Lo, Leduc, and To Athena bring their unique energy to ‘ALTPAPIER,’ a track from the album ‘KRISE ALS CHANSON.’ The lyricists, including Kadjali Kaba and Tiffany Athena Limacher, weave a story about chaos and excess. The composers, such as Linus Gmünder and Luc Oggier, create a beat that mirrors the chaos of modern life.
ALTPAPIER
Leduc | Lo • From “KRISE ALS CHANSON”
ALTPAPIER Lyrics Translation (from “KRISE ALS CHANSON”)
The lyrics describe a world filled with ‘big banknotes’ and ‘big distress,’ where ‘the sky’s full of paper sheets.’ The narrator says, ‘It’s all a bit much,’ pointing out the overwhelming nature of financial systems. To Athena sings about folding paper planes from banknotes, blending satire with a call to let go of material burdens.
Egal uf welem SaenderNo matter what channel it’s on,
Immer vorem Waetterit’s always right before the weather.
Rede si vo KurseThey’re talking about market rates,
Ueberall chly Gwitterwith little storms brewing everywhere.
Sicher isch sech niemerNo one’s really sure of themselves,
Usser paar uf Youtubeexcept for a few folks on YouTube.
Chum i uesi GruppeJoin our private group,
Mir kenne dr Croupierbecause we know the ‘croupier’ who deals the cards.
Vo hie ufe MoonFrom here to the moon,
Mit emnme Two Stepdancing a little two-step.
Baere Bulle Raege Sunne‘Bears’, ‘bulls’, rain, and sun,
Usser Old Money morn wieder alls verschwundebut except for ‘old money’, it’s all gone by tomorrow.
Es isch alls chly vielIt’s all a bit much.
Oh es isch alls chly vielOh, it’s all a bit much.
Grossi Noetli grossi NotBig banknotes, big distress.
Es isch alls chly viel i weissIt’s all a bit much, I know.
Je nachdaem wie mes verteiltDepending on how it’s handed out,
Es ligt oeppis i dr Luftthere’s something in the air.
Ghoersches dosse ruuscheCan you hear it rustling outside?
Himmel voller BlaetterThe sky’s full of paper sheets.
Schwaebed vorem FensterFloating right in front of the window,
Riiss die Loecher uftear the openings wide.
Es brucht au ke Schirm meYou don’t even need an umbrella anymore.
Usen usemSchaermeCome out, out from the ‘shelter’.
Nimm soviel chasch traegeTake as much as you can carry,
Falt dr es paar Flueger drusand fold a few paper planes out of it.
Ueberall PapierThere’s paper everywhere.
Es raegnet AltpapierIt’s raining waste paper.
S’hed gnueg fuer alli doThere’s enough for everyone here.
Lo das Papier loh goLet that paper go.
Ueberall PapierThere’s paper everywhere.
Es raegnet AltpapierIt’s raining waste paper.
Tanzed im Purple RainDancing in the ‘Purple Rain’,
Naehmed die Noetli haeitake those banknotes home.
Milliarde TrafficBillions in traffic,
Maengisch gits e Unfalland sometimes there’s an accident.
All studiere KurveEveryone’s studying the charts.
Unsichtbari Hand am LaenkradAn invisible hand’s on the steering wheel.
Immer freihaendleAlways ‘trading hands-free’,
U moeglechst weni Stueuereand steering clear of taxes.
Ey la di la gheieEy, just let yourself fall.
Du muesch nur dra gloubeYou’ve just got to believe in it.
Wuerk vertroue brucht e TrustReal confidence requires a ‘trust fund’.
Drum braemse mir ersch spaetThat’s why we wait so long to brake.
Wueu erbe isch ae AirbagBecause inheriting’s an airbag.
PaengBang!
Sie saege Weni wot de chaniThey say, “If I want to, then I can.”
Mir sy chlyni CrashtestdummiesWe’re just little crash-test dummies.
Wueu es chunnt vor allem druf aaBecause it mostly comes down to
Wieviel Flus plus wieviel Huus dini Famihow much ‘cash’ and how much house your family’s got.
Es isch alls chly vielIt’s all a bit much.
Grossi Noetli grossi NotBig banknotes, big distress.
Oh es isch alls chly viel i weissOh, it’s all a bit much, I know.
Je nachdaem wie mes verteiltDepending on how it’s handed out,
Es ligt oeppis i dr Luftthere’s something in the air.
Ghoersches dosse ruuscheCan you hear it rustling outside?
Himmel voller BlaetterThe sky’s full of paper sheets.
Schwaebed vorem FensterFloating right in front of the window,
Riiss die Loecher uftear the openings wide.
Es brucht au ke Schirm meYou don’t even need an umbrella anymore.
Usen usem SchaermaCome out, out from the ‘shelter’.
Nimm soviel chasch traegeTake as much as you can carry,
Falt dr es paar Flueger drusand fold a few paper planes.
Ueberall PapierThere’s paper everywhere.
Es raegnet AltpapierIt’s raining waste paper.
S’hed gnueg fuer alli doThere’s enough for everyone here.
Lo das Papier loh goLet that paper go.
Ueberall PapierThere’s paper everywhere.
Es raegnet AltpapierIt’s raining waste paper.
Tanzed im Purple RainDancing in the ‘Purple Rain’,
Naehmed die Noetli haeitake those banknotes home.
Ueberall PapierThere’s paper everywhere.
Es raegnet AltpapierIt’s raining waste paper.
S’hed gnueg fuer alli doThere’s enough for everyone here.
Lo das Papier loh goLet that paper go.
Ueberall PapierThere’s paper everywhere.
Im Himmel AltpapierWaste paper in the sky.
Tanzed im Purple RainDancing in the ‘Purple Rain’,
Traeget die Noetli haeicarry those banknotes home.
ALTPAPIER Music Video
The lyrics of ‘ALTPAPIER’ critique the relentless cycle of wealth and worry. The chemistry between Lo, Leduc, and To Athena makes the song a sharp commentary on modern capitalism.