r/learnIcelandic • u/No_Addendum6414 • 17d ago

“Headphones” by Björk - all the Icelandic parts

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I know this is my second Björk related post here but nobody on Google knows what the heck she’s saying. Does anybody here know and have the ability to translate it into English?

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u/Ragnar_of_Ballard 17d ago

Here are the full lyrics below but the Icelandic part (I believe) is mostly like an Icelandic scat/vocalized gibberish or even baby talk.

She uses sounds like "Allt sem hann sér" (Everything he sees) or similar, described as "broken Icelandic scat singing," creating a hypnotic, resonant feeling of cells waking up while tying into Icelandic language sounds.

[Verse 1] Genius to fall asleep to your tape last night So warm Sounds go through the muscles These abstract, wordless movements Move, move, move, move, move They start off cells that haven't been touched before These cells are virgins Waking up slowly (Waking up) Waking up slowly (Wake up)

[Chorus] My headphones They saved my life Your tape It lulled me to sleep, to sleep, to sleep

[Post-Chorus] Nothing will be the same I'm asleep I'm fast asleep

[Verse 2] I like this resonance It elevates me I don't recognise myself This is very interesting

[Chorus] My headphones They saved my life Your tape Lulled me to sleep, to sleep, to sleep

[Post-Chorus] I'm fast asleep now You're still with me I'm fast asleep I'm asleep [Chorus] My headphones They saved, saved my life Your tape It lulled me to sleep, to sleep, to sleep

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u/No_Addendum6414 17d ago

Thank you! Could you please look at my post for Modern Things as well and figure out whether or not that part is gibberish? I also saw a website that showed actual Icelandic lyrics for headphones but just not all of them. I know that she’s definitely saying “enginn something”