In the following years, numbers of personnel changes were made, with Pay on guitars, Kaka on vocals and Indra on keyboard, replacing the previous bandmates.
Although they started their journey in the music industry quite roughly, with numerous of rejected demos, SLANK emerged in 1991 with their "The Best Newcomer" award in BASF event. Successes did not always come for SLANK, when three of their personnel, Bongky, Indra and Pay chose to quit the band, and formed their own band (BIP). Following the resignation, Abdee, Ivan and Ridho joined the band, and since then, SLANK has never changed its personnel again.
Today, for more than 20 years of ups and downs, SLANK has released 14 successful albums, with their loyal fans, SLANKERS behind them.
In 2008, Slank released the new album, "Anthem for the Broken Hearted", and are currently on U.S. tour promoting the new album.
For more than two decades, Slank has managed a healthy attitude towards their music career, which in turn has helped them throughout the years. Slank has also gained somewhat of a cult status in Indonesia, and according to guitarist Ridho, "Slankers" span all ages.
“Slank’s uses its music to promote P.L.U.R. (peace, love, unity and respect) between the world’s diverse religious, ethnic and economic communities.” — Bimbim
Despite Slank’s immense popularity throughout much of the world, the band’s members are looking forward to their biggest challenge yet: breaking through in the United States. As Bimbim admits, Slank welcomes its return to the musical underground and is willing to do whatever it takes to be established in America, even if it means building its following one “Slanker” at a time. (If you have not already figured it out, a “Slanker” is a loyal Slank fan, the equivalent of a Grateful Dead “Deadhead.”)
The first step in meeting this challenge: Anthem For The Broken Hearted. The band’s first English-language record, it is 10 tracks of catchy hard pop that blends Slank’s appreciation for artists as varied as The Rolling Stones and Bob Marley. Featuring the inevitable hits “I Miss You But I Hate U”, “Drug Me Up”, and “Too Sweet To Forget”, this disc is certain to attract fans of bands like Sublime, Jet, and Buck Cherry.
While some vocalists will attempt to overcome language barriers by spending endless hours painstakingly recording lyrics syllable by syllable (in hopes that a producer equipped with Pro-Tools can turn it into a coherent song), Kaka had little trouble singing lyrics that had been translated into English by a band friend. “English is the second language of Indonesia,” he explains, “and I speak it fluently. I have to credit Blues, however, for preparing us for when we entered the studio.” Unlike some veteran American and European artists who have been branded “sell outs” by their fans for altering their creative approach, Slank’s legion of adoring fans has stood firmly by its decision to record in English. “They fully support our desire to become more popular internationally,” says Bimbim. “They realize that more successful we become around the world, the more attention we will focus on Indonesia.”
Despite the positive vibe and uplifting lyrics of Slank’s previous albums, Anthem For The Broken Hearted indicates an abrupt change in mood. “Not so,” counters Bimbim. “We come from a third-world country and we’re just starting to learn about democracy,” he says. “The things we have witnessed in our country lately have left us broken hearted. But we hold on to hope.”
Mawar Merah
Slank Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Atau memberi kemewahan
Tapi kuyakin dia bahagia
Tanpa itu semua...
Walau memang dirimu bernasib baik... bapak lo kaya
Yang selalu kau andalkan untuk mendapatkannya
Percuma kau dekati dia
Aya ya ya... simpan saja uangmu
Aya ya ya... bawa pergi mercy mu
Aya ya ya... Enyahlah dari bunga mawarku
Aya ya ya... Enyahlah dari mawar merahku...
Karena dia milikku
Memang penampilanku, juga rupaku Slengean
Memang cara hidupku tak teratur pengangguran (kata orang sih! )
Tapi ku yakin dia bahagia karena dia mawar merahkuuu
The lyrics of Slank's song "Mawar Merah" express the idea that material possessions and wealth cannot compete with true love and happiness. Despite not being able to buy expensive jewelry or provide luxury, the singer is confident that his lover is happy without those things. The second verse takes a different turn, as he addresses someone who has a wealthy father and may have attempted to pursue his lover. The singer warns them that it's pointless because his lover's heart belongs to him. The chorus emphasizes this point, with the singer telling this person to keep their money, take their car, and stay away from his "red rose".
The overall message of the song is that love and happiness are not dependent on wealth or status. Even though the singer may not have much material wealth, he believes that his love and devotion bring more happiness than any amount of money could. Additionally, the song seems to be a warning to those who may try to buy their way into love, suggesting that love must come from a genuine connection rather than external factors like money or possessions.
Line by Line Meaning
Memang ku tak mampu belikan dia perhiasan... tak pernah
I may not be able to buy her jewelry, ever.
Atau memberi kemewahan
Or provide luxury.
Tapi kuyakin dia bahagia
But I am sure she is happy.
Tanpa itu semua...
Without all that...
Walau memang dirimu bernasib baik... bapak lo kaya
Even though you are lucky... your dad is rich.
Yang selalu kau andalkan untuk mendapatkannya
The one you always rely on to get her.
Percuma kau dekati dia
It's useless to approach her.
Karena cintanya pasti untukku
Because her love is definitely for me.
Aya ya ya... simpan saja uangmu
Aya ya ya... save your money.
Aya ya ya... bawa pergi mercy mu
Aya ya ya... take away your Mercedes.
Aya ya ya... Enyahlah dari bunga mawarku
Aya ya ya... stay away from my rose.
Aya ya ya... Enyahlah dari mawar merahku...
Aya ya ya... stay away from my red rose.
Karena dia milikku
Because she is mine.
Memang penampilanku, juga rupaku Slengean
My appearance and style are not conventional.
Memang cara hidupku tak teratur pengangguran (kata orang sih! )
My way of life is considered irregular and unemployed (according to others!).
Tapi ku yakin dia bahagia karena dia mawar merahkuuu
But I am sure she is happy because she is my red rose.
Contributed by Lucas Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Cadaver
Sukaaa.. Gw suka ama lirik2 yg sederhana apa adanya namun ngena ktimbang puitis atau karangan belaka..
Kelly Woodward
great music I love it
Tarmadi Tftt
Denger "Mawar merah" by Slank rasa minder langsung berbalik 280 derajat "pede" 😍😍😍
Diki Akbar
Pernah di posisi dicintai dan sadar kalau gua belum punya apa apa, tapi ketulusannya bikin gua kagum, yang ngedorong gua buat lebih baik lagi
Astuti Hasanah
@Sita Juliana justru sebaliknya kak , ketika dia dapat kerjaan duluan malah saya yang di tinggal tapi ketika saya udah dapat kerja dia datang lagi 😂
Debi Purnomo
dalam banget tuh bang, sang bidadari penyelamat
Sita Juliana
Sering gitu, tp pada akhirnya yg slalu suport dr bawah suka ditinggalin saat sudah punya segalanya huhu
Gitaran bareng
Tahun dimana Indonesia melahirkan musisi2 berkelas ,,dari Koes plus, God bless,Slank,dewa19,ada band, Boomerang,Jamrud,Iwan fals,hingga Sheila on 7,,tahun 70 hingga 90an memang taun bersejarah untuk musikalitas Indonesia,disusul taun 2000an yang banyak melahirkan musisi2 pop Melayu diawali dengan Radja , Peterpan,kangen band,wali, hijau daun,ST12 , yang banyak menimbulkan kontroversi karena dianggap musik berkualitas rendahan namun tak dapat di pungkiri banyak juga yang suka dengan karya2 mereka ,,bahkan semua musisi sampai sekarang menjadi legenda bagi Indonesia ,,dan lagu2nya masih banyak di nyayikan di era sekarang ,,
Terimakasih tahun 1970-2000 yang telah melahirkan musisi legen untuk indonesia
ahmad rifail
SLANK tetap di hati
Ujang Cikande
Slankers serang banteeen hadirrr... Maju terus buat slank ku tercinta