anyone help translate this song?
    Can anyone explain what the lyrics mean? :)

    Thanks!
    Rene
     
  2. Alexx

    Alexx Well-Known Member

    First of all I am too young to remember those times, so I am not really sure what some things mean :), so just some input

    If you will rewrite it once again, maybe I can help more, this is getting to be a little messy.
     
  3. rsalc1

    rsalc1 Well-Known Member

    Alexx,

    Díky za vysvětlení.
    I have rewritten the song, this time one paragraph in Czech and just below it my improved but not quite complete Czech translation.

    Can anyone who lived during the pre 1989 time help explain the meaning of the song?

    Sametová
    Vzpomínám když tehdá před lety začaly lítat rakety
    zdál se to bejt docela dobrej nápad
    Saxofony hrály unyle a frčely švédský košile
    někdo se moh docela dobře flákat.

    I remember years ago
    when the rockets began flying (referring to Yuri Gagarin)
    it seemed to be quite a good idea.
    Saxophones were playing melancholy
    Swedish shirts were in (can anyone explain this phrase?)
    and people could just hang around.

    Když tam stál rohatej u školy my neměli podepsaný úkoly
    už tenkrát rozhazoval svoje sítě
    Poučen z předchozích nezdarů sestrojil elektrickou kytaru
    a rock´n´roll byl zrovna narozený dítě

    When the devil (rohatej) stood there by(?) the school
    we didn't have homework signed by parents
    and at that time we spread our nets (rozhazovat sítě - spread network of something)
    Poučen z předchozích nezdarů (this talks about a "previouis failure" but I am not sure what this phrase means - Poučen - I found "hindsighted" in my dictionary) - NOT SURE WHAT THIS PHRASE MEANS :(
    he built the electric guitar (not sure who is he (on) in this case)
    and rock'n'roll was just a newborn child.

    Vzpomínáš, taky s tu žila a nedělej, že jsi jiná
    taková malá pilná včela, taková celá Sametová

    You remember, you lived here too
    and don't pretend that you are different
    you were a small, hardworking bee, completely "Velvety"
    (I am not sure who is "Velvety")

    Přišel čas a jako náhoda byla tu bigbeatová pohoda
    kytičky a úsmevy sekretárok.
    Sousedovic bejby Milena je celá blbá z Boba Dylana
    ale to nevadí, já mám taky nárok

    Time went by and by chance
    there was "bigbeat" relief (after rock'n'roll)
    Bouquets and smiles of secretaries
    Milena, a babe from the neighborhood
    is completely crazy about Bob Dylan
    but it doen'st matter, I have also nárok (right, right she is crazy about me probably)

    Starý, mladý nebo pitomý mlátily do toho jako my
    hlavu plnou Londýna nad Temží

    Old, young or stupid
    they beat (their drums) just like we did
    (and we had our) head full of London on the Thames

    Starej dobrej satanáš hraje u nás v hospodě mariáš
    pazoura se mu trumfama jenom hemží

    Old good Satan is playing a card game with us at the pub
    he has a hand full of aces

    Vzpomínáš, už je to jinak a jde z toho na mě zima
    ty jsi holka tehdá byla, taková celá Sametová

    You remember, it's now otherwise (different)
    and it is making me cold (is the singer complaining about something here?)
    You are a girl, and back then you were completely "Velvety"

    A do toho tenhle Gorbačov co ho znal celej Dlabačov
    kopyta měl jako z Arizóny
    Přišel a zase vodešel a nikdo se kvůli tomu nevěšel
    a po něm tu zbyly samý volný zóny

    And then came a guy named Gorbačov
    co ho znal celej Dlabačov (I still don't understand this: what is the subject, what does it mean???)
    he had hoofs (boots maybe???) like from Arizona
    (did Gorby have special boots or hoofs???)
    He came and again he left
    and no one hanged himself up because of it
    and after him there were left samý (duty) free zones
    (is the song praising or criticizing Gorby?)

    Vzpomínáš, jak jsi se měla
    když jsi nic nevěděla
    byla to taková krásná cela a byla celá Sametová

    You remember how you were feeling (from the verb mít se)
    when you didn't know anything
    it was such a beautiful cell
    and it was completely "Velvety"
    (it sounds that they were living in a cell in a Velvety prison, doesn't it?)

    Any comments will be appreciated!
    Hezký den,
    Rene
     
  4. eso

    eso Well-Known Member

    "Swedish shirts" - sixties fashion - You had to put them on over the head, because they could be unbuttoned only under neck with 2 buttons. I don't know, why they called them Swedish.
    http://photos04.allegroimg.pl/photos/40 ... /576714753

    and at that time we spread our nets (rozhazovat sítě - spread network of something)
    HE (devil) spreaded HIS nets (to catch sinners)

    Poučen z předchozích nezdarů...
    He (devil) learnt from previous failures
    and he build electric guitar.

    já mám taky nárok
    I have my claim too.

    Dlabačov is part of Prague. (and subject)
     
  5. eso

    eso Well-Known Member

    Song lyrics talk about period from 1960 - 1989 both with nostalgia and irony.

    It covers differend periods and topics. It includes many references to events and moods of these times.

    Like

    hlavu plnou Londýna nad Temží - people listened to British radio for foreign pop and rock music

    usmevy sekretarok - smiles of assistans - hard to explain, powerfull assistants were typical ingredient of normalization industry, both real and in socialist movies and tv shows.
     
  6. rsalc1

    rsalc1 Well-Known Member

    eso,
    Díky za vysvětlení.

    So I can translate this whole section:
    Když tam stál rohatej u školy my neměli podepsaný úkoly
    už tenkrát rozhazoval svoje sítě
    Poučen z předchozích nezdarů sestrojil elektrickou kytaru
    a rock´n´roll byl zrovna narozený dítě

    As:
    When the devil stood by the school
    we had no homework signed by our parents
    and at that time he (the devil) had spread his net
    He learned from previous mistakes
    and built the electric guitar
    and rock'n'roll was born just like a newborn child.


    I still don't understand "co ho znal celej Dlabačov".
    This is a problem I have with the Czech language: sometimes I can't find the subject of a sentence. I don't know what is the subject in that Dlabacov sentence, therefore I can't decypher it :(

    -Rene
     
  7. eso

    eso Well-Known Member

    All (people in) Dlabacov knew him (Gorbacov).

    Irony - if all people from Dlabacov knew Gorbacov, then he HAS to be famous person! ;)
     
  8. eso

    eso Well-Known Member

  9. eso

    eso Well-Known Member

    velvety - soft as velvet
     
  10. scrimshaw

    scrimshaw Well-Known Member

    Couple guesses

    you are probably right....a měl kopyta jako z Arizóny....maybe he had snake skin or leather boots like from the southwestern U.S.

    A byla to taková krásná cela.
    a byla celá sametová

    it was such a beautiful cell,
    and it was all velvety(soft and comfortable)

    double meaning.....Sametová revoluce...Velvet revolution....In 1989 Czechosolvakia successfully, peacefully, threw out the communist rule.
     
  11. rsalc1

    rsalc1 Well-Known Member

    Thanks to all for your comments.

    I think that the song Sametová can be translated, in general terms, as follows:

    Sametová
    I remember years ago, when man first flew into space
    life seemed good (it seemed like a good idea)...
    and people could just hang out (docela dobře flákat).

    Now the song talks about the devil:
    he stood by the school, he spread his net to catch people
    and after trying and failing, he created the electric guitar
    and rock'n'roll was born.

    The verses talk to a female (I am not sure who this female is!)
    You remember, you lived here too
    and don't pretend that you are different
    you were a small, hardworking bee, completely soft as velvet (thanks eso for the explanation!)

    Time went by , "bigbeat" came after rock'n'roll
    Life seemed good: flowers and the assistants' smiles
    Milena, a girl in the neighborhood
    was crazy about Bob Dylan, but I don't mind, I have might rights (she probably likes me too)

    Young and old and silly people beat on drums like all of us
    and our heads were filled with the pop music coming from London

    It then talks about Satan playing cards in a pub
    and having a hand full of aces (Satan is such a cheater) :)

    Verse:
    You remember, but now it's different - už je to jinak
    and this is making me cold - a jde z toho na mě zima
    (does this mean "je jinak a tak nemám to rád"?)
    you (who is "you"???) are a girl but then you were completely soft as velvet
    (again, I don't understand: "ty" = "holka", but "ty" = "byla tehdá celá Sametová" - can anyone explain?)

    And then came that Gorbačov, wearing cowboy boots (thanks scrimshaw for explaining!)
    He came, then he left... and after him there were left duty free zones
    (I don't know much about what Gorby this, so this section is a mystery to me)

    And the last verse (again talking to some female...):
    You remember how you were feeling (jak jsi se měla)
    when you didn't know anything
    it was such a beautiful cell (what was a "beautiful cell" krásná cela?)
    and it was completely soft as velvet.

    I think that this was a very difficult translation exercise that I decided to undertake. :roll:

    -Rene
     
  12. wer

    wer Well-Known Member

    Am I the only one who thinks that the song is about conformism? That “velvet one” is an euphemism for “conformist of a kind”?

    I think we needn’t meditate what does the poet want to say in all the particularities (e.g. “I have my claim too”), let it open to interpretation.

    ¹Mariáš is a trick-taking game popular in the Czech countries. Notice also the ace of clubs with the picture of the Devil, you can see it in the clip.
     
  13. rsalc1

    rsalc1 Well-Known Member

    wer,

    Thanks for such a great explanation. Thanks to it I can now understand the meaning of the song.

    -Rene
     
  14. eso

    eso Well-Known Member

    I believe it means, that it seemed as good idea, before people started to install nuclear warheads to rockets.

    ty = you - it's one who song is meant for, in lyrics it's undetermined female person, but my interpretation is it's targeted to everyone, who lived in that period.

    "duty free zones" were one of unsuccessful attempts to implant pieces of capitalism to communist economic system. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perestroika )
     
  15. rsalc1

    rsalc1 Well-Known Member

    Hello,
    I am wondering if Sametová actually refers to "Sametová revoluce".

    In other words, the singer talks about:
    1. the good old days (man flight into space, people could be shirkers)
    2. Satan: catching school children and inventing electric guitars and rock music
    3. more good old days: bigbeatová pohoda, flowers, assistants' smiles, people beating on drums and listening to British pop music, Bob Dylan, etc
    4. more Satan: playing cards and cheating
    5. Gorbacov, who came and went but didn't do much good (according to the song)

    But the refrain keeps talking about a girl who was there, who was beautiful, who was velvety.

    Could this girl be the Velvet Revolution that was just there in the background while all the other things were happening?

    Just a thought...

    -Rene
     
  16. rsalc1

    rsalc1 Well-Known Member

    wer,
    this is a good translation into English. I made a couple of minor corrections just to try to make it sound better in English :)
    blue = deleted, red = added

    -René
     

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