Pluwatsch was born to German parents, her father is Uve Müllrich (German krautrockers Embryo's bassist and Dissidenten founder) and is well-travelled, having lived in Afghanistan, Nepal, Pakistan and South Africa. She attended schools in Goa, Bangalore, Lagos, Portugal, Seattle, Durban and Capetown.
She studied music in Prague. Her relationship with Asia remains a the main theme of her poetry. She has performed spoken word poetry on several projects, including Transglobal Underground's "Instinctive Traveller" and South African Zulu Nation's "Bubblegum". She has also performed with Noujum Oazza and his band Urban Dervish, and for the Royal Moroccan Orchestra. In recent years, her role has moved from poet to singer. Her voice is described as jazz/soul and she has appeared on a number of chill out and electronic dance tracks. Bajka appeared on several tracks on Bonobo's third album, Days To Come. She also appeared on Radio Citizen's only album, Berlin Serengetti.
The Landing
Bajka Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He forgot when he entered the ship:
His umbrella, his watch, all his jewels and rings,
And the clothes he had bought for the trip.
He had forty-two boxes, all carefully packed,
With his name painted clearly on each:
But, since he omitted to mention the fact,
They were all left behind on the beach.
"His form is ungainly — his intellect small —"
(The Bellman would often remark)
"But his courage is perfect! And that, after all,
Is the thing that one needs with a Snark."
His courage is perfect! And that, after all,
Is the thing that one needs with a Snark.
Well, the loss of his clothes hardly mattered, because
He had seven coats on when he came,
With three pairs of boots — but the worst of it was,
He had wholly forgotten his name.
He would answer to "Hi!" or to any loud cry,
Such as "Fry me!" or "Fritter my wig!"
To "What-you-may-call-um!" or "What-was-his-name!"
But especially "Thing-um-a-jig!"
"His form is ungainly — his intellect small —"
(The Bellman would often remark)
"But his courage is perfect! And that, after all,
Is the thing that one needs with a Snark."
While, for those who preferred a more forcible word,
He had different names from these:
His intimate friends called him "Candle-ends,"
And his enemies "Toasted-cheese."
He came as a Baker: but owned, when too late —
And it drove the poor Bellman half-mad —
He could only bake Bridecake — for which, I may state,
No materials were to be had.
"His form is ungainly — his intellect small —"
(The Bellman would often remark)
"But his courage is perfect! And that, after all,
Is the thing that one needs with a Snark."
"His form is ungainly — his intellect small —"
(The Bellman would often remark)
"But his courage is perfect! And that, after all,
Is the thing that one needs with a Snark."
"His form is ungainly — his intellect small —"
(The Bellman would often remark)
"But his courage is perfect! And that, after all,
Is the thing that one needs with a Snark."
The lyrics to Bajka's song, The Landing, are an excerpt from Lewis Carroll's poem "The Hunting of the Snark." The poem's narrator tells the story of a group of adventurers who go in search of the mystical Snark, only to encounter many challenges and obstacles along the way. The excerpt tells the story of one of the adventurers who, upon entering the ship, forgets many of his belongings including his umbrella, watch, and jewels. He also forgets his own name, only answering to various nicknames given to him by his friends and enemies. Despite his flaws and shortcomings, the singer praises the adventurer's courage and notes that it is what is needed to face the challenges of the Snark.
The lyrics of The Landing are a critique of the idea that material possessions and intellect are necessary for success. The adventurer may have forgotten his belongings and lacked intelligence, but his courage and determination make him suitable for the challenging journey ahead. This message is especially relevant in a society that often places value on material possessions and intelligence as markers of success. The adventurer's flaws and vulnerabilities make him a relatable character, reminding listeners that it is important to value one's inner qualities and qualities of character over superficial things.
Line by Line Meaning
There was one who was famed for the number of things
He forgot when he entered the ship:
There was a man who was famous for forgetting many things on entering the ship.
His umbrella, his watch, all his jewels and rings,
And the clothes he had bought for the trip.
He forgot his umbrella, watch, jewelry, and clothes that he brought for the trip.
He had forty-two boxes, all carefully packed,
With his name painted clearly on each:
But, since he omitted to mention the fact,
They were all left behind on the beach.
He had packed forty-two boxes properly, but did not inform anyone about them. Thus, all the boxes were left behind on the beach.
"His form is ungainly — his intellect small —"
(The Bellman would often remark)
"But his courage is perfect! And that, after all,
Is the thing that one needs with a Snark."
The Bellman often remarked that the man was unimpressive in his appearance and intellect. However, the one thing that mattered with a Snark was his perfect courage.
"His courage is perfect! And that, after all,
Is the thing that one needs with a Snark."
Courage is the only essential thing required to face a Snark.
Well, the loss of his clothes hardly mattered, because
He had seven coats on when he came,
With three pairs of boots — but the worst of it was,
He had wholly forgotten his name.
He had worn seven coats and three pairs of boots, so the loss of his clothes did not affect him much. However, he forgot his name entirely.
He would answer to "Hi!" or to any loud cry,
Such as "Fry me!" or "Fritter my wig!"
To "What-you-may-call-um!" or "What-was-his-name!"
But especially "Thing-um-a-jig!"
He responded to any loud call, including "Hi!" or something like "Fry me!". He could not remember his name but would recognize it if someone said "Thing-um-a-jig!"
"His form is ungainly — his intellect small —"
(The Bellman would often remark)
"But his courage is perfect! And that, after all,
Is the thing that one needs with a Snark."
The Bellman repeated that the man's appearance and intellect were dull, but his courage was perfect, which was imperative to catch a Snark.
While, for those who preferred a more forcible word,
He had different names from these:
His intimate friends called him "Candle-ends",
And his enemies "Toasted-cheese."
He had different names for people who preferred more powerful words. His friends called him "Candle-ends," and his enemies called him "Toasted-cheese."
He came as a Baker: but owned, when too late —
And it drove the poor Bellman half-mad —
He could only bake Bridecake — for which, I may state,
No materials were to be had.
He arrived as a baker but, unfortunately, could only bake Bridecake, which upset the Bellman. The ingredients to bake it were not available.
"His form is ungainly — his intellect small —"
(The Bellman would often remark)
"But his courage is perfect! And that, after all,
Is the thing that one needs with a Snark."
The Bellman repeatedly mentioned that the man's appearance and intellect were lacking, but his courage was fantastic, which was key to catching Snarks.
"His form is ungainly — his intellect small —"
(The Bellman would often remark)
"But his courage is perfect! And that, after all,
Is the thing that one needs with a Snark."
Once again, the Bellman would remark that the man's appearance and intellect were not impressive but, having perfect courage is what is required to catch a Snark.
"His form is ungainly — his intellect small —"
(The Bellman would often remark)
"But his courage is perfect! And that, after all,
Is the thing that one needs with a Snark."
The Bellman repeated that the man's appearance and intellect fell short of the desired mark. However, the key thing that one needs to catch a Snark is having perfect courage.
Contributed by Lila H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.