Iwan Fals, born Virgiawan Listanto on 3 September 1961 in Jakarta, is a cha… Read Full Bio ↴Iwan Fals, born Virgiawan Listanto on 3 September 1961 in Jakarta, is a charismatic Indonesian singer/songwriter and remembered as Indonesia's the most dangerous singer on the '80s and '90s.

He was popular for his gritty-witty ballads accentuated on life of Indonesia's marginalized groups or political satire on the troubled Indonesian social/political scene under Soeharto. His socially aware hit-songs including: "Oemar Bakri" tells about teacher, "Lonteku" is a love story between a criminal and a prostitute, and "Wakil Rakyat" is about members of parliament.

After Reformasi movement on 1997 which leads to democratisation he was a kind of losing the edge for political satire, but his mature musical experience keeps him on Indonesian pop chart with inward-looking songs and songs about personal relationships.

Bakar
Iwan Fals Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Tuhan tolong dengarkan
Nyanyian pinggir jalan
Malam dibawah bulan
Dalam waktu yang rawan

Marah dibawah tanah
Dilangit ada merah
Menuju satu arah

Bakar bakar

Disana ada bohong
Disana ada mayat
Disana ada suara
Bom bom

Raut muka resah
Orang orang susah
Ada banyak mata
Buta

Resah luka kaki
Semakin menjadi
Ada banyak kuping
Tuli

Malam hampir pagi
Debu jalan datang lagi
Malam hampir pagi
Bising mesin bunyi lagi

Malam hampir pagi
Kelicikan mulai lagi

Malam hampir pagi
Teriakku hilang lagi

Overall Meaning

In Iwan Fals's song Bakar, the singer makes a plea to God to listen to the voices of those on the streets. The night is dangerous, and people are angry and restless. The lyrics evoke a sense of desperation and fear as the singer talks about lies, corpses, and the sound of bombs. The language used in the lyrics is simple and straightforward, yet it speaks directly to the heart of the people living on the margins of society.

The song speaks to the experience of poverty, violence, and neglect, which can lead to feelings of anger and hopelessness. The reference to "Bakar bakar" suggests a desire to burn everything down and start anew. It is a powerful metaphor that captures a sense of frustration and a search for change in the face of overwhelming adversity.

Overall, the message of the song is one of hope in the face of despair. It speaks to the idea that change is possible, and that even in the darkest of nights, there is a glimmer of hope for a better future.

Line by Line Meaning

Tuhan tolong dengarkan
Oh God, please listen

Nyanyian pinggir jalan
The song of the street singers

Malam dibawah bulan
The night under the moon

Dalam waktu yang rawan
In this dangerous time

Marah dibawah tanah
Anger underground

Dilangit ada merah
Red in the sky

Menuju satu arah
Heading towards one direction

Bakar bakar
Burn, burn

Disana ada bohong
There is a lie there

Disana ada mayat
There is a corpse there

Disana ada suara
There is a voice there