Laga Reh by Shehzad Roy

I love this vid..it gives a voice to something we've been trying to ignore.

The glimpses of all the political problems in Pakistan are spot on. The American agents trying to stifle the voices of dissent, the planned chaos, the lawyers who started the stupid riots..corrupt political leaders (helllooo Zardari..)..etc.

The message is to wake up! Question the insanity..and persevere.

Anyone who's lived in Pakistan can identify with this song.




Translation

Shehzad Roy: When I was ten years old, I heard on the 9 o'clock news that Pakistani history is at a critical crossroads/crisis.

Kid: Daddyy!!

Then I turned twenty, and heard on the news once again...that Pakistani history is at a critical crossroads.

Having tied your impossible dreams to yourself, you're standing, holding your ground.
You're an ordinary person, dude, enough, can't do it anymore.

Political activist: So what should I do? Lose hope?
Roy: No. Just keep at it.

Chorus:
Keep at it, keep at it, you keep going.
Keep waiting, keep waiting, you remain stubborn.
Laying still, laying still, you stay still.

Respected elders--they asked me, how will the nation run?
Respected elders--I told them, keep at it, keep at it.
Respected elders--they asked me, how will the nation run?
Respected elders--I told them

I'm not concerned about whether the nation will run. I'm concerned that it might go on running like this.

Keep at it, keep at it, you keep going.
Keep waiting, keep waiting, you are waiting.
Laying still, laying still, you stay still.

Dude, there's a lot of tension in the nation.
It's nothing, it's nothing, leave everything to Allah.

Don't do a thing.
You don't do a thing.
Everything you leave to Allah.
Allah is your protector, period.

Oi, brother, you too are facing a crossroads (can also mean "have become a cause of catastrophe"),
holding your ground.
You're an ordinary man--hey, stop! ...Now it's painful, dude.

Lawyer: No way. There're still a few noble people remaining...on the planet.

Respected elder--he asked me, who is noble, tell me.
Respected elder--I told him

A noble person is he who hasn't had the chance yet to prove himself otherwise

Keep at it, keep at it, you keep going.
Keep waiting, keep waiting, you are waiting.
Laying still, laying still, you stay still.
Keep at it, keep at it, you keep going.
Keep waiting, keep waiting, you are waiting.
Laying still, laying still, you stay still.

Reporter: The entire country's law and safety has been restored to order.

And then one day the ground will disappear beneath your feet (pun, can also mean "you will face the biggest catastrophe" and "your land will be snatched away")
And then to you, they will say..
They will say, "you're soaring in the clouds."
You're soaring in the clouds.
(pun, can also mean "you are finally free")

Poor man: So...will we really, truly be soaring in the clouds? Eh?
Roy: If you won't understand, fool, then...!

Keep at it, keep at it, you keep going.
Keep waiting, keep waiting, you are waiting.
Laying still, laying still, you stay still.
Keep at it, keep at it, you keep going.
Keep waiting, keep waiting, you are waiting.
Laying still, laying still, you stay still.

Poor man: That boy's face resembled Shehzad Roy's so much...

Politician 1: Sir, it might be time to wake up the nation.
Politician 2: Don't wake them up! They're sleeping because of some very important work.
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Update: Here's an excerpt from an interesting interview of Shehzad Roy (source)

Both the song and the Laga Reh video effectively summarised the earlier political situation in the country. Do you think the song is still relevant?
Earlier during its making when I had expressed a similar concern, the director of the video, Ahsan, wittingly said that I need not worry about Laga Reh because no matter when the song was released listeners will relate to it. And do you know why? When I was 10, I heard on the 9'o clock news that Pakistan was going through a sensitive phase, and only two days back I heard Sheikh Rasheed saying the exact same thing all over again!
So tell me what has changed? We like to live in denial and keep going on about non-issues, but I also think change is coming. We need to talk about the right issues. I think both the album and the song will remain topical even five years from now. God help us if people can relate to it even after that.

Qismet has allegedly become a best-selling album. How do you feel about that?
Is it really that controversial? If it wasn't selling well I would have become a pauper by now! It was tough losing a sponsor but if I had known that the album wouldn't sell, I wouldn't have been able to bring out Qismet...The message that I am trying to impart through this album is that the general public in Pakistan has not been given an outlet to think for themselves with the outlet being the right education system.
Once our children start asking questions and demand an answer no leader can make a fool out of us. I also write for a section of the English press but writing, singing songs or going to talk shows won't change anything. You can only create an opinion with it. I could have come up with such an album before but Qismet came after I started working in the field and learned about the ground realities.
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{P.S. You can donate to Shehzad Roy's awesome Paid to Learn campaign/Zindagi Trust here!}