Ramblings

Anglo shur, Bangla gaan

Everybody has done it. From Rabindranath Tagore to Anjan Dutta (via Bappi-da), Bangla lyrics set too Western scores is hardly a novelty in Bong music circles. While Tagore chose to Bongofy Auld Lang Syne, Dutta's oeuvre includes the Janis Joplins and Bob Dylans. I, Tridib Sen, decided to do the JJ Cales and Eric Claptons. Here's my Bangla version of the cult hit "Cocaine".

Tui jabi to ja,
Ja bokhe ja,
Khokon
bhoge ja,
bhoge ja,
bhoge ja,
Khokon

Ganjar kolke de taan,
Kor modira pan,
Khokon,
bhoge ja,
bhoge ja,
bhoge ja,
Khokon

Intel-intel hab-bhab,
Tui ekta aasto dab,
Khokon,
bhoge ja,
bhoge ja,
bhoge ja,
Khokon

Glossary:
Bokhe ja: Go astray. Usually used in the generic sense, as in “bokhate chheleder dal”.
Bhoge ja: metaphor, Go to hell.
Ganjar kolke: Marijuana bong.
Modira: wine, strong spirit.
Pan: verb, to drink. Not to be confused with the noun form, which is a betel leaf preparation that is chewed and then spat out.
Intel: Not Santa Clara-based chipmaker, but a shortened form of the French “intellectual” (pronounced, aa-tel, in a nasal tone). A tag usually acquired in college by dabbling in Leftist literature, world cinema, alternate rock and marijuana.
Hab-bhab: pretensions.
Tui: You
Aasto: Whole, uncut.
Dab: literally, green coconut. Metaphorically, a stupid person. The allusion is probably to the green coconut’s smooth exterior and its similarity to a brain without any ridges, signifying stupidity.
Khokon: Common Bong nickname, like Tapan, Swapan, Hada, Bhonda, Nonte, Fonte etc.