Alt-J (∆) - Taro

video edited by:

I have a playlist called "Compact Cassette" that I update and change weekly (a regularly modified rotation, kind of like a radio station)

From the album "An Awesome Wave." Footage is from the beautiful 1988 film "Powaqqatsi: Life in Transformation."

Lyrics:

Indochina, Capa jumps Jeep, two feet creep up the road
To photo, to record meat lumps and war,
They advance as does his chance -- very yellow white flash.
A violent wrench grips mass, rips light, tears limbs like rags,
Burst so high finally Capa lands,
Mine is a watery pit. Painless with immense distance
From medic from colleague, friend, enemy,
foe, him five yards from his leg, From you Taro.
Do not spray into eyes -- I have sprayed you into my eyes.
3:10 pm, Capa pends death, quivers, last rattles, last chokes
All colours and cares glaze to grey, shrivelled and stricken to dots,
Left hand grasps what the body grasps not -- le photographe est mort.
3.1415, alive no longer my amour, faded for home May of '54
Doors open like arms my love, Painless with a great closeness
To Capa, to Capa Capa dark after nothing,
re-united with his leg and with you, Taro.
Do not spray into eyes -- I have sprayed you into my eyes.
Hey Taro!

For more Alt-J:

[Chamsiee]

I remember that I used to listen to this song when I was 19 broke and depressed. I used to listen to and imagine my future. I used to say that I would make it, and it helped me a lot to battle my depression and suicidal thoughts. Today I'm finally listening to it almost six years after the first time. I can't believe I'm still alive. I studied, lived in foreign countries, loved, created my organisation. I wish someone could read my comment and understand that nothing is permanent you will make it. People love you, and you deserve everything and more. I'm so grateful I believed in myself and you should do it too.

ps: thanks so much for all your answers. It warms my heart!! I wish you all to love yourself unconditionally and not be too hard on yourself! And I am a woman :)

[rickdeckardinthcentury]

When i listen to this song, i live a million of lifes.

[LuxMeow]

"The song was written about the life and death of the two lovers – Robert Capa and Gerda Taro.


Taro was born in 1910 into a Jewish family in Germany. In 1933 she was arrested due to political activities against the Nazi regime. After Taro was released, she fled to Paris, where she met Robert Capa. Capa, Hungarian born Jew (who was born named Andrew Friedman), fled to Germany and then to Paris in 1933 as well, where he continued his career as a photographer of war. Over time, the young couple fell in love, and with this love, Taro Love has emerged to Capa’s profession of war photography. Within a few years she mastered the profession and became one of the first women in the field of war photography, and sadly at the age of 27 she was the first woman that was killed while fulfilling her job (in the Barnett 1937 as part of the Spanish Civil War).
Kappa paid this heavy psychological cost – not only lost the the love of his life, he also blamed himself for her death – since he was not there with her. Despite the loss and pain, Capa went on to document the Spanish Civil War till the end of the war.


Capa photographed many more wars, including World War II.
Capa was killed in the line of duty as a photographer War Indochina War in 1954, at age 40, when he ran over a mine.


Capa managed to stay true to his principals – in his eyes, it was crucial to document the war from the perspective of an average soldier and accordingly, he would say:
“If your photographs are not good enough, you’re not close enough”.


The band Alt-J decided to release a song dedicated to this couple who loved one another and was also devoted to their work, Ultimately they paid this remarkable devotion with their life."

[ohmygodsc]

From what I managed to gather from the lyrics, this song is about Hungarian war-photographer Robert Capa, who died during the First Indochina War, more exactly in May of 1954 after jumping out of his jeep and running up the road to get a better photo of the troops advancing. In the process of doing so he stepped on a landmine and had his left leg blown to bits. "Taro" refers to Gerda Taro, his partner in love and war photography who was killed in 1937 while covering the Spanish civil war.

[ScrawnyScout]

words can not express how much i like this song

[cousycousy]

Usually when I listen to a song 20 times in a row, and it gets boring, it doesn't get interesting again for months. This song re-inspires me every couple hours I stop listening.

[FellypeNascimento]

This music connects me with my own soul. It's hard to explain.

[JoeKing]

THANK GOD they brought back this masterpiece! This is literally the greatest unofficial music video ever made.

[jazming]

This song gives me a happy/sad feeling... I don't know how to describe it. It's a really weird, profound feeling...

[torianbay]

"Do not spray into eyes. I have sprayed you into my eyes." I tear up every time I hear that line. So poetic. So powerful.

[roxanamotoc]

Indochina, Capa jumps Jeep
Two feet creep up the road
To photo, to record, meat lumps and war
They advance as does his chance, ohh
Very yellow-white flash
A violent wrench grips mass
Rips light, tears limbs like rags
Burst so high, finally Capa lands
Mine is a watery pit
Painless with immense distance
From medic, from colleague, friend, enemy, foe
Him five yards from his leg
From you Taro, oh
Do not spray into eyes
I have sprayed you into my eyes
3:10 p.m.
Capa pends death, quivers, last rattles, last chokes
All colours and cares glaze to grey
Shriveled and stricken to dots
The left hand grasps what the body grasps not, ohh
Le photographe est mort
3.1415, alive no longer my amour
Faded for home May of '54
Doors open like arms, my love
Painless with a great closeness
To Capa, to Capa Capa dark after nothing
Re-united with his leg
And with you, Taro, oh
Taro, ohh
Do not spray into eyes
I have sprayed you into my eyes
Hey, Taro!

[mariafernandasveloski]

I always come back here when I feel depressed. It helps me to see how the world and people are bigger and worthier than sadness.

[laurnroskov]

I study to be approved on medical school and every time I'm unmotivated I come here to watch this. While others motivated themselves thinking in money or prestige, I come here to listen the lyrics and cry, saying to myself: this is why you're here, because of people. It always was and always will be until you're get there.

[stayhighlovepeaceart]

lyrics
Indochina, Capa jumps Jeep, two feet creep up the road
To photo, to record meat lumps and war,
They advance as does his chance -- very yellow white flash.
A violent wrench grips mass, rips light, tears limbs like rags,
Burst so high finally Capa lands,
Mine is a watery pit. Painless with immense distance
From medic from colleague, friend, enemy,
foe, him five yards from his leg, From you Taro.
Do not spray into eyes -- I have sprayed you into my eyes.
3:10 pm, Capa pends death, quivers, last rattles, last chokes
All colours and cares glaze to grey, shrivelled and stricken to dots,
Left hand grasps what the body grasps not -- le photographe est mort.
3.1415, alive no longer my amour, faded for home May of '54
Doors open like arms my love, Painless with a great closeness
To Capa, to Capa Capa dark after nothing,
re-united with his leg and with you, Taro.
Do not spray into eyes -- I have sprayed you into my eyes.
Hey Taro!
comment like and subscribe

[joycecamoes]

I can watch this video millions and millions times and the only thing that comes to my mind is that people ain’t different as we usually think and even treat them. Cultures are different! We are people and every soul has the same need and every piece of us wants to feels valuable, wants to feel loved, wants to feel significant and have dignity. How beautiful is the plurality, the differences, the simplicity... In a society where the values has been misrepresented day by day, is always good to look around and bring back to mind where everything started and never forget that we have 2 hands: one for helping ourselves and the other for helping others who needs.

[tito]

It’s been YEARS since I’ve heard this song and I just fell in love with this song all over again

[daokopiano]

Years have passed and I’m no longer a teenager, but when I listen to this I still want to run far, far away and get to know our Mother Earth and the beautiful people I haven’t met yet.
This video and song is magical.

[malindiwalker]

Makes me nostalgic for some place I've never been, absolutely in love with this song

[andrejcina]

My dad passed away yesterday. We had great connection, I can’t believe that I won’t see him anymore and everything seems surreal…but when I listen to this song, I am calm cause I know he is in better place now. RIP

[angelitaReggae]

This song is so beautiful... I can't describe that I feel when I listen it... It's perfect to me.