April
2009
Zainal Abidin – Hijau, The Global Issue
Before I start this entry, a note to you guys out there..
New Zealand Natural Ice Cream is giving away FREE 1 scoop ice-cream to the lucky babies of 87, 88, 89, 90, and 91 this week..And the period for this week is extended by 1 hour, from 5pm-8pm..Check out the Facebook..
Our veteran local artiste, Zainal Abidin, one of Malaysia’s most successful singers I would say..
His music influence are more to pop-folks genre, where some likened to dikir barat or such genre, but it’s more to it..
If you think punk-pop-rock bands nowadays are very much sensitive and well-informed about global issues and all, you are wrong..
They are just rebellious and sing their heart out because they got no where to complain about their problems and inequality in the society nowadays..
I don’t think any of the punk-pop-rock bands can be compared to the likes of John Lennon, Zach De La Rocha, and some other artiste-cum-activist/environmentalist..
I would say Zainal Abidin is partially of that environmentalist group of people..
If you think Earth Hour is so cool or agenda-sensitive regarding the global warming, green house effects, or dying of the ozone layer, think again..
If you are aware of all these shits and WANT to do your part in the global warming issue, why wait til Earth Hour? You can do it anytime anywhere you want..
If you are aware of those shits and WANT to do your part in the issue, why you do it for just one hour? Why you didn’t start it from say, 6pm or 7pm? Or maybe extend it to say, 10pm or 11pm?
Well, by extending the hours on Earth Hour, can you do something and not going to bed early despite the darkness?
I would say fuck Earth Hour..And what I want to say is this song, Hijau by Zainal Abidin, is composed and sung back in 1988, or maybe longer than that, has already highlighted the issues of global warming and the dying of ozone layer..
Imagine, 1988, that’s 21 years ago, a Malay ethnic singer, already expressed himself or I would say the thoughts of the whole world, but what has been done?
So, in conjunction with Earth Day, or whatever day it is, this is one nice song to be listened again, again, and again..
This song if not mistaken is sung in Kelantanese dialect..
Those highlighted in red in brackets are direct translation of the Kelantanese dialect to modern KL Malay dialect..
Zainal Abidin – Hijau lyrics
Bumi yang tiada rimba
Seumpama hamba
Dia dicemar manusia
Yang jahil ketawa
Bumi yang tiada udara
Bagai tiada nyawa
Pasti hilang suatu hari
Tanpa disedari
Bumi tanpa lautan
Akan kehausan
Pasti lambat laun hilang
Duniaku yang malang
Dewasa ini kita saling merayakan
Kejayaan yang akhirnya membinasakan
Apalah gunanya kematangan fikiran
Bila di jiwa kita masih lagi muda
Dan mentah
Ku lihat hijau
Bumiku yang kian pudar
Siapa yang melihat
Di kala kita tersedar
Mungkinkah terlewat
Korupsi,opresi,obsesi diri
Polusi,depressi,di bumi,kini
Oh..anok-anok (Oh..anak-anak)
tokleh meghaso mandi laok (tak leh merasa mandi lauk)
Besaing,maing ghama-ghama (bersaing, main ramai-ramai)
Ale lo ni tuo umurnyo bejuto (alam, sekarang ni tua umurnya berjuta)
Kito usoho (kita usaha)
Jauhke dari malapetako (jauh daripada malapetaka)
Ozon lo ni koho nipih nak nak aghi (ozon ni semakin nipis hampir nah habis)
Keno make asak (kena makan asap)
Hok biso wei,pasa maknusio (ia berbisa, pasal manusia)
Seghemo bendo-bendo di dunio (semua benda-benda di dunia)
Tokleh tehe (tak boleh tahan)
Sapa bilo-bilo (sampai bila-bila)
I suka this song when I was younger.
I remember putting on RTM and music video came out!
jessbabe >> yes..this song damn cun!
omg I love this song..
one of my favorite during childhood and still is
RANDOM~!?
I remember when I was in primary school, we had to sing this song in one of our choir competition and I love this song ever since. I think it’s a very nice song. But I don’t think many people know this song.
I was telling my neighbour in my hostel who is a Malay that I love this song and they are amazed that I know the song. It’s a wonderful song.
jian >> best!
Kelvin >> yeah..random shits..
Ping Ping >> nice..it’s a great song!
Hi, just wanna say that your translation of the dialect part is slightly wrong. should be mandi laut.
Ale – is Alam.lo ni tuo = sekarang ni tua
koho nipih = semakin nipis
and i think this is kelantan dialect, not NS.
Silver >> thanks for telling
hi.
was doing a search on reviews or critical writing on Zainal Abidin’s album Hijau and stumbled across your page.
Hijau was actually published in 1991. and i personally believe that this is a historical album in South-East Asia, however, hugely under-appreciated during its time. i would go on to say that it was probably the singular most creative albums that ever emerged, with Mac Chew, Jenny Chin, Mukhlis Nor (who conceptualized the album) and a line up of incredible musicians which includes Man Kidal, Erwin Gutawa, Zahid Ahmad and so on.
on top of that, i think if anything it provides the world a perspective on Asian culture / concerns and influence on the western world.
Hijau is an important work of utmost brilliance and creativity. however “western” the musical concepts are, it is still breathing a heavy Asian “sound” which should resonate to millions.
i know it’s been awhile since you posted this, but i thought i’d like to echo your thoughts.
thanks.
better days ahead
bani.
small correction:
the album is actually titled Zainal Abidin.
my bad.
thanks.
better days ahead.
small correction:
the album is actually titled Zainal Abidin.
my bad.
thanks.
better days ahead.
bani haykal >> thanks for your comment. it’s great to have people who think alike!