We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Traffic Island

by Susie Asado

/
  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Purchasable with gift card

      €7 EUR  or more

     

  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    The CD comes in cardboard packaging with a booklet including all lyrics and photographs by Anja Conrad. Packaging and booklet are designed by Franziska Morlok.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Traffic Island via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 3 days
    Purchasable with gift card

      €10 EUR or more 

     

  • Full Digital Discography

    Get all 4 Susie Asado releases available on Bandcamp and save 20%.

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of State of Undress, Onward Aeropuerto, Traffic Island, and Hello Antenna. , and , .

    Purchasable with gift card

      €22.40 EUR or more (20% OFF)

     

1.
LADY WITH DOG I dressed up in a pretty frock borrowed my grandmother's dog my sister took my photograph and there I was a lady and if you look closely at the image that my sister took you will see the woman that I could turn out to be if everything goes swimmingly my mother says "Kleider machen Leute" which means fine feathers make fine birds or clothes make the man but it is not men I'm speaking of here I am speaking of a lady a lady with her dog of the lady she is and the one she will become in a bright green garden with a dog on a leash she looks smart and she is smart and "her life isn't very hard" think of all the photographs films paintings of ladies with their dogs and now I am one of them most certainly in a process of becoming of becoming from the outside in from the dress and the dog to the fraud there isn't a thing about me that's flawed call me Susie Sandy or Maud so here I go doing lady things (whatever they may be) and here I go saying lady things (whatever they may be) and here I go thinking lady things (whatever they may be) and here I go drinking lady things (whatever they may be) they may be tea they may be tea
2.
LITTLE PLASTIC FIGURE all my hope is bundled in a little plastic figure standing on my radiator I look to her in the middle of the night I usually don't sleep well I listen to steps in the stairwell sometimes I think someone is in my room I'm sure I can hear someone's breath or clearly someone's footsteps and I think all my hope is bundled in a little plastic figure standing on my radiator she's a woman with a purpose she's a woman with a sword she knows why she's here who she's here to fight she's never been afraid not of fire and not of pain and she's never looked back all my hope is bundled in a little plastic figure standing on my radiator I know she has special powers just because she's plastic doesn't mean she's not fantastic she came inside of a chocolate egg it was a present from my brother he always wants to smother me perhaps he knew I needed someone for the night someone who would just stand there with a sword ready to fight she's a woman with a purpose she's a woman with a sword she knows why she's here who she's here to fight she's never been afraid not of fire and not of pain and she's never looked back well I think she's divine and she's beautiful I know she's very small but in real life well she's probably very tall she's a woman with a purpose she's a woman with a sword she knows why she's here who she's here to fight she's never been afraid not of fire and not of pain and she's never looked back not even just to check
3.
Plane Crash 03:01
PLANE CRASH all these dresses the glitter the mascara I didn't want to scare you I was just going back in time I was retracing my steps to a city by the water in an airplane with a motor drinking juice in plastic cups when I read your poem I knew I was in trouble every word was floating rubble and I was trying not to drown I had packed all my things in neat little boxes I changed my dress and my shoes the name was just a game I thought I was the same but my bones they had changed I grew three inches even though I am too old told sold fold bold gold mold scold hold cold old the whales in the water didn't want to bother coming up for air or gawking at the scene they had better things to do than rescuing the crew the passengers were blue it was getting quite severe I don't remember how i got to the shore it was the middle of december and the water freezing cold told sold fold bold gold mold scold old cold cold in the dream I'm at a party voices without bodies saying "would you like some cake" "would you like a fake Renoir" my mind is in shambles brambles rambles scrambles I would like an explanation like "there is a letter coming soon" chandeliers are on the ceiling and I've lost my sense of feeling in my hands in my heart I'm starting to count dots polka polka polka polka dots the doctors might guess the mess it's my condition it's the the rest of me that is still crashing planes I blame it on the weather I blame it on the syntax it's a new DNA taking over every day way lay say hay gay stray tray way gay yeah hysteria disaster area picnic area Bavaria is in the south I can carry you that is why I grew the glue must do every screw needs a shoe that is why I have the flue and that's why I am through with all the things that I must do do do do do do do do do do do now that's the end I'm sure you understand
4.
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A SKYSCRAPER first I was an elevator then I was a high-rise now I am a skyscraper scraping the sky first I was steel then I was concrete now I am all electricity look at me eat I'm so modern I'm angles and glass I'm so modern I'm abstract world class first I was all stairs then I was all floors now I am very tall soon I'll be yours first I was a blue print then I was all feet now I am newsprint it's time that we meet I'm so modern I'm angles and glass I'm so modern I'm abstract world class first I could see the horizon then I was watching cranes now I am looking at walls and elevated trains first I was fancy offices then conveniently located down-town penthouses now I am a museum that slowly decomposes a museum without visitors a museum without sculptors a museum without collectors a museum without benefactors a museum with nothing showing a museum with the wind blowing through empty floors and rooms I am a inner-city tomb that wants to stay modern and wants to love wants you to see my vertical lines and revolving doors I want to stay modern and I want to love I want to kiss the sky the birds the escalators and the elevators and the the visitors I want to kiss the visitors because I'm so modern I'm angles and glass I'm so modern I'm abstract world class
5.
Flugangst 04:16
FLUGANGST ich war mal wieder fort mit Flugzeug Bus und Zug an einem ganz anderen Ort dort war es viel wärmer als hier Wasserfälle fielen von Gestellen ich habe mich ein paarmal verlaufen Schleifen Schlaufen Wege und Umwege jetzt bin ich wieder zu Hause Auspacken Wäsche waschen Post aufmachen Suppe kochen alle anrufen und sagen "ich bin wieder da" aber gar nicht für lange la la la Wiederholung ist meine Belohnung Schablone meine Melone ohne Vorlage bin ich verloren wie ein Tourist ohne Stadtplan oder ein Pirat ohne Papagei was ist schon Malerei ich will malen nach Zahlen sie sind Wegweiser Kompass Schild und Pfeil wie Seile beim Bergsteigen wie ein Sicherheitsnetz beim Seiltanzen Sicherheitsgurt Rettungsring Schwimmweste Schlauchboot der Himmel ist rot und die Banken sind in Not was kostet jetzt das Brot reimt mit Tot wenn ich auf Reisen gehe denke ich immer ob ich zurück komme oder ist es für immer es ist ja nicht ganz ungefährlich und wenn ich ehrlich bin muss ich sagen im Flugzeug wenn es wackelt beim Strassen überqueren auf alten Fähren und im Zug die Bilder in meinem Kopf sind nicht gut da fliegen Leute durch die Luft und Laster rasen aufeinander die Knochen sind ein Durcheinander so wie im Film obwohl ich gar nicht mehr weiss wie der Film noch mal heisst kann es sein ich war selber dort am Unfallort denn ich könnte schwören ich weiss wie es sich anfühlt wenn man den Körper nicht mehr spürt ich war mal wieder fort mit Flugzeug Bus und Zug an einem ganz anderen Ort dort war es viel wärmer als hier Wasserfälle fielen von Gestellen ich habe mich ein paar mal verlaufen Schleifen Schlaufen Wege und Umwege jetzt bin ich wieder zu Hause Auspacken Wäsche waschen Post aufmachen Suppe kochen alle anrufen und sagen "ich bin wieder da" aber gar nicht für lange la la la
6.
THE COLLECTOR in an arena in Barcelona your sandals are coming undone and the bull running towards you who would become a story nobody would believe you were in the desert in Egypt smoking cigars and counting camels as they fall from the sky you are a man in a tree a man in a high-rise you have a home that can swap countries you are a mathematician and I think magician perhaps you're living more than one life on an island you plant palm trees you watch them grow over the years and when your drunk you stumble among them as if you were one of them you are a collector of watches carpets apples and elephants you photograph the sunset and flowers of seeming insignificance you are an investor in chocolate and you like the word brilliant you don't drink much water but I think that is irrelevant you are a man in a tree a man in a high-rise you have a home that can swap countries you are a mathematician and I think magician perhaps you're living more than one life you are a cowboy at a campfire a man in airplanes and automobiles you are taking trains in Japan you drink cold sake out of boxes you are a mariachi recording songs onto a little old tape deck or yodeling on mountain tops you are a father playing vampire with your children who lock themselves in a bathroom because they are uncertain if the game is a game for they know you to be cowboy a singer a gambler a bullfighter a businessman a hobo a husband a refugee a poor boy and a rich man well you might as well be a vampire too oh no because you are a man in a tree a man in a high-rise you have a home that can swap countries you are a mathematician and I think magician perhaps you're living more than one life
7.
Songlines 02:18
SONGLINES my ancestors traveled the land along the ancient tracks made of song they sang the songs that have been passed on to them my father taught me these songs how to dream the tracks and how to travel along invisible lines called the songlines we nomads migrate singing song cycles summon the marks that mark the landmarks we navigate singing and the land sings back and in exchange we all get to live that is the land and the story and the dream that is the past and the present and the future that is the dance and the spirit and the sounds that is the birds and the stones and the clouds
8.
That Button 02:28
THAT BUTTON today I lost that button the one you gave me to replace the lost button previous to your lost button it was a gold button unlike all the other buttons and you said it was a "keep it together button" you had found that button at the beach it was as if it had come from the deep deep sea it was as if a little animal with tentacles had made it and it was the most precious button ever you had sown that button like a taylor to my coat like a doctor stitching wounds like a sorcerer casting a spells and we both knew what it meant although we never ever said a single word I've been spending all day retracing my steps from the moment that I woke up to this moment where I stand and suddenly it is so very clear that the last part of us has disappeared
9.
KOFFER AUF KOFFER ZU der Schornsteinfeger war schon drei mal da doch ich bin spazieren oder verreisst die Tassen gehen kaputt auch wenn keiner zu Hause ist und der Korkenzieher ist sowieso nur Dekoration Koffer auf Koffer zu ich habe nichts vergessen die Blumen kann man essen und das Meer ist verschenkt Tür auf Tür zu keine Spuren hinterlassen die Luft ist zum Fassen und der Verkehr ist zum Verschwinden im Flugzeug wachsen Bäume auf kleinen Tabletts die Stewardess bläst eine Rettungsweste auf ich esse alles auf bis zum letzten Rest und mein Nachbar hält sich an der Lehne fest als könnte er aus dem Flugzeug fallen wie aus einem Riesenrad oder einem Karussell der Staub ist viel zu schnell und das Wasser wasserdicht wenn mann lange genug wartet wird es hell Koffer auf Koffer zu ich habe nichts vergessen die Blumen kann man essen und das Meer ist verschenkt Tür auf Tür zu keine Spuren hinterlassen die Luft ist zum Fassen und der Verkehr ist zum Verschwinden die Schneekugel schneit nur wenn man sie schüttelt deswegen halte ich still don't rock the boat wenn du willst können wir Tanzen gehn Diskokugelleuchten rock and roll als wären wir in einem Musical und plötzlich singen tanzen alle in der Luft alle sind verliebt dancing cheek to cheek doch sobald der Vorhang fällt bin ich fort bin ich fort, ich bin fort Koffer auf Koffer zu ich habe nichts vergessen die Blumen kann man essen und das Meer ist verschenkt Tür auf Tür zu keine Spuren hinterlassen die Luft ist zum Fassen und der Verkehr ist zum Verschwinden
10.
TRAFFIC ISLAND in the street all the faces look funny big eyes staring nowhere and strange buckled bodies carrying bags parcels pianos and poodles I'm going home to put on my pajamas and dance I watched the cars today their choreography everything with a motor buzzing zigzagging by and I was standing on a traffic island thinking I'm going home to put on my pajamas and dance one day I will move to the ocean one day I will move to the mountains one day I will move right next to a lake I will watch the clouds drink tea and eat cake I'm going home to put on my pajamas and dance
11.
TINTENLUMPENHAND Tintenlumpen kleine Porzellanhand I missed you very much while I was traveling far far away ich bin gerne zu Hause und schau was in meinem Regal ist da ist eine Tintenlumpenhand waiting for me waiting as only porcelain knows how to be patient danke schön Tintenlumpenhand thank you very much ich gebe dir die Hand und einen Knicks you can save your tricks for me when I'm home alone a writer needs a Tintenlumpen aus feinstem Filz gemacht meine Mutter weiss was eine Schriftstellerin braucht denn wir werden uns nicht lumpen so I put on my fancy shoes and all my special moves denn ich komme aus gutem Haus wo mann einen Tintenlumpen braucht danke schön Tintenlumpenhand thank you very much ich gebe dir die Hand und einen Knicks you can save your tricks for me when I'm home alone one day I will grow up and write with pen and ink and I will need a Tintenlumpen um alles was daneben ging schnell aufzusaugen so my writing will be pretty even if I have little or nothing to say I wont make a mess sauber sauber fein und schnell what the hell I always wanted to be a lady and it's just been lately that I'm old enough für einen kleinen Hund und einen Palast danke schön Tintenlumpenhand thank you very much ich gebe dir die Hand und einen Knicks you can save your tricks for me when I'm home alone I'm home alone, I'm home alone wishing I had smart things to say so my Tintenlumpen could Tintenlumpen away
12.
Wedding Song 03:36
WEDDING SONG we know each other from many life-times we were Samurai on top of a hill we had cool hairdos and sharp swords and we were never at a loss for words we lived in many countries once we spoke Russian counting clouds we were cowboys on horseback and cavemen hunting cows now you'll say there were no cows in prehistoric times but I remember a toppled canoe and the river in your eyes no matter what time in history or geography we were always in music and in poetry and sometimes we were in love and sometimes we got married we got married my memory reaches all the way back to the sea two underwater creatures convinced we were alien from another planet who had finally arrived to free them from their tyrant king and he did fall from his throne when he saw us dance and their prophecy was fulfilled by chance of his crown braking on the tip of our shipwrecked boat no matter what time in history or in geography we were always in music and in poetry and sometimes we were in love and sometimes we got married we got married in this life time there are airplanes cars and telephone poles there are visas to more than one country and there's a lake and a coming home a family so large you can barely fit them in a room and so many friends that there are non left for foes and so much food that soon we will have to lie down or dance to save our bellies from balloons dance to save our bellies from balloons it is not just you getting married today it is all of us all of us tying the knot in some way

credits

released December 9, 2011

"Traffic Island" was recorded and mixed by Norman Nitzsche at the Villa Qrella. Mastered by Bo Kondren at Calyx Mastering in Berlin. All songs written by Josepha Conrad, photography by Anja Conrad, and design by Rimini Berlin, Franziska Morlok.

Josepha Conrad: vocals, classical guitar and ukulele.
Marko Hefele: violin and backup vocals
Tomi Simatupang: electric guitar, electric bass, vocals on "Songlines" and backup vocals
Michael Conrad: vocals on "Traffic Island" and backup vocals on "Koffer auf Koffer zu"

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Susie Asado Berlin, Germany

Susie Asado lives in Berlin. That is the band, not the poem. The poem is by Gertrude Stein. Yes, there is such a poem. The band is not a poem. It is a band. Josepha writes the songs. She takes this very seriously, as she takes the band very seriously and of course the poem, that is Gertrude Stein very seriously. ... more

contact / help

Contact Susie Asado

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this album or account

If you like Susie Asado, you may also like: