Despair2Me: Anatolian Rock

(This is going to be a long one... I'll be gone for a week, so this is a week's worth of writing. If I find wi-fi somewhere, maybe I'll post a draft.)

A fusion of folklore and rock, in total harmony, is a blessing to any native's ear.

Combination of Western instruments and Turkish instruments, covers of folksongs, lyrics taken from famous folk poets. After the international 1968 movements, the '60s Gastarbeiter call from Germany, and the 1971 memorandum protests in Turkey, people needed a voice. That’s when they found their sound in rock. Inspired by early Western rock & roll, many legendary bands were born by the early '70s. Some chose to be hopeful about the future and embraced western music standards. Others fell deeper into their despair and clanged onto the native culture even further, creating the Arabesque genre.

I had the opportunity to meet 3 Hürel's bassist, who was our art teacher in elementary school. He was so full of love and enthusiasm for music. He was another inspiration for me that made me start playing the bass in later years, as his art classes were the only thing I looked forward to at school.

Along with Anatolian rock, 2000s Turkish rock-pop also holds a significant place in my heart. When my father used to take us to hookah cafes after elementary school (such a great parent, I know), the only thing to entertain me and my brother in such places was the radio. Luckily, back then, there were actual great songs on the radio, unlike the (c)rap they play now.

Bands like Manga, Mor ve Ötesi, Pinhani, and Yüksek Sadakat were the first bands we actually sat down and listened to. We still do. Now that we've grown up, we've had the chance to listen to these bands live :))

As someone who's in love with my culture (and I can't shut up about it), I'd like to add a few of my favourite songs with my commentary and some lyrics:

Early 2000's Turkish Rock:

Mor ve Ötesi - Cambaz (Acrobat)

The word "cam-" here also can be understood as "television" in terms of its meaning. It's criticising the media for being an "acrobat" and feeding politicians' rousing. The opening lines "You're neither news, nor a Turk" refer to a well-known news channel "HaberTürk (NewsTürk)". Mor ve Ötesi almost always creates songs with social criticism. The song they performed at Eurovision; "Deli", a diss to EU, telling straight to their face how they deceived Turkey about the process of becoming a member from the very beginning. Which really started the decline of our country, especially after 1999. We were left alone with the primitive Middle Eastern mindset and were denied our modernised rights.

"Make me grow, don't make me cry / Where is the love of yours you boast of? / Make me grow, don't make me cry / Don't stall me off with false dreams"

maNga - Cevapsız Sorular (Unanswered Questions)

The moon hushed tonight, has blackened again. What remained are unanswered questions...

Athena - Skalonga

A ska love song? Yes.

Anatolian Rock:

Cem Karaca - Islak Islak (Wet Wet)

The "Wet" in the title is as in having wet eyes from crying. This song uses such analogies and idioms that I doubt it's possible to translate completely. Here's my favourite part: I'm ploughing fields from the clouds, I sow rains onto the bosom of the sky. / I brew your tea under the sun, I filter it from my heart then offer you. / I will mess with the cogwheel of fate. I will mess with the wheel of fate. /