The Berlin duo STEREO TOTAL has created a colourful and fascinating universe. Oscillating between the essential punk rock, disco and electro garage chanson and genious diletantism, the songs dazzle us for an instant (most of them not for longer than two minutes), leaving us stunned by their intensity.
At the beginning of this ever-expanding musical universe (pleasantly enough!): a woman, a man, and an inexhaustible, sparkling imagination. Françoise Cactus, (who was born Van Hove in Burgundy and has chosen Berlin as her home for something like a generation now) a writer, local diva, who has performed, among other things, as drummer and singer of the "Lolitas" in the eighties. Then there is Brezel Göring, an inexplicable mixture of the hyperspeedy "Grand Duduche" and the elegant, unobtrusive crooner, with a soft voice and a lively rhythm. Bent over his synthesizer, happy as a young boy, he reminds one of the hallucinated inventor Géo Trouve-tout.
To sum up STEREO TOTAL's short history, which began with the single "allo j'écoute", let us list the different elements characteristic of their musical art: a minimalistic production (in a positive sense), meaning a home-made-trash-garage-sound crossed with underground, authentic as well as amateurish, ironic as well as effective, pop as well as...political. An untiring creative energy, as if it could never suffice, "Oh, but you haven't heard this one!" and wop! here we go again, hardly leaving time to draw a deep breath. A brilliant sense of composition as well as for covering other's material, whatever the source, combined with an excessive love for French chanson (the main weak spot being an evident admiration for the master Gainsbourg). A mystery of words resulting from the French-German/ male-female bilingualism, words in which accents are merrily blended and become more and more exotic from album to album (Japanese, Turkish, Spanish, English). And finally, an explicit and surprising sensitivity for electronic effects and a thrilling beat. A gift of pop music and its everlasting history.
The unexpected combination of two traditions - French chanson and German electronica (which not only relates to Kraftwerk, but also to the uniquely German sound of "Neue Deutsche Welle", popular in the eighties, and the emergence of electrogroove, a sound which has flourished over the past ten years in numerous clubs in Berlin is again at its best, enchanting its listeners.
Just as the German audience adores Françoise Cactus charming French pronunciation of the German lyrics, her French collection of texts, poetic and playful, solemn and cheeky, anarchistic and light, makes her the most unknown composer and singer of French chansons - and it is high time that she be discovered. Fragile and irresistible, she stands behind her tiny drum kit and hammers the songs to a sequence in a devilish rhythm. In a matter of seconds she passes from a romantic ballad (No! Do not listen! It's a sad song!) to pure and simple rock, animating Brezel Göring (as well as the crowd) to leap. Indefatigable accomplice and perfect entertainer, Brezel Göring is at her side, stepping on the gas, his fingers working the knobs of his machine or the cords of his rectangular guitar.
Ma Radio
Stereo Total Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(F. Cactus/v. Finsterwalde)
je ne peux pas vivre sans ma radio
mon transistor j'adore
tout ce qu'ils racontent sur les ondes
éa me fait fondre
la météo, l'horoscope
longues ondes, ondes courtes
je suis à l'écoute, ça m'envoûte
bien sûr je m'endors avec ma radio
je m'éveille avec elle
j'ondule sur les ondes
jusqu'au bout du monde
les dernières nouvelles, le match de foot
le commentateur s'emballe
longues ondes, ondes courtes
je suis à l'écoute, ça m'envoûte
partir sans ma radio? pas question
je suis sous haute tension
dans un état de surexcitation
de radio-intoxication
star américaine à l'antenne
interview à dormir debout
longues ondes, ondes courtes
je suis à l'écoute, ça m'envoûte
overexcitement, high-tension: radio-intoxication
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I cannot live without my radio
my transistor I love
all that they tell on waves
éa melt me
hit parade leaves me bath
the weather forecast, the horoscope
long waves, short waves
I am listening, this bewitches me
of course I fall asleep with my radio
I awake with her
I curl on waves
to the end of the world
the last news, the match of football
the commentator gets carried away
long waves, short waves
I am listening, this bewitches me
to leave without my radio? no way
to leave without my radio? no way
I am under high voltage
in a state of overexcitement
of radio-intoxication
American star in the antenna
interview to sleep standing
long waves, short waves
I am listening, this bewitches me
"Ma Radio" by Stereo Total is a whimsical song about the love affair between the singer and her radio. In the song, the singer expresses her affection for the radio, which she can't live without. She listens to it all the time, even falling asleep with it and waking up to it. The singer is enchanted by all that they tell on waves, from hit parades, weather forecasts, and horoscopes to the latest news and football matches. The song talks about the power of the radio to transport the listener to the end of the world and beyond. In the end, the singer confesses to being under high voltage and in a state of overexcitement due to radio-intoxication.
The song's lyrics are poetic and filled with metaphors, which give it a dreamlike quality. The use of French phrases adds to the song's romanticism and adds extra charm. The song perfectly captures the feeling of nostalgia for the days when radio was the only medium of mass communication. It also shows how radio can become a companion to someone who is lonely or loves to be lost in thoughts.
Line by Line Meaning
I cannot live without my radio
The radio is so essential to me that I cannot function without it
my transistor I love
I have strong affection towards my small portable radio
all that they tell on waves
The information transmitted on the radio amuses and fascinates me
éa melt me
The radio has an emotional impact on me that makes me feel nostalgic and sentimental
hit parade leaves me bath
I enjoy listening to the music chart list on the radio
the weather forecast, the horoscope
I consider it crucial to get the latest weather and horoscope updates from the radio
long waves, short waves
I listen to radios on different frequency ranges, depending on the availability of radio stations
I am listening, this bewitches me
The act of listening to the radio mesmerizes me and captivates my attention
of course I fall asleep with my radio
I find comfort in sleeping while the radio plays softly in the background
I awake with her
The first thing I do when I wake up is to turn on my radio
I curl on waves
I let myself get absorbed and carried away by the radio broadcasts
to the end of the world
The radio makes me feel like I can travel anywhere without really leaving my room
the last news, the match of football
I keep myself informed about the latest news and sports games by listening to the radio broadcasts
the commentator gets carried away
I enjoy hearing the sports commentator's passionate reactions during a game's critical moments
to leave without my radio? no way
I cannot imagine going anywhere without my radio
I am under high voltage
I get excited and energized by radio programs
in a state of overexcitement
The feeling of excitement and anticipation generated by listening to the radio is overwhelming
radio-intoxication
My excessive consumption and appreciation of the radio have turned into an addiction
American star in the antenna
I am happy to hear my favorite American celebrity being interviewed on the radio
interview to sleep standing
The celebrity's answers are so dull and boring that they make me feel like falling asleep
I am listening, this bewitches me
The act of listening to the radio casts a spell on me and puts me under its charm
Contributed by Emily E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.