Robot gaan oor 'n leë stad in die na-middernagtelike ure. Dis gewoonlik die stilste tye in 'n stad. Maar die windgat bikers of jong ouens met warm karre wat raas versteur gereeld die stilte.
My woonstel was op die 3de vloer en die venster het uitgekyk op 'n straathoek met 'n robot. Wanneer dit reën het die veranderende lig van die robot op die teer weerkaats - amper soos slow-motion disco ligte. Die stilte van die nag met die rooi, oranje en groen ligte wat weerkaats op die nat teer was hipnotiserend. Maar dan, dikwels, jaag een of ander biker doer ver uit die weste op pad na die ooste. Ek kan hom hoor stop by elke robot. Hy skakel na laer ratte op hoë revs. Terwyl hy wag is dit wrm wrm wrm, en dan op hoë revs trek hy weg tot by die volgende robot.
So gaan dit aan en die klanke is soos stereo van die weste na die ooste. Wat my die meeste tref van die stil laat nagte en die enjin se geraas van robot tot robot is dat 'n stuk tegnologie met flitsende ligte mens se lewe so kan beheer. As die robot sê stop, dan stop ons.
Wel, vandag is Suid-Afrikaners nie meer so wetsgehoorsaam nie! Robotte word maklik geignoreer. So eintlik is hierdie song antieke geskiedenis. |
Robot is the peculiar South African word for traffic light. The song Robot is about an empty city in the early hours after midnight. This is usually the most quiet times in a city. But young bikers and guys with suped-up cars often shatter the silence.
My apartment was on the 3rd floor and the window looked out over a street corner with a traffic light - a robot. When it rained the changing light reflected on the tar - much like slow-motion disco lights. The silence of the night with red, orange and green lights reflecting on the wet tar was hypnotizing. But then, and often, some or other biker would race from the far west to the east. I could hear him stop at each traffic light. He'd switch to lower gears at high revs. While he waits, it is vrm vrm vrm, and then speeding off on high revs until the following traffic light.
So it continues and the sound is like stereo from the west to the east. The most fascinating bit of the quiet nights with engine noise from one traffic light to the next is that a piece of technology with flashing lights can control human life. When the robot says stop, we stop.
Well, today South Africans are no longer that obedient to laws! Robots are easily ignored. So this song is actually ancient history. |
