"De Bom" vertaald voor mijn Ierse bassist

Tot voor kort speelde een Ier bij mij in de band basgitaar, en hij en ik werden maatjes en we wisselden muziek uit. Ik leende hem een CD van Doe Maar uit alwaar het nummer "De Bom" stond. en hij vroeg me om uitleg over dat nummer omdat hij zelf bijna geen Nederlands spreekt.

Ik stuurde hem een mailtje en schreef dit.

"De Bom" (The Bomb) is a song about the atomic scare of the early eighties and the lyrics portray this with black humor, I translated the original lines as closely as possible although there are a couple of wordplays that were impossible to translate. The first verse is of a guy who has just finished college and is making plans in this fast and unforgiving world, the second verse shows the guy a few years later, a businessman addicted to his work, who has set his family life aside and keeps a sharp eye on his money and his business partners all the while wondering what else is out there, what interesting people he could meet, still looking for spiritual satisfaction. Because what good will all those papers and diplomas do him if the bomb will wipe it all away? The final verse shows the man in school during his childhood being told by his teacher to do his homework in order for him to have a future. And then the songs ends with the sound of a nuclear alarm.

Anyway, I hope you like my work.

Building a career.
- Before they drop the bomb
Working on my future
- Before they drop the bomb
Making my way through my agenda
- Before they drop the bomb
Safe in my healthcare plan
- Before they drop the bomb.

And if they DO drop the bomb...

I'll be lying in my three piece suit
with my MD's and cheques in my pockets
My fisc and my dictionairy
OUCHIE!
Crushed underneath the rubble from a nearby town

What does it matter
it'll happen anyway
Why should you even run?

I never knew you
I would love to get to know you
I would REALLY love to get to know you.

My success is guaranteed because of my life insurance
- Before they drop the bomb
I'm a busy man, I have no time to spare not even for a moment
- Before they drop the bomb
I have to keep an eye on my earnings and my business partners
- Before they drop the bomb
But I'd really love to get to know you before time runs out.
- Before they drop the bomb

And if they DO drop the bomb...

I'll be lying in my three piece suit
with my MD's and cheques in my pockets
My fisc and my dictionairy
OUCHIE!
Crushed underneath the rubble from a nearby town

What does it matter
it'll happen anyway
Why should you even run?

I never knew you
I would love to get to know you
I would REALLY love to get to know you.

You should finish your homework
- Before they drop the bomb
Earn your diplomas
- Before they drop the bomb
E=Mc2
- Before they drop the bomb
Nicht, nach, zu, bansai und engegner auser aus...