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I Zimbra Lyrics

Gadji beri bimbra clandridi
Lauli lonni cadori gadjam
A bim beri glassala glandride
E glassala tuffm i zimbra

Bim blassa galassasa zimbrabim
Blassa gallassasa zimbrabim

A bim beri glassala gladrid
E glassala tuffm i zimbra

Gadji beri bimba glandridi
Lauli lonni cadori gadjam
A bim beri glassala glandrid
E glassala tuffm i zimbra
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Cover art for I Zimbra lyrics by Talking Heads

Dadaism. The most relevant art/anti-art movement ever, especially in these times. These lyrics were written nearly 100 years ago by Dadaist poet/performance artist Hugo Ball. And mean just as much/little as they did back then!

It's amazing to me how often dadaism is written off as having been from a certain time period.

Cover art for I Zimbra lyrics by Talking Heads

Sorry, you're quite wrong...and flyingrobot is quite right. It's a poem written by Hugo Ball. Where'd you get the idea that Eno wrote them? Too much Pabst, maybe?!

Cover art for I Zimbra lyrics by Talking Heads

Just to chime in - Mattmc387 and flyingrobot are correct. See http://www.ubu.com/sound/ball.html, a web site devoted to Hugo Ball on which you can here the I Zimbra lyrics in their urtext form, sans DB and co. Having done so, one can only marvel at how cool the TH song came out, since the HB original strikes me as esoteric crap. Sorry if there are fans out there. . .

Cover art for I Zimbra lyrics by Talking Heads

this says sooo much to me....

Cover art for I Zimbra lyrics by Talking Heads

I spent some time researching Hugo Ball and his works. It seems to me that the song has no translation. according to a one source, he wrote his poetry in German using "nonsensical words". The song may have a meaning, but it cannot be translated.

Cover art for I Zimbra lyrics by Talking Heads

thanks for that about hugo ball - i always loved this song, but assumed it was sung in some african language, as DB has always been into borrowing from other cultures...

but then again, are we sure that hugo ball didn't write it in swahili ??? maybe its just another boy meets girl ballad to someone from malawi.

Cover art for I Zimbra lyrics by Talking Heads

"E glassala tuffh i zimbra!"

Cover art for I Zimbra lyrics by Talking Heads

cool fripp solo...he probably walked in the studio, did his bit then left after about 15 mins.

don't mean this as a negative comment. it would be typical of how Fripp works, when he contributes only one (or a small number) of bits to a recording.

he's very professorial in manner. on stage he usually sits on a stool while playing. and still rocks like a MF.

Cover art for I Zimbra lyrics by Talking Heads

Wow. I did not know that. After 25 years of hearing this song on and off I always presumed it was Swahili or something.

When I clicked to this page I was hoping for a translation. LQTMS

Learning the truth is even more interesting, so thanks for that.

Guess I'll go look up Hugo Ball.

Cover art for I Zimbra lyrics by Talking Heads

This song is about getting drunk in Mexico.

 
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