Music Montag: Erkin Gören, “Kanal”
by James Glazebrook

A pretty little acoustic number recorded at, and inspired by, Berlin’s Landwehrkanal. Scroll down for Istanbul-born Erkin Gören‘s Turkish lyrics and the English translation, and visit his website for art, music and more.
Erkin Gören, “Kanal” (Turkish)
kanallarda uzun günüm
güneşle ev sıcak
ve suyla serin
terliklerimi çıkardım
ayağımın altına toprak
lalalala la la lala
kanal, maybach ufer’da
kanal, iki işçi kahvaltıda
kanal, tekerleğin ardında
oksijen verin şu suya
kuğu gibi süzülsün
ama beni almasın
aksın önümden
kalemimden daha derin
kalemimden daha derin
Erkin Gören, “Canal” (English)
my endless day around the canal
home is warm with the sun
and chilled with water
I took my slippers off
ground lies under my feet
lalalala la la lala
canal, in maybachufer
canal, two workers’ breakfast
canal, spreads behind the wheel
give some oxygen to that water
let it float like a swan
without taking me with
let it flow beside me
more profound than my pen
more profound than my pen