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.
Kupu-Kupu Hitam Putih
Iwan Fals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Di musim hujan
Mendung menjadi teman
Ada juga keindahannya
Butir embun yang ada didaun
Bagai intan berlian
Lebih riang ia berkilauan
Suara burung burung didahan
Nyanyian alam
Bekerja ia mencari makan
Ada juga yang membuat sarang
Iri aku menyaksikan itu
Tapi kutekan aku harus bersyukur
Berguru pada kenyataan
Pada makhluk Tuhan yang katanya tak berakal
Mendung datang lagi
Setelah hangat sebentar
Butir embun hilang
Aku jadi termenung
Mencari pegangan
Mencoba untuk bersandar
Langit makin hitam
Aku jadi berharap pada hujan
Kupu kupu hitam putih
Terbang di sekitarku
Melihat ia menari
Hatiku terpatri
Sepasang merpati
Bercumbu dibalik awan
Kemudian ia turun menukik
Sujud syukur padanya
The song "Kupu-Kupu Hitam Putih" by Iwan Fals portrays the beauty of nature through the experiences of the singer during rainy season. The lyrics describe the wait for the sunrise amidst the rainy weather, as the clouds become a friendly companion. The singer observes the beauty of dewdrops on leaves, which shine like diamonds, and the melodies of birds in their natural habitats, working hard to find food or making nests.
However, the beauty of nature is also accompanied by a sense of envy and gratitude within the singer. The singer feels envious and wishes to be a part of this natural environment forever, yet he acknowledges that he must be grateful for what he has and what he has learned from nature. The singer is humbled by the fact that he must learn from creatures that are often regarded as having no intelligence or reason.
The second half of the song describes a shift in mood as the rain returns, the dewdrops disappear, and the sky becomes increasingly dark. The singer becomes introspective, searching for something to hold onto and to lean on during this dark time. Finally, the beauty of nature returns as the singer observes a dance of a black and white butterfly around him and feels his heart touched by the sight. He then witnesses two doves cuddling behind the clouds and is gratified to see them bowing down in worship.
Line by Line Meaning
Menunggu matahari terbit
Waiting for the sunrise
Di musim hujan
In the rainy season
Mendung menjadi teman
The clouds become a friend
Ada juga keindahannya
There's also beauty in it
Butir embun yang ada didaun
Dew drops on the leaves
Bagai intan berlian
Sparkling like diamonds
Lebih riang ia berkilauan
Shines even brighter
Karena matahari tertutup awan
As the sun is covered by the clouds
Suara burung-burung didahan
The sound of birds on the branches
Nyanyian alam
The song of nature
Bekerja ia mencari makan
Working to find food
Ada juga yang membuat sarang
Some make their nests
Iri aku menyaksikan itu
I envy seeing that
Tapi kutekan aku harus bersyukur
But I must be grateful
Berguru pada kenyataan
Learning from reality
Pada makhluk Tuhan yang katanya tak berakal
From God's creature that some say lacks intelligence
Mendung datang lagi
The clouds come again
Setelah hangat sebentar
After a brief warmth
Butir embun hilang
The dew drops disappear
Aku jadi termenung
I become pensive
Mencari pegangan
Searching for grip
Mencoba untuk bersandar
Trying to lean on something
Langit makin hitam
The sky gets darker
Aku jadi berharap pada hujan
I start to hope for rain
Kupu-kupu hitam putih
Black and white butterfly
Terbang di sekitarku
Flying around me
Melihat ia menari
Watching it dance
Hatiku terpatri
My heart is captivated
Sepasang merpati
A pair of doves
Bercumbu dibalik awan
Romancing behind the clouds
Kemudian ia turun menukik
Then it goes down diving
Sujud syukur padanya
Prostrating in gratitude to it
Contributed by Christian W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@doranovia6574
Menunggu matahari terbit
Di musim hujan
Mendung menjadi teman
Ada juga keindahannya
Butir embun yang ada di daun
Bagai intan berlian
Lebih riang ia berkilauan
Karena matahari tertutup awan
Suara burung-burung di dahan
Nyanyian alam
Bekerja ia mencari makan
Ada juga yang membuat sarang
Iri aku menyaksikan itu
Tapi kutekan aku harus bersyukur
Berguru pada kenyataan
Pada makhluk Tuhan yang katanya tak berakal
Mendung datang lagi
Setelah hangat sebentar
Butir embun hilang
Aku jadi termenung
Mencari pegangan
Mencoba untuk bersandar
Langit makin hitam
Aku jadi berharap pada hujan
La la-la la-la la-la-la-la-la
La la-la la-la la-la-la-la-la
La la-la la-la la-la-la-la-la
Kupu-kupu hitam putih
Terbang di sekitarku
Melihat ia menari
Hatiku terpatri
Sepasang merpati
Bercumbu di balik awan
Kemudian ia turun menukik
Sujud syukur pada-Nya
La la-la la-la la-la-la-la-la
La la-la la-la la-la-la-la-la
La la-la la-la la-la-la-la-la
La la-la la-la la-la-la-la-la
La la-la la-la la-la-la-la-la
La la-la la-la la-la-la-la-la
@chikewin9834
betapa romantisnya om IWAN menggambarkan hubungan manusia dengan tuhan dan mahluk ciptaanNYA,,,
dan, terima kasih tante YOS telah memberikan warna pada lagu ini,,,
@dleyseppolo
sambil duduk santai menikmati indahnya alam...
sejuk, bersih tanpa polusi...
AB inn Hotel, Johor, Malaysia (jumat, 12 November 2021)
@yanagusta9170
Album SUARA HATI.. album kebangkitan bang Iwan. Di mana HATI yg sempat mati,.. kini HIDUP kembali i!!
@subratas.e.i5513
Merinding dengernya
Jangan lupa bersyukur
Cirebon, 10 Juni 2021
@bebaspolusi7682
Inilah lagu bangkitnya sang iwan fals, yg terpuruk karna ditinggal galang rambu anarki.
@fadillahmuhammad6665
Betul ilakes
@KMD_700k
Lebih tepatnya album comeback ya iwan fals di dunia musik setelah lama vacum, terlihat dr lyric nya di lagu ini dan lagu hadapi saja , gambaran klw om iwan bisa bangkit . Setelah album suara hati ini, kemudian om iwan keluarin album collaboration dgn musisi top tanah air dan album nya meledak lewat single aku bukan pilihan
@persibbandung8686
Dengan lagu hadapi saja✊
@ajisukmaji1218
Salah banget, lagu iwan fals yang berjudul Hadapi saja . Itu yang membuat Iwan fals bangkit dari keterpurukan nya
@rahmatyulianto6085
hadapi saja