The Wandering Soundtrack — Intan Paramaditha

I listened to certain songs when I wrote Gentayangan (The Wandering), and some of them even found their way into the book. The novel—and the music—took a whole decade of my life; Gentayangan was written between 2009-2017, published in Indonesia in 2017, and the English translation came out via Harvill Secker in 2020, just a few weeks before the pandemic. So here it is, The Wandering playlist, better late than never!

Translator/ collaborator Stephen Epstein made his own playlist when he translated Gentayangan into English (talking about music was a fun part of the translation process). Listen to Stephen’s songs here.

“Common People,” Pulp

“They lived in Jakarta as common people, with two kids who would grow into common people, doing whatever common people do.”

Mereka tinggal di Jakarta sebagai orang biasa, dengan dua orang anak yang akhirnya menjadi orang biasa pula.

“Space Oddity,” David Bowie

The Third World Cannot Imagine Outer Space

Dunia ketiga tak membayangkan luar angkasa.

“Alabama Song,” The Doors

“Uneasily we live, close as we can to the border, awaiting our day of return.”’ – Brecht

“Dengan gelisah kita hidup sedekat mungkin dengan perbatasan, menantikan hari kembali.”
- Brecht

“New York, New York,” Frank Sinatra

You take the train anywhere and everywhere: the F to Brooklyn, the C to Harlem, and the G, connecting Brooklyn and Queens. The G train isn’t so reliable: sometimes it’s there, sometimes it’s not, suggesting how it got its name, G for Ghost.

Kau naik kereta ke mana saja: kereta F ke Brooklyn, kereta C ke Haarlem, dan kereta G, penghubung Brooklyn dan Queens. Kereta G tak selalu bisa diandalkan, kadang ada kadang tak ada, sesuai dengan namanya: G untuk Gentayangan.

“In Dreams,” Roy Orbison

When you wake up, your dream will be passed its expiry date.

Saat kau terbangun nanti, mimpimu kedaluwarsa.

“Juwita Malam,” Sam Saimun

‘Is Juwita still alive?’
‘I don’t know. I keep looking for her.’

“Apa Juwita masih hidup?”
“Aku tidak tahu. Aku terus mencarinya.”

“Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me,” Mel Carter

What lies in the forest? The past, or the future?
You seek the answer in her red cherry lips.
Maybe you shouldn’t let this woman cast you into a forbidden forest. You wonder who has ever stood in the dark with her.

Apa yang ada di dalam hutan itu? Masa lalu, atau masa depan?
Kau mencari jawaban pada ceri merah di bibirnya.
Mungkin tak seharusnya kau biarkan perempuan ini melontarkanmu ke sana, ke dalam hutan terlarang. Tapi siapa yang pernah berdiri dalam gelap bersamanya?

“A Thousand Kisses Deep,” Leonard Cohen

In the darkness they drag you deep into a forest. What is bewitching you – your red shoes or her gaze?

Dalam gelap, ada menyeretmu jauh ke dalam hutan. Entah yang mana yang menyihir: sepatu merahmu, atau tatapannya.

“Nina Bobo,” Wieteke van Dort

The chair is empty.
Where’s Victoria?
‘Tante?’

Kursi itu kosong.
Ke mana Victoria?
“Tante?”

“Rape Me,” Nirvana

I turned off the stereo. Even a decade on, I still listened to their music. There are always songs that repeat in our heads. I said to you that we’re a desperate generation because we grew up on Kurt Cobain.

Aku mematikan radio. Setelah satu dekade lewat aku masih saja mendengarkan Nirvana. Tapi selalu ada musik yang terus berulang di kepala kita. Kukatakan padamu bahwa generasi kita putus asa sebab kita mendengarkan Cobain.

“Sympathy for the Devil,” The Rolling Stones

And this horrifying joke had better only be a temporary whim, Devil’s brief jest. If not, you’ll find a way to escape, escape abroad, to the moon, to hell, anywhere. Anywhere but here.

Dan lelucon mengerikan ini semestinya cuma keisengan si Iblis, sebuah permainan sementara. Namun bila tidak, kau akan mencari cara agar bisa kabur ke luar negeri, ke bulan, ke neraka. Ke mana saja asal bukan di sini.