The original use of strings: cello, violin, guitars, a full string quartet diverts the traditional perception of those classic instruments when they deal with electronics and the result is emotionally moving.
The album has been written and recorded between Berlin and Rome, it took nearly two years to be made, Teho and Blixa worked next to each other choosing carefully every sound, every word and silence.
There are 12 songs on Still Smiling, including a new version of A Quiet Life and a cover of Alone With The Moon by The Tiger Lilies.
Amongst collaborators there are The Balanescu Quartet and cellist Martina Bertoni.
Lyrics are visionary and are sung in english, german and italian, Blixa reveals a really personal and intimate side to the listener this time.
Still Smiling is an album whose special vision covers all the sky between Rome and Berlin, daytime and nocturnal.
It'll be released on Teho's label Specula on april 22nd in Italy and it'll be distributed all over Europe on June 28th 2013.
There's also an italian tour in May: 7th Roma, Circolo degli Artisti, 9th Milano, Alcatraz, 10th Moncalieri/Torino, Audiodrome, 11th Bologna, Senza Filtro where Teho and Blixa will be joined on stage by cellist Martina Bertoni.
Tracklist:
1 Mi Scusi
2 Come Up And See Me
3 Axolotl
4 Buntmetalldiebe
5 Still Smiling
6 Nocturnalie
7 Alone With The Moon
8 What if...?
9 Konjunktiv II
10 Nur Zur Erinnerung
11 A Quiet Life
12 Defenestrazioni
Here's the video by Chiara Battistini of Mi Scusi, the first track from the album http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXzcBpIGKas&feature=youtu.be
Musicians
Teho Teardo - baritone guitar, electric and acoustic guitars, bass, rhodes piano, synths, piano, percussions, electronics, programming
Blixa Bargeld - voice, hammond organ, clavichord, electric slide guitar, water percussion, re-arrangements, glockenspiel
featuring:
Martina Bertoni - Cello
The Balanescu Quartet
Alexander Balanescu - violin
James Shenton - violin
Katie Wilkinson - viola
Nick Holland - cello
Elena De Stabile - violin
Elisabetta Pacini - italian accent voice
Crew
Recorded in Berlin at Anderebaustelle studio and Rome at Basement recordings, 2012/2013
Mi scusi
Teho Teardo & Blixa Bargeld Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Blixa Bargeld
Send "Mi Scusi" Ringtone to your Mobile
Mi scusi, mi scusino!
Mi scusi come parlo
Me la cavo un po' cosi
Non intendo offenderla
L'accento – quello no, non se ne va.
Mi scusi la lingua, la parlata
Scusi Il mio italiano
È ancora giovane e inesperto
È che va cosi, si perde un po' sperduto
Sul serio:
L'accento, che non se ne va.
Wer bin ich in einer anderen Sprache?
Kommen die Metaphern mit mir mit?
Mi scusi, mi scusino!
È cosi rudimentale il mio Italiano
Facevo latino a scuola
A un livello cavernicolo; ciononostante
Non intendo offenderla
L'accento – quello no, non se ne va.
Kann ich in einer anderen Sprache küssen?
Tenere a freno la lingua
Habe ich weiche Knie?
La gambe mi fanno Giacomo Giacomo
Wer bin ich, der in meinem Körper singt das Lied?
The song "Mi Scusi" by Blixa Bargeld is a song that talks about language and the difficulties of communicating in a foreign language. The lyrics are sung in a mix of Italian and German, which highlights the theme of language barriers. The song starts with the singer apologizing for their level of Italian, acknowledging that their Italian has not progressed much. The singer goes on to explain that they are not trying to offend anyone and refers to their accent, saying that it is not something they can easily get rid of. The theme of language continues throughout the song as the singer ponders on their ability to express themselves and connect with others in a foreign language.
The chorus of the song repeats "Mi Scusi, Mi Scusino" which translates to "excuse me" or "pardon me" in Italian. This phrase serves as a reminder that even though language can be a barrier, it is essential to try and communicate and connect with others. Later on, the song shifts to questioning the singer's identity and how it can change in different languages. The song concludes with the singer questioning their ability to express complex emotions like love in a foreign language and wondering who they are in their own body.
Overall, "Mi Scusi" is a reflection on the complexities of language and communication, and how it affects our identities and relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Mi scusi, mi scusino!
Apologies, apologies! I beg your pardon for any inconvenience caused.
Mi scusi come parlo
I apologize for how I speak. My Italian is not very fluent.
Il mio Italiano non ha fatto molta strada
My Italian has not developed much.
Me la cavo un po' cosi
I get by with a bit of luck.
Non intendo offenderla
I don't mean to offend you.
L'accento – quello no, non se ne va.
But the accent, that never goes away.
Mi scusi la lingua, la parlata
Please excuse my language, my way of speaking.
Scusi Il mio italiano
I apologize for my Italian.
È ancora giovane e inesperto
It is still young and inexperienced.
È che va cosi, si perde un po' sperduto
It's just the way it is, sometimes I get lost.
Sul serio:
Seriously:
L'accento, che non se ne va.
The accent, that never goes away.
Wer bin ich in einer anderen Sprache?
Who am I in another language?
Kommen die Metaphern mit mir mit?
Do the metaphors come with me?
Mi scusi, mi scusino!
Apologies, apologies! I beg your pardon for any inconvenience caused.
È cosi rudimentale il mio Italiano
My Italian is so rudimentary.
Facevo latino a scuola
I studied Latin in school.
A un livello cavernicolo; ciononostante
At a primitive level; nevertheless,
Non intendo offenderla
I don't mean to offend you.
L'accento – quello no, non se ne va.
But the accent, that never goes away.
Kann ich in einer anderen Sprache küssen?
Can I kiss in another language?
Tenere a freno la lingua
Hold my tongue.
Habe ich weiche Knie?
Do I have weak knees?
La gambe mi fanno Giacomo Giacomo
My legs make me think of Giacomo Giacomo.
Wer bin ich, der in meinem Körper singt das Lied?
Who am I, singing this song in my body?
Contributed by Hudson K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Calabi
Mi scusi
Teho Teardo & Blixa Bargeld
April 18 2013
Mi scusi, mi scusino!
Mi scusi come parlo
Il mio Italiano non ha fatto molta strada
Me la cavo un po' cosi
Non intendo offenderla
L'accento – quello no, non se ne va.
Mi scusi la lingua, la parlata
Scusi Il mio italiano
È ancora giovane e inesperto
È che va cosi, si perde un po' sperduto
Sul serio:
L'accento, che non se ne va.
Wer bin ich in einer anderen Sprache?
Kommen die Metaphern mit mir mit?
Mi scusi, mi scusino!
È cosi rudimentale il mio Italiano
Facevo latino a scuola
A un livello cavernicolo; ciononostante
Non intendo offenderla
L'accento – quello no, non se ne va.
Kann ich in einer anderen Sprache küssen?
Tenere a freno la lingua
Habe ich weiche Knie?
La gambe mi fanno Giacomo Giacomo
Wer bin ich, der in meinem Körper singt das Lied?
@ViolentFEAR
Speaking a Foreign Language - by Alastair Reid
How clumsy on the tongue, these acquired idioms,
after the innuendos of our own. How far
we are from foreigners, what faith
we rest in one sentence, hoping a smile will follow
on the appropriate face, always wallowing
between what we long to say and what we can,
trusting the phrase is suitable to the occasion,
the accent passable, the smile real,
always asking the traveler's fearful question
what is being lost in translation?
Something, to be sure. And yet, to hear
the stumbling of foreign friends, how little we care
for the wreckage of word or tense. How endearing they are,
and how our speech reaches out, like a helping hand,
or limps in sympathy. Easy to understand,
through the tangle of language, the heart behind
groping toward us, to make the translation of
syntax into love.
@stefaniapartini5825
Blixa Bargerld ha un ottimo accento...e una voce magnifica!
@HermanWaldorf
su Youtube da qualche parte c'è Blixa che fa il risotto per una tv tedesca. Noi italiani gli vogliamo un gran bene
@ChipsDim
Blixa for president of culture, of the E.U..
@svobodasimon1185
I saw in Turin Blixa live for a solo performance. Voice only. I could not believe it. .....
@won__wonique8955
Bellissima canzone. E da linguista la apprezzo ancor di più.
@annasmith3723
The strings are sublime
@giorgiopiracci3659
canzone bellissima, ironia e intelligente... tratta da un album superbo
@carlosdd2036
Un argentino escuchando a Blixa en una canción impresionante en italiano y alemán. Mi scusi pero AGUANTE EL DIEGO CARAJO!!!
@WrathOfPhropet
I'm a Slovak listening to a song (mostly) in Italian by a German recommended to me by a Portuguese friend. I'm Mr. Worldwide
@ruigoncalves937
Dá 5 ao teu amigo que curte cenas fixes