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.

Orang_Pinggiran
Iwan Fals Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Orang pinggiran
Ada di trotoar
Ada di bis kota
Ada di pabrik pabrik

Orang pinggiran
Di terik mentari
Di jalan becek

Menyanyi dan menari

Lagunya nyanyian hati
Tarinya tarian jiwa
Seperti tangis bayi dimalam hari

Sepinya waktu kala sendiri
Sambil berbaring meraih mimpi
Menatap langit langit tak perduli
Sebab esok pagi kembali

Orang pinggiran
Didalam lingkaran
Berputar putar
Kembali kepinggiran

Lagunya nyanyian hati
Tarinya tarian jiwa
Seperti tangis bayi dimalam hari

Sepinya waktu kala sendiri
Sambil berbaring meraih mimpi
Menatap langit langit tak perduli
Sebab esok pagi kembali

Orang pinggiran
Bukan pemalas

Orang pinggiran
Pekerja keras

Orang pinggiran
Tidak mengeluh

Orang pinggiran
Terus melenguh

Overall Meaning

The song "Orang Pinggiran" by Iwan Fals is about the marginalized people who live on the outskirts of society. The first stanza mentions how these people can be found everywhere – on the pavement, on public buses, and in factories. Despite living and working in these less-fortunate environments, the second stanza describes how they find joy and solace through their singing and dancing. The lyrics describe their songs and dances as the song of the heart and the dance of the soul. These people, like babies crying at night, express their emotions through their arts, which serve as their release and source of comfort.

The following verses describe the solitude and dreams of these people, which often happen when they're alone. They look up at the sky and try to envision a better future. Despite their love for their art and their ability to find hope in their solitude, they still find themselves trapped in a cycle of poverty and marginalization. The last stanza describes how they are not lazy people as often stereotyped but are hardworking individuals who continuously plough through their daily struggles.

Overall, the song's message is to remind listeners that marginalized people, like those often living on the outskirts of society, are not to be overlooked or scorned, but rather understood and acknowledged for their strength and resilience.

Line by Line Meaning

Orang pinggiran
People from the outskirts

Ada di trotoar
They're on the sidewalks

Ada di bis kota
They're on the city buses

Ada di pabrik pabrik
They're in the factories

Di terik mentari
Under the scorching sun

Di jalan becek
On the muddy roads

Menyanyi dan menari
They sing and dance

Lagunya nyanyian hati
Their songs are the songs of their heart

Tarinya tarian jiwa
Their dance is the dance of their soul

Seperti tangis bayi dimalam hari
Like a baby crying in the night

Sepinya waktu kala sendiri
The loneliness when alone