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.
Negeriku
Iwan Fals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Malu malu malu malulah hati
Kotornya teramat gawat ya kotornya sangat
Inilah amanat yang menjadi keramat
Bersih bersih bersih bersihlah diri
Sebelum menyapu sampah dan debu debu
Nyanyian berkarat sampai ke liang lahat
Atas nama rakyat yang berwajah pucat
Terkenal kesegala penjuru
Tentu saja bagi yang tak tahu malu
Inilah sorga sorganya sorga
Negeriku ngeriku
Busuk busuk busuk busuk bangkai tikus
Yang mati karena dihakimi rakyat
Adakah akhirat menerima dirinya
Adakah disana yang masih bisa bercanda
dengan rakus
Negeriku negeri para penipu
Terkenal kesegala penjuru
Tentu saja bagi yang tak tahu malu
Inilah sorga sorganya sorga
Negeriku ngeriku
Bersih bersih bersih bersihlah negeriku
The lyrics to Iwan Fals's song Negeriku are powerful and thought-provoking. The first verse urges for the country to be cleaned, as it is in great distress and needs to be saved. The second line discusses the need for shame in one's heart, referring to the shame felt for having such a dirty country. The third line emphasizes the gravity of the situation, and how dirty the country truly is. The last line discusses the importance of this message and how it is held as sacred.
The second verse focuses on self-cleaning before cleaning up the debris and dirt. The following line notes how the country's current state is so bad that it has reached the depths. The third line mentions the outdated songs that have been passed down from generation to generation, and the final line refers to the pale faces of the people who have to live in such a country.
The song then goes on to talk about how the country is a nation of swindlers and is known for this all over the world. Those who are unaware of this shame are blissful and ignorant, living in their own paradise. The final lines repeat the beginning, saying once more that the country needs to be cleaned.
Line by Line Meaning
Bersih bersih bersih bersihlah negeriku
Clean, clean, clean your country, my people
Malu malu malu malulah hati
Be ashamed, ashamed of yourselves
Kotornya teramat gawat ya kotornya sangat
The dirt is so serious, so very dirty
Inilah amanat yang menjadi keramat
This is the sacred trust
Bersih bersih bersih bersihlah diri
Clean, clean, clean yourselves
Sebelum menyapu sampah dan debu debu
Before sweeping away the garbage and dust
Nyanyian berkarat sampai ke liang lahat
Songs that have rusted away, down to the grave
Atas nama rakyat yang berwajah pucat
In the name of the pale-faced people
Negeriku negeri para penipu
My country is a land of scammers
Terkenal kesegala penjuru
Famous all around
Tentu saja bagi yang tak tahu malu
Of course, for those who have no shame
Inilah sorga sorganya sorga
This is heaven, the heaven
Busuk busuk busuk busuk bangkai tikus
Rotten, rotten, rotten corpse of a rat
Yang mati karena dihakimi rakyat
That died because of the people's judgment
Adakah akhirat menerima dirinya
Will the afterlife accept it?
Adakah disana yang masih bisa bercanda dengan rakus
Is there still a place there for those who still greedily joke?
Bersih bersih bersih bersihlah negeriku
Clean, clean, clean your country, my people
Contributed by Adeline N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ida Inayah
Reff.
Negeriku negeri para penipu
Terkenal kesegala penjuru
Tentu saja bagi yang tak tahu malu
Inilah sorga sorganya sorga
Negeriku ngeriku
Busuk busuk busuk busuk bangkai tikus
Yang mati karena dihakimi rakyat
Adakah akhirat menerima dirinya
Adakah disana yang masih bisa bercanda dengan rakus....
* Sejak sy mudah sampai tuek sy suka sekali lagu2 Bang Iwan Fals.
Tapi sayang sekarang sy heran sama Bang Iwan Fals sekarang seperti Bungkam kehilangan inspirasi nya, alias Fakum.
Ada apa..??
Kenapa..??
Apa sebabnya...??
Koq bisa..??
Aaah...sudahlah....kembali aja ke jaman 80 an pun jadi....*
BDGx Andreyansyah
2020 dan negeriku masih jadi negeri penipu😴 ini lah amanat yg menjadi keramat
Hamba Allah
Teruslah berkarya sang maestro... terima kasih ats karya2 mu,tak bnyk orng seperti mu di negri ini,Sehat slalu,allah slalu memberkati mu..
yofans afryans
menyentuh sekali... semoga para koruptor indonesia mendenger kan nyayian ini.. dan ber pikir tuk bangsa ini.. salam bangsaT TUK para KORUPTOR....!!!!!
putralangit
cocok untuk kondisi sekarang dinegriku
iyessocute
Cucok lagunya buat keadaan Indonesia saat ini :( korupsi dimana2 semakin blak2an dilakukan tanpa malu dan bersalah.. Benar2 Indonesia negeri para koruptor #tariknapas
lendra ricardo
iwan fals selalu di hati orang indonesia
Lim Halim
indonesia semoga makin maju
wonogiri jawa tengah 18-08-2021
Hendry Freon
Hr terakhir di kantor menjelang liburan, kebiasaanku bersih2 meja kerja, rapiin lg smua, sambil nyetel lagu ini, ga pduli tmn2 pd dgrin.. Makasii lagunya bang iwan..
Pentoel Korek
Negriku......Ngeriku
Titin Supriatin
negeriku....oooh...negeriku..apa yg bisa aku katakan untukmu?