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.
Mereka Ada Di Jalan
Iwan Fals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Aku melihat anak-anak kecil telanjang dada
Telanjang kaki asyik mengejar bola
Kuhampiri kudekati lalu duduk ditanah
Yang lebih tinggi
Agar lebih jelas lihat dan rasakan
Semangat mereka keringat mereka
Dalam memenangkan permainan
Menggiring bola dijalanan
Ruly kecil Riky kecil
Lika-liku jebolkan gawang
Tiang gawang puing-puing
Sisa bangunan yang tergusur
Tanah lapang hanya tinggal cerita
Yang nampak mata hanya para pembual saja
Anak kota tak mampu beli sepatu
Anak kota tak punya tanah lapang
Sepak bola menjadi barang yang mahal
Milik mereka yang punya uang saja
Dan sementara kita disini
Di jalan ini
Bola kaki dari plastik
Ditendang mampir ke langit
Pecahlah sudah kaca jendela hati
Sebab terkena bola tentu bukan salah mereka
Rony kecil Hery kecil
Gaya samba sodorkan bola
Nobon kecil Juki kecil
Jegal lawan amankan gawang
Cipto kecil Iswadi kecil
Tak tik tik tak terinjak paku
Yudo kecil Paslah kecil
Terkam bola jatuh menangis
-Rahman Tardjana-
Iwan Fals's song Mereka Ada Di Jalan (They Are on the Street) tells the story of a man witnessing a group of children playing soccer on an incomplete street. The children are bare-chested and barefooted, but full of energy and passion for their game. The singer gets closer to them, sitting on the ground to watch and feel their spirit and sweat while they compete. They play on a field littered with the debris of shattered goalposts, remnants of destroyed buildings. The open space becomes a distant memory for the city's youth who can't afford to buy proper shoes or have their own playing field, as only the rich can have access to the expensive soccer equipment. In contrast, the children on the street are left to their own resourcefulness, using a plastic ball and the only space they can find to play a game that brings them joy, despite the glass windows that shatter under the force of their kicks, which they never intended to harm. The song portrays the children's resilience and determination, emphasizing their hope and determination in the face of poverty and tough living conditions.
Line by Line Meaning
Pukul tiga sore hari dijalan yang belum jadi
It's 3pm on a street that is still under construction
Aku melihat anak-anak kecil telanjang dada
I see small children with bare chests
Telanjang kaki asyik mengejar bola
Their bare feet are busy chasing a ball
Kuhampiri kudekati lalu duduk ditanah
I approach, sit down on the ground, and get closer
Yang lebih tinggi
To get a better view
Agar lebih jelas lihat dan rasakan
So I can see and feel more clearly
Semangat mereka keringat mereka
Their spirit and sweat
Dalam memenangkan permainan
In winning the game
Ramang kecil Kadir kecil
Little Ramang and little Kadir
Menggiring bola dijalanan
Dribbling the ball on the street
Ruly kecil Riky kecil
Little Ruly and little Riky
Lika-liku jebolkan gawang
Navigating twists and turns to score a goal
Tiang gawang puing-puing
Goalposts made of rubble
Sisa bangunan yang tergusur
Leftover buildings that were demolished
Tanah lapang hanya tinggal cerita
Open land is just a story
Yang nampak mata hanya para pembual saja
Only the braggarts are visible
Anak kota tak mampu beli sepatu
City children can't afford shoes
Anak kota tak punya tanah lapang
City children don't have open land
Sepak bola menjadi barang yang mahal
Football has become an expensive commodity
Milik mereka yang punya uang saja
Only those who have money can own it
Dan sementara kita disini
And while we are here
Di jalan ini
On this street
Bola kaki dari plastik
A plastic football
Ditendang mampir ke langit
Kicked so high it reaches the sky
Pecahlah sudah kaca jendela hati
The windows to our hearts have shattered
Sebab terkena bola tentu bukan salah mereka
Because getting hit by the ball is not their fault
Rony kecil Hery kecil
Little Rony and little Hery
Gaya samba sodorkan bola
Using samba style to pass the ball
Nobon kecil Juki kecil
Little Nobon and little Juki
Jegal lawan amankan gawang
Tripping the opponent and securing the goal
Cipto kecil Iswadi kecil
Little Cipto and little Iswadi
Tak tik tik tak terinjak paku
Avoiding stepping on a nail
Yudo kecil Paslah kecil
Little Yudo and little Paslah
Terkam bola jatuh menangis
Jumping on the ball and falling down crying
Contributed by Mia R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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