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.
Plastic
Stereo Total Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Plastic surgery guilty is really of plastic heart
She dresses up in plastic clothes
And gets into her plastic car
I wanna be plastic too!
And be plastic friends with you!
She took a trip to Amsterdam
They told her it would do her well
She had a plastic overdose
In a cheap plastic hotel
I wanna be plastic too!
Less like me and more like you!
Plastic, plastic, I am plastic.
Plastic, plastic
let's have some plastic to drink our ugly lies
Plastic, plastic, I am plastic
Plastic, plastic
Plastic others all I'm dreaming of
Plastic, plastic I am plastic
Plastic politicians
In a plastic world
There's plastic suicide bombers
Going to a plastic paradise
I wanna be plastic too!
And die from plastic ideas like you
plastic. plastic, I am plastic
Plastic plastic
plastic bottles all I'm dreaming of
plastic, plastic, I am plastic
Plastic, Plastic
let's have some plastic drink to our ugly lies
plastic plastic, I am plastic x 4 too!
The lyrics to Stereo Total's song "Plastic" revolve around the theme of people becoming and desiring to be plastic. Plastic here represents the superficiality and artificiality of modern society. The first verse talks about plastic surgery and how those who opt for it have a plastic heart. Plastic clothes and cars are also mentioned, indicating how people are more concerned with appearances rather than substance. The chorus expresses the singer's desire to be like them and have plastic friends.
The second verse details the story of a woman who travels to Amsterdam to find herself and ends up overdosing on plastic in a cheap hotel. The chorus repeats the desire to be plastic and to drink ugliness. The bridge mentions plastic politicians and a plastic world, indicating how everything around us is fabricated and artificial. The song ends with the singer wanting to die from plastic ideas like the plastic suicide bombers going to a plastic paradise.
Overall, the song is a commentary on the shallowness and dehumanization of modern society. The desire to be plastic is a yearning to fit in and be accepted, even if it means sacrificing one's individuality. The lyrics are satirical and poke fun at society's obsession with looks and material possessions.
Line by Line Meaning
Plastic surgery guilty is really of plastic heart
The act of getting plastic surgery is indicative of a deeper issue with a lack of emotional depth and genuine character.
She dresses up in plastic clothes
She wears superficial clothing made of plastic materials that add nothing to her personal style or substance.
And gets into her plastic car
She drives a car made of plastic or with plastic components, further perpetuating her love for materialistic and superficial things.
I wanna be plastic too!
The artist covets the simplicity and superficiality of plastic living because they believe it would lead to an easier and more effortless life.
And be plastic friends with you!
The artist desires to surround themselves with others who share their superficial values and effortless living.
She took a trip to Amsterdam
The subject went on a vacation to Amsterdam to perhaps seek self-discovery or an escape from their superficial lifestyle.
They told her it would do her well
Perhaps in Amsterdam, someone advised her to try living a more authentic lifestyle to improve her overall well-being.
She had a plastic overdose
During her time in Amsterdam, she might have indulged too much in superficial living and materialism, causing her to feel overwhelmed or disconnected from her true self.
In a cheap plastic hotel
The subject stayed in a hotel filled with plastic components and cheap design, further emphasizing their deeper issues with superficiality and lack of value for authenticity.
Less like me and more like you!
The artist wants to take on the values and behaviors of another person who seems to live a more effortless and less complicated lifestyle.
Plastic, plastic, I am plastic.
The subject feels deeply identified with the concept of plastic living and values it above all else.
Plastic others all I'm dreaming of
The subject desires to be surrounded by others who value superficiality and plastic living above all else.
Plastic politicians
The politicians in charge are only interested in superficial issues and neglect to address deeper societal issues.
In a plastic world
The world the subject lives in is defined by materialism and superficiality, lacking in substance and depth.
There's plastic suicide bombers
Even the most extreme and dangerous actions are conflated with superficiality and a lack of authenticity.
Going to a plastic paradise
The reward or outcome of the suicide bombing is seen as equally superficial and lacking in true substance.
And die from plastic ideas like you
The artist desires to adopt the same superficial values and behaviors as someone else to the point of even being willing to die for them.
Plastic bottles all I'm dreaming of
The subject values even everyday objects like plastic bottles because they are symbolic of superficial and effortless living.
Plastic, plastic, I am plastic
The subject restates their deeply-rooted identification with superficiality and plastic living.
let's have some plastic drink to our ugly lies
The subject desires to indulge in materialistic and superficial behaviors as a way to mask their deeper insecurities and flaws.
too!
The artist reiterates their desire to adopt the same views and behaviors as someone else, emphasizing the superficial and effortless values they covet.
Contributed by Max T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Alfred Weiermann
😎
Philipp Becker
Compuzer nr 3
Jean Michel Bouillet
Original support vynile plastic
Ezkerrik Azko
Cristian F